Marie-Philip Poulin sent a pretty important message after Canada’s Rivalry Series loss to the United States. While the four-game set ended in a historic sweep, the first time Canada has ever been swept by the U.S. in Rivalry Series play, the Canadian captain made it clear that what happens next matters far more than what already happened.

Canada closed the series with a 4-1 loss and was outscored 24-7 across games in Cleveland, Buffalo and two in Edmonton. The stretch included a 10-4 defeat, the most goals Canada has ever allowed in a single game. Still, Poulin framed the series as part of the preparation process well rather than a defining failure.

“It’s different, the Rivalry Series and the Olympics,” Poulin said. “These four games are part of the process and we have to keep building and things don’t come easy. We have to put our head down, go to work and be ready to go.”

Poulin says accountability starts away from national team camps

With the next phase of preparation taking place away from the national team environment, Marie-Philip Poulin stressed that responsibility now shifts to the players themselves.

As members of the roster return to the PWHL, college hockey and other club commitments, she stressed on the importance of maintaining Olympic-level standards regardless of setting.

“We’ll go back to our own teams and we have to hold each other accountable, both individually and collectively, connect virtually with meetings and go from there,” Poulin said.

As a veteran group with Olympic expectations, the idea is to ensure that good habits are reinforced daily. Poulin acknowledged that the disappointment from the Rivalry Series is still fresh but insisted that dwelling on it would be counterproductive.

“We can’t get down over these four games; it’s hard to see the positives right now, but we have to take a step back, see where we’re at and how we can improve,” she said. “It won’t be easy, it will be competitive, but we will focus on ourselves and go from there.”

Rivalry Series exposed Team Canada’s areas for growth

The sweep exposed areas where Canada must improve before the 2026 Olympic Games in Italy. Against a relentless U.S. team, small breakdowns quickly escalated contributing to a series in which the Americans consistently capitalized on mistakes.

Head coach Troy Ryan said effort was never the issue, but execution and attention to detail must improve.

“The players have always been really good and attentive; I’ve never felt like they’re not trying to do their best or grasp the concepts,” Ryan said.

Ryan noted that part of the challenge comes from players arriving from different systems where certain habits may be less costly at the club level but are punished at international speed.

“One of the messages they gave [as a group] was whether it’s the PWHL or college, at times they can sometimes get away with bad habits or details,” Ryan said. “The group encouraged everyone not to take the easy road for the next little bit, hopefully never, so it feels like second nature when they get to the Olympics.”

Team Canada’s mindset moving forward

For Poulin and Canada’s leadership group, the path forward would be focused on getting things back on track. The Rivalry Series result will not be forgotten but it will be used as a reference point as Poulin said.

The belief inside the room is that accountability maintained daily, across leagues and teams will determine whether this group is ready when the Olympic stage arrives.

For Canada, the focus will be on ensuring that the team can put their best foot forward in the games that really matter.