Team U.S.A. takes the ice for national anthems before their international hockey exhibition game against Team Canada on a My Why Tour stop in Maryland Heights, Missouri, U.S. December 17, 2021. REUTERS\/Jonathan Ernst<\/p>\n
Dec 28 (Reuters) - The United States and Canada women's ice hockey teams agreed to cancel the final two games of their My Why Tour, a series of exhibition contests ahead of the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics, USA Hockey said Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The games in Edmonton and Red Deer were intended to be a warm-up before the Olympics begin on Feb. 4 but instead the U.S. will keep the team at their \"home base\" in Blaine, Minnesota, until leaving for Beijing to begin their title defence.<\/p>\n
\"We're obviously disappointed as the competition against Canada is an important part of our Olympic preparation,\" Katie Million, director of the women's national team programs, said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\"With our team's departure for China less than a month away, our focus is doing the absolute best we can to make sure our players and staff are in a position to be able to participate in the Olympic Games.\"<\/p>\n
Another game between the two teams was also called off last week, with USA Hockey citing \"concerns around COVID-19.\"<\/p>\n
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Reporting by Amy Tennery in New YorkEditing by Christian Radnedge<\/p>\n
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.<\/p>\n
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Canada, U.S. exhibition games cancelled ahead of Beijing Olympics - Reuters<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Team U.S.A. takes the ice for national anthems before their international hockey exhibition game against Team Canada on a My Why Tour stop in Maryland Heights, Missouri, U.S. December 17, 2021 Continue reading