Canada opened a 2-0 lead in the first period, but the U.S. stormed back to claim a 4-2 win in the finale of the preliminary round of Group A.

The win gives the U.S. first place in the group and a date with Hungary in the quarter-finals, a team it has never met in Women's Worlds play. Canada, meanwhile, will face Sweden in another QF match-up on Thursday. The teams haven't met since 2009, and Canada holds an imposing 9-0 record all time.

U.S. forward Hilary Knight added to her record goals total with an empty netter, the 50th of her distinguished career. It was also her 85th career point, putting her one back of Canada's Hayley Wickenheiser for number one in that department.

This game proved once again how breath-taking the women’s game can be. Intense, physical, thrilling, it was by far the most exciting game of the tournament to date in Herning. And it was witnessed by the most rockin', rowdy, and raucous crowd yet this week at KVIK Arena.

Nicole Hensley was great in the U.S. net while coach Troy Ryan went with Emerance Maschmeyer for Canada. She was solid in the first but less so the rest of the way, when Hensley made several big saves.

“I thought it was a pretty classic back-and-forth,” said U.S. coach John Wroblewski. “I thought we started off strongly, but Canada held us off and capitalized on a couple of bounces. The game shifted to our way, and we got the huge bounce on the power play. Our goaltender was able to make some huge saves in the second period and afford us the opportunity to get into that battle."

"It was a good, fast-paced game, chances both ways," offered Canadian defender Renata Fast. "The goals against were breakdowns in our end; we know what we can fix, which is promising. We need to clean up our break-outs and adapt to any changes that need to be made on the fly. They were really good about transitioning the puck quickly. They created some chances off that. We know what we need to do."

The U.S. was probably the better team in the first but went to the dressing room down 2-0. The contributing factors were simple: Canada scored on its chances, and at the other end Emerance Maschmeyer was excellent – and she had to be on several occasions.

Canada broke the ice with an early goal at 3:29. It wasn’t a fancy marker by any means, but it did come after some good pressure in the offensive end. Renata Fast’s shot form the blue line was stopped awkwardly by Hensley, and Sarah Fillier was right there to knock in the rebound.

That goal spurred the Americans to carry the play. They put heaps of pressure on the Canadians in their own end and forced numerous turnovers, but they missed a couple of seemingly sure goals and Maschmeyer was there for the other chances. Canada then scored a second goal late in the period on the game’s first power play.

Canada's first power-play unit didn’t do much, but when the second unit came on they had possession and created some chances. It was off one such scramble at the top of Hensley’s crease that Ella Shelton swatted a loose puck under Hensley, who was on her rear end after a bit of crease chaos.

But as always with this rivalry, for every push there’s a pull, for every wave one way there is sure to be a wave the other. Canada was the better team in the second, but it was the Americans who scored the only two goals to even the count, and Hensley made several key saves to keep the score tight. The U.S. capitalized on their first power play early in the period thanks to a bit of luck. Megan Keller’s shot bounced off a Canadian skate and past Maschmeyer at 4:16 to make it a one-goal game.

Canada had a great chance to re-take their two-goal lead when Emma Maltais made a perfect slap-pass to Jessie Eldridge skating through the slot, but Eldridge’s re-direct hit the post and caromed harmlessly into the corner. Moments later, the U.S. tied it. This time it was a Cayla Barnes shot that was tipped in front by Kelly Pannek at 11:11, and although Canada responded with some pressure, the period ended in a stalemate, setting the stage for a dramatic finish once again.

The Americans came out the more determined team in the third and were rewarded, again because of pressing the Canadians in their own end and forcing turnovers. Savannah Harmon got the puck at the point and threaded a perfect pass to Lacey Eden on the back side, and she measured her shot before beating Maschmeyer high over the shoulder.

Canada had a great chance to tie on a power play with Kendall Coyne Schofield in the box, but the U.S. PK was perfect and the American captain made up for her transgression by potting the critical fourth goal. Again it came off possession in the offensive end, Coyne Schofield getting her stick on a loose puck at the top of Maschmeyer's crease at 13:28.

Knight added an empty netter to close out the scoring, drawing her ever closer to Wickenheiser. She'll have a great chance to tie and pass the Canadian on Thursday when the U.S. plays Hungary.