Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Top Moment of the Day – 17 February: Marie-Philip Poulin leads Canada to fifth ice hockey gold

There is action every day at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 but we’ll select for you the best one at the end of the competitions, when Beijing is closing its doors. Today: Marie-Philip Poulin makes history for Canada as they reclaim the women’s ice hockey gold.

‘Captain Clutch’ Marie-Philip Poulin scores twice as Canada avenges PyeongChang defeat to perennial rivals USA

Redemption was the overriding sentiment as Canada dethroned familiar foes USA 3-2 to a claim a fifth women’s Olympic ice hockey gold at the Wukesong Sports Centre on Thursday (17 February).

The pain of PyeongChang 2018, where the newly crowned Olympic champions lost out on the title in a dramatic shootout, fuelled the Canadians to glory in the latest instalment of hockey’s great rivalry.

“It’s just so good. It was one hell of an effort. This is redemption.” said 30-year-old captain Marie-Philip Poulin who became the first player in history - male or female - to score in four straight Olympic ice hockey finals.

"Since 2018, we have been putting in the work Sometimes it’s hard. Sometimes you ask yourself why are you doing it, but when you look down and see that gold medal you realise why.”

Unlike the final from four years ago which went all the way through overtime, this was a slightly less tense affair.

The Canadians opened the scoring in the eighth minute of the first period when 27-year-old Sarah Nurse netted her fifth goal of Beijing 2022, deflecting a low crossing pass to beat USA goaltender Alex Cavallini.

Four-time Olympian Poulin then doubled the advantage with five minutes remaining in the first period, stripping the puck and firing her shot past Cavallini to give the Canadians a 2-0 lead.

Despite the reigning champions fighting hard, Poulin struck again midway through the second period off an assist from Nurse, whose 18th point of the tournament set a new single Olympics point record.

Late in the middle period, the U.S. finally managed to respond through their own four-time Olympian Hilary Knight. Racing up the ice, the 32-year-old got her hold of her own rebound to eat into the deficit.

The Americans continued to surge in the final period, pulling another goal back with 13 seconds remaining through Amanda Kessel, but it just wasn't enough to stop the Canada claiming its fifth Olympic title.

As the buzzer sounded out signalling the end of the game, the Canadians swarmed together in celebration. A mass of red shirts adorned with the iconic maple leaf danced in delight while a stunned USA looked in dismay.

Canada’s work behind the scenes since the heartbreak of four years ago has certainly paid dividends. In a display of complete dominance, they did not drop one game throughout the entirety of the Olympic tournament.

For ‘Captain Clutch’ it was all a bit much to try and take in and understand:

“I don’t know what’s happening,” she added. “There is some angel up there.”