Key events
USA 0-1 Canada, 12:00, 3rd period: But Canada continue to win most of the races for the puck, and this one leads to an open shot, albeit from an angle Frankel had well covered.
USA 0-1 Canada, 13:00, 3rd period: Harvey sends a speculative shot from the blue line. Knocked down. Another shot is blocked. Canada trying to weather the storm here.
USA 0-1 Canada, 13:58, 3rd period: The US attack has truly found the plot. Crisp cross-ice passes. An aggressive forecheck.
Desbiens snags a shot with her glove and hangs on to give her defense a chance to reset.
USA 0-1 Canada, 15:45, 3rd period: Winn holds the puck behind her own net while players change and catch their breaths. This is frenetic action.
USA 0-1 Canada, 17:30, 3rd period: We should call this end-to-end stuff now. This won’t end 1-0.
USA 0-1 Canada, 18:30, 3rd period: It’s a brighter start for the USA. Has Harvey come off the ice at all?
USA 0-1 Canada, 19:38, 3rd period: “They’re looking for offense,” commentators say of the USA. Indeed. Little wonder the puck has gone to Harvey.
Sharpe has waved to the crowd, and coincidentally, I’ve just received a bunch of email …
Several people have complained that I noted the incredibly strong hockey team that would exist if Canada and the USA merged. But is that not true? Not saying it would be a good idea for thousands of other reasons, but as one reader noted, all other competition would be meaningless.
Max Bilson: “As a Canadian with very British roots I thank you for a very entertaining minute by minute while I sit here at work somewhere north of the 49th parallel. The mbm has not made its way over here – so I either have to break the rules and stream the game (which as the boss I would have to enforce against myself) or… find another source.”
I can attest that people in the USA are well-versed in finding creative ways to not work.
Gilbert Tagalog: “This strategy is the hockey equivalent of Ali’s rope a dope when he bested foreman in the rumble in the jungle in ‘74 Zaire (DRC). Back then it was an aging but still gifted fighter against a younger and more fancied opponent. Much like today’s game? Hoping the Canadian women can strike a blow for their team and their nation today – floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee?”
We’ve resumed.
Not really inclined to do my usual intermission banter while we’re awaiting a good sign from Sharpe.
In terms of this game – if the USA equalize, I’d bet Caroline Harvey is involved. She’s playing with another gear her teammates don’t seem to have so far.
Unfortunate news for Canada in the main blog – ski halfpipe star Cassie Sharpe has had a bad crash.
End 2nd period: USA 0-1 Canada
Bad US giveaway, Stacey gets it, and Frankel has to cover. Not sure if anyone is doing advanced stats for this game, but the giveaways have to be at least 2-1 in “favor” of the sloppy US team.
That’s the end of the period. The positives for the USA are that they’re getting some solid chances, and Frankel has kept the score from being worse than 1-0. The negatives are everything else, including the scoreboard.
USA 0-1 Canada, 44.6, 2nd period: Haley Winn puts a solid shot on net, and Canada have to clear the rebound.
USA reclaim and get it back on Desbiens, who has to cover up. Much better from the USA here.
USA 0-1 Canada, 2:00, 2nd period: Canada’s Claire Thompson gets possession and drives almost perpendicular to Frankel but is stopped.
Canada are just playing faster and smarter.
USA 0-1 Canada, 3:30, 2nd period: Shots now 18-16 in favor of Canada, responding after the US had taken the lead in that stat.
Cameras longer on a fan who made a great catch when a puck went sailing into the stands. A couple of people from my curling club are in the stands somewhere as well. Maybe they’re chatting with Tom Brady.
Harvey tries to thread the puck through about five Canadian hockey players and probably Rachel Homan and Tracy Fleury as well. Not happening.
Quick reminder that Frankel is nicknamed the Green Monster by appreciative fans in Boston, where she played college hockey and now plays professionally:
USA 0-1 Canada, 4:40, 2nd period: HUGE SAVE BY FRANKEL as Canada just pick apart the US defense.
USA 0-1 Canada, 5:05, 2nd period: Icing on the USA.
Imagine the hockey team that would be unleashed if Canada really did join the USA.
USA 0-1 Canada, 5:35, 2nd period: Tom Brady is chatting with Mike Eruzione. Seth Meyers is here. No Canadian celebrities? Where’s Geddy Lee? Or Dave Foley?
Frankel hangs on after a bad US giveaway leads to an quick shot from the blue line.
USA 0-1 Canada, 5:47, 2nd period: CHANCE! And ANOTHER CHANCE! Shot from the circle, deflected, Curl-Salemme gets a stick to it but flips it over the net.
