Women's hockey

[hockeyfan1]

Introducing the new Women's national team coach...

http://www.tsn.ca/canadian_hockey/story/?id=439213

[hockeyfan1]

Yet another line-brawl between Canada & USA in Women's pre-Olympic tune-up...

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh-game/canada-u-women-hockey-teams-line-brawl-second-050946816.html

[hockeyfan1]

Canada defeats the U.S. 3-2 on a shootout goal by Brianna Jenner, (one of the heroines in Canada's brilliant comeback victory in the gold medal at the 2012 Sochi Winter Olympics), at the Four Nations Cup women's tournament. 

This was Canada's fourteenth Nations Cup gold medal.
Many familiar (veteran) names associated with both countries' respective Olympic rosters did not play in this tournament, giving way to newer players to get a chance,. and alao to enhance  the women's development program.

A highly entertaining two-way gqme between two rivals, as always, playing their A-gqme in bringing the best out of each other:

What a hell of a game. What an awesome thing for women's hockey," said U.S. head coach Ken Klee. "It was a fantastic hockey game. Both teams played well, both teams had chances, both teams moved. It was just an awesome hockey game."

"I'm really proud of this group and what we accomplished here. This was our goal," said Canadian captain Haley Irwin. "We got better each game and I think there's a lot we can take from this.

Source:  Sportsnet

[hockeyfan1]

Forgot to mention...

In April, rhe 2015 IIHF World Women's Hockey Championships took place in Malmo, Sweden, and the end result saw the USA win the Gold with a 7-5 victory over Team Canada.

Finland won the bronze over Russia.

It was a sweet victory of revenge for the USA Women as they were determined not to let the results of Sochi (2014 Winter Olympic Games) happen again.  (The U.S lost in Sochi when Team Canada stormed back from a 2-0 deficit in the Gold medal game room eventually win in OT).

Not this time, as Team USA broke a 5-5 tie in the third period to rally away with the win and thus the gold medal.

"Huge motivator," Knight said. "We had the hump on our back, the monkey on our back from Sochi and that didn't feel good. We came out with a win and it feels really good."

Canada had trouble containing the speedy Americans particularly Hillary Knight''s line even though both teams were even in the offensive department.  Both team's goaltenders were pulled as the goals rang up.

"We had to start better today," Ouellette said. "We never gave up. We fought until the end. We were able to come back and make it 5-5. For that, I'm so proud of my teammates, but it's not enough to win."

The U.S.' Knight was named top forward.  Japan's (yes, Japan) Nana Fujimoto top goaltender.


http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/women-s-world-hockey-championship-usa-defeats-canada-in-final-1.3021312.

[hockeyfan1]

The 2016 IIHF Women's World Hockey Championships have begun, in Kamloops, B.C., Canada, and the opening game was a 3-1loss for Team Canada to Team USA.

With exciting and fast-paced action from both squads,  the defending champion Americans, with  slightly superior speed and offence, came back from a 1-O Canadian lead in the third period and rallied back on markers by Hillary Knight & Brianna Decker. 

MVPs of the game:  goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer (Team Canada);   forward Hillary Knight (Team USA).

Canada plays Russia next, while USA plays Finland.

Story:
http://www.worldwomen2016.com/en/news/usa-can/

[hockeyfan1]

In other news in the 2016 IIHF Women's World Hockey Championships:

Team Sweden,  outshooting Team Czech Republic 31-18, needed a last-minute goal in the final period to defeat Team Czech Republic 3-2.

Sweden next plays Japan while the Czechs play Switzerland.

                                                              -------------

Led by two goaIs scored by Tanja Niskanen, defending Bronze medallists TeamFinland convincingly defeated Team Russia by ascore of 5-3.

Finland will play the U.S., while Russia meet Canada.

                                                                 ------------- 

It was a goaltender's duel between Team Switzerland's Florence Schelling (voted Best Goaltender at 2014 Sochi Olympics), and Team Japan's  Nana Fujimoto (voted Best Goaltender at the 2015 IIHF Women's World Hockey Championships). The result:  the Swiss reigned victorious with a 4-2 victory.

Team Switzerland's  next game will be against Team Czech Republic, while Japan plays Sweden.

For more info, click here:
http://www.worldwomen2016.com/?changeview=desktop#schedule-match-2016-03-28

[hockeyfan1]

Led by a pair of goals by Rebecca Houston, Halli Krzyzaniak,  Brianna Jenner and Meaghan Mikkelson, Team Canada gave coach Laura Schuler her first inaugural win as it trounced Team Russia 8-1.

For a brief few minutes in the game, the Russians had a 1-0 lead -- the first time ever that a Russian Women's squad had taken a lead over Team Canada -- but the euphoria of that quickly gave way to a barrage of goals that put the game squarely in Canada's favour.

Canada plays Finland next, while Russia prepares to face the Americans.


http://www.worldwomen2016.com/en/news/can-rus/

[hockeyfan1]

It was by no means an easy victory even though Team USA outshot Team Finland in their 2-1 win.  Finnish goalkeeper Meen Raisanen stopped every possible shot, and was crucial in keeping her squad in the game.  At one point, the Finns were outshot 20-1 in the second period in which Jocelyn Lamoureux-Davidson tallied what would prove to be the winning team goal for the Americans.

The US' netminder Vetter was forced to thwart off some dangerous Finnish shots that could have tied the game up.  Too bad the Finns fell short.

The USA plays Russia next, while Finland meets Canada.

                                            -----------

Not even Swiss star goaltender Florence Schilling could stop Team Czech's  Teresa Vanisova's two goal performance in the Czech's 3-1 upset victory over Team Switzerland. 

