By The Nerdling

It is like Christmas, but it only comes once every four years.  Olympic women’s hockey!  And the main event is happening tonight, ladies and gentleman.

With the exception of the 2006 games in Torino, USA and Canada’s women’s teams have face off in the gold medal round every Olympics since the sport was added in 1998.  The first year was also the only year USA has beaten Canada in the Olympics for the top of the podium.  Canada has dominated the ice at the games ever since.

Just days after the 20^th anniversary of the big win in Nagano, USA and Canada are set to square off once again for an opportunity for the grand prize.  Of course, these ladies have faced off against one another 18 times over the last 20 years in the Hockey World Championships where USA has won the last four meetings.  This is a well-seasoned rivalry.

But as 10-year USA hockey veteran Monique Lamoureux-Morando told reporters during the media summit “our careers will be summed up in three games and we’ve lost the first two.  I could win 20 world championships, [and] that will never fulfill not winning a gold medal at the Olympics.”  USA almost had the gold medal around their necks in 2014, but Canada came back and tied the game in the final minutes and won in overtime.

These women have already won a well fought victory recently in the battle for the same pay and privileges as the USA men’s team.  After such a big step for these women, could tonight signal their return to golden glory against a strong and fast Canadian team?  I know my fingers are crossed cause I don’t know if I can handle another crushing defeat like the one 4 years ago.

USA vs. Canada Women’s Hockey Final will air tonight on NBCSN starting at 10:45pm EST.

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The Nerdling was born in the majestic land known as Texas and currently resides there after several years of journeying through Middle Earth in a failed attempt to steal the one Ring from that annoying hobbit, serving the Galactic Empire for a time, and then a short stint as a crew member on the Serenity. Since moving back to her homeland, Nerdling flirted with a hero reputation. Saving children from the dangers of adoring domineering, sparkly vampires (champions with souls are the only vampires worth loving) and teaching normals the value of nerdom, all while rooting for her beloved Dallas Stars. Then came the Sokovia Accords and her short spell of saving others came to an end. With Darth Vader’s reputation rightfully returning to badass status, Nerdling is making her way back to the Empire. They do have cookies, you know. You can find her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.