USA 0-1 Canada, 6:50, 2nd period: If you’re a fan of counterattacking soccer, you might appreciate what Canada are doing here. Five players packed back near the goal. They might give up a shot, they might give up possession, but they’ve already shown how devastating they can be when they intercept and take off.
USA 0-1 Canada, 8:42, 2nd period: Caroline Harvey has decided to start carrying this team, and it’s not a bad strategy. She sets up one shot, recollects and recycles the puck.
USA 0-1 Canada, 9:10, 2nd period: The USA are putting a lot of players in front of the Canadian net. The positive outcome from such a tactic is that a shot can be deflected into the net. The negative outcome is that it can be blocked away from it.
USA 0-1 Canada, 10:40, 2nd period: Could the momentum be changing a little? Maybe? They get a sustained possession, but Canada tie things up along the boards and kick it back like a rugby player sending it back from the scrum, and Canada calmly clear.
USA 0-1 Canada, 11:55, 2nd period: Now THAT is a chance that deflects up and hovers in the air near the Canadian goal.
And then there’s a giveaway that sends Canada going the other way, and the USA are lucky that so many players were streaking back to fall on top of the puck.
USA 0-1 Canada, 12:30, 2nd period: The US players either haven’t adjusted to the fact that Canadian players are busily buzzing around them, or they’re so unnerved by it that they don’t know what to do with the puck.
The shots are even at 10 each, but the USA had a headstart in that stat, and Desbiens hasn’t had much to do.
USA 0-1 Canada, 14:48, 2nd period: We have our first post-whistle shoving. Canada was called for offside, but no one could hear the whistle. I’m a soccer ref – shall I loan them mine? The commentators note that it’s loud in there, but come on … this isn’t Detroit.
USA 0-1 Canada, 15:26, 2nd period: Best chance of the game for the USA, with a neat pass to a player on the doorstep who sends it to the ceiling.
USA 0-1 Canada, 15:30, 2nd period: I’m starting to think the USA should get curling skip Tabitha Peterson, who hit a clutch draw earlier today to get the USA to the semifinals and beat the dominant Canadian team earlier in the Games, to come in and give the second-intermission pep talk.
USA 0-1 Canada, 17:30, 2nd period: Allow me to offer some non-expert analysis here – Canada, appropriate for a country with a lot of good short-track skating, is just faster than the USA. If they aren’t literally faster, then they’re just anticipating a lot better.
If you saw the 5-0 score early in the tournament and figured this would be easy for the USA … I did warn you, didn’t I? But I didn’t think Canada would be a good solid level or two higher, and they certainly have been through 22 1/2 minutes.
Goal! USA 0-1 Canada (O’Neill 20:54)
It’s a 2-on-2 short-handed chance for Canada, and the first two beat the second two. The US duo put no pressure on Laura Stacey, who made a very simple pass to Kristin O’Neill. From there, O’Neill faked one way and then deposited the puck in the net.
USA 0-0 Canada, 19:08, 2nd period: It takes a while for the USA to set up the power play, but they get some good chances out of … uh oh …
US captain Hilary Knight was mic’d up. She mostly yelled for teammates to keep going. She also yelled, “Right behind you” – but I don’t think her teammate heard her.
The USA will start the second period on the p-p-p-p-power play. (That’s how they say it in a lot of NHL venues.)
First period stats
Shots: Canada 8-6
Faceoffs won: Canada 11-10
Shots that made me go “ooooh”: Canada 3-1
Loose pucks won through sheer hustle: Canada 387-8 (approximate)
End 1st period: USA 0-0 Canada
Canada try to kill the first 14.1 seconds of the power play by falling onto the puck after the faceoff, but the USA dig it out, and Carpenter’s redirect of a shot from the blue line zips just wide.
USA 0-0 Canada, first period, 14.1 left: A bad trip in the Canadian zone, and the USA get an extra attacker on the ice while the referee signals for a delayed penalty. Not sure why Shelton did that.
Canada touches the puck, so the power play will start with 14.1 seconds left and will continues well into the second period.
USA 0-0 Canada, first period, 1:20 left: First US shot in a while, but it’s right at Desbiens.
USA 0-0 Canada, first period, 1:55 left: Frankel is tested but manages to get her right leg to a shot.
Canada win possession again and shoot, forcing Frankel to hold on.
But after the faceoff, the USA clear, and the power play is killed.
USA 0-0 Canada, first period, 3:55 left: But Canada’s Fast loses control after a faceoff win, and the USA are off to the races? It’s race that Fast, appropriate for her name, wins, and there’s no US short-handed shot.
USA 0-0 Canada, first period, 4:55 left: Another Canadian power play as Dunne rather pointlessly trips a Canadian player near the Canadian net.
