Manitoba's Larocque and Tabin earn silver after Canada's thrilling overtime loss to dominant U.S. in Olympic gold medal hockey clash.
The women’s Olympic gold medal game delivered the highly anticipated showdown between the United States and the Canada renewing a rivalry that has defined international hockey for decades.
Entering the final, expectations leaned heavily toward the Americans. Team USA had dominated throughout the tournament, outscoring opponents by a combined 31 to one heading into the medal round. Their confidence had been firmly established during the group stage when they defeated Canada 5-0, a result that made the championship game appear, on paper, to be an uphill climb for the Canadians.
Instead of a lopsided contest, the gold medal game became a tense and disciplined battle. Canada, leaning on veteran leadership and composure, slowed the tempo and imposed a structured defensive approach that limited American chances early.
Among those anchoring the Canadian blue line was Ste. Anne, Manitoba native Jocelyne Larocque, the 37-year-old Olympic veteran who is widely believed to be competing in her final Games. Although her minutes had decreased as the tournament progressed, Larocque continued to provide steady play and leadership whenever called upon.
Canada stunned the heavily favored Americans early when Kristin O'Neill scored a hard-fought shorthanded goal, giving Canada a 1-0 lead that held deep into regulation. The Canadians executed their game plan effectively, frustrating a U.S. team that had largely dictated play throughout the tournament.
Larocque and the rest of the Canadian defense battled to protect the slim advantage, but the Americans broke through in the final two minutes of regulation to force overtime. In the extra period, the younger and quicker American roster capitalized to secure the gold medal, leaving Canada to settle for silver after a hard-fought effort.
Larocque logged 15 minutes and 43 seconds of ice time in the final and was on the penalty kill unit when Canada generated its lone goal. She concluded her Olympic career with another silver medal, likely finishing with four Olympic medals, including two gold and two silver, adding to an already remarkable legacy with Hockey Canada.
Winnipeg native Kati Tabin also earned a silver medal. Although she dressed for the gold medal game and did not register a shift, Tabin provided dependable depth on the blue line throughout the tournament. While her minutes were limited, her presence added stability to a Canadian defense that once again reached the Olympic podium.
Despite falling just short of gold, Team Canada leaves the tournament with pride in its resilience and another medal to add to its storied history, while younger players such as Tabin look ahead to future Olympic opportunities with hopes of returning in a larger role and pursuing a different outcome.
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