Canada's scoring machine: Stronger together through hip hop, pottery and knitting

Canada women's ice hockey team is having a blast at Beijing 2022 on and off the ice.

They've won their first two games by double digits and spirits in the camp couldn't be higher.

A 12-1 victory against Switzerland in their Olympic opener on Thursday 2 February was followed by an 11-1 undoing of Finland on Saturday (5 February), and Team Canada is hungry for more.

But captain and Canada's flagbearer Marie-Philip Poulin was keeping things calm after Finland:

“It’s a good start for us, we have to keep going. It’s one game at a time.”

She's seen it all before, 'Captain Clutch' is a double Olympic champ, scorer of two gold-medal winning goals at Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014, and felt the heartbreak of losing in the final to great rivals USA four years ago.

This time around the team is as united as can be.

“We have a great group. We know when it’s time to have fun and enjoy and we know when it’s time to work. We have a great balance, for sure," Poulin shares in a chat with olympics.com.

So why are they in this 'Stronger Together' moment right now?

Canada women's ice hockey team: "Like family"

“It’s been a four year process," continues Poulin.

"We’ve been together since 2018, we’ve started on zoom calls… we’ve done such a tremendous job as a group to come together and have everyone involved from the veterans to the rookies.

"We’re really connected.

"And that’s something that’s very special about this group is we’re united and we’re going for the same goal.”

That goal, needless to say, is gold, and the team-building before the Games has worked a treat.

“Our staff do an amazing job, from having different activities on zoom, like pottery night, and it keeps us very together. Obviously, this year we’re in Calgary training full time together and this group adapts itself very easily.

"We’re a resilient group and we’re very happy about that.”

"It sounds cheesy," says forward Brianna Jenner who bagged a hattrick against Finland on Saturday, "but we are a really tight knit group."

"We’ve been through a lot together to get to this point but we care about each other not just as teammates but as friends so it’s pretty fun to go through an experience like this once in a lifetime with people that are like family.”

Fellow forward Sara Nurse also hit a hattrick on Saturday and goes through the fun activities the Canadians get up to when they're not dominating the ice.

“This group is one that we can have fun with absolutely anything," says Nurse to olympics.com.

"We have been knitting together, we did pottery together… we did a hip hop class so we have a dance that we do before every practice and every game which is a lot of fun!

"But we just like to have fun and obviously this has been such a different year we’ve had to be very creative with what we do and I think we’re just really down for anything so if somebody says ‘We’re doing this’ let’s rally the troops and we’re going!"

Sarah Nurse: Back and banging them in after injury

Just back from injury, it's been a journey for Nurse just to get here.

“That game was a lot of fun," she said after netting three against Finland.

"I had an injury this year and so that game was my second game in three months so it’s a huge testament to my coaching staff and my team mates that they had that believe in me to come back and make an impact so very grateful to be here and very grateful for them.”

Canada: predictable and unpredictable

“Something our coaching staff has preached this year is being predictable to each other but unpredictable to the other team. We’re always chatting with each other, we’re always talking. It’s really simple.”

Marie-Philip Poulin Canada flagbearer at the Beijing 2022 Opening Ceremony

Nurse's journey back just in time to play at the Olympics was an emotional rollercoaster, and her captain Poulin had a night full of emotion too before the Finland game as Team Canada flagbearer.

“It was a pretty emotional night for sure," she says.

"It was pretty special to have my team behind me there… it’s unbelievable. It’s something I never thought would be there.

"But carrying the flag for this country was unbelievable and it was very special. Then getting up this morning, getting back to work was even better.”

Canada's work isn't finished yet at Beijing 2022.