One of many fiercest rivalries in international sport will renew itself this week in Beijing after the USA and Canada reached the ladies’s Olympic ice hockey remaining.
The one two nations to prime the rostrum for the reason that ladies’s occasion was launched in 1998 arrived in Beijing as overwhelming favourites and stored their duopoly intact after Canada thrashed Switzerland 10-3 and the US downed Finland 4-1 within the semi-final spherical on Monday.
“We’re taking the sport to new heights proper now,” stated Canada’s Sarah Nurse, among the many match’s scoring leaders. “I do know that individuals have a look at the scores and once more suppose that we simply dominate groups, however I believe that what we’re doing on the ice proper now could be we’re pushing the tempo for girls’s hockey.”
The world title holders scored 5 occasions in a span of simply over three minutes halfway by means of the primary interval, with Claire Thompson beginning the rout. Jamie Lee Rattray, Blayre Turnbull, Renata Quick and Erin Ambrose added to the scoring burst.
“We’re going to maintain pushing the envelope and maintain making our sport higher,” stated Nurse.
It was the most recent massacre executed by the Canadians, who've but to report a loss in Beijing, beating the Individuals 4-2 of their preliminary.
Led by stalwart captain Marie-Philip Poulin, Canada purpose to avenge their gold medal loss in Pyeongchang 4 years in the past that ended a run of 4 straight Olympic titles.
The Individuals may have their work reduce out for them after surviving a tougher-than-expected take a look at from Finland, who have been decided to make the favourites work for his or her place within the remaining.
Cayla Barnes transformed on the ability play to report her first Olympic objective, breaking the scoreless deadlock early within the second interval. Veteran Hilary Knight added to the benefit with 67 seconds left within the interval, in a contest punctuated by temporary skirmishes between the 2 groups.
The Individuals had 33 pictures on objective in comparison with 12 for Finland heading into the ultimate interval, the place US netminder Alex Cavallini held her floor and ahead Hayley Scamurra added yet another to the Individuals’ tally halfway by means of the body.
“It wasn’t fairly, it wasn’t superior at occasions, however on the finish of the day you simply must discover a manner and present up and compete, make performs when you'll be able to and type of simply take the sport because it goes,” stated four-time Olympian Knight.
With lower than a minute left on the clock, ahead Susanna Tapani acquired Finland on the board to make it 3-1. However Abby Roque instantly countered with a shot into Finland’s empty internet.
“I understand how essential a gold medal is to our program,” stated Knight. “I do know there’s younger ladies, younger boys, adults watching. What this workforce does for our nation is unbelievable and I believe once you put on that in your sleeve and also you put on this jersey, it means one thing extra.”
The ladies’s Olympic ice hockey remaining is about for Thursday.
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