Canada, Germany advance to Olympic men’s hockey semifinal

Canada’s gold-medal streak in Olympic women’s hockey ended Thursday with a 3-2 shootout loss to the United States at the Pyeongchang Winter Games.

“What a battle”, said Canada defenseman Chris Lee.

It’s hard to overstate the Canadians’ success on the biggest stage. “On the one hand it’s like any other tournament and on the other it’s our (NHL) Stanley Cup”.

Jessie Diggins and the U.S. women’s cross-country skiing team attempt to win the US’s first gold medal in a women’s cross-country event. “It’s going to be a rough game”.

For the 12th year in a row, the gold medal at a major women’s hockey worldwide tournament (Olympics or World Championships) will come down to a matchup between the Americans and Canadians, who meet at the Gangneung Hockey Centre on Wednesday night (Thursday afternoon in Pyeongchang).

“We came together in May previous year and were coming off three straight world’s losses to the U.S.”, Jenner said.

“Those games don’t matter”. Our plan coming in was to repeat the good habits that we talked about earlier in the tournament.

It’s a goal that will reverberate through American Olympic history. Pavel Francouz, 27, has stopped nine of 10 shots in two different shootouts and the Czechs are making former great Dominik Hasek proud and reminding him of his 1998 team that won gold.

“Right after that four years ago, we certainly looked at ourselves in the mirror, and right now, that’s a long time ago in our eyes”, Duggan said after the semi-final win over Finland. “We had to be ready”. We’ve learned from things in the past but we’re looking forward.

The U.S.is back in the title game for a third straight Olympics after shutting out Finland 5-0 on Monday in the semifinals.

“That’s how it has always been”. By pulling off the biggest surprise of the tournament, Germany improved to 2-14 all-time against Sweden at the Olympics and world championships.

While the Americans, who last won ice hockey gold at the 1998 Nagano Games, remembered how to celebrate wildly, throwing their equipment into the air as they hugged and embraced each other, the Canadians seemed overwhelmed by unfamiliar feelings.

“Every single time we’ve ever faced the USA, it’s been a one goal difference”, Schuler said. Knight said the losses taught her a lot about herself, that specifically the 2014 loss made her realize how deep her love for the sport runs.

“But once the puck is dropped you’re on auto-pilot”, Jenner added. Don’t worry if you can’t tell a frontside 1080 from a backside 1440; most of us can’t either.

The Americans can hope that next time, it’s the Auston Matthews generation vying for gold instead of a team of random parts from random places.

“What’s in the past gives us confidence”, said Geneviève Lacasse, the Canadian goaltender playing in her second Winter Games.