Five-star Canada, USA Set Up Olympic Hockey Showdown
Zeeshan Mehtab Published February 19, 2018 | 09:50 PM
Four-time defending champion Canada and reigning world champion United States advanced to the Pyeongchang Olympic women's hockey final with clinical shutout triumphs on Monday, setting up another showdown for gold between the arch-rivals.
Gangneung, South Korea, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Feb, 2018 ) :Four-time defending champion Canada and reigning world champion United States advanced to the Pyeongchang Olympic women's hockey final with clinical shutout triumphs on Monday, setting up another showdown for gold between the arch-rivals.
The Canadians stretched their Olympic win streak to 24 games and kept alive their drive for five consecutive gold medals by thrashing the Olympic Athletes from Russia 5-0. "It's kind of exciting, but we're only here for one reason," Canada's Meghan Agosta said.
"We just need to carry on the momentum. There's no doubt in my mind we're the better team." The US women, who haven't won Olympic gold in 20 years, blanked Finland 5-0 to reach Thursday's title game.
"It's honestly a dream come true," US forward Hilary Knight said. "It's the world's biggest stage. It's the game you've been dreaming of. You have to keep working and do the things you do well." Only once in Olympic or world championship history has the final not been contested by the two teams, and when the two meet they are usually chippy and physical affairs.
"That kind of intensity is why you love the game and why you want to play it," said Canada coach Laura Schuler. "It's important for our girls to play physical... this is how you want it, best-on-best competition." Count on physical play from both teams if Canada's 2-1 group stage win over the Americans is any indication.
"It's going to be a rough game and everyone is going to give their all," said Canada's Rebecca Johnston. "It should be a great game." Canada needed over-time to beat the Americans in the 2014 Olympic final, but has since dropped three world finals to the Americans.
"We're confident. We'll stick with what has gotten us success the last three years," US forward Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson said.
"We'll enjoy this. It's what we came here and worked hard for, to put ourselves in position for a gold medal." Canada's Jennifer Wakefield scored 1:50 into the semi-final and Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin netted a backhander 3:10 into the second period to make it 2-0.
Wakefield struck again 1:59 into the third, Emily Clark followed 31 seconds later and Johnston added the last goal with 5:52 remaining. Shannon Szabados made 14 saves in the shutout. - 'Gold medal preparation' - Dani Cameranesi scored two goals and goaltender Maddie Rooney made 14 saves in the American triumph.
Lamoureux-Davidson, Knight and Gigi Martin also scored as the US women dominated. "It's spectacular to see our team come out and perform that well because there was a lot of pressure," US coach Robb Stauber said.
"This was really a gold medal preparation for us. We had to be ready." One item of concern for the Americans was the hard hit US captain Meghan Duggan inflicted on Finland's Ronja Savolainen, sending her face-first into the boards.
"My head just got hit on the boards. But I'm good," Savolainen said. "I was taking so long my feet were pretty cold." Duggan said she didn't expect an issue regarding a possible ban for the final.
"I don't think so," Duggan said. "There wasn't a call on the ice. We kept going." The Americans, who have not won Olympic gold since the first women's tournament in 1998 at Nagano, outshot Canada 45-23 in the loss last week.
"We had a lot of point-blank scoring opportunities. We've got to find a way to get those in the net," Lamoureux-Davidson said. "When you put 45 shots on goal you've got to be able to put more than one into the net. We just have to find a way to finish."
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 23 April 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 23 April 2024
Islam enlightened world with its teachings about knowledge: Dr Jamileh
Record London close as oil prices drop on easing Middle East fears
TV tower in Kharkiv struck as Russia captured village
LCCI language courses from May 1
Governor for service oriented governance in Punjab
Survivors tell of panic at C.Africa river boat disaster
Enrolment campaign, awareness walk held in Lower Chitral
“Say no to plastic- yes to tress” campaign kicks off in Attock
'PML-N secures people's trust in by-polls'
Girl dies as pole falls in street
More Stories From Sports
-
Ruben Amorim: Portugal's next coaching superstar, tipped for Liverpool
15 minutes ago -
Djokovic skips Madrid Open but is aiming for Rome
2 hours ago -
WADA: 'No credible evidence of wrongdoing' in Chinese swimming case
14 hours ago -
Actress Nazish Jahangir's Babar Azam marriage response goes viral
16 hours ago -
Italy icon Cannavaro named Udinese boss after Cioffi sacked
16 hours ago -
Sabir, Mujahid win mind game as first South Punjab Chess Fair concludes
18 hours ago
-
Muhammad Amir says can’t guarantee about making mistakes
19 hours ago -
Peshawar upset strong Swat in PM Youth Talent Hunt Boys & Girls Table Tennis
19 hours ago -
Sydney Airport sees passenger traffic closer to pre-pandemic levels
23 hours ago -
Australian swim coach rejects claims of systemic Chinese doping
1 day ago -
Chapman leads New Zealand to a comfortable victory in third T20I
1 day ago -
New Zealand outplay Pakistan by 7 wickets in third T20I
1 day ago