There’s no medal on the road simply but, however there’s nonetheless lots at stake in Tuesday’s preliminary-round girls’s hockey matchup between Canada and the US.
With each groups undefeated within the Olympic match at Milano Cortina, this contest will decide who sits atop Group A following round-robin play because the hockey nations put together for the quarterfinals and past. The three-0 People have made fast work of all three of their opponents, opening their marketing campaign with a 5-1 win over Czechia earlier than placing up a pair of 5-0 victories over Finland and Switzerland.
Canada flew previous the Swiss 4-0 on Saturday earlier than beating Czechia 5-1, and can nonetheless have one sport remaining after Tuesday — a make-up sport towards Finland after it was rescheduled to Thursday attributable to sickness on the Finnish aspect.
With Canada and the U.S. as soon as once more on a collision course to satisfy within the gold-medal ultimate, Tuesday’s sport (2:10 p.m. ET / 11:10 a.m. PT, CBC Gem, Sportsnet+) presents each side of this epic rivalry an opportunity to get into the ring and measurement up their opponent earlier than the heavyweight title battle.
The results of Tuesday’s bout will set the order of the highest two seeds within the group. The motion itself will give us a touch of what’s to return, and the way each side can finest put together.
Right here’s what’s at stake when Canada and the U.S. meet for the primary time in Milano Cortina on Tuesday.
All eyes on Captain Canada’s damage standing
Any celebrations after Canada’s 5-1 victory over Czechia on Monday have been considerably subdued as captain Marie-Philip Poulin went down with damage.
Whereas group Canada piled up objectives early, all ideas have been on the captain who had hobbled down the tunnel and into the locker room after struggling what seemed to be a lower-body damage halfway by the primary interval. The damage occurred when Czechia’s Kristyna Kaltounkova delivered a tough (and unlawful) hit on Poulin, sending the captain barrelling into the boards. Poulin was sluggish to stand up, and grimaced as she put weight on her proper leg. Pictures of her in seen ache on the bench ramped up considerations, and whereas she did return briefly in the course of the ensuing energy play towards Kaltounkova, Poulin rapidly left once more. She didn’t return to the ice after that.
Canada brass has been quiet in regards to the damage since. It’s laborious to not speculate, but it surely must be executed with warning. With Canada cruising to a snug win, it’s completely affordable to imagine the membership would’ve saved its captain out, whatever the severity of her damage to permit for as a lot therapy and relaxation as attainable.
Whether or not or not she is cleared to play Tuesday will supply us some actual perception into what’s to return — although, it received’t essentially inform us every little thing. Relaxation and restoration will probably be essential right here. If Poulin doesn’t gown, it might be a precautionary transfer to permit her extra restoration time earlier than the higher-stakes video games of the knockout spherical. There may be additionally the sobering chance we’ve seen the long-lasting captain play her ultimate Olympic sport.
Everyone knows how irreplaceable Poulin is. No single participant has as massive an influence on her group as Poulin does for Canada. Whether or not she fits up Tuesday or watches from the press field, the captain’s standing vs. Group USA will probably be a significant speaking level on Tuesday, and past.
Canada trying to break year-long dropping streak
4 years in the past, Canada stood atop the rostrum, however loads can occur in an Olympic cycle. And prior to now yr, momentum has sided with United States.
One yr has handed since Canada final defeated Group USA in a best-on-best contest on the senior stage. Since that victory, which got here in the course of the ultimate sport of the 2024-25 Canada-U.S. Rivalry Collection, the People have received six straight: two on the 2025 World Championship, together with the gold-medal showdown, adopted by 4 straight on the 2025 Rivalry Collection. In contrast to most conferences between these cross-border foes, these 4 Rivalry Collection video games delivered extremely lopsided outcomes. The U.S. toppled Canada by a mixed rating of 24-7 over these 4 conferences.
Canada’s roster is counting on veteran experience to defend the nation’s Olympic title — of the 23 gamers suiting up for Group Canada at these Video games, 16 received gold at Beijing 2022 — and whereas that depth and expertise has been on full show at this match, so have the newbies.
Ahead Julia Gosling has three objectives in her first two Olympic video games, all of which got here on the facility play. She leads the group in factors heading into Tuesday. Fellow rookie Daryl Watts kicked off her first Olympic marketing campaign with a objective and an help Saturday towards Switzerland and added one other helper Monday towards Czechia to take a seat third in group scoring. Kristin O’Neill opened the scoring Monday towards the Swiss. Rookie defenders Sophie Jaques and Kati Tabin have been actually robust on the blue line. Ought to Poulin not gown Tuesday, Gosling and Watts will probably be leaned on much more to provide as head coacy Troy Ryan adjusts his lineup.
Group USA’s roster options much more newcomers, pushing the youth surge on the most important stage with 12 gamers making their Olympic debuts at Milano Cortina, together with seven nonetheless competing on the faculty circuit. Ahead Pleasure Dunne headlines the early success of her group’s rookie class — she sits second in group scoring with two objectives and 4 factors in three video games.
Canada’s particular groups gaining confidence
Among the many troubling offensive numbers to emerge from Canda’s 4 Rivalry Collection losses towards Group USA was the low power-play output. The collection noticed Canada go a collective 3-for-13 with the benefit, which is a far cry from what we often anticipate from the star-studded membership. In a rivalry usually so intently contested, particular groups so usually show to be the distinction, and it didn’t aspect with the Canucks of their newest head-to-heads. (Context: By collection’ finish, power-play scoring didn’t show to be an enormous robust go well with for both aspect — Group USA was a mixed 6-for-13 over the primary three video games, however was blanked on the PP within the ultimate matchup to carry their complete to 6-for-17.)
The primary two video games of this match, albeit towards simpler opponents, have introduced a confidence enhance for Canada in the case of special-teams play. Three of its 4 objectives towards the Swiss got here whereas enjoying with the benefit, and two of its 5 towards Czechia have been PP markers. The Canadians are 5-for-9 by two video games for a tournament-leading 55.56 per cent success fee. Group USA is tied for second, with 30 per cent. The People have been flawless on the penalty kill, whereas Canada allowed one power-play objective Monday towards Czechia — the one objective towards the Canucks. Whether or not or not Canada can keep its special-teams momentum towards the U.S. will inform us lots in regards to the state of its particular groups and whether or not we are able to anticipate it to be a difference-maker on this match.
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