Canada unveils roster for final leg of Rivalry Series
Canada revealed the 25-player roster it will be taking into the final leg of the Rivalry Series against the United States.
The Canadians made a few changes to the lineup that won two of the first three contests of the five-game series in November. The U.S. took the first meeting with a commanding 7-2 win, but Canada rallied to a 5-4 shootout victory in the next matchup, followed by a 4-1 triumph.
The Rivalry Series was shortened to seven games to accommodate the PWHL's schedule.
The last two games are scheduled for Feb. 6 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Feb. 8 in Summerside, Prince Edward Island.
Forwards
| Player | Team |
|---|---|
| Emily Clark | Ottawa |
| Sarah Fillier | New York |
| Jennifer Gardiner | Montreal |
| Julia Gosling | Toronto |
| Brianne Jenner | Ottawa |
| Emma Maltais | Toronto |
| Sarah Nurse | Toronto |
| Kristin O’Neill | Montreal |
| Marie-Philip Poulin | Montreal |
| Jamie Lee Rattray | Boston |
| Danielle Serdachny | Ottawa |
| Laura Stacey | Montreal |
| Blayre Turnbull | Toronto |
| Daryl Watts | Toronto |
Only one change was made up front, with Boston's Sophie Shirley coming out in favor of Gardiner, who boasts two goals and six points in 11 PWHL games this season after being drafted by the Victoire in the second round this past summer.
Still missing from the mix is superstar Natalie Spooner, who has yet to make her PWHL season debut as she continues to recover from the torn ACL she suffered in the Walter Cup Playoffs.
Stacey, meanwhile, currently paces the Rivalry Series with four points (two goals, two assists) through the first three games. Fillier is tied for the PWHL lead with five goals and 11 points through her first 10 games as a pro.
Defenders
| Player | Team |
|---|---|
| Erin Ambrose | Montreal |
| Ashton Bell | Ottawa |
| Renata Fast | Toronto |
| Sophie Jaques | Minnesota |
| Jocelyne Larocque | Ottawa |
| Claire Thompson | Minnesota |
| Ella Shelton | New York |
| Micah Zandee-Hart | New York |
The most notable name missing from Canada's blue line is 18-year-old phenom Chloe Primerano, but her absence was expected given that collegiate players don't typically compete in the February games, per theScore's Kyle Cushman.
While Primerano didn't register a point in her first three games of the Rivalry Series, she torched the under-18 women's world championship in January with four goals and six assists in six games while helping Canada win gold.
Entering the Rivalry Series fold this time is Sirens captain Zandee-Hart and Minnesota's Jaques, while New York rearguard Jaime Bourbonnais was left off the roster.
Thompson currently leads all PWHL defenders with 11 points in 12 outings.
Goaltenders
| Player | Team |
|---|---|
| Ann-Renee Desbiens | Montreal |
| Emerance Maschmeyer | Ottawa |
| Corinne Schroeder | New York |
Between the pipes, Schroeder is coming in for Toronto's Kristen Campbell.
Schroeder currently paces the PWHL with a 1.86 goals against average, while her .934 save percentage is tied with Maschmeyer for the league lead. The Sirens netminder has also racked up six wins, matching Desbiens for most victories through the early months of the season.
Campbell, meanwhile, owns an .891 clip, 2.85 goals against average, and 2-4-1 record to start the campaign.