The Canadian women's hockey team regrouped ahead of its final game of the Rivalry Series against the United States and after a tough match against its archrival.
The U.S. is on a four-game winning streak, winning the first three by a combined score of 20-6, including a 10-4 win over the hosts in Game 3 Wednesday in Edmonton.
Saturday's final at Rogers Place is the last meeting between the two countries before the Olympics in February and a chance for the Canadians to regain some momentum.
“We're not happy with the way the game went,” said Canadian goalkeeper Anne-Renee Desbien, who will make her second straight start on Saturday.
“We know this group can achieve much more and play with much more pride than we can.”
Canada didn't skate Thursday, but did host a Christmas dinner and gift exchange between video analysis sessions.
“We talked a lot, we had a lot of video to watch,” forward Emily Clark said.
“At times like these, this group has definitely learned that more outside talking is better than less.”
Veteran forward Brianna Jenner added: “There were a lot of holes in our game last night, so we're trying to figure out how to plug them.”
Canada's Friday skate at the Downtown Community Arena adjacent to Rogers Place included breakouts, offensive zone entries and special teams work, among other things.
A win on Saturday would be “huge,” head coach Troy Ryan said.
“Lots and lots of meetings, a lot of soul-searching, a lot of just diving into what happened and B maybe why something happened,” he said.
“The game has left us. You have to give the USA credit for forcing us into some of those situations, but a win after our last three games would have been well received.”
Saturday is also the last chance for Canadian players to shine on the national team before the 23-player Olympic roster is announced in early January.
The players will go back to their Women's Professional Hockey League clubs – forward Caitlin Kremer and defenseman Chloe Primerano – to their college teams, although Hockey Canada will continue to look for them.
“There's not a lot of time with them, but there's a pretty good recipe to follow for some of the things that happen in the men's game,” Ryan said.
“When they go to the Four Nations Cup or the World Cup or the Olympics, you run a very condensed program.
“You will receive them for short periods of time. You can't crush them. You'll probably have to simplify the game plan a little bit so they can implement it based on their membership on the club team.”
Canada is the reigning Olympic champion after beating the United States 3-2 in the 2022 final in Beijing, and the Americans are the reigning world champions after beating Canada 4-3 in overtime in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
Canada opens its Olympic gold medal defense Feb. 4 against Finland in Milan, Italy.
After a 3-1 win over the United States on Feb. 8 in last season's five-game Rivalry Series, Canada has lost five straight games to the Americans.
This is the longest run since six consecutive defeats, dating from the 2014 Four Nations Cup final to the 2016 World Cup final.
The U.S. is hoping for a win in Saturday's series and confidence that will give them confidence heading into the Olympics. Canadians don't want Americans to feel so good about leaving Edmonton.
“This is a great opportunity for us to send a message to ourselves and to them,” Clark said.
