The American ladies have crushed Canada in seven of the closing eight international hockey championship finals, including a three-2 extra-time win two years in the past in Michigan. Most assume every other showdown among the top two great teams at this world, which opens Thursday in Espoo, Finland. Canada will play Switzerland, and the U.S. Faces host Finland. Canada hasn’t beaten the U.S. In a match very last because the 2014 Four Nations Cup and hasn’t received the world title since 2012. Still, taking three video games in opposition to their Olympic champion frenemies to win February’s “Rivalry Series” gives Canada a few momenta.
“Our intention in the February collection wasn’t to come away with wins. That changed into an advantage,” veteran forward Brianne Jenner advised The Canadian Press. “Our purpose turned into establishing the way we want to play and take steps ahead in the direction of the overall performance you want in the international championships. Obviously, it is reassuring when you’re able to play that way and get a few wins as well. We take a look at it as a good step in the right direction. However, we realize there’s a bit far to visit get gold in Finland.”
The match capabilities 10 groups for the primary time, expanding an eight-team layout that has been in place considering that 2010. Women’s hockey at the 2022 Winter Olympics also could be a 10-team event.
The general championship layout changed into remodeled after 2010. The pinnacle seeds in Group A in no way confronted the bottom in Group B, which removed a couple of lopsided rankings from the match. The global’s top 5 seeds — protecting champion United States, Canada, Finland, Russia, Switzerland — are in Group A in Espoo. Sweden, Japan, Germany, Czech Republic, and France, ranking 6th to tenth, incorporate Group B.
What’s unique these 12 months is the prospect of Canada and the U.S. Playing quarterfinal games against a Group B opponent: There are no byes to the semifinals for the pinnacle groups in Group A beforehand of April 14 final. Gina Kingsbury, Hockey Canada’s director of girls’ national teams, stated two more magnificent countries in the international championship can assist develop the sport — and she likes having the Canadian team playing collectively in a non-Olympic year. “To me, it’s a win-win,” Kingsbury stated. “It lets in us to build a few important enjoy with our institution. I do like the extra timetable and the way it unfolds out. There is a piece of a recurring theme that could come into the vicinity.”
