« This is redemption. »
Four years ago, it was heartbreak for Canada’s women’s ice hockey team. The team lost to their oldest rival, Team USA, in a penalty shootout in the gold medal match at PyeongChang 2018, ending their winning streak of four consecutive Winter Games gold medals. But in Beijing at the 2022 Winter Games, they finally had their opportunity to make amends, and they seized the moment. It was nervy and exciting, but finally Canada held on to secure a 3-2 victory in the final as they saw a 3-0 lead evaporate under late pressure from Team USA. As the final buzzer sounded, Canadian players erupted into cheers of celebration, some broke into tears and bundled together into a group hug. « It’s just so good. It’s a great feeling, » Canadian forward Marie-Philip Poulin, who scored two goals in the final, said. « It was one hell of an effort. This is redemption. » Ticking down Not that they needed the extra motivation, but Canada women’s ice hockey general manager Gina Kingsbury had an innovative way to help her players build up to the 2022 Winter Games. Kingsbury, a two-time Olympic champion as a player, gave each member of the Canadian women’s team a clock which counted down the days and hours to the Beijing 2022 Opening Ceremony after Canada finished third in the 2019 World Championships. The clock’s purpose was to focus the Canadian players, and it came particularly in handy during the Covid-19 pandemic.
