Troy Ryan doesnB次元官网网址檛 put much stock into the word B次元官网网址渄efending.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 not something CanadaB次元官网网址檚 coach emphasizes when it comes to the aggressive, push-the-puck style his team introduced to womenB次元官网网址檚 hockey when outscoring the competition .

And itB次元官网网址檚 not something Ryan is going to stress despite the Canadians being the two-time defending world champions entering the International Ice Hockey Federation tournament this week.

B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 want to sit back and defend. So off-ice, itB次元官网网址檚 our same mentality,B次元官网网址� Ryan said. B次元官网网址淲hy should we try to defend anything? We want to win something, right?B次元官网网址�

Catch Canada if you can might well be the message Ryan and his experience-laden roster has for the rest of the globe B次元官网网址� and specifically the rival United States B次元官网网址� in preparing to open the 10-nation, 12-day world championships on home soil in suburban Toronto on Wednesday.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e focused on winning this world championship. We donB次元官网网址檛 feel any extra pressure because we won a couple,B次元官网网址� Ryan said. B次元官网网址淟etB次元官网网址檚 win another one. ThatB次元官网网址檚 the mindset.B次元官网网址�

If thatB次元官网网址檚 the case in a sport in which , much of the burden falls on a younger, retooling USA team to stand in the CanadiansB次元官网网址� way.

It wonB次元官网网址檛 be easy, said , whose team features five skaters making their world tournament debuts, and without captain Kendall Coyne Schofield, who is taking this year off after announcing her pregnancy.

B次元官网网址淲e have an opportunity thatB次元官网网址檚 legit to grow the game here,B次元官网网址� Wroblewski said of a roster including 12 skaters who played at the college level this season.

B次元官网网址淚 think thatB次元官网网址檚 one that really does set up well for success in this tournament,B次元官网网址� he added. B次元官网网址淎nd whether or not we can catch up to Canada athletically and with our lack of experience at the end of day is what will determine where we stack up.B次元官网网址�

Canada is the favorite with a roster featuring one player making her national team debut in forward Danielle Serdachny, coming off a college season at Colgate in which she led the nation with 70 points in 39 games.

Otherwise, CanadaB次元官网网址檚 lineup is led by established stars such as , who has four gold-medal clinching goals against the Americans in Olympic and world competition, Sarah Nurse, whoB次元官网网址檚 19 points in 2022 were an Olympic record, and Brianne Jenner, who scored both goals over the U.S. in last yearB次元官网网址檚 world championship final.

American forward Hilary Knight isnB次元官网网址檛 conceding anything in preparing to compete in her 13th world tournament.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e hungry and weB次元官网网址檙e ready for any obstacle and opportunity that comes our way,B次元官网网址� the 33-year-old said. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think weB次元官网网址檝e seen the best Team USA yet.B次元官网网址�

, before the Americans beat Canada 5-2 in the preliminary round and fell short in the final in Denmark.

For Wroblewski, the loss was a lesson in how tenacious Canada became with a medal on the line, and something he hopes to address this time by getting the Americans to set the tone earlier with the high-tempo style heB次元官网网址檚 introduced. HeB次元官网网址檚 also counting on having his relatively new group of players gel and develop as the tournament progresses.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檒l be the team that can peak in these international competitions that is usually the one that ends up winning,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪o we really will have to ascend to catch (Canada) and jump over them in this short period of time.B次元官网网址�

Aside from Knight, the Americans feature several familiar faces in forwards Alex Carpenter and Amanda Kessel and defender Lee Stecklein. The youth movement is headed by defender Caroline Harvey, who helped Wisconsin win an NCAA title in her freshman season, and MinnesotaB次元官网网址檚 Taylor Heise, who had a tournament-leading 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in her worlds debut last year.

The U.S. is young in goal, too. Though Nicole Hensley returns for her fifth tournament, sheB次元官网网址檒l be backed up by Aerin Frankel, who had one mop-up role appearance last year, and newcomer Abbey Levy.

Canada is led in goal by Ann-Renee Desbiens, who has a combined 18-0 record in Olympic and world championship play, and backed up by Emerance Maschmeyer (6-2).

Desbiens eagerly anticipates resuming CanadaB次元官网网址檚 rivalry against the U.S.

B次元官网网址淲e want bragging rights,B次元官网网址� Desbiens said.

B次元官网网址淵ou always want to beat the best team, play against the best team. And theyB次元官网网址檝e been the team thatB次元官网网址檚 given us the most opposition,B次元官网网址� she added, referring to the Americans. B次元官网网址淪o obviously, we love playing them, we love beating them, and weB次元官网网址檙e going to keep going that way.B次元官网网址�

A tournament subplot features a growing rivalry between the Czech Republic and Finland. The Czechs made the jump to the A Pool after a 2-1 overtime win over Finland in last yearB次元官网网址檚 quarterfinals, and then defeated Switzerland to win their first bronze medal in tournament play.

The loss relegated Finland to the B Pool a mere three years after the Finns upset Canada at the 2019 world championships and won silver after a shootout loss to the United States.

B次元官网网址淎 little angry about that,B次元官网网址� Finland coach Juuso Toivola said of being relegated. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 not the way we want to play. And thatB次元官网网址檚 not the level we are. So we are full of strength to do better this time.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擩ohn Wawrow, The Associated Press