Canada, U.S., to open women’s hockey rivalry series in Hartford in December

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Canada and the United States kick off their Rivalry Series in women’s hockey Dec. 14 in Hartford, Conn.

The game is the first in a series between the arch-rivals with more dates yet to be announced.

Canada claimed February’s three-game Rivalry Series, bouncing back from a 1-0 loss in London, Ont., to win 4-3 in Toronto and 2-0 in Detroit.

USA Hockey said in a statement Monday the next series will be five games — two in December and three in February.

Hockey Canada and USA Hockey want to increase competition for their national-team players because they’re not playing in a league this winter.

Roughly 200 players have formed the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association in a drive to achieve what they feel is a financially viable and sustainable league for themselves.

They’ve boycotted the U.S.-based NWHL.

PWHPA players are participating in a barnstorming tour across North America this fall, but will likely not get in as many games as they would have in a league.

The Canadian Women’s Hockey League shut down this year after 12 seasons.

The Swedish federation has cancelled November’s Four Nations Cup — an annual tournament involving the Americans, Canadians, Finns and Swedes — because of a dispute with its national women’s team.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 23, 2019.