Taylor Heise shines as USA women rout Canada 4–1 in Rivalry Series opener | Ice hockey
Taylor Heise scored and set up each of Abbey Murphy’s three goals, and the United States women’s national hockey team opened the pre-Olympic rivalry series with a 4-1 victory over Canada on Thursday night.
Laila Edwards had an assist in her return to Cleveland, her shot from the right point being deflected by Heise midway through the first half. Edwards, 21, is a forward-turned-defenseman from Cleveland Heights and the first Black player to skate for Team USA.
Projected American starter Aerin Frankel stopped 26 shots, and the Americans have won three straight against their cross-border rivals. That streak dates back to a two-game sweep of Canada at the World Championships in the Czech Republic in April, including a 4-3 overtime victory in the title game.
Sarah Fillier scored for Canada. Eve Gascon stopped 22 shots in her debut with the Canadian national team. The University of Minnesota-Duluth junior started under coach Troy Ryan with a younger roster. Canada left several veterans at home to rest, including goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens.
The teams meet again Saturday in Buffalo, New York. The four-game series between the world powers will then conclude with two matches in Edmonton, Alberta next month.
While the Americans are the reigning world champions, the Canadians are the reigning Olympic champions, winning their fifth gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Games.
After Fillier and Heise exchanged goals 16 seconds apart, the Americans then blew the game away in the second period when Murphy scored on a one-timer on two passes from Heise. Murphy then completed his hat trick by deflecting Heise’s pass up the middle for a power play goal 1:54 into the third period.
Edwards is a senior at Wisconsin and preparing to make his Olympic debut at the Milan Cortina Games in February.
She was honored to win the opening ceremonial faceoff against Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin, and to be in the lineup three weeks after being sidelined with a left knee injury.
She has already won a national championship with the Badgers, a gold medal at the world championships in April and was named world championship MVP in 2024, when the United States lost to Canada in its tournament debut in Utica, New York.
Edwards was also impressed a night earlier when he saw the NBA’s Cavaliers post a photo on X of former star Larry Nance arriving for their home game against Philadelphia wearing Edwards’ U.S. No. 10 hockey jersey. She found out while having a family dinner at her childhood home and was joined by her USA and Wisconsin teammate, Caroline Harvey.
