The United States Women’s National Team is scheduled to commence the 2024 International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) Women’s World Championship with a match against Switzerland at the Adirondack Bank Center in Utica, New York. The championship, which will run from April 3 to 14, will encompass 29 games featuring the preeminent women’s hockey players from across the globe. The tournament will be hosted at the Adirondack Bank Center and Utica University Nexus Center.
The game is scheduled to commence at 7 p.m. EDT and will be broadcasted on the NHL Network. The channel is available for streaming on ESPN+, fubo TV (with a free trial and add-on), Sling TV (with a discounted first month and add-on), and DirecTV Stream (offering a free trial and add-on).
Although the United States and Canada are favoured to clash in the finals, other nations such as the Czech Republic, which is coming off consecutive bronze-medal finishes, and Sweden, with a developing team of nine players who have won silver at the Under-18 level, are demonstrating potential for contention.
This particular game marks the 12th all-time encounter between Team USA and Switzerland at the Women’s World Championship. The United States has emerged victorious in all 11 of the prior games, outscoring the Swiss with a total of 99-6. The most recent meeting occurred at the 2023 Women’s World Championship, where the U.S. secured a 9-1 win. Abbey Murphy scored a goal just seven seconds into the game, setting the stage for the US victory.
This marks the fifth occasion that the United States will host the event. The team has secured a medal (one gold, three silvers) in all four preceding instances when the Women’s World Championship was held on their home turf.
In terms of the player line-up, the young American team is making significant progress in cultivating depth as third-year coach John Wroblewski seeks to replace retired forward Amanda Kessel and top defenseman Lee Stecklein. Forwards Kirsten Simms, who led college hockey in scoring at 19 years old, Laila Edwards at 20, and Joy Dunne at 18, are making their world debuts.
Kendall Coyne Schofield will be making a return to the team after taking a hiatus in 2023 to give birth to her son Drew.
For those who wish to witness the action beyond the game, the fifth episode of the docuseries “Defending Their Ice: The Story of the U.S. Women’s National Team” will be airing on NHL Network following the match between the US and Switzerland. This episode offers viewers a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the national team’s evaluation camp, featuring interviews with players vying for a spot on the team and discussions between coaches and officials during the evaluation process. The series showcases moments of triumph but also entails difficult decisions, particularly in the final roster selection.
For those interested in streaming services such as fubo TV, ESPN+, DirecTV Stream, and Sling TV, each service caters to different budgets and preferences, offering various channels and capabilities.
Therefore, it is advisable to tune in for what is certain to be an exhilarating and action-packed Women’s World Hockey Championship this year.