Canada-Finland women's hockey game postponed after Finnish players fall ill with norovirus

Canada's opening game against Finland in women's hockey at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics was postponed because the Finns were struck with the norovirus.

Thursday's preliminary-round game will now be played Feb. 12 at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena.

"The decision was taken following consultations with medical professionals after cases of norovirus were identified within Team Finland," said a joint statement Thursday from the International Olympic Committee, the International Ice Hockey Federation and the organizing committee.

"It was made collectively and in accordance with established health and safety principles, with the health and well-being of players, team staff, officials and all tournament participants as the highest priority.

"While all stakeholders recognize the disappointment of not playing the game as originally scheduled, this was a responsible and necessary decision that reflects the spirit of the Olympic Games and the integrity of the competition."

The decision to postpone the game was announced shortly after Finland completed its early afternoon practice with just eight skaters and two goalies. The remaining 13 players are either in quarantine or isolation due to illness that began affecting the team on Tuesday night.

The postponement provides Finland two extra days to rest before playing the U.S. on Saturday. Had their game against Canada not been postponed, Finnish officials were considering the possibility of a forfeiture.

Canada faces Switzerland on Saturday, Czechia on Monday and archrival United States on Tuesday before concluding the preliminary round against the Finns.

Canada, the defending Olympic women's hockey champion, held an optional skate Thursday for a handful of players.

Finland was the bronze medallist at the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing and in last year's world championship in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.

Several veterans on Canada's team have handled disruption before in the Olympic Games.

A game against Russia in the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing was delayed over an hour because of late tests involving the Russian team.

Both teams started the game wearing masks. Russia's women wore theirs for two periods, but the Canadian women wore theirs to the buzzer.