CANADA COMES CLOSE
Canada’s Shannon Szabados stops a shot from the U.S. during the first period of a 4 Nations Cup preliminary game Wednesday. The U.S. went on to win 2-1.
It was a clash of the women’s hockey titans.
This time, the United States edged Canada 2-1 in 4 Nations Cup international women’s hockey action Wednesday night before a crowd estimated to be in the 3,5004,000 range at Sasktel Centre.
Sydney Brodt notched the game winner with just 1:38 left in regulation as the Americans (2-0) guaranteed themselves a spot in Saturday’s gold-medal final.
Canada (1-1) will need to win Friday night (7:30 p.m. game time) over Finland to advance to the gold-medal game.
The U.S. — who got on the board early, just 1:18 into the game, with a goal by Hannah Brandt — went on to dominate the opening frame, out-shooting Canada 16-4.
After a scoreless second period, the host Canadians knotted the game at 1-1 on a goal by Loren Gabel at 3:30 of the third.
Final shots on goal were 33-24 in favour of the U.S.
Shannon Szabados, named player of the game for Canada, made 31 saves in the loss.
Before the Canada-u.s. game, retired Team Canada player Caroline Ouellette was honoured during a ceremony. Ouellette is a four-time Olympic gold medallist who also has 12 IIHF world championship medals (six gold, six silver) and 12 4 Nations Cup medals (eight gold, four silver) to her name.
ILLNESS TAKING ITS TOLL
A big story at the 4 Nations Cup continues to be the number of players who have fallen ill due to a suspected virus.
Players from both Canada and Finland have been among the first groups to get sick.
Team Finland head coach Pasi Mustonen believes the bug may stem from an exhibition game in Prince Albert.
“We have eight players sick and four from the management group,” noted Mustonen, whose team barely hung on for a 3-2 win Wednesday over Sweden.
“We got a virus in Prince Albert together with the Canadian team, so we had 14 players who could play today — eight of them were healthy and the rest of them have been vomiting yesterday or the night before.”
Mustonen says it’s disappointing that his team isn’t able to really show what it’s got.
“This team doesn’t even resemble the team that’s going to play in the world’s,” he said. “Most of the top players didn’t play today. We are too sick. It’s a pity to fly over here full of expectations to play good hockey against the North Americans and this happens.
“We have Kari Eloranta, a former NHL player from the Calgary Flames and he’s been an assistant coach with our team and he says he’s been in hockey 40 years and never experienced anything like that. I’ve been in hockey for 25 years and we’ve never been even close to this sort of sickness epidemic.”
Capitals forward T.J. Oshie celebrates his game-winning goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins with teammate Dmitry Orlov Wednesday at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. The Capitals won 2-1.