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In response to
"Poulin, Jenner, Nurse headline Hockey Canada roster for November Rivalry Series games"
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crash davis
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USA Hockey roster for November Rivalry Series games features Hilary Knight, more stars
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A decorated roster of players will feature for the U.S. women’s national hockey team in games against Canada for the Rivalry Series next month, including 16 players who won silver for the U.S. at this year’s IIHF Women’s World Championship in August.
The list includes must-watch stars Hilary Knight and Kendall Coyne Schofield, along with Hannah Brandt, Alex Carpenter, Jincy Dunne, Aerin Frankel, Rory Guilday, Savannah Harmon, Nicole Hensley, Megan Keller, Amanda Kessel, Kelly Pannek, Abby Roque, Hayley Scamurra, Maddie Rooney and Lee Stecklein.
Six players will make their Team USA debuts: Riley Brengman, Becca Gilmore, Kelsey King, Maureen Murphy, Gabby Rosenthal and Haley Winn. Clair DeGeorge will also join the team.
Collegiate players won’t feature in the November games, meaning the team will miss world championship breakout stars Caroline Harvey, Taylor Heise and Hannah Bilka, as well as Grace Zumwinkle.
Longtime Team USA standout Brianna Decker is also notably absent from the roster. Decker has not played since her injury during the United States’ opening game of the 2022 Olympics, where she broke her leg and tore ligaments in her ankle, which required surgery. Decker said she turned down an invitation to the U.S. training camp ahead of the 2022 Women’s World Championship because she needed more time after a lengthy and difficult process.
Her on-ice future is unclear.
“I just needed more time mentally and physically from everything that I went through in the spring,” Decker told The Athletic. “From a playing standpoint, I’ve just been taking time away. Not necessarily being done. Not necessarily saying, ‘Yes, I’m back.’”
Coach John Wroblewski returns to his role behind the bench for the upcoming games, along with assistant coach Josh Sciba and goaltending coach Alli Altman, after leading the team at the latest world championship. Team USA lost in the gold medal game in Wroblewski’s first tournament as head coach, but the U.S. looked faster, stronger and had a more potent offense under Wroblewski. Young players — and veterans — seemed to feel more confident with him behind the bench too, and should be able to continue to build and grow under the staff in the upcoming series.
Games are set to take place on Nov. 15 in Kelowna, B.C., Nov. 17 in Kamloops, B.C., and Nov. 20 in Seattle.
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