It was a fairy tale hockey game Monday night.

The goalie stole the show, the players were gritty and physical and the team sniper scored two beautiful goals for a 3-1 Team Canada win over the US national team.

And in true hockey spirit, the referee turned a blind eye to the constant slashing and body-checking, yes body-checking, until the game escalated into a near-brawl that saw eight players spend the final 3.5 seconds of the match in the penalty box, four from each of Canada and the USA.

It's what's come of elite women's hockey, and the players love it.

"This is the best competition in the world and you want to play your best, you get up for these games," said Canada's captain, Hayley Wickenheiser.

The 31-year-old got away with a few jabs of her own, but wasn't on the ice during the game ending melee that was sparked when veteran Canadian defender Cherie Piper knocked Natalie Darwitz to the ice. It didn't take much of a bump to push over Darwitz who was skating off-balance and in a vulnerable position. The intense scrum that followed included a series of wrestling matches, much the same as an NHL fighting major.

"We need the energy and we need emotion like that, we need to play like that more often and I thought it sent a message, it was a good way to end the game for us," said Wickenheiser.

"This is a pretty typical game, (normally) you wouldn't see scrums like that.

"Nobody wants to give an inch. Ice is hard to find and you have to fight for it out there."

The red-and-white were paced by excellent goaltending from Canadian player of the game Kim St. Pierre.

Canada took a series of penalties in the early going and by the end of the first period St. Pierre had already put on a display worthy of player of the game honours. Wherever the puck went, so did St. Pierre's glove.

The game was also a chance for Island hockey fans to witness the smooth skating of Meghan Agosta of Ruthhven, Ont., Canada's shining light up front.

The sniper oozed confidence, snapping home a one-timer on the power-play for the first goal of the game and neatly executed a back-hand finishing move through USA goalie Molly Schaus on a two-on-one turned breakaway.

Schaus was named US player of the game.

Sarah Vaillancourt scored Canada's other goal and 5-foot-tall Erika Lawler was the US player to beat St. Pierre with a wrist shot from the left face-off circle.

"The crowd was the seventh (player) out there. They kept the energy going for us," said Wickenheiser of the 6,012 fans.

"If this is any indication, B.C. is behind the Olympic Games."

The two teams continue their six-game, Olympic tune-up series in Spokane on Friday night.

sports@vicnews.com

Canada vs. USA Pre-Olympic Series:

Game 2 Fri., Oct. 16, Spokane Arena, Spokane, Wash

Game 3 Sat., Dec. 12, Magness Arena, Denver, Colorado

Game 4 Tues., Dec. 15, Pengrowth Saddledome Calgary, Alta.

Game 5 Wed., Dec. 30, Xcel Energy Center St. Paul, Minnesota

Game 6 Fri., Jan. 1, 2010 SBP Arena Ottawa, Ont.