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BEIJING, China – Marie-Philip Poulin, who else, sounded the charge and Canada regained its Olympic throne.
Poulin had two goals and an assist, Ann-Renée Desbiens stopped 38 shots and Canada defeated the United States 3-2 in the women’s hockey final at the Beijing Olympics on Thursday afternoon.
“Since 2018, the group wanted to win this medal and put the necessary effort, even from home, in Zoom meetings. We were united all the way. This gameit’s the result of 4 years of work”, declared Poulin at the end of the victory.
“To see the team on the ice celebrating, with the efforts of everyone, including those of our parents, is incredible. There are angels who are with me. »
The Canadians thus avenged the loss in a shootout against the Americans in the final four years earlier. The loss ended Canada’s four Olympic gold medal streak.
Sarah Nurse had a goal and an assist and broke the record set by Hayley Wickenheiser in 2010 in Vancouver with 18 points during an Olympic tournament.
For his part, Poulin has now scored seven goals in four Olympic finals. Poulin, captain of the Canadian squad, now has three gold medals and a silver to her name, as does her teammate Rebecca Johnston.
Hilary Knight and Amanda Kessel generated the American offense. Alex Cavallini stopped 18 shots.
It was the sixth time in seven Olympic women’s hockey tournaments that Canada and the United States had met in the final. The Canadians have a 4-2 advantage.
Finland earned bronze with a 4-0 win over Switzerland on Wednesday night.
Canada wins
The Americans got two scoring chances early in the game, but Kessel missed the target and then Hannah Brandt hit the post.
The Canadians then took their course. Natalie Spooner thought she had opened the scoring after 7:15 of play, but the goal was canceled following a challenge from the United States because it had been offside on the sequence.
That didn’t stop the Canadians, who rallied at 7:50. After a disallowed clearance from the United States, Poulin won the face-off past Abby Rocque, then Nurse deflected Claire Thompson’s throw-in into the back of the net.
Poulin returned to the charge at 15:02 of the first period. She first grazed a pass from Megan Keller deep in American territory, then stole the puck from Kelly Pannek before firing a shot from the slot. Cavallini seemed to lose sight of the puck in the traffic ahead of her and the puck went under her right arm before moving the strings.
Brianne Jenner found herself on the breakaway early in the second period thanks to a superb pass from Poulin, but her shot went over the target.
Poulin widened the gap to 3-0 after 9:08 of play in the second period. Nurse recovered a lob behind her American rivals in the neutral zone and orchestrated an outnumbered attack. Nurse gave the puck back to Jenner, whose one-timer was blocked by Cavallini. Poulin took advantage of the return and his shot deflected against the skate of the American goalie before crossing the goal line.
The Americans did not let go and Desbiens was alert on a few sequences to close the door.
Knight finally eluded the vigilance of Desbiens shorthanded, at 16:39 of the second period. Knight’s first shot was blocked by Erin Ambrose, but Knight was able to retrieve the disc and push it into the goal, as Desbiens was heard on the ice.
Alex Carpenter could have closed the lead early in the third period, but she hit the post with Desbiens out of position.
The United States replaced Cavallini with an extra forward with over three minutes to go, then Poulin was penalized with 1:25 to go.
Kessel scored with 13.5 seconds left, but that didn’t stop the Canadians from celebrating moments later.
