The finale of the Rivalry Series between the U.S. women’s hockey team and its Canadian counterpart succeeded in a mission grander than selling women’s hockey, though the U.S. team’s historic first game in Southern California was a perfect promotion for an under-appreciated sport. Some in the crowd of 13,320 — a record for the U.S. national hockey team on home soil — saw their future selves. (Chris Carlson / Associated Press)The real winner was women’s hockey, which has struggled to sustain a professional league. They formed the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Assn., which has staged clinics and scrimmages to keep them active; ideally, the NHL will step in and provide logistic and financial support. They could play every week and it still wouldn’t be often enough to satisfy hockey fans and the young dreamers they inspired Saturday.

Source: Los Angeles Times February 09, 2020 06:00 UTC