Beijing 2022 Ice Hockey wrap-up – top stories, moments and records

The ice hockey competition has been a fixture at the Olympics since the first installment (actually in the Summer Games back in 1920 in Antwerp). It’s become a consistent fan favourite among the Winter games programme since it debuted in 1924 and the competition here at the Beijing 2022 Games was no exception.

In the men’s tournament, Finland made history with a first-ever gold medal after beating ROC in a tournament that saw many top players miss out (the North American top flight National Hockey League - NHL - didn't release its players for the Games).

The ROC side were impressive in spurts en route to their silver medal in the men’s competition while Slovakia won an historic first-ever Olympic ice hockey medal thanks, in large part, to the brilliant play of their incredible youngster Juraj Slafkovsky – who’s at the beginning of a career to watch.

On the women’s side it was no surprise at all when Canada and the United States met once again in the final – the seventh final meeting between the two out of eight since the inaugural women’s tournament back in Nagano in 1998. The Canadians took their fifth gold medal with a smashing combination of youth and experience, beating defending champions USA 3-2 in a thriller of a gold medal-game.

The Finnish women claimed their fourth women’s ice hockey bronze after impressive play in the group stages and a 4-0 rout of Switzerland in their last contest.

Led by veterans Marie-Philip Poulin, Brianne Jenner and Natalie Spooner – Team Canada were peerless in the women’s competition (every skater who took the ice registered at least a point). The North Americans scored an Olympic record (breaking their own) 57 goals in seven games (while conceding just ten) en route to their fifth