Canadian women’s team to be named today

CALGARY — The Canadian women’s hockey team has scheduled a news conference today when the 2018 Olympic team is expected to be unveiled.

Hockey Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee said on Thursday it will be “significant announcement.”

Twenty-eight players were invited to try out for the squad that will attempt to defend gold in February’s Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

They’ve been training full-time and playing a schedule of games since August.

Olympic women’s rosters will consist of 23 players — three goaltenders and 20 skaters — which is an increase on the three and 18 of 2014. Olympic men’s hockey rosters are 25. Forward Amy Potomak of Aldergrove and defender Erin Ambrose of Keswick, Ont., were released Nov. 20. Three more skaters will be cut.

Shannon Szabados of Edmonton, Genevieve Lacasse of Kingston, Ont., and Ann-Renee Desbiens of Malbaie, Que., will be Canada’s three goalies in Pyeongchang.

They will continue to compete for coveted starts at the Winter Olympics, which open Feb. 9.

The Canadian women concluded their sixgame pre-Olympic series against archrival United States with a 2-1 overtime win on Sunday in Edmonton.

The Canadians went 5-1 in that series, although the Americans beat them twice in November’s Four Nations Cup tournament.

The U.S. women’s team is scheduled to be announced on Jan. 1.