MILAN — Finland women’s hockey team’s preliminary round-opening game against Canada on Thursday has been postponed due to a stomach virus depleting Finland’s roster.
The game was rescheduled to Feb. 12.
The decision to postpone the game was announced shortly after Finland completed its early afternoon practice with just eight skaters and two goalies. The remaining 13 players were either in quarantine or isolation due to a norovirus that began affecting the team on Tuesday night.
The postponement provides Finland two extra days to rest before playing the U.S. on Saturday. Had their game against Canada not been postponed, Finnish officials were considering the possibility of a forfeiture.
“While all stakeholders recognize the disappointment of not playing the game as originally scheduled, this was a responsible and necessary decision that reflects the spirit of the Olympic Games and the integrity of the competition,” Olympic officials announced.
“All stakeholders thank teams, partners and fans for their cooperation and understanding, and look forward to the rescheduled game being played under safe and appropriate conditions.”
Team Finland officials were already weighing the likelihood of not playing before the game was postponed.
Coach Tero Lehterä said it could be unfair to ask his 10 currently healthy players to compete in a full game. Lehterä also said the team has to take into account the possibility of Canadian opponents being infected as well.
“Most of them are getting better but not healthy enough to play. And there’s the chance that if we would play it could influence Team Canada and their health as well,” Lehterä said following practice.
“But I couldn’t risk my players if they were ill yesterday to play tonight because that would be wrong against the individual,” he added.
Lehterä said the first sign of the illness became apparent on Tuesday night — and after the team held a full practice earlier in the day.
The rescheduled game falls on the second of two consecutive off days during the women’s tournament, and a day before the quarterfinals open.
The 53-year-old Lehterä is in his first year coaching the women’s team. He played for the Finland national team in the 1990s and previously coached men’s teams.
Lehterä did his best to stay upbeat despite the situation. At one point he joked the last time he competed in a game with 10 players was in a beer league outing.
“It might become a strength. I got to think positive," he said. “We might be stronger when we come out of this. You never know.”
Lehterä then noted the potential of facing of adversity was among his first messages to the team last summer.
“Some things might happen, you never know what happens. And you only worry about the things that we can affect,” Lehterä said. “And this is not something we can do anything about it. We have no say whether we play or not. It’s not up to us. When we’re told to show up, we show up. Whether it’s five, six, seven, 15 or 20 (players).”
Finland captain Jenni Hiirikoski, making her fifth Olympic appearance, said players were leaning on each other for support.
“It’s not nice, definitely. But we try to focus one day at a time,” the 38-year-old defender said. “The big thing has been how we tolerate different things. I think we try to help each other, whatever it is, and how it goes. So it’s just stay calm and focused.”
Finland, along with Czechia, entered the tournament as medal contenders behind the two global powers — the favored Americans and defending Olympic champion Canada.
Finland is a four-time Olympic bronze medalist, with the last coming at the 2022 Beijing Games. And the team has won bronze at the past two world championships, beating Czechia both times.
Though the 2022 Beijing Games were played amid the Coronavirus pandemic, no games were postponed during a competition that took place in front of few fans and with participants limited to a closed bubble.
The closest a hockey game came to being postponed or forfeited happened during a preliminary round meeting between Canada and Russia. Team Canada refused to take the ice for pregame warmups and the game time was delayed because Covid test results of Russian players were not available.
As a compromise, Canada agreed to begin the game after officials ruled all participants had to wear facemasks.
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AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno contributed.
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