The schedule for the women’s tournament at the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, Korea were released by the IIHF today, kicking off hockey at the Olympics on Saturday, 10 February.
Group B starts off the tournament, with Japan facing Sweden in the opener, followed by hosts Korea playing Switzerland, while the teams of Group A (Canada, Finland, Russia and the United States) starting the next day, and playing alternating days afterwards. The playoff rounds begin one week later, where Canada will look to win their fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal, while the United States will look to finally lift the weight of 20 years of silver with a victory, while squads like Finland, Russia or Switzerland looking to play spoiler.
UPDATE (Dec. 5): As a result of Russia’s ban from the 2018 Olympics, approved athletes will be able to participate under the Olympic Flag as the “Olympic Athletes From Russia” team; the schedule below has been adjusted to reflect this change.
The tournament schedule is as follows:
| GROUP A 🇨🇦 Canada 🇫🇮 Finland 🇷🇺 O.A.F. Russia 🇺🇸 United States |
GROUP B 🇯🇵 Japan 🇰🇷 Korea 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇨🇭 Switzerland |
Saturday, 10 February
🇯🇵 Japan vs. Sweden 🇸🇪
🇰🇷 Korea vs. Switzerland 🇨🇭
Sunday, 11 February
🇫🇮 Finland vs. United States 🇺🇸
🇨🇦 Canada vs. Olympic Athletes From Russia 🇷🇺
Monday, 12 February
🇯🇵 Japan vs. Switzerland 🇨🇭
🇰🇷 Korea vs. Sweden 🇸🇪
Tuesday, 13 February
🇨🇦 Canada vs. Finland 🇫🇮
🇷🇺 Olympic Athletes From Russia vs. United States 🇺🇸
Wednesday, 14 February
🇸🇪 Sweden vs. Switzerland 🇨🇭
🇯🇵 Japan vs. Korea 🇰🇷
Thursday, 15 February
🇨🇦 Canada vs. United States 🇺🇸
🇫🇮 Finland vs. Olympic Athletes From Russia 🇷🇺
Saturday, 17 February
Quarterfinal – A3 vs. B2
Quarterfinal – A4 vs. B1
Monday, 19 February
Semifinal – A1 vs. A4/B1
Semifinal – A2 vs. A3/B2
Classification Game – B3 vs. B4
Wednesday, 21 February
Bronze Medal Game
Thursday, 22 February
Gold Medal Game
The IHLC for the tournament will likely fall to the winner of November’s Four Nations Cup, although if the title is held by the U.S. or Canada by the end of the tournament, the IHLC will be contested in a handful of exhibition tilts in the lead-up to the Games. The path to Pyeongchang is now clear, and who brings the IHLC to the Games will soon be very clear!
Photo Credit: Sochi 2014 – IIHF – HHOF – IOC
