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U.S., Canada Meet Again In Classic Matchup For Women's Hockey Gold

Team USA is looking to redeem a blown 2-0 lead in the Sochi Games' Gold Medal match against CanadaGETTY IMAGES

The U.S.-Canada finals in women's hockey had been the "surest thing at the modern Olympics," but the matchup will result in "one of the most anticipated finals of any team sport in the Games, summer or winter," according to Rob Longley of the NATIONAL POST. The fact this game was "expected for four years ... will only enhance the feeling when these two hockey superpowers collide yet again" in Thursday's final. Such a "predictable conclusion to the tournament has plenty of critics, a voice that found even more ammunition" with the announcement the women's tournament will be "expanded by two to 10 teams" for the '22 Beijing Games. The rest of the world "clearly has a long way to go to catch Canada and the U.S." The Americans have been "waiting for this game for what must seem like forever" after they "held a 2-0 lead with roughly four minutes remaining" in the Gold Medal game four years ago in Sochi, only to lose 3-2 in overtime. But really, the U.S. has been "waiting 20 years since women's hockey made its Olympic debut and they won their only gold medal" at the '98 Nagano Games (NATIONAL POST, 2/19). The GLOBE & MAIL's Grant Robertson wrote even though this matchup "could have been predicted months ago, the rebooting of one of the game's most electrifying rivalries means it's likely worth the wait." U.S.-Canada games are "always heated, but the Olympics seem to elevate the rivalry from mere appointment-television to the kind of game people tell future generations about" (THEGLOBEANDMAIL.com, 2/19). The HOCKEY NEWS' Jared Clinton noted identical 5-0 wins in the semifinals "set up the third-straight Olympic gold-medal game" between the U.S. and Canada. It has been "more than a decade since any major medal in women's international competition -- Olympics or World Championships -- has featured a head-to-head between any teams" other than those two (THEHOCKEYNEWS.com, 2/19).

GREAT OLYMPIC HOPE: TIME's Sean Gregory wrote the U.S. women's hockey team is "here to save" the Games from an American perspective. Team USA "hasn't exactly been rocking the medal count," and while the women's hockey team "won't singlehandedly make up the medal difference, its pursuit of a first hockey gold in two decades is something worth cheering for" (TIME.com, 2/19). YAHOO SPORTS' Eric Adelson wrote a Gold Medal in women's hockey would be "one of the highlights of the entire Olympics for America, which hasn't racked up any gold from the ice sports so far in these Games" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 2/19). In Boston, Tara Sullivan noted if the U.S women win Gold, they will become "one of the few rousing success stories of an otherwise disappointing American Winter Olympic showing." Sullivan: "Maybe they don't, and become one more just missed opportunity in [a] red, white, and blue sea of them" (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 2/19).

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