U.S. women’s hockey team welcomes Canada for week-long event

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The U.S. women’s hockey team will host Canada for a training camp and two exhibition games next month near Pittsburgh.

The event runs Nov. 4-10 in Cranberry Township, Pa. The games will be Nov. 8 and 10.

USA Hockey made plans for the event after the Swedish federation cancelled this year’s Four Nations Cup because of a dispute with its women’s national team.

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 National Women’s Hockey League.

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.

A five-game Rivalry Series between the two countries also will start in December.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2019.