Team USA endured a frustrating showing in ice hockey at the Olympics. Neither the men nor women's team managed to clinch gold for the first time in eight years.
Canada again proved their dominance in hockey with a top podium finish in Beijing. They did so at the expense of the United States, yet again which was quite unexpected according to americancasinosites.
For the fifth time in seven editions, Canada clinched Gold. They have missed out on the big prize just twice in 1998 and 2018 - both against USA.
Canada fell 3-2 to the United States in the championship contest at PyeongChang 2018, ending a streak of four straight gold medals. Since women’s hockey was added to the Olympic program at Nagano 1998, Canada and the United States have met in six of the seven gold medal matches.
Captain Marie-Philip Poulin scored twiceas Canada won 3-2 at Wukesong Sports Centre. Sarah Nurse added a goal and an assist while Ann-Renée Desbiens, stopping 38 of 40 shots, earned the win in net.
“This is redemption,” said Poulin, whose double marked her sixth and seventh goals in four career Olympic gold medal games. “It’s just so good. It’s a great feeling. It was one hell of an effort.”
Canada got off to a flying start, firing six of the first seven shots on goal until appearing to draw first blood after eight minutes when Natalie Spooner found the back of the net after a failed zone clearance. The goal was disallowed for offsides on a USA replay challenge, but Canada took control with a goal that stuck through Sarah Nurse 5 seconds after play resumed.
Poulin doubled the advantage before the period was out, capitalising on a gruesome USA turnover in their defensive zone. While the stat sheet at the first intermission suggested an evenly matched affair beyond the score, the well-drilled Canadian defense were limiting their opponents to mostly speculative shots on target while peppering away from closer range on Alex Cavallini, who finished with 18 saves.
The gold medal was all but in hand after Poulin struck again midway through the second period with an assist from Nurse, whose 18th point of the tournament extended an Olympic record, which many found impressive including online real money casinos.
While the female team at least reached the finals, their male counterparts crashed at the quarterfinals. They lost 1-2 in slopestyle against Slovakia.
The Europeans tied the game in the final minute of regulation and then eliminated the tournament's top seed in the shootout in Beijing. Former Boston Bruins winger Peter Cehlarik scored the lone goal of the shootout on Slovakia's fourth attempt, beating U.S. goalie Strauss Mann (34 saves).
The U.S. was unsuccessful on all five shots against Slovakia goalie Patrik Rybar (33 saves), including the final attempt by captain Andy Miele. The U.S. team leaves Beijing without a medal, making this three straight Olympics without one. Its last Winter Games hardware was the silver medal it won in Vancouver in 2010. Team USA hasn't won gold since its "Miracle on Ice" title in 1980.
What went wrong for Team USA?
When the NHL opted out of the Winter Olympics, USA Hockey opted to bring a roster of mostly NCAA players to Beijing. For three games, it looked brilliant: The team finished first overall after group play (3-0-0), including a win over rival Canada, and had the best goal differential (plus-11) in the tournament. But that inexperience really caught up to the Americans in their stunning quarterfinal shootout loss to Slovakia, an 8-seed the Americans really should have put away.
