COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Jayna Hefford had two assists and Kathy McCormack and Jennifer Botterill each had a goal and an assist Wednesday night to send Canada to a 4-2 victory over the United States in women's hockey.

It

Canada's Vicky Sunohara, left, tries to slow down Team USA's Angela Ruggiero (Harrison Township, Mich.) during Wednesday's game in Colorado Springs, Colo. (AP)

was the final pre-Olympic game in the U.S. for both teams, who'll now head to Nagano, Japan, for next month's Winter Games.

Canada, which plays Sweden in Japan on Feb. 4 in its final pre-Olympic warmup, finished with a 7-6 edge in games played between the two teams. The Canadians are 20-6-0 overall. Team USA is 24-7-1.

THE GAME WAS CLOSE throughout between the teams expected to battle for Olympic gold. Canada has won all four Women's World Hockey Championships played to date; Team USA has been runner-up every time.

Hayley Wickenheiser scored an empty-net goal with nine seconds to play and added an assist for Canada. Danielle Goyette scored the Canadiens' other goal.

Manon Rheaume, the first woman to play in a National Hockey League exhibition game, gained the win by stopping 20 Team USA shots.

Shelley Looney (Trenton, Mich.) scored one goal for Team USA and set up the other, by Katie King (Salem, N.H.). King, the team's leading scorer, netted her 22nd goal in 30 games by scoring in the first period.Sara DeCosta (Warwick, R.I.) recorded 31 saves.

Goyette opened the scoring, blasting a 30-foot slap shot between DeCosta's pads just 51 seconds after the opening faceoff.

King tied the score with a power-play goal at 12:38 of the first period. Botterill put Canada back on top with a short rebound into the top of the U.S. goal at 9:14 of the second period, and McCormack made it 3-1 with a wrist shot at 15:32.