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2018 Winter Olympics: Canada goes to gold medal game for sixth straight Olympics

Posted on by Shayna

For the sixth straight Olympic Games, Canada’s women’s hockey team will face off for the gold medal. Canada used two quick third period goals to pull away from the Olympic Athletes from Russia in a 5-0 win.

Canada will face off for gold against the United States on Wednesday night (11:00 p.m. Eastern time).

In the preliminary round Canada also claimed a 5-0 win over the Olympic Athletes from Russia, out shooting them 48-18. With just one game standing between them and the gold medal game team Canada came out strong early in the first.

Two minutes into the game, Jennifer Wakefield tucked one past Olympic athletes from Russia goaltender Valeria Tarakanova . The assist came from Spooner who stole the puck along the boards drove to the net and was easily able to find her teammates stick.

Shannon Szabados faced her first shot four minutes in courtesy of Anna Shokhina. Szabados made 14 saves for the shutout.

A little later, Sarah Nurse went in on a breakaway but it just misses. Another scoring chance follows shortly when Sarah Nurse fires it on net. Tarakanova scrambled but was able to prevent a rebound.

OAR would have their own chances. Alevtina Shtaryova carried the puck in and made a pass to Anna Shokhina who threw it on net, Shannon Szabados made the save but could not find the puck. Yelena Dergachyova went for the rebound but Szabados shut the door.

Despite a number of good chances, the Olympic Athletes from Russia killed of a second penalty when Yekaterina Lobova was called for tripping.

Russia’s best chance came from a one timer from Liana Ganeyeva in the final two minutes of the first period, Szabados was able to make the save.

The Olympic athletes of Russia opened the second period with an early scoring chance. The Valeria Pavlova shot was stopped by Szabados.

Canada’s second goal came off of a skilled play courtesy of Melodie Daoust, who faked the shot, deked Pavlova, and sent the puck to Marie-Philip Poulin who fired a backhander into the net.

Shortly after, Poulin was called for making an illegal hit and OAR had their first power play of the game. Canada not only killed off the penalty but had a number of short handed opportunities, including one from Nurse.

The Canadian forecheck proved too much for the Russians who took a roughing penalty, giving Canada a power play. Wakefield, Jenner and Nurse all have quality chances, but the Russians were able to kill off the penalty.

The Russian athletes struggled with maintaining possession and staying out of the penalty box, while Canada continued to get quality scoring chances.

A high stick from Lacquette to the throat of Russia’s Anna Shokhina went uncalled, though the player needed to be helped off the ice by a trainer.

Wakefield netted her second of the game early in the third, sending home a wide angle shot off of a Laura Fortino assist. The Canadian offensive onslaught did not let off, and shorty after Emily Clark scored her first goal of the tournament. With two goals scored in short succession, Russia pulled goalie Valeria Tarakanova in favor of Nadezhda Alexandrova.

A rush by Lyudmila Belyakova tested Szabados, but the Canadian goaltender remained sharp and maintained her shutout.

Both Melodie Daoust and Meghan Agosta tested the replacement netminder, who lost sight of the puck but was still able to make two saves in close succession.

Alexandrova was less successful on the penalty kill as Canada scored their fifth after Russia was called for an illegal hit. A Johnston shot that appeared initially to be a goal was in fact deflected, but Johnston was able to get her own rebound, and with the second shot she made no mistake.

Tempers flared late in the third, as Yevgenia Dyupina skated behind the net taking down Szabados. Penalties were given to both Russia and Canada for the hit and its aftermath.

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