The national women’s hockey team of Finland had to cancel their practice session on Wednesday due to a stomach illness affecting at least four players, according to a team spokesperson.
Henna Malmberg mentioned that they are dealing with a challenging situation just a day before their opening game at the Milan-Cortina Olympics against Canada, the defending champion.
Despite the setback, the match is still on schedule, and team officials are updating the International Ice Hockey Federation on the matter. The team has a break on Friday before their upcoming game against the United States on Saturday.
Reports from Finland’s national public broadcaster Yle indicated that four players suffered stomach issues overnight, likely due to a norovirus. The affected players have been isolated in their rooms for the day, as per the broadcaster.
Finland, a four-time Olympic bronze medalist, secured third place at the 2022 Beijing Games. The team has also clinched bronze at the last two women’s world championships.
U.S. Team Ready for Olympic Challenge
As the United States women’s hockey team prepares to kick off their Olympic campaign on Thursday, head coach John Wroblewski expressed confidence in his team’s readiness, emphasizing that they are no strangers to tough competition.
The reigning world champions are entering the tournament as favorites following a recent dominant performance against arch-rivals and reigning Olympic titleholders, Canada, in the Rivalry Series.
Reflecting on past challenges, Wroblewski highlighted the team’s growth and resilience, aiming to bring a youthful squad well-prepared for the intense Olympic competition.
Wroblewski emphasized instilling confidence in the players and focusing on their readiness for the challenges ahead as they gear up to face the Czech Republic in their opening match on Thursday. Despite the competition’s intensity, the team remains poised and prepared to deliver top performances.
The highly anticipated rematch of the 2022
