Canada is more successful at Olympics

The upcoming meeting between the women’s teams of Canada and United States will be the 10th in the history of the Games. Five times the teams met in the final: three times stronger was Canada, on two occasions United States, reigning Olympic champion. In Pyeongchang 2018, the American club lost during the match, equalized in the 54th minute and snatched gold in a series of shots.

In Beijing 2022, the teams met at the group stage. Before the match, the Americans promised to shoot from all positions – and followed the plan: they almost doubled their rivals – 53 against 27. But the defense of the Canadian club, led by goalkeeper Anne-Rene Debien (51 reflected throws), caught courage, and in the attack their partners realized their moments. In 6 minutes, Jenner, Rattray and Poulain scored three goals and turned 1:2 into 4:2. Team head coach Troy Ryan pricked the opponent after the meeting: “We didn’t play at full strength – and still found a way to win.”

Canada has a balanced squad and a dangerous attack

The Canadian hockey club looks at the 2022 Olympics stronger than all rivals. This is the only club that does not lose. In 4 games, the club scored double-digit goals, a feat that no other women’s team in Olympic tournament history has achieved. In Beijing 2022, Switzerland (12 missed in group and 10 in semi-finals), Finland (11 in group) and Sweden (11 in quarter-finals) suffered. Only Russia (6) and the USA (4) conceded less than ten goals.

54 goals in one Olympics is a new record. The previous one also belonged to Canada – 48 goals in Vancouver 2010. “We are taking the game to the next level. Now we play a kind of hockey that has never been in our tournaments. In 5-10 years, other countries will act in our style. The boundaries will expand and our sport will get better,” said forward Sarah Nurse.
The first six lines in the list of scorers in the Women’s Hockey Tournament in Beijing 2022 are occupied by Canadian hockey players. In the top 10 – eight representatives of the Canadian club. The hockey game does not depend on specific leaders – the danger comes from each link. In the semi-finals with Switzerland, nine different hockey players scored goals.

Canada has better special brigades

Of great importance in the final will be the hockey game in unequal lineups. In this component, the Canadians are stronger: they scored 10 times in the majority in 22 attempts (sales – 45.5%). No club operates in 5-on-4 and 5-on-3 formats more dangerously. In the United States, special hockey teams also have a good percentage of implementation (6 out of 26, 23.1%), but the effectiveness is lower than that of the opponent in the final.

In the match of the future finalists in the group stage, the US hockey team converted the majority once in six attempts. Canada scored a goal after a single removal from the opponents, and also converted a bullet. Both violations of the rules by the US club resulted in pucks in their net.

Minority neutralization in the maple leaf club is also much better – 87.1% versus 76.9%. The Maple Leaves, being in a numerical deficit, allow very few shots at their gates (an average of 0.4 per two minutes).

Canada has a more aggressive defense

Hockey team of maple leaf country defenders scored seven goals and scored 35 points. US Defense Players – 4 goals and 24 points. Ulf Lundberg, head coach of the Swedish national club, noted: “It is very difficult to play against the Canadian club in the first place due to the fact that they have a very high defensive line. If you take possession of the puck, then you are immediately met by the attackers during a positional offensive. If you pass the first level – then the defenders. And they play very actively and are great against the player with the puck.”