Sports Interaction Staff
August 26, 2021

Canada vs. USA Prediction: IIHF Women’s World Championship Odds

Canada faces off against their greatest rival on Thursday evening, and they’ll be trying to turn the tide on a years-long losing streak to the Americans. The last time the Canadians won this championship was 2012. They have also struggled against the US in the Winter Olympics, and haven’t won gold since 2018.

Canada is hoping that new blood on both sides indicates a new era for this rivalry. The U.S. has seven and Canada eight players who are making their tournament debuts this year.

2021 Women’s World Championship Hockey Odds

All time, the Canadians and the US team are pretty much even in wins at the WWC. That said, the Americans have been an unstoppable force against Canada in recent years, beating the Canadian team in their last eight meetings at this tournament.

Team Canada

Canada is three-for-three so far in this tournament; their most recent win a lopsided affair against Switzerland on Tuesday. Canada outshot the Swiss 63-12 in a 5-0 rout, with two goals coming from Natalie Spooner. Spooner and some of the other young players on the team will have to step up in this game, as team captain Marie-Philip Poulin won’t be playing. Poulin was injured blocking a shot with her chest during the game against Switzerland. She had earned a goal and two assists in the first three games of this tournament.

In that game against the Swiss, Mélodie Daoust had an excellent performance, with a goal and two assists. Netminder Emerance Maschmeyer earned the shutout win for Canada, stopping 12 shots.

One of the things this team can do to shift momentum against the powerhouse United States is pretty straightforward: get a goal in the first period. It’s easier said than done for the Canadians, however, who have been unable to put one between the pipes in the first period in any of their games so far in this tournament.

Team USA

The Americans won their third straight shut-out victory of the tournament on Tuesday with a 6-0 win over the ROC. Alex Cavallini was in net, and stopped all eleven shots against her. Hilary Knight, Lee Stecklein and Kelly Pannek each had a goal and an assist, but it was Knight’s goal that garnered all the buzz.

Hilary Knight got her 45th career Women’s World Championship goal in that win over the Russian side, which put her past legendary American player Cammi Granato for the most goals ever scored at this tournament.