Put Away the Brooms: Canada Wins Game 4

It's the last Rivalry Series game of 2023 and Canada finds themselves down 3-0 in the series this season.

Never fear, they were in that same spot last season and managed to rally to win the series 4-3.

Can they do it again? We're about to find out.

Team USA changed up their lines slightly coming into this game, putting PWHL Minnesota goaltender Nicole Hensley in the net. Despite losing the last game, Canada kept everything the same, including keeping veteran goaltender Debiens in the net.

Period 1:

After a slow start, Canada gets their best chance of the game but Hensley says no, keeping the puck out with the inside of her blocker (yeah, you read that right!)

Later on in the period, Ann-Renée Desbiens says "I won't be outdone" and makes a few amazing saves to keep the game tied 0-0.

And that's how the period ends, with shots 12-9 for Canada.

Onto the next.

Period 2:

Team US comes out of the gate with all of the pressure, thanks to an early PP. While they don't score on the PP, Keller puts a shorthanded goal past Desbiens.

Team Canada got one more PP chance in the period but they weren't able to connect on anything.

Frustration showing, they head to the dressing room down 1-0 with one period to go.

Period 3:

The tides, they are a-turning!

But first, Carpenter defies the laws of physics to put the Americans up 2-0.

After squandering a 5-on-3 opportunity, Canada looks down and out.

But, with less than 10 to go, Canada finally gets one past Hensley. It's Danielle Serdachny, who also scored in Game 3.

After a Team USA powerplay, Shelton strikes to tie the game, going bar down.

And that would stick as the tying goal, sending the game to (you guessed it) overtime!

Overtime:

Right off the puck drop in OT, Murphy takes down Poulin, who retaliates. At first, it looks like only Poulin will sit, but in the end, both of them end up in the box.

Neither team can capitalize in OT, so we're headed to a shootout.

Shootout:

Like the rest of the game, the shootout is a tale of two goalies.

After each goalie stops the first two shooters, it's none other than Marie-Philip Poulin who scores the only goal of the shootout.

For Canadians at least, it's great to see Poulin finding her scoring stride again before we head into 2024.

After some more big stops on both sides, Poulin's goal stands as the game-winner.

Just like last year, Canada avoids the sweep and wins Game 4.

Next up, these teams face off 3 more times in early 2024.

But first, we'll get to see the first PWHL games, starting on January 1, 2024.