MONCTON, New Brunswick – Goals from Alex Carpenter (North Reading, Mass.) and Abby Roque (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.) and 27 saves from Aerin Frankel (New York, N.Y.) in her U.S. Women’s National Team debut helped Team USA to a 2-1 victory over Team Canada in the second game of the 2019-20 Rivalry Series here tonight at the Avenir Centre.

“I thought we played a real good game overall,” said Bob Corkum, head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team. “It was a gritty effort and it’s certainly nice to win these first two games of the Rivalry Series.”

Roque tallied her second goal in as many games when she collected a pass in the neutral zone and beat Canadian goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens stick-side to give the U.S. a 1-0 advantage 2:43 into the first period.

With 5:51 remaining in the opening frame, Carpenter doubled the lead when she snuck a redirected shot from Kelly Pannek (Plymouth, Minn.) past Desbiens to make it 2-0.

Despite outshooting Canada, 10-7, the hosts got the only goal of the middle frame off the stick of forward Ann-Sophie Bettez where her shot from the top of the right circle deflected off Frankel and into the net.

Canada turned up the heat in the final stanza and had several chances to score, including a flurry of five-straight shots on goal, but Frankel and Team USA held strong to secure a 2-1 victory.

Team USA owns a 2-0 series advantage heading into the final three games of the 2019-20 Rivalry Series. Games are set for Feb. 3 in Victoria, British Columbia; Feb. 5 in Vancouver; and Feb. 8 in Anaheim, California.

NOTES: Alex Carpenter was named the U.S. Player of the Game ... Abby Roque has scored in each of her first two games playing for the U.S. Women’s National Team … Natalie Buchbinder (Fairport, N.Y.) tallied her first point as a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team with an assist on Roque’s goal … There were just three penalties called in the game. The U.S. was 0-1 on the power play, while Canada was 0-2.

*The December 14 game in Hartford was part of the 2019 Team USA Champions Series, presented by Xfinity.