The U.S. won the latest battle in its womenB次元官网网址檚 hockey tug of war with Canada.
Megan Keller had a goal and an assist and Hilary Knight moved closer to the all-time world championship points record in a 5-2 win over Canada to cap the preliminary round on Tuesday.
Trailing 2-0 after the opening period, the U.S. scored five unanswered goals against the defending champions with Lacey Eden producing the winner at 3:14 of the third period.
The Americans ended CanadaB次元官网网址檚 run of wins against them at five straight B次元官网网址� including the most recent world and Olympic finals B次元官网网址� with their biggest margin of victory over the Canadians since a 4-1 win Dec. 14, 2019.
B次元官网网址淔or us, it doesnB次元官网网址檛 really matter what happened in the past,B次元官网网址� U.S. forward Kelly Pannek said.
B次元官网网址淭his game, the score is what it is, but how we worked and how we got those goals, we got down, but our mentality was never down. We never were out of the game mentality.
B次元官网网址淲e stuck together. I think that is more important than getting five goals. ItB次元官网网址檚 the way we did it.B次元官网网址�
The U.S. went unbeaten in four games to top Pool A, which featured the top five seeds in the tournament.
The Americans take on Hungary, the No. 3 seed in Pool B, in a quarterfinal matchup Thursday.
Canada, with three wins and a loss, meets Pool B runner-up Sweden.
In ThursdayB次元官网网址檚 other quarterfinals, Finland takes on Czechia, which went undefeated to top Pool B, while Switzerland and Japan square off as the fourth and fifth seeds in Pool A.
SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 semifinals are followed by SundayB次元官网网址檚 medal games.
U.S. captain Kendall Coyne SchofieldB次元官网网址檚 insurance goal in the third period was her first of the tournament.
Pannek also scored and Nicole Hensley stopped 26 shots for the win.
KnightB次元官网网址檚 empty-netter was her 85th career world championship point and one back of the record held by CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Hayley Wickenheiser.
Knight already holds the all-time goals record with 50.
With three goals and two assists in four games in Denmark, Knight vaulted over CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Jayna Hefford to move into second in the all-time points table.
B次元官网网址淭hose are two Hockey Hall of Famers, so when you put Hilary Knight into that conversation, sheB次元官网网址檚 a no-brainer Hockey Hall of Famer when her career is said and done and thereB次元官网网址檚 still a long way to go,B次元官网网址� Coyne Schofield said.
Sarah Fillier and Ella Shelton scored for the Canadians, who didnB次元官网网址檛 generate as many scoring chances from close range as the Americans and were often muscled off the puck by the U.S.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think it was necessarily inside the dots. We were losing battles along the wall against them,B次元官网网址� Canadian head coach Troy Ryan said.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got to be better along the wall to get pucks inside the dots.B次元官网网址�
Canada downed the U.S. 5-1 in the preliminary round in last yearB次元官网网址檚 world championship in Calgary before edging the Americans 3-2 in overtime in the final.
B次元官网网址淚 never believed and our staff never believed, that the outcome of this game would really have a big impact in the rest of this event, but how we handle whatever happens was going to have a big impact,B次元官网网址� Ryan said.
B次元官网网址淲e lost so itB次元官网网址檚 going to be how we handle that loss, thatB次元官网网址檚 going to determine success moving forward.B次元官网网址�
Emerance Maschmeyer stopped 28 shots in the loss.
B次元官网网址淓very time you lose against the U.S., itB次元官网网址檚 always a sting,B次元官网网址� Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin said.
B次元官网网址淣o time to panic for us. ItB次元官网网址檚 a game. ItB次元官网网址檚 part of the process. ItB次元官网网址檚 never going to be perfect. ItB次元官网网址檚 just a matter of us being resilient.B次元官网网址�
Savannah Harmon threaded a cross-ice pass under a Canadian stick to Eden, who wired the puck top shelf for the go-ahead goal in the third.
The Canadians couldnB次元官网网址檛 produce an equalizer on a subsequent power play with Coyne Schofield serving a boarding minor.
Schofield then scored her teamB次元官网网址檚 fourth goal on a tip-in from the slot at 13:28.
B次元官网网址淟acey had a heck of a shot. Skill play, but the trench work ultimately wins you games,B次元官网网址� U.S. coach John Wroblewski said.
B次元官网网址淚 was very happy for our captain to score down in that area. Great storyline for us to have her be the one to give us that two-goal lead, which was obviously massive.B次元官网网址�
Defender Renata FastB次元官网网址檚 roughing penalty with just under four minutes to go hampered CanadaB次元官网网址檚 chances for a late comeback.
Canada outshot the U.S. 16-8 in the second period, but the Americans scored twice to pull even.
After a Jessie Eldridge tip deflected off HensleyB次元官网网址檚 left post, the U.S. scored on its subsequent rush with Pannek redirecting a Cayla Barnes shot at 11:11.
The Americans halved a two-goal deficit with a power-play goal at 4:16.
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The puck cycled out to Keller, and her shot deflected off Canadian defender Ashton Bell and by Maschmeyer.
With Pannek serving a roughing minor, Shelton flipped the puck over a prone Hensley during a goalmouth scramble for a power-play goal at 18:12 of the first period.
Fillier spun and banged in a rebound off a Renata Fast shot from the point at 3:29 for her team-leading fourth goal of the tournament.
With two wins and two losses, Finland ranked third in Pool A with a 4-0 win Tuesday over short-staffed Switzerland (1-3-0-0).
The Swiss were minus five players, including four with illness.
The Swiss hockey federation said on its website that captain Lara Stalder had tested positive for COVID-19, and the other three negative.
Canadian and U.S. players wore masks Tuesday for post-game interviews.
B次元官网网址淜nowing that there are some cases in the tournament, it was an easy decision for us to do the right thing and put our masks on,B次元官网网址� Schofield said.
Czechia blanked Sweden 3-0 to go undefeated atop Pool B, five points up on the runner-up Swedes.
Germany secured the fourth and final playoff berth in the pool with a 3-2 victory over host Denmark.
Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
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