Manitoba's defense shines! Tabin and Larocque anchor Canada's dominant wins, paving the way for a crucial showdown with rivals.
The highly anticipated men’s ice hockey tournament will kick off on Wednesday, but ahead of that, the women’s competition has already delivered some memorable moments, including standout performances from a pair of local Manitoban defenders representing Team Canada.
Winnipeg native Kati Tabin and Ste. Anne’s Jocelyne Larocque have both played meaningful roles on Canada’s blue line, helping the defending champions open the tournament with two dominant victories. Canada began round-robin play with a convincing 4-0 shutout of Switzerland before following it up with a 5-1 win over Czechia on Monday.
Tabin has been used in more of a depth role through the opening games but has continued to make the most of her opportunities. In the tournament opener against Switzerland, she logged 9:53 of ice time and recorded two shots on goal. Her role expanded in the second game, as she saw her minutes climb to 13:42 against Czechia, though she was held without a shot.
Larocque, meanwhile, has taken on a heavier workload and has been a steady presence on the back end. The veteran defenseman played 21:12 in Canada’s opening win, finishing the game with two shots on net while helping anchor the defensive effort. In the second game, her ice time dipped slightly to 17:17 as Tabin’s role increased, but Larocque remained an important part of Canada’s defensive rotation.
With two wins already secured, Canada now turns its attention to the final game of the round robin, a highly anticipated matchup against its long-time rival, the United States. The Canadians and Americans will meet Tuesday afternoon at 1:10 p.m. EST, with the game airing on CBC, Sportsnet, and TSN.
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