The upstart Czech team that has kept the scores surprisingly close -- they defeated Sweden 3-2 in their opening round robin game -- wasn't expected to dispose of the defending Bronze medallist Swiss squad, but that's exactly what they did, thanks in part to star player Vanisova.

Team Czech plays Japan next, while the Swiss prepare for Sweden.

                                           --------

Sweden easily outshot Team Japan and solved Japanese 'keeper  Nana Fujimoto, enroute to a 2-0 shutout of Japan.

The Swedes will next play the Swiss, and Japan faces Team Czech.

Info:
http://www.worldwomen2016.com/?changeview=desktop#schedule-match-2016-03-29

[hockeyfan1]

Quarter-Final action at the 2016 WWHC saw Finland defeat the "Cinderella" Czechs 5-0, while Russia beat Sweden 4-2 on a four point performance by Russian forward Olga Sosina.

Canada and USA both had QF byes.

Team Canada faces Finland in the Semi-Final Sunday, while Team USA will meet Russia.


Source:   IIHF

[hockeyfan1]

Semi-Final results:

Thanks to a hat-trick by Natalie Spooner, Team Canada staved off the "gritty" Finns bya score of 5-3, and booked itself into the Gold medal game against Team USA.

Despite being outshot 39-19, Meeri Raisanen, the Finnish goalkeeper kept her team competent throughout the game.  Two of Canada's goals were empty-netters.

Close game.


Team Canada now meets Team USA in the Gold medal matchup, while Team Finland faces Team Russia in the. Bronze medal match.


Story:
http://www.worldwomen2016.com/en/news/can-fin-sf/


                                                -----------


In other Semi-Final action yesterday, it was a big day for multiple Team USA players as the Americans made short work of Team Russia, trouncing them by a score of 9-0.


Hillary Knight, Jocelyn-Lamoureux Davidson, Monique Lamoureux, Brianna Decker, etc., and the list goes on, as Team USA outshot Team Russia 40-17.


Now, it's on to the Gold medal game for Team USA against Team Canada, while Team Russia meets Team Finland in the. Bronze medal matchup.


Story:

http://www.worldwomen2016.com/en/news/usa-rus-sf/

[hockeyfan1]

Tonight's Gold medal game between Team Canada & Team USA starts at 7:30PM ET

This afternnon's Bronze medal game between Team Finland & Team Russia begins at 3:00PM ET.

[hockeyfan1]

Wow, what a finish!  Team USA forward Alex Carpenter managed to shove the puck, after a funny bounce that trickled behind  the pads of Canada's goaltender Emerance Maschemeyer, into the net in OT.

Jubilation for Team USA as it the Americans won their third consecutive World Women's title.  Ex-NHLer Ken Klee's team was dominant throughout the tournament but met their match in Team Canada for the Gold (even though the US had beaten Canada 3-1 in the tournament-opening Round Robin game).

As for Team Canada, they had their chances in OT including several power play opportunities in regulation, hut couldn't solve US goaltender Alex Rigsby who was stellar.

"I thought we were all over them and we just had an unlucky bounce," Canadian forward Meghan Agosta said. "We had power play after power play and couldn't put it in. Emerance Maschmeyer, she kept us in the game.

Speaking of Canada's 'keeper Emerance Maschemeyer, she was equally stellar in net, foiling the Americans every chance she got.  So much so, that Maschemeyer was voted the tournament's top goaltender. 

Fans were treated to a goaltending duel between Rigsby (US) and Maschemeyer (Canada).

Hilary Knight (US) was voted as top forward, Jenni Hiirikoski (Finland) as top defender, and Emerance Maschemeyer (Canada) too goaltender.

Named to tournament All-Star team were forwards Rebecca Johnston (Canada), Christine Huani (Switzerland), Hillary Knight (US), as well as defenders Jenni Hiirikoski (Finland), Monique Lamoureux (US), and goaltender Meeting Raisanen (Finland).

Story:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/u-s-beats-canada-ot-win-womens-hockey-gold/

[hockeyfan1]

Team Russia staved off Team Finland in the shootout 1-0l  and earned themselves the Bronze medal.

Russian forwards Olga Sosina & Anna Shukma helped solve Finish goaltender Meeri Raisanen.  Russian 'keeper Nadezdha Morozova, who made 32 saves in regulation, stopped several Finns in the shootout. 

As for Finnish goalkeeper Raisanen, who was named to tournament All-Star team,  kept her team in the game making 22 saves in regulation, before the Russian forwards solved her in the shootout.

Story:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/russia-edges-finland-bronze-womens-world-hockey-championship/

[hockeyfan1]

Team Canada loses 3-2 in OT to Team USA in the IIHF 2016 u18 World Women's Hockey Championship Gold medal game, held in St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada.

The Canadians led 2-O halfway into the game, but the Americans found a way to tie it all up and force OT.

http://u18worldwomen2016.iihf.com/en/news/usa-can-gmg/


Team Sweden took the Bronze, 2-1 winners over Team Russia.

http://u18worldwomen2016.iihf.com/en/news/rus-swe-bmg/

[hockeyfan1]

Olympic hockey's most decorated scorer has retired.  Hayley Wickenheiser, who won four Olympic Women's hockey Golds, and is known as Olympic hockey's all-time top scorer, officially announced her retirement.

Hayley Wickenheiser   @wick_22
Dear Canada. It has been the great honour of my life to play for you. Time to hang em up!! Thank you! #grateful #graduationday #canada
7:02 PM - 13 Jan 2017.

By the way, fellas, she was also the first female ever to score a goal in a professional men's league.

She was also an integral part of women's hockey in elevating the game worldwide, for many an aspiring young woman to want to be like Hayley.

Quite an accomplishment and a hockey career.

Thank you Hayley Wickenheiser and all the best to you!

Story:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/womens-hockey-star-hayley-wickenheiser-announces-retirement/