Watch: Plymouth's Kirsten Simms scores OT goal to beat Canada at hockey worlds

Kirsten Simms picked a great time to score her first goal for Team USA.

The 19-year-old rookie from Plymouth scored 3:38 into overtime on Monday to beat Canada, 1-0, at the 2024 women's world hockey championship in Utica, N.Y.

“Obviously, a super surreal moment,” said Simms, who has been playing on a so-called “all-rookie line” rounded out by Wisconsin teammate Laila Edwards and Ohio State’s Joy Dunne.

“I feel like we were really pushing and playing downhill the whole third period, and just stuck to our game. So I feel like when we came out in overtime, we knew that we were just going to finish it out.”

Speed was the difference in an outing the Americans wore down the experience-laden Canadians by outshooting them 7-0 in the three-on-three overtime period.

“We have some speedy players that when you’re in a three-on-three situation, they can generate some momentum for us, which is great,” U.S. captain Hilary Knight said. “It’s a fast game. It’s the fastest you’ll see, U.S. versus Canada. And it’s a lot of fun to play in from the player’s perspective.”

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The outcome was decided when Simms scored to convert a three-on-one break after Canada’s Brianne Jenner fell and coughed up the puck in the U.S. zone. Caroline Harvey led the rush up the left wing and centered to Simms, who was able to get off a shot despite her stick being pulled from behind by Canada’s Jocelyne Larocque.

Larocque’s back-checking changed the trajectory of the puck, which fooled Desbiens in beating her low between the skates.

The U.S, which defeated Canada 6-3 in the world championship gold-medal game last year, bounced back after losing four straight to the Canadians in a best-of-seven Rivalry Series held this past winter.

“It is disappointing. You never want to lose, especially to the U.S.,” Canada captain Marie-Philip Poulin said. “It was fast, quick, physical. That’s what we were expecting. They have a great team.”

And there remains a very good likelihood the cross-border rivals will meet once again in the tournament final on Sunday.

The United States, which has won 10 gold medals to the Canada’s 12, improved to 18-17 against the Canadians in world championship play – and the teams are now tied in having scored 98 goals each against each other.