Canada defeats Germany in quarterfinals
The Canadian women’s hockey team advances to semifinals after defeating Germany 5-1 in quarterfinals on Day 8 of Milano Cortina.
Canada didn’t take long to secure the lead thanks to Brianne Jenner scoring one minute and forty seconds into the first period, followed onto the scoreboard by teammate Claire Thompson fifteen minutes later, bringing things to 2-0 at the first break.
Scoring took a little longer in the second period, but Canada increased their lead to 3-0 with three minutes and thirty seconds left, as Sarah Fillier picked up a power play goal.
Thanks to an assist from Saskatoon forward Emily Clark, it wasn’t even a minute into the third period that Blayre Turnbull added another point for the red and white. Eight minutes later, Germany’s Franziska Feldmeier answered back with a shorthanded goal.
In her first game back since being injured in game two of the Olympics, team captain Marie-Philip Poulin clinched Canada’sgoal of the game, once again on the power play. The score brought Poulin to a career total of 18 goals at the Olympics, tying her with five-time Olympian Hayley Wickenheiser of Shaunavon, SK, for the Canadian women’s record.
Canadian goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer stopped 10 of the 11 shots faced in the game, while Germany’s Sandra Abstreiter made 38 saves on the 43 shots taken.
Canada now advances to the semifinal where they will face Switzerland on Feb. 16 at 2:10 p.m. SK time.
Schwinghammer wraps time at Olympics
Maia Schwinghammer’s first Olympic Games is in the books after she finished with 14 points in the women’s dual moguls 1/8 finals against France’s Perrine Laffont, who had 21 points.
The Saskatoon product started her morning early with the 1/16 first round of finals against France’s Marie Duaux, who finished with 14 points, allowing Schwinghammer to advance to the next round with 21 points.
Team Canada drops to 3-1
This morning the Canadian men’s curling team, including Regina’s Ben Hebert, suffered their first lost, 9-5 to Switzerland.
The first three ends saw the two teams exchange doubles with the Swiss taking the lead 4-2 into the fourth.
Canada tried to close the gap in the fourth, sixth and eighth end with singles, but Switzerland secured doubles in the fifth and seventh ends, leaving things 8-5 going into the ninth.
The final point was claimed by the Swiss in the ninth end which led Canada to concede.
Upcoming Saskatchewan competition
Day Nine of the Olympics will bring action from five athletes who have ties to Saskatchewan.
In anticipation of adverse weather on Monday, the men’s snowboard slopestyle qualification round has been moved up a day, which means Regina’s Mark McMorris will hit the course at 3:15 a.m. SK time on Sunday. McMorris has captured slopestyle bronze in the last three Games.
Biathlete Logan Pletz, who hails from Regina, will have an early start in the men’s 12.5-kilometre pursuit event at 4:15 a.m. SK time.
The Canadian men’s hockey team, which includes Saskatoon’s Brandon Hagel and Darcy Kuemper, will be bringing the heat for their match against France set for 9:40 a.m. SK time.
The Canadian men’s curling team, including Regina’s Ben Hebert, will be their third-straight day of competition as they face China next in round robin play at 12:05 p.m. SK time.
Olympic Notes: Canada adds another bronze to their collection thanks to Laurent Dubreuil who finished third in the 500-metre long track speed skating event. Canada’s medal count: 8 (0 Gold, 3 Silver, 5 Bronze).
Read the full day’s recap at Olympic.ca