SUMMERSIDE, Prince Edward Island — In an exciting conclusion to the Rivalry Series women’s hockey showcase, Jennifer Gardiner scored the decisive goal with just 6:44 left on the clock, leading Canada to a 3-1 victory over the United States on Saturday night. This win marked Canada’s third consecutive triumph in the series.

Gardiner successfully converted a pass from within the faceoff circles, unleashing a wrist shot that sailed past U.S. goalie Aerin Frankel amidst a tangle of players. With this victory, Canada clinched the five-game series with a final tally of 3-2, following a shootout win by the United States just days earlier in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

“It’s simply amazing. Wearing the jersey is such a tremendous honor, but then to score just felt unbelievably rewarding,” Gardiner expressed. “I can hardly describe it. It was as if everything went blank for a moment.”

In this decisive Game 5, held at Credit Union Place, Brianne Jenner kicked off the scoring for Canada early in the second period, finding the net at 6:48. The U.S. tied the game shortly after, with Kelly Pannek scoring at 3:03 in the third period. However, Laura Stacey sealed the deal for Canada with an empty-net goal with 1:19 left to play.

Canadian goalie Emerance Maschmeyer delivered a stellar performance, recording 28 saves throughout the match, while Frankel faced a challenging night in the net with 40 saves.

“It’s tough to accept a loss in a game like this, especially when our team fought so hard,” commented U.S. coach John Wroblewski. “We will keep assessing our performance and ensure we are fully prepared for the women’s world championship in April.”