Women's hockey

[hockeyfan1]

The Clarkson Cup, the CWHL (Canadian Womens Hockey League) championship, won by the U.S-based Boston Blades, with a 5-2 victory over the Montreal Stars.


http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/50783-Boston-beats-Montreal-to-become-first-American-Clarkson-Cup-champions.html

...as happy as Blades players and staff were to win the Clarkson Cup, CWHL brass were just as pleased at the steps forward the league has taken. In addition to the crowd in attendance, Canadian sports TV giant TSN broadcast the game, and rink board advertising and corporate support grew again.

...CWHL players will be paid a living wage anytime soon, but step by step, they are building the infrastructure for future generations to better appreciate women’s hockey... they’re already succeeding: a large portion of the crowd was comprised of young female players and participation in the women’s game has never been better.

“We’re laying a good foundation for the years that are ahead,” Andress said. “We’re branding for the kids and the community, so all the money involved goes back into the sport.

“I think it’s going to be great,” Murphy said. “I don’t really think the U.S. knows a lot about women’s hockey and when we come back and show them we were on TSN, that we won this whole league, they’re going to be intrigued by it.”

[RobDM]

I was fortunate enough to cover 4 games of the seven-game tournament including yesterday's final. A lot of people shrug off the women's game but in my opinion, it is intense, passionate hockey that fans would enjoy if they gave it a chance.

Here's a link to my CWHL stories:
http://www.tmlfans.ca/category/blogs/womens-hockey-inside-the-cwhl

[hockeyfan1]

Team Canada defeats the U.S. 3-2 in a shootout, after coming back from a 2-O deficit, of the opening game at the Women's World Hookey Championships (WWHC).

Canadian Captain Hayley Wickenheiser left the game in the second period with an undisclosed injury. 

http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/sports/nhl/story/2013/04/02/sp-hockey-canada-usa-womens-world-championship.html

[hockeyfan1]

Yikes!  A 13-0 whitewash of Switzerland by by Canads at the WHC.  Oh well, no further comment necessary!

[hockeyfan1]

In case some were wondering why the Canadian women's team wore the black and yellow uniforms in place of the traditional red& white colours of Team Canada, look no further than the reason:  in support of the Livestrong Foundation and it's contributions to cancer victims & survivors, support, awareness, etc.,etc.

For many of these women, the dreaded disease has struck close to home.  Also, for them to wear the black and yellow uniforms (for just the opening game against the U.S.), represented their own tribute to those stricken with cancer and their courage in the face of it.

While many hockey observers may not have agreed with the somewhat "controversial" decision to go with these uniforms for just one game, all those associated with Hockey Canada including the women's coach Dan Church, gave them their unwavering support and go ahead.

Here's more on this story:
http://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/team-canada-black-and-yellow-a-tribute-to-cancer-fight-not-armstrong-1.1219209

[hockeyfan1]

8-0 win over Finland last night for Team Canada.  Three goal performance from Megan Agosta-Marciano.  With the win, Canada catapults into the semifinals with a perfect record.

GO CANADA GO!  Go ladies!

[oakl0008]

 This year I find that Women's Team Canada is getting a little more deserved coverage. Very nice to see. Go Girls! 

[hockeyfan1]

...on to the Gold Medal matchup!!  Team Canada vs Team USA on Tuesday night!!   (TSN 7:30 PM)   GO CANADA GO!!!

The Canadian women defeated Team Russia 8-1 in the semi-final, while the Americans defeated Team Finland 3-0.

Bronze medal game will be played Tuesday afternoon featuring Team Russia vs Team Finland.   (TSN 3:30 PM)

[hockeyfan1]

Congratulations to the USA on their Gold medal victory, a 3-2 win over Team Canada, in the championship game of the WWHC.

As disappointed as Canada was, and, as ecstatic the U.S as the was, this final featured everything anyone would want in a women's game -- solid goaltending (Canada's Szabados stopped 30 shots while the U.S. Vetter stopped 16), opportunistic scoring (both Canada and the U.S. scored goals on longshots and from the point), odd-man rushes (with the U.S. taking several of them past out-of-position Canadian defenders), plenty of speed (an up-tempo on the part of the Americans as they used their speed to rush past and around Canadian forwards & defenders, while Canada was not quite up to par on all counts), some chippiness (on the part of the Canadians that landed them a penalty or two too many), boisterous fans and a sold-out audience at the Scotiabank Centre in Ottawa, and...our Prime Minister in attendance.

While the Canadians won it on a score of 5-4 in 2012, in the state of Vermont, over the U.S., this time around the roles were reversed.  However,  Canada remains the country with the most WWHC titles with 10, while the USA is second with 5.

The Canadians played well but the Americans played better.  Using their large size on defence and using their speed to their advantage, the U.S. offset the  Canadian forwards up front and tried to utilize whatever odd-man rushes presented them.

