The U.S. won its latest battle in its women’s hockey tug of war with Canada.
Megan Keller had a goal and an assist and Hilary Knight moved closer to the all-time points record at the world championship in a 5-2 win over the defending champions to cap the preliminary round on Tuesday.
Trailing 2-0 after the opening period, the U.S. scored five unanswered goals with Lacey Eden producing the winner at 3:14 of the third period.
The U.S. went unbeaten in four games to top Pool A, which featured the top five seeds in the tournament.
The Americans take on Hungary, the No. 3 seed in Pool B, in a quarterfinal matchup Thursday. Canada, with three wins and a loss, meets Pool B runner-up Sweden.
In Thursday’s other quarterfinals, Finland takes on Czechia, which went undefeated to top Pool B, while Switzerland and Japan square off as the fourth and fifth seeds in Pool A.
Saturday’s semifinals are followed by Sunday’s medal games.
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Captain Kendall Coyne Schofield scored an insurance goal for the U.S.
Knight’s empty-netter was her 85th career world championship point and one back of the record held by Canada’s Hayley Wickenheiser. Knight already holds the all-time goals record with 50.
Kelly Pannek also scored for the U.S., which ended a five-game losing streak to its archrival. Nicole Hensley stopped 26 shots for the win
Sarah Fillier and Ella Shelton scored for defending champion Canada with starter Emerance Maschmeyer stopping 28 shots in the loss.
Savannah Harmon threaded a cross-ice pass under a Canadian stick to Eden, who wired the puck top shelf for the go-ahead goal in the third.
The Canadians couldn’t produce an equalizer on a subsequent power play with Coyne Schofield serving a boarding minor.
Coyne Schofield added an insurance goal at 13:28 stuffing a rebound under Maschmeyer.
Defender Renata Fast’s roughing penalty with just under four minutes to go hampered Canada’s chances for a late comeback.
Canada outshot the U.S. 16-8 in the second period, but the Americans scored twice to pull even.
READ MORE: Canada back on top of women’s hockey world, but work continues to stay there
Seconds after a Jessie Eldridge tip deflected off Hensley’s left post, Pannek scored at 11:11 when she redirected a Cayla Barnes shot in from the slot.
The Americans halved a two-goal deficit with a power-play goal at 4:16. The puck cycled out to Keller, and her shot deflected off Canadian defender Ashton Bell and by Maschmeyer.
With Pannek serving a roughing minor, Shelton flipped the puck over a prone Hensley during a goalmouth scramble for a power-play goal at 18:12.
Fillier spun and banged in a rebound off a Renata Fast shot from the point at 3:29 for her team-leading fourth goal of the tournament.
The U.S. countered Canada’s early surge with one of their own midway through the opening period. The Americans outshot their rivals 11-8 in the opening period.
With two wins and two losses, Finland ranked third in Pool A with a 4-0 win Tuesday over short-staffed Switzerland (1-3-0-0).
The fourth-placed Swiss were minus five players, including four with illness.
The Swiss hockey federation said on its website that captain Lara Stalder had tested positive for COVID-19, and the other three negative.
Czechia blanked Sweden 3-0 to go undefeated atop Pool B, five points up on the runner-up Swedes.
Germany secured the fourth and final playoff berth in the pool with a 3-2 victory over host Denmark.
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