USA vs. Canada is the ladies’s Olympic hockey rematch everybody was ready for
MILAN — Since ladies’s hockey was launched as an Olympic sport in 1998, the one two groups which have gained gold are the United States and Canada.
That will stay true this 12 months. The remainder of the world is beginning to catch up, with rising applications from Sweden, Czechia and even Switzerland, which made a shocking semi-final run. However, the North Americans stay the gold normal on the worldwide stage.
Canadian ladies have gained 5 of the seven Olympic gold medals, they usually’re the reigning champions after a 3-2 win over the US within the 2022 Games in Beijing. But there is a new twist this cycle: Team USA is the overwhelming favourite. The US owned Canada in a four-game Rivalry Series main as much as the Games and have been a powerhouse right here in Milan, beating Canada 5-0 in round-robin play. But dynamics can change anytime there is a gold medal on the road.
“Knowing the pressure of that moment, the energy in the building, it’s going to be different,” mentioned US veteran Kendall Coyne Schofield, who has already performed in three Olympic gold-medal matches. “But really it’s just about emptying the tank. Whatever you have left. It’s a long tournament, just empty it. Go out there and give it your best. That’s all you can do.”
Here’s what which may appear to be when the groups face off on Thursday at 1:10 pm ET.
How did every group get right here?
The US ladies have completely dominated in Milan. They have outscored opponents 31-1, scoring no less than 5 targets in each recreation. Team USA enters the ultimate with 5 straight shutouts — together with its beatdown of Canada final week.
Coach John Wroblewski has preached the significance of rolling 4 strains since earlier than the event, and he has been capable of obtain that up to now. The Americans have obtained contributions from everybody. Fifteen completely different gamers have scored targets. Veterans like Alex Carpenter and Coyne Schofield have three targets every. Rising stars Laila Edwards and Caroline Harvey lead skaters in ice time and have a mixed for 16 factors. The most dynamic line has been the one that includes Olympic rookies Hannah Bilka, Taylor Heise and Abbey Murphy.
Hayley Scamurra, a 31-year-old veteran who has been on six World Championship groups, is not afraid to say it: This is the perfect group she has ever been on. “Oh yeah,” Scamurra mentioned after the US’s 5-0 semifinal win over Sweden. “100 percent.”
Canada, in the meantime, determined to take a a lot older group to Milan. Coach Troy Ryan usually depends on gamers he is comfy with. They returned 16 gamers who helped them win gold in Beijing, however left house a few of their ascending expertise — which has grow to be a subject of dialogue after Canada seemed a lot slower in opposition to the United States the primary time round. In that recreation, every of Team USA’s 4 purpose scorers would have been the youngest gamers on Team Canada.
However, the Canadians have been with out captain Marie-Philip Poulin, who missed the sport with a proper knee harm. Poulin is again and dragging his group alongside into the struggle. The Canadians did not have a lot hassle in opposition to anybody else, till their semifinal recreation in opposition to Switzerland. Despite outshooting the Swiss 46-8, Canada gained by a slim 2-1 margin. Both targets got here within the second interval from Poulin. She is clearly gutting via the harm (the published has proven Poulin getting carted from the locker rooms to the ice to keep away from placing further stress on her knee). There’s a motive they name the 34-year-old Captain Clutch.
Player for every group who has impressed essentially the most up to now
Get prepared for Caroline Harvey to grow to be a family identify. She has already been puffed up by Matthew Tkachuk, who mentioned she reminds him of Bobby Orr. “That was crazy,” mentioned Harvey, who wears No. 4, however mentioned it’s simply coincidentally the identical quantity because the Hall of Fame defenseman.
Harvey, a senior at Wisconsin, is noticeable everywhere in the ice, overlaying a ton of floor together with his skating. The PWHL has by no means seen a draft class just like the one coming this June. In every other 12 months, Edwards or Murphy is likely to be the clear-cut No. 1, however as of now, Harvey is the consensus decide. Another participant anticipated to go excessive within the draft is Tessa Janecke, who has put up 5 assists in six video games in a fourth-line position.
Poulin was most spectacular for Canada when her group wanted her essentially the most within the semifinals, however that is nothing new. Her two targets vs. Switzerland gave her 20 in her Olympic profession, breaking a tie with countrywoman Hayley Wickenheiser (18) for essentially the most in ladies’s hockey.
Perhaps essentially the most compelling story for Canada is the reemergence of Daryl Watts. The ahead’s expertise was by no means unsure; she gained the Patty Kazmaier Award as faculty hockey’s greatest participant in 2018 as a freshman. But when she was left off Canada’s 2022 roster, she give up hockey for practically a 12 months and pursued a profession in business actual property. Now she’s again in professional hockey and shining for Canada. Watts assisted on each of Poulin’s targets in opposition to Switzerland and has eight factors within the event.
Biggest query mark for every group heading into this recreation?
For the Americans: Have they been examined sufficient?
So far, they’ve crushed the competitors. When the gamers have been requested that query after demolishing Sweden, Edwards had a reasoned response: “Believe it or not, we have been challenged. We’ve just overcome it and succeeded.”
After all, they will solely play the competitors in entrance of them. Veteran defenseman Cayla Barnes defined why the US has been capable of come out on prime in so many of those video games: “It’s a testament to the pressure we put on teams. We’re relentless. We do a good job of wearing teams down.”
For Canada, the query is just: Can it sustain with its greatest rival?
Everyone is anticipating this recreation to be far more aggressive than the group-stage assembly, through which Canada seemed much less decided, much less related and slower. Again, when gold is on the road, everybody has the power to play the sport of their life. All of the gamers who scored (Poulin and Sarah Nurse) or assisted (Claire Thompson, Brianne Jenner) for Canada within the 2022 gold-medal recreation are nonetheless on the roster.
As US captain Hilary Knight mentioned of Canada: “That’s a battle-tested team.”
The US will win if __
It maintains its id, which Scamurra described as “a calm confidence.” The US has a spark plug in Murphy, who entered these Olympics main faculty hockey in each targets and penalty minutes. The win over Sweden was a microcosm of Murphy’s duality. She roofed a beautiful purpose on the 15:12 mark of the second interval, and some minutes later acquired known as for interference for taking out the Sweden goalie behind the online.
Murphy has been one of the vital efficient gamers on this roster. Through the Americans’ quarterfinal win in opposition to Italy, Murphy led all US gamers in drawing 9 penalties. The subsequent closest participant on his group drew solely two.
Teams try to get below the United States’ pores and skin. According to the gamers, Knight had a chat with them throughout the Italy recreation to not lose focus. Play their recreation, do not do dumb issues, and it is their gold to win.
Canada will win if __
Goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens locks in. Poulin can solely achieve this a lot on his personal. She’ll want extra assist from her teammates. But realistically, a group is all the time prone to getting stonewalled by the opposing goalie. Desbiens did not get a lot motion in opposition to Switzerland, permitting one purpose on eight pictures.
It’s not even a assure she begins; Emerance Maschmeyer may additionally get the decision. Both are veteran goalies who additionally play within the PWHL. Maschmeyer is coming off an harm from earlier within the season, whereas Desbiens was on a heater earlier than the Olympics. That doubtless ideas the scales for Desbiens because the starter, and we all know she has the capabilities. But the perfect goalies on this event up to now have been Americans. Aerin Frankel has had a spectacular event, with a .985 save proportion in 5 video games, whereas Gwyneth Philips was sturdy in stopping 20 pictures for a shutout in her lone begin. The Canadians want an identical efficiency in internet.
