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The pandemic disrupted international hockey Tuesday, with the two top women’s teams in the world calling off their final pre-Olympic tune-up games.
Hockey Canada announced the final two rivalry series games against the U.S. were canceled because several players and staff on Canada’s women’s national team are in COVID-19 protocol.
“The risk associated with playing the final two Rivalry Series games with less than one month before our teams are set to compete in the 2022 Olympics is too high to finish our series with the United States,” Hockey Canada director of hockey operations Gina Kingsbury said. “We need to do what is right for our athletes from a health perspective and for our team preparation in order to ensure everyone remains healthy and eligible for Beijing.”
The U.S. and Canada were set to play Jan. 3 in Edmonton, Alberta, and Jan. 6 in nearby Red Deer. Canada had won four of the six exhibition games between the two rivals this fall and winter.
USA Hockey director of women’s national team programs Katie Million said the organization agreed with Hockey Canada that it was appropriate to cancel the games.
“With our team’s departure for China less than a month away, our focus is doing the absolutely best we can to make sure our players and staff are in a position to be able to participate in the Olympic games,” Million said.