Ice hockey: Canada and US set stage for another gold medal showdown

BEIJING: Canada beat archrivals the United States 4-2 on Tuesday (Feb 8) in what many forecast was a preview of the women's ice hockey gold medal final at the Beijing Games.

The Group A preliminary round contest mattered little in the standings with both teams having already secured spots in the knockout round but any time the two teams step onto the ice there is something on the line.

"There was no problem getting up this morning because we knew it was going to be a good one, we knew it was going to be a big one," said Canadian forward Sarah Nurse. "Anytime we get to play the US, it’s always a lot of fun, a lot on the line and definitely a lot of hostility out there.”

The stakes will be considerably higher, if as expected, they meet again on Feb 17 in the gold medal final.

With the reigning world champions Canada and Olympic gold medallists the United States taking the ice the vibe inside the Wukesong Sports Centre was very different from any of the previous five days of competition.

Canada steamrolled into their first Beijing test having out scored their three opponents 29-3 while the US was only slightly less ruthless with an 18-2 scoreline.

But there was never going to be anything on Tuesday resembling the 11-1 beating Canada put on Finland or the US 8-0 thrashing of Switzerland.

The two teams met six times in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics and three of those games were decided by a single goal.

Being out shot 14-2 Canada opened the scoring against the run of play on a goal from Brianne Jenner but the US would take the lead in the second on quick fire goals from Dani Cameranesi and Alex Carpenter

Jenner answered 26 seconds later with her second of the game before Canada reclaimed the lead 4-2 on goals from Jamie Lee