We are here to win this world championship, that is first and foremost
announced Canadian coach Troy Ryan in a news conference on Thursday. Along with the Americans, five-time title holders, and the Finns, the Canadians actually have three favorites in this tournament.
It’s also against their final that the players begin the competition this Friday at Calgary’s WinSports arena. Captain Mary Philippe-Paulin and her teammates thus find opponents they have already defeated in a preparatory match on Wednesday evening.
Daniel Sauvageau, coach of the Montreal High Performance Center and former national team coach, is already watching the final between the United States and Canada. According to him, the Canadian team will have to be more adept at attacking and will not let anything go in defense to come out as the gold medalist in this tournament.
We have to capitalize on the scoring possibilities. We have seen fewer goals for the Canadian team compared to the number of throws in recent years.
20. no audience for first match
Will the Canadian team benefit from playing this tournament at home? Nothing is less certain. The organization of this World Championship has decided not to open the stands to spectators during the 20 group matches to be held from 20 to 26 August.
We live close to Alberta and federal public health guidelines. We try to look at the risks and we want to protect international travelers like Canadians and Albertans
Dean Mackintosh, Hockey Canada’s vice president of events.
He explains that the participants of the tournament had to isolate themselves in their country from 3 to 10 August. During these dates, he underwent three screening tests, all negative. Then, they reached Canada and remained in quarantine till August 16. And during that time he was tested on 10th August and 15th August
.
pandemic disruption
Initially, this championship should have been held last year in Halifax and Truro, Nova Scotia. It was to be held from May 6 to May 16, but with a few days’ notice it was canceled by the Nova Scotia government which wanted to protect its population from the pandemic.
It is the first time the World Hockey Championship has been held in Calgary, but it is its eighth held in Canada.
Photo : Matthew Murnaghan / Hockey Canada
Players, for their part, say they can’t wait to get back on the ice. I am excited. It has been a long time. We trained for months. we can’t wait to play
, it’s Brian Jenner.
About six months before the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, this championship in Calgary is “a good preparation” for the Canadian team, according to Daniel Sauvageau.
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