USA 0-0 Canada, first period, 5:21 left: The most ominous sign for the US defense is that twice in the last 30 seconds, they’ve simply been beaten to a puck that’s been sent ahead by an opportunistic Canadian attack.
Frankel hasn’t had to be spectacular yet, but these are nervous times for the USA. They might need to shake things up between periods.
USA 0-0 Canada, first period, 6:00 left: The IIHF has a shot tracker that shows how much the balance of play is shifting toward Canada.
USA 0-0 Canada, first period, 7:00 left: Canada is looking much more dangerous here. The passing combinations are there. The shots aren’t quite getting there.
Now one is – Frankel has to be alert to get across the crease to make a save at close range. The stat keeper has not yet noticed.
USA 0-0 Canada, first period, 8:00 left: Each team is stuck on four shots. Reminder that in hockey, they only count shots that are saved or go into the net, so the long-range attempt Canada just sent into traffic doesn’t count.
USA 0-0 Canada, first period, 9:30 left: I still can’t get over how many stats are mentioned from the rest of this tournament. There’s simply no comparison between a USA-Canada game and a game between one of these teams and the rest of the world. It’ll be good for the sport when that changes.
USA 0-0 Canada, first period, 11:01 left: Canada still seem to have slightly the better of play, but it’s still choppy, as you’d expect from two teams that won’t give each other much space.
Figure skating update
Yes, we’ll keep tabs for you.
Amber Glenn will skate at 2:42 ET/8:42 in Italy. Isabeau Levito skates at 3:44, when this game may well be over. The top six don’t start until 4 p.m. ET or thereabouts.
USA 0-0 Canada, first period, 12:26 left: There’s a momentary scramble as the puck is loose near US goalie Aerin Frankel, but it’s cleared, and the penalty is killed.
USA 0-0 Canada, first period, 14:27 left: Canada dumps, chases and comes up with a shot that’s blocked. Caroline Harvey then sends a cross-ice diagonal pass to Murphy for the shot.
But we’ll have a power play for too many players on the ice. Murphy will serve the time in the box while Canada have the player advantage.
We’re told the USA are a perfect 100% on the penalty kill in this tournament. So they’re due to concede one?
USA 0-0 Canada, first period, 15:13 left: Poulin with the shot. Remember that she was out injured when these teams played earlier in these Games. The USA won’t want to let her have many touches.
USA 0-0 Canada, first period, 15:57 left: To underscore the point, NBC commentator AJ Mleczko, fresh from calling part of yesterday’s men’s game with Snoop Dogg, recalls a year in which her US team lost once – in the Olympic final.
USA 0-0 Canada, first period, 16:22 left: Good setup for Canada, with Watts drifting around the net and sending it back for a one-timer that misses.
The USA answer with a long shot that’s snared and collected for a faceoff in the Canadian zone.
NBC reminds us that the USA have won the last seven games between these two teams. That means absolutely nothing right now.
USA 0-0 Canada, first period, 17:48 left: And now an offsides call against Canada. A little discombobulated. But it’s not as if the USA have had time to set up, either.
USA 0-0 Canada, first period, 18:17 left: Our first stoppage is an icing call against Canada.
The USA have been credited with a shot somehow, but it was tame.
USA 0-0 Canada, first period, 19:00 left: Is Canada coming out tentative? Their first two times across the blue line have been 1v3 efforts with no teammates coming up to join them.
Faceoff
Away we go …
Revenge for curling!
Canada’s men’s curling team has embarked on a mission of sabotaging and/or bringing a lot of attention to its sport. And earlier today, they aggravated the US curling community to no end.
If you had checked the tiebreaking scenarios, you would’ve seen that if Switzerland beat Italy and Canada beat Norway, the US men would have had a shot at the playoffs. Germany beating China would also simplify things, but the US men ranked highly enough in DSC (Draw Shot Challenge, the measure of how close a team can deliver rocks to the center of the house when they attempt it before each game starts) that it didn’t matter.
Switzerland took care of business against Italy. So all the US needed was for their neighbors to the north to atone for their role in the Great Curling Kerfuffle of 2026 and beat Norway, propelling Daniel Casper and company into the semifinals. Instead, they didn’t even set the snooze alarm, allowing Norway to race out to a 5-1 lead en route to an 8-6 win.
We’re going to assume that someone has briefed the US women’s hockey team on the intricacies of men’s curling tiebreakers and the Canadian men’s shattering of the normative behavior that makes curling special, and that will give them extra incentive.
OK, more seriously – this is a massive rivalry. No extra incentive is needed. But the fact that recent games have gone the USA’s way will only inspire Canada that much more.
