Canada vows to learn from 7th consecutive loss to U.S., but time is running out

Brianne Jenner heaved a deep sigh when she was asked about American forward Abbey Murphy after her team’s 5-0 loss to the Americans.

Murphy drew four penalties and added three assists in her team’s win, the seventh straight time the Americans have defeated the Canadians dating back to last spring’s world championship.

“I think she’s a good player,” Jenner said.

The Canadians couldn’t solve Murphy in the Rivalry Series, where she put up eight points in four games, and they couldn’t solve her on Tuesday night inside the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.

She’s part of an American attack that had too much real estate in front of Canada’s net.

On the other side, Canada failed to generate much meaningful activity beyond the perimetre. The Americans smothered nearly everything that came their way, and often transitioned the puck quickly back in the other direction.

"We just got down early and didn't find ways to make little plays," Canadian forward Sarah Nurse said. "I think we were really sloppy [with] our lines. I think that this ice surface here in Milan, we have to eliminate the neutral zone. I don’t think we did that today. We need to be better in our D-zone, be more creative and that will allow us to be more creative in the O-zone."

You can point to the absence of Canada’s captain and best player, Marie-Philip Poulin, who’s sidelined with a lower-body injury. You can point to the different ice dimensions, with a smaller neutral zone to navigate.

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You can even blame Murphy and her propensity to embellish, which Canadian gold medallist Cassie Campbell-Pascall described as “atrocious” on the CBC broadcast.

Whatever the answer is, the Canadians only have a few days to