Beijing 2022 Women’s Ice Hockey: Five things to know about the Canada vs USA rivalry

Canada and USA have grown accustomed to meeting each other in the women's ice hockey final at the Olympic Winter Games.

However, familiarity will not detract from the intensity when these two sides meet once again on Thursday (17 February).

If anything, it should only make things even more interesting as they go for gold at Beijing 2022, with this becoming one of the greatest rivalries in winter sport.

Since women's ice hockey was introduced to the Games at Nagano 1998, Torino 2006 is the only time the North American neighbours have not met in the final.

That year, Canada went on to beat Sweden for gold after USA had lost against the Europeans and eventually came away with bronze.

Canada have won three of the five meetings in gold medal matches, while reigning champs USA have two golds.

Only two finals between these sides have been won by more than one goal - with the last two gold medal matches going to overtime - indicating that things could be very close here.

At Sochi 2014, Canada had found themselves 2-0 down due to goals from Brianne Jenner and Marie-Philip Poulin.

Poulin then scored again in overtime on the powerplay after USA forward Hilary Knight was sent to the penalty box for a contested cross-check on Hayley Wickenheiser.

At PyeongChang 2018, it was 2-2 with overtime failing to yield a decider prompting the first shootout for women's hockey gold.

After Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson cleverly beat Shannon Szabados, Maddie Rooney denied Meghan Agosta to win USA's first gold since Nagano 1998.

We can expect to see something from Canada's Poulin, otherwise known as 'Captain Clutch'.

She is competing in her fourth Games, having first appeared at Vancouver 2010.

The 30-year-old has certainly made an impact in that