Both teams played entertaining hockey and both teams played great.  But there has to be a winner and that winner in the end turned out to be the USA, led by the  game-winning goal scored in the third period by Amanda Kessel, yes, Phil Kessel's sister, a standout player in the NCAA women's hockey division. 


MVP and top forward award went to Canada's Marie-Philippe Poulin who also led the tournament in scoring.

The bronze medal game played earlier in the day featured Team Russia vs Team Finland, won by the Russians 2-0.  This was Team Russia's second Bronze medal (their first being in 2001).  Former NHLer Alexei Yashin is the Russian GM for the women 's team.


For more, go to:
http://www.tsn.ca/canadian_hockey/story/?id=420287

[hockeyfan1]

A future Team Canada women's national team goaltender?

Taylor Crosby, Sidney's sister, talks hockey and then some...

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2013/06/07/sidney-crosbys-sister-taylor-following-in-his-footsteps/

[hockeyfan1]

Wanna fight?!  You go, girls!

That's exactly what ensued between Team Canada & Team USA as the two rivals are participating in a series of exhibition games leading up to Sochi 2014.

What appeared to be a slight 'head hit' on Canadian goalkeeper Shannon Szabados by American Monique Lamoureux initiated the line brawl.

It's not the first time this has happened.

So, as Team Canada's Tess Bonhomme tweeted, "Women's hockey, boring?!"    As they say in Russian, nyet!

See more:
http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/women-hockey-line-brawl-highlights-hate-between-usa-025849473--nhl.html

[oakl0008]

Yesterday, eight weeks before the Olympics, Team Canada's head coach Dan Church has stepped down. It was cited originally as "personal reasons", then later he mentioned that the powers that be did not have "confidence in what he was doing" with the team moving forward.

Another note: They did not try to convince him to stay after he offered his resignation AND he did not attend the official press conference of this announcement nor did he personally say his goodbyes to the team before flying back to Toronto.

This all happened yesterday morning, the same day of a Canada-USA exhibition series in Calgary in which the USA totally dominated (I watched the game) and won 5-1. If it weren't for Canada's goalie, the score would have been more lopsided. This is just speculation, but there have been rumblings that this may have to do with a couple of veterans that voiced their displeasure with being left off of the Four Nations Cup roster (in which Canada won). I'm not saying who belongs on the roster or not, but something is not right here.

And I think we can all agree that THIS close to the Olympics, this doesn't look too good.

More here:  http://www.tsn.ca/story/?id=438828#YourCallTop

[hockeyfan1]

Yesterday, eight weeks before the Olympics, Team Canada's head coach Dan Church has stepped down. It was cited originally as "personal reasons", then later he mentioned that the powers that be did not have "confidence in what he was doing" with the team moving forward.

Another note: They did not try to convince him to stay after he offered his resignation AND he did not attend the official press conference of this announcement nor did he personally say his goodbyes to the team before flying back to Toronto.

This all happened yesterday morning, the same day of a Canada-USA exhibition series in Calgary in which the USA totally dominated (I watched the game) and won 5-1. If it weren't for Canada's goalie, the score would have been more lopsided. This is just speculation, but there have been rumblings that this may have to do with a couple of veterans that voiced their displeasure with being left off of the Four Nations Cup roster (in which Canada won). I'm not saying who belongs on the roster or not, but something is not right here.

And I think we can all agree that THIS close to the Olympics, this doesn't look too good.

More here:  http://www.tsn.ca/story/?id=438828#YourCallTop

That's quite surprising in that Church hasn't fared too badly in his tenure as the Women's National team coach.  (Melody Davidson has been the most successful in the short time that she was there.  Too bad she's in a managerial position with the team).

Not sure Goyette or Haley have much experience behind the bench.

Also, aren't there some of the team's older veterans, such as Hayley Wickenheiser, who perhaps should hang up the skates and take up a position within the team's organization, while giving way to a speedier player or two?  I'm doubtful Canada can match the U.S. speed anymore.  Don't mean to pan Wickenheiser.  Afterall she's been one of the country's best-ever women's hockey players, but it seemed that she's had trouble against speedier teams (such as the U.S.).

The above seems to be implied in the article, as some people are voicing their concern with roster changes that have not been made for the benefit of the team as a whole.

Don't know.  We'll just have to wait and see and hope they can be successful for Olympic gold.

[hockeyfan1]

World University Winter Games ( FlSU) in Italy, Team Canada lashes it's opponents 21-0 over Spain...

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh-game/canada-university-hockey-teams-smash-opposition-openers-italy-032857924.html

[Stickytape]

World University Winter Games ( FlSU) in Italy, Team Canada lashes it's opponents 21-0 over Spain...

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh-game/canada-university-hockey-teams-smash-opposition-openers-italy-032857924.html

"Spain, playing its first-ever FISU contest, registered just two shots, both coming in the third period."

Ouch.