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10-01-2004, 08:44 PM
Canada draws Italy in 2006 Olympic hockey opener
WebPosted Fri, 01 Oct 2004 00:47:11 EDT
CBC SPORTS ONLINE - The Canadian men's and women's hockey teams won't start the 2006 Olympic Winter Games as crowd favourites.
Both squads are scheduled to open defence of their gold medals against host Italy at the 10,500-seat Palasport in Turin – the men on Feb. 15 and the women on Feb. 11.
The Canadian Olympic women's hockey team won a gold medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. (CP File Photo)
However, if the current NHL lockout wipes out the 2004-05 season, the men's tournament would be comprised of amateur teams.
According to International Ice Hockey Federation president Rene Fasel, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman does not want an extended break for the Olympics.
Just in case, the IIHF has drawn up a compressed schedule that would see teams play six games in the first eight days of the Games. The gold and silver medal winners will suit up nine times in 13 days.
"Our choice is obviously to have a best-on-best tournament," Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson said. "We won the gold medal for the first time in 50 years in Salt Lake City with our best players and we want to repeat this feat with our best players."
http://www.cbc.ca/story/sports/national/2004/10/01/Sports/olympichockey041001.html
WebPosted Fri, 01 Oct 2004 00:47:11 EDT
CBC SPORTS ONLINE - The Canadian men's and women's hockey teams won't start the 2006 Olympic Winter Games as crowd favourites.
Both squads are scheduled to open defence of their gold medals against host Italy at the 10,500-seat Palasport in Turin – the men on Feb. 15 and the women on Feb. 11.
The Canadian Olympic women's hockey team won a gold medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. (CP File Photo)
However, if the current NHL lockout wipes out the 2004-05 season, the men's tournament would be comprised of amateur teams.
According to International Ice Hockey Federation president Rene Fasel, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman does not want an extended break for the Olympics.
Just in case, the IIHF has drawn up a compressed schedule that would see teams play six games in the first eight days of the Games. The gold and silver medal winners will suit up nine times in 13 days.
"Our choice is obviously to have a best-on-best tournament," Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson said. "We won the gold medal for the first time in 50 years in Salt Lake City with our best players and we want to repeat this feat with our best players."
http://www.cbc.ca/story/sports/national/2004/10/01/Sports/olympichockey041001.html