Women’s hockey will skate into the spotlight during NHL All-Star Weekend, with members of Canada’s National Women’s Team facing the United States in a 3-on-3 showdown.

The road to the 2020 IIHF Women’s World Championship will make a quick stop in Missouri later this month.

As part of NHL All-Star Weekend, members of Canada’s National Women’s Team will face off against their American rivals in the Elite Women’s 3-on-3 on Jan. 24 during the NHL All-Star Skills.

The game will consist of two 10-minute periods, with a running clock. Teams will switch ends after the first period. All penalties will be ‘served’ with a penalty shot being awarded to the player specifically fouled.

Ten players will represent Canada, including:

• Meghan Agosta (Ruthven, Ont.)
• Mélodie Daoust (Valleyfield, Que.)
• Ann-Renee Desbiens (La Malbaie, Que.)
• Renata Fast (Burlington, Ont.)
• Laura Fortino (Hamilton, Ont.)
• Rebecca Johnston (Sudbury, Ont.)
• Sarah Nurse (Hamilton, Ont.)
• Marie-Philip Poulin (Beauceville, Que.)
• Natalie Spooner (Scarborough, Ont.)
• Blayre Turnbull (Stellarton, N.S.)

The Canadian contingent will have a familiar face behind the bench – Jayna Hefford, a four-time Olympic gold medallist, 2018 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee and the second-leading scorer in Team Canada history, will serve as coach.

It is the second year in a row Canadian and American women will have a place at one of the biggest events on the NHL calendar; last year in San Jose, Fast and Johnston joined Kendall Coyne Schofield and Brianna Decker to take part in the skills competition.

The showdown in St. Louis comes 10 days before the Rivalry Series resumes – Canada and the U.S. will close out their five-game series Feb. 3 in Victoria, B.C., Feb. 5 in Vancouver and Feb. 8 in Anaheim, Calif.