What to know for Canada's women's hockey world title defence

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Like the just-completed men's world juniors, the women's world championship is taking place at a decidedly un-hockey time of year. It was the same for the women in 2021, when their worlds were moved from April in Nova Scotia to late August in Calgary due to the pandemic.

The wait was worth it for Canada, which snapped the United States' run of five straight world titles with a dramatic overtime win in the final. Canada went on to reclaim the Olympic gold medal with another victory over their archrivals in February in Beijing.

The Canadians' status as undisputed queens of women's hockey will be on the line starting Thursday, when the 2022 women's worlds open in Denmark. Here's what to know:Expect another Canada-U.S. showdown in the final.

The cross-border rivals have met in 19 of the 20 women's world championship finals, and no other country has ever won one. They've also squared off in six of the seven Olympic women's hockey finals, and between them won all of those too.

The only time another nation really came close to stealing a major championship from Canada or the U.S. came at the 2019 worlds in Finland. With goalie Noora Räty playing out of her mind, the hosts upset Canada in the semis, then appeared to score the overtime winner in the final vs. the United States (how do you say Miracle on Ice in Finnish?). But a lengthy video review resulted in the goal being overturned for netminder interference, and the Americans went on to win in a shootout.

WATCH | Poulin seals 2021 world gold medal win for Canada:

Does Marie-Philip Poulin have more OT magic in her?

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