So if the people of the USA want to send a message to the US women’s hockey team, first, they’d say congratulations to captain Hilary Knight on her engagement to speedskater Brittany Bowe. Then they’d say to go out and win this one for Curling Rambo and the long-suffering US curling fanbase.
Preamble
Imagine Manchester City v Manchester United, Celtic v Rangers, Duke v North Carolina or Yankees v Red Sox – if those two teams were the only one who ever won the league or national championship.
That’s the USA-Canada women’s hockey rivalry, and if you think that’s an exaggeration, consider this list of every women’s hockey world championship and Olympic final.
1990 WCh: Canada 5-2 USA
1992 WCh: Canada 8-0 USA
1994 WCh: Canada 6-3 USA
1997 WCh: Canada 4-3 USA (OT)
1998 Oly: USA 3-1 Canada
1999 WCh: Canada 3-1 USA
2000 WCh: Canada 3-2 USA (OT)
2001 WCh: Canada 3-2 USA
2002 Oly: Canada 3-2 USA
2004 WCh: Canada 2-0 USA
2005 WCh: USA 1-0 Canada (shootout)
2006 Oly: Canada 4-1 Sweden
2007 WCh: Canada 5-1 USA
2008 WCh: USA 4-3 Canada
2009 WCh: USA 4-1 Canada
2010 Oly: Canada 2-0 USA
2011 WCh: USA 3-2 Canada (OT)
2012 WCh: Canada 5-4 USA (OT)
2013 WCh: USA 3-2 Canada
2014 Oly: Canada 3-2 USA (OT)
2015 WCh: USA 7-5 Canada
2016 WCh: USA 1-0 Canada (OT)
2017 WCh: USA 3-2 Canada (OT)
2018 Oly: USA 3-2 Canada (shootout)
2019 WCh: USA 2-1 Finland (shootout)
2021 WCh: Canada 3-2 USA (OT)
2022 Oly: Canada 3-2 USA
2022 WCh: Canada 2-1 USA
2023 WCh: USA 6-3 Canada
2024 WCh: Canada 6-5 USA (OT)
2025 WCh: USA 4-3 Canada (OT)
Get the picture?
Yes, it’s a problem for women’s hockey that no one else has broken through except on two occasions. It’s unfortunate that all the early rounds of any competition are so predictable.
The good news is that these finals are not predictable. The USA won the group-stage between these two teams in a rout. Today, that means exactly squat. Nada. Nothing. Nil.
Women’s hockey international tournament are a long wait for a big payoff. Enjoy.
Beau Dure will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s how the men’s teams fared yesterday:
With NHL players returning to the Winter Olympics for the first time since 2014, these Games were expected to be a relative stroll for Canada and USA. However, both star-packed teams struggled in Wednesday’s men’s ice hockey quarter-finals.
Quinn Hughes scored in overtime to put the US past Sweden 2-1 after giving up the tying goal to Mika Zibanejad with 91 seconds left in the third period. Dylan Larkin deflected Jack Hughes’ shot in for the only US goal in regulation.
“Just relief,” Hughes said when asked about his emotions after the game.
Meanwhile, Canada’s quarter-final was an even tighter affair. Nick Suzuki tied the game on a deflection with 3:27 left, Mitch Marner scored in overtime, and Canada avoided what would have been a stunning exit at the Olympics by rallying to beat the Czech Republic 4-3.
“I never had a doubt, but it was getting a little nerve-racking,” defenseman Drew Doughty said.
Canada fell behind with 7:42 remaining when Ondrej Palat scored off a pass from Martin Necas. The goal sent the Czech bench and fans into a wild celebration, but their excitement was short-lived.
Suzuki just about did it all on the tying goal, sending the puck out to the point to Devon Toews and then redirecting the defenseman’s shot past Lukas Dostal. The Canadians still could have lost: Jordan Binnington denied David Pastrnak on a breakaway with 70 seconds left to send the game past regulation.
Then Marner’s backhanded goal 1:22 into overtime put Canada into Friday’s semi-finals.
“It’s the it-factor, man: Mitch Marner’s got it,” coach Jon Cooper said. “He doesn’t disappoint. Sometimes your hair falls out at times, but in the end, he never disappoints.”
Canada has won more golds than any nation in Olympic ice hockey history. But this year’s men’s team have concerns beyond their struggles in Wednesday’s game. They lost star Sidney Crosby to injury five minutes into the second period after his right leg appeared to buckle as he braced for contact with rugged Czech Republic defenseman Radko Gudas. Crosby left the ice second later after he was crunched against the boards by Gudas and Necas.
“Everybody had complete faith in whoever was going over the boards,” Cooper said. “It just felt it was like a matter of time. It was going to happen.”
The US will face Slovakia in one semi-final on Friday night. Just before that, Canada will play Finland in the other.
