USA Women's Hockey Wins Gold in IIHF World Championship

Team USA has emerged victorious in the greatest women's international ice hockey rivalry, at least for now, after a decisive 6-3 win over Canada at the IIHF World Women's Ice Hockey Championship. Abby Roque, who hails from the Wanahpitae First Nation and is of Ojibway descent, played a pivotal role in securing the victory and clinching her first gold medal with the national U.S. team. This marks the 10th gold medal for the Americans in the national championship and the first time in four years that they have defeated their arch-rivals Canada.

Born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, Roque has been a member of the women's hockey team since 2020. In the 2022 Olympics, she won a silver medal with the U.S. team, who were defeated by the Canadians. Similarly, in both 2021 and 2022 world championships, Roque had to settle for silver medals.

However, this year is a different story as Roque is now a gold medalist, despite not scoring in the final game. She ranked second in scoring with nine points and had the best plus/minus among all Team USA forwards.

"It's hard to beat Canada. It's hard to beat Canada in Canada, right? So we definitely felt like an underdog," Hilary Knight, a U.S. team player said after the game. "People are always rooting against us, but somehow we persevere and it feels sweeter that way.

Jamie Lee Rattray and Jocelyne LaRocque, both of whom are members of the Métis Nation, are the two Indigenous women that competed for Canada and brought home silver medals.

The International Ice Hockey Federation initiated the championship game in 1990, and it has been held annually since then in Brampton, Ontario, which is located just outside of Toronto. Up until 2005, Team Canada had never lost in the game for the gold medal; nevertheless, Team USA emerged victorious that year and brought home the prize.

Since then, the United States team has been unbeatable in the competition, taking 10 of the previous 15 titles available. Team Canada, on the other hand, had won the previous two competitions and was hoping to make it a hat trick at home.

The 2023 Ontario-hosted tournament saw an eager, Canadian-friendly crowd that couldn't wait to belt out their national anthem during the gold medal game's conclusion. They were off to a promising start as Marie-Phillip Poulin, fondly known as "Captain Canada," delivered the first goal of the match.

However, the U.S. managed to even the score before the initial period came to an end, and early in the second, Rattray's assistance enabled Brianne Jenner to score a goal, pushing Canada back into the lead. The second period concluded with Canada holding a narrow 3-2 lead, and the spectators braced themselves for another nail-biting finish, reminiscent of the past five World Championship gold medal games, each decided by just one goal.

Despite the tense anticipation, the third period belonged entirely to the USA. Caroline Harvey scored an early goal for Team USA, tying the game once more, before Knight secured her second and third goals of the match. An additional empty net goal from Cayla Barnes sealed the victory, as the smaller yet impassioned group of pro-American fans passionately chanted "USA, USA" and enthusiastically sang their national anthem in celebration.

This year's competition saw a total of ten nations vying for the championship title, with participating countries such as Czechia (which secured the bronze), Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Japan, Germany, Hungary, and France. LaRocque, the dependable and experienced defensive player for Team Canada, once more led the team in ice-time, clocking 23 minutes and 15 seconds across 38 shifts.

Rattray, who concluded the tournament with four points under her belt, was recently honored with the prestigious APTN's Bryan Trottier Most Valuable Indigenous Player Award for 2023. Named in tribute to the New York Islanders legend, this accolade recognizes not only excellence on the ice, but also significant contributions to the community. Trottier, a fellow Métis Nation member, boasts an impressive record with four Stanley Cups as part of the New York Islanders and two additional Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

All three players-Roque, LaRocque, and Rattray-are active members of the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association. This organization is dedicated to promoting the growth and establishment of a "single, viable professional women's ice hockey league in North America" that can effectively showcase the finest talent in women's professional ice hockey on a global scale.