In another bragging-rights tuneup among gold- medal contenders for the upcoming Vancouver Winter Olympics, the best women’s hockey players from the United States and Canada meet Saturday night for an exhibition at the University of Denver’s Magness Arena.
The game, televised live on the NHL Network, marks the halfway point on the Americans’ 10-game, nine-city stretch that ends just before rosters will be finalized for the 2010 Games. And it’s a rematch of Canada’s 5-2 victory on Oct. 16 in Spokane, Wash.
Team USA also plays Canada on Tuesday in Calgary, Alberta; Dec. 30 in St. Paul, Minn.; and Jan. 1 in Ottawa.
The Americans conclude the tour against Finland on Feb. 4 at the World Arena in Colorado Springs.
Team USA is 3-1 on the tour, beginning with a 6-1 victory over the Western Collegiate Hockey Association All-Stars on Sept. 25 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.
The WCHA didn’t have much of a chance, given that most of its best players were donning the red, white and blue.
University of Wisconsin standouts Meghan Duggan, Angie Keseley, Hilary Knight and Erika Lawler are playing for the U.S., as are former University of Minnesota twins Jocelyne and Monique Lamoureux — the sisters of Air Force star forward Jacques Lamoureux.
The U.S. is coached by Mark Johnson, one of the heroes of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” squad that captured the gold medal at Lake Placid.
In addition to the U.S.’s final game against Canada later this month and the tour finale against Finland in February, the Americans face the Eastern College Athletic Conference Hockey All-Stars on Jan. 3, the University of Wisconsin on Jan. 6 and the University of Minnesota on Jan. 12.
The Americans won the 1998 Olympic gold medal. Canada is the two-time defending Olympic champion.
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
U.S. women vs. Canada
When: Saturday, 7 p.m.
Where: Magness Arena
TV: NHL Network
At stake: The U.S. team’s final game before Olympic rosters are cut and finalized on Dec. 17.
