U.S. women's hockey team winning the new normal in Olympic preparation

The United States is handling the Rivalry Series' dual goals of Olympic preparation and winning games better than Canada.

How to build a team to win an Olympic gold medal in women's hockey in 2026 within the time limitations imposed by the Professional Women's Hockey League's schedule is a new puzzle for the two countries to solve.

The U.S. has a head start in outscoring Canada 20-6 in three Rivalry Series games.

Canada has a chance to wrest some momentum back in Saturday's fourth and final game of the series in Edmonton, and in its last tilt against the U.S. before the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games in February.

The PWHL, which started its third season Nov. 21, did away with Canada's usual pre-Olympic practice of centralizing players in Calgary for six months, and playing regular games as a team against minor hockey male triple-A opposition, and even Junior A before the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.

Centralization largely yielded Olympic gold for Canada's women since the turn of the century except for a shootout loss to the U.S. in the 2018 final in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Canada and the U.S. have met in every Olympic final but one in 2006, when Sweden upset the Americans to reach the final in Turin, Italy.

The PWHL may be a double-edged sword for Canada's women. They get the league they've always dreamed of, that pays a living wage, at a cost to Olympic prep.

The U.S. faces the same dilemma with almost as many PWHL players in its Olympic pool, although the Americans carry a larger contingent of NCAA players.

Canada allows 10 goals in loss to U.S., drops 3rd straight game of Rivalry Series

The U.S. has long held an edge in individual player speed and skill, which makes their power play lethal, but Canada's