In the most important match after the group stage, in the final of the five rounds, he also defeated the main North American rival of the national team Maple Leaf, thus fighting again for the final in Pyeongchang four years ago.
| Canadians in red can celebrate after the final (Photo: Karoly Orfai) |
There was no miracle in the women’s hockey tournament, the final was played by the same two teams that have been the women’s Olympic program since 1998, with the exception of one team: Canada and the United States.
Four years ago, in PyeongChang, the Americans won the most important of the two head-to-head rallies: despite Canada winning the group, the USA won the final on penalties, so they could celebrate their second pentathlon gold. Medal (before that, the Maple Leafs could celebrate four times without a break).
In Beijing, the scenario was the same as in Group A, just over a week earlier, the Canadians won 4-2 despite a barren American edge – and this time the dice were not rolled in the final.
According to Hungarian time, there was no trace of the confident American game that was seen nine days ago in the first match early Thursday morning (then they hit twice as many shots on goal, 53 against 27), the Canadians got off to a good start. Although, in the eighth minute, thanks to their eagle-eyed captain, Joel Johnson, the USA dodged a goal (the specialist noted that a Canadian forward had picked up the puck from an ambush before Spooner’s goal, and the goal was disallowed after the challenge). Directly from the next attack, Sarah Nurse scored an already ordinary goal, sending Thompson’s pass into the net with the help of a double goalkeeper.
The Americans began to enter the game, so from their point of view, the second Canadian goal came at the worst possible time. Especially since it was preceded by rather frustrating children’s mistakes: the captain of the team, Marie-Philip Poulin, stole a puck from an American stick with amazing ease in the attacking third, then turned to the goal on a test of luck and shot it from afar, and the puck skipped the sleeping Cavallini goalkeeper.
In the middle third, the US team really took the lead (or the Canadians gave them that, it depends on the point of view), but just like in the group game, Deppen was like paint, and he was one of the better players. his team. The other is Bolin, who scored two goals and assisted one halfway through the game. In the 30th minute, Nurse pounced on an advancing puck, crossed it to Jenner, and the captain reached for the rebound, scoring his second goal, also the third of the three Canadian goals, by cleverly chipping the goalkeeper giant from a sharp kick. corner.
At the start of the half, the last silver medalist could have increased his advantage, but instead, the Americans turned around due to a man’s defect, and Brandt and Knight’s counterattack was ended by the latter finally putting his own rebound in the goal.
Nevertheless, we had the prospect of a close final, and we did not have to be disappointed: there was a tough battle on the ice, at a particularly high pace compared to the women’s match. In fact, even punctuated by a collision or two – well, with some iron and more Desbiens defenses.
The Canadian goalkeeper calmly made another 38 saves, while 21 shots on goal were enough for success – the Americans had to bring their goalkeeper down with three minutes left, and they also had a man advantage in the final minute and a half. , six to four. While displaying fireworks vs.
Looking at the overall picture, there is no doubt that the tournament was won by the best and most organized team, with excellent use of positions and goalkeeping performance – and so the Canadians deservedly returned to the throne after four years of fasting, and their main rival can do it. Consoling themselves with the silver medal for the fourth time in their history.
Winter Olympics, Beijing 2022
Ice hockey, ladies, final
Canada – USA 3-2 (2–0, 1–1, 0–1)
Beijing, 834 view. a: Cook (American), Wigan (Swiss), Hamar (Swedish), Hanley (American).
Canada: DESBIENS – Larocque, Fast / Ambrose, C. Thompson (1) / Bell, Zandy-Hart / Shelton, Stacy-Jenner (1), nurse 1 (1), Pauline 2 (1) / Villiers, Daoust, Spooner / Johnston, Clarke, Turnbull / Saulnier, Malthus, Rattray. union captain: Troy Ryan
United States of America: Cavallini-Sticklin, Barnes/Keller, Harmon/Buzek, Dunn/Harvey-Brandt (1), Knight 1, Quinn Schofield/ROQUE (1), carpenter (1) Kissel 1 / Panik, Zoomwinkle, Cameranesi / Scamora, Compere, A. Murphy. union captain: Joel Johnson
Shot on goal: 21-40. Target Advantage – Man: 2/0 or 3/1
The final result of the tournament
1. Canada
2. United States
3. Finland
4. Switzerland
5. The Russian team
6. Japan
NemZiti Sport report: Gergli Cohan, Erika Kovacs (text), Karoly Orfai (photo)
