Hockey agitator: Why American Abbey Murphy continues to frustrate Canada

In a 5-0 thrashing of Canada, American forward Abbey Murphy drew not one, not two, but four penalties.

She also had three assists, including a highlight-reel backhand pass directly to the stick of teammate Hannah Bilka, who buried it behind goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens.

That's the recipe for how 23-year-old Murphy, who hasn't yet turned professional, has been able to frustrate her opponents. She can irritate you, but she can also beat you with her skill.

"I don’t see any player like her," Brad Frost, Murphy's head coach at the University of Minnesota, told CBC Sports.

"Often times, you think of 'agitators,' they don’t generally carry the skill of somebody like Abbey, who can play all facets of the game and then she can put it in the back of the net or set somebody up for a tap in. And all of a sudden, it just makes [opponents] even more angry because she’s got the complete game."

She's a problem Canada hasn't been able to solve all season. Murphy racked up eight points over four games at a Rivalry Series where Canada was outmatched. She also has 61 points in 26 games in the NCAA this season, more than any other player.

Murphy is poised to be a top pick in the PWHL Draft later this season, and her game should translate to the pro ranks well.

In the shorter term, Canada will have to figure out how to match what Murphy and the rest of a skilled, fast American team bring to the table, if they meet again in this tournament.

So far, Murphy has five points in four games in Milan, Italy.

When he was asked about her after Tuesday's loss, Canadian head coach Troy Ryan described Murphy as "very effective."

"The instigator, agitator, kind of rat side of her is something that she does very well," he said. "There’s very few people