After having their entire early 2022 schedule wiped out due to COVID, the IIHF has gone to great lengths to ensure all tournaments would be played. With the 2022 World Junior Hockey Championship in the books, it’s time for the women to take center stage. The IIHF Women’s World Championships are taking place between August 25 to September 4.
IIHF Women’s World Championships Preview
The 2022 Women’s World Championship is taking place in Frederikshavn and Herning, Denmark. Due to the Invasion of Ukraine, Russia has been expelled from the tournament from the IIHF.
A major question for this (and every Women’s World Championship) is whether we will see a different final other than Canada vs the USA. The two rivals have met in 19 of the 20 finals of the tournament. They are the clear two favourites of this tournament (again) and it doesn’t seem likely that this changes.
While Canada and USA are the cream of the crop, the gap between them and the rest is getting smaller.
Dark Horse
Although Canada and the United States are contenders to win the tournament pretty much every year, the team to keep an eye on in this tournament is Finland. Finland is the only team to play in a final other than Canada or the US. They upset Canada in the 2019 Semi-Finals to reach the gold medal game. They have finished third 13 times in the 20 years the tournament has been played. While they did break through in 2019, it seems unlikely they break through again. They are, however, the only team that presents a challenge to the two bullies of the tournament.
Player to Look Out For
After winning gold at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and being the first woman to be on the cover of EA’s NHL series, Sara Nurse will be in the spotlight for this tournament. During her time in Beijing she set two Olympic records for most points with 18, and most assists with 13.
Final Preview
This should be a very entertaining tournament, and it kicks off on August 25th with a match between USA and Japan. All signs are pointing to (another) rematch between Canada and the USA for the gold medal. Finland is in the driver’s seat for their 14th Bronze medal, but how much closer are they to the top two? Still, all eyes will be on the two giants of women’s hockey. Will the USA win their 10th title in the last 13 years or will Canada repeat and hold the Olympic and World gold medals?
Canadian women’s #hockey team ponders words of Everest-climber Jamie Clarke heading into world championship in Denmark. My @CdnPressSports preview, Jonathan Hayword photo. @HockeyCanada @IIHFHockeyhttps://t.co/BkO4zO1WF3 pic.twitter.com/V0ZRmtLBzw
— Donna Spencer (@DLSpencer10) August 24, 2022
