After 4 long years, Canada's women's hockey team gets another crack at U.S. on Olympic ice
CBC
There couldn't have been a more jarring situation to face than what the Canadian women's hockey team was up against Monday afternoon in Beijing.
And yet the players, coaches and support staff didn't flinch. In a bizarre twist, the game was delayed by more than an hour over safety and security concerns.
When the teams finally did arrive on the ice, all the players were wearing N95 masks under their helmet cages. It was an unprecedented and unique scene to say the least.
WATCH | COVID chaos during Canada's game against the ROC:
And so they played, masks on, and Canada stormed out to a 2-0 lead on the way to a 6-1 win to remain a perfect 3-0 at the tournament.
"I think this group knows how to adapt so well, it's just another bump in the road and we did what we could. That's what so special about this group is the ability to make the most of the situation and adjust," Canadian defenceman Erin Ambrose said.
That's what this Team Canada has been focusing on over the past two years, creating a culture and DNA of poise and unwavering confidence.
"We told our girls to put their masks on and it was business as usual." head coach Troy Ryan said after the game.
Ryan, who took over as head coach in May 2021, is as unflappable as it gets. His calm demeanour is evident. Nothing seems to shake the 50-year-old from Spryfield, N.S. And his steely resolve has reverberated throughout the team.
WATCH | Canada stays perfect:
The Canadians have been intentional in their training the past two years, working to ensure no situation would become too daunting or great for them to overcome.
"I am confident that if our girls do play with that kind of confidence and that kind of energy that good things are going to happen for them," he said.
Now the real test.
And the Canadians are brimming with confidence. In a lot of ways, their pursuit to win gold again at the Olympics began the second they lost in heartbreaking fashion at the last Games four years ago in a shootout.
