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WATCH LIVE: Two early morning hockey games, one featuring Teemu Selanne

By James O'BrienFeb 13, 2014, 2:45 AM EST
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There are two hockey games kicking off at 3 a.m. – one men’s, one women’s – so you can start off Thursday’s puck slate off with these two streams:

MEN’S ICE HOCKEY

Austria vs. Finland: 3 a.m. ET – CLICK HERE TO WATCH LIVE

Even if you’re a dormant NHL fan, these Olympics should provide some familiar names making repeat appearances. No one in men’s hockey can match Teemu Selanne, however, as he appears for Finland for a staggering sixth time.

With key players such as Mikko Koivu injured, the Finns might need to depend on Selanne, 43, a lot more than they might like. On the bright side, they have solid defense and a slew of goaltending choices. Austria shouldn’t be disregarded altogether, as they have some offensive talent in NHL scorers Thomas Vanek, Michael Grabner and Michael Raffl.

WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY

Japan vs. Germany: 3 a.m. ET – CLICK HERE TO WATCH LIVE

These two teams go in without a win, so one will at least get a single victory. The stakes are higher for Germany, as Japan is making just its second appearance in women’s Olympic ice hockey.

Boglarka Kapas, world champion swimmer, tests positive for coronavirus

Boglarka Kapas
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By OlympicTalkMar 31, 2020, 5:00 PM EDT
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Boglarka Kapas, the Hungarian swimmer and world 200m butterfly champion, said she tested positive for the coronavirus.

“I don’t have any symptoms yet, and that’s why it’s important for you to know that even if you feel healthy you can spread the virus,” was posted on her social media. “Please be careful, stay at home and stay healthy.”

Nine total members of the Hungarian national team — including swimmers and staff — have tested positive, according to the federation.

Kapas said her first test was negative but a second test showed she had the virus. She was staying in quarantine at home for two weeks.

Kapas, 26, won the 200m fly at last summer’s world championships by passing Americans Hali Flickinger and Katie Drabot in the last 25 meters. She clocked 2:06.78 to prevail by .17 of a second.

Kapas also took bronze in the Rio Olympic 800m freestyle won by Katie Ledecky.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

NHL players: Marie-Philip Poulin is world’s best female hockey player

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By OlympicTalkMar 31, 2020, 3:15 PM EDT
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The U.S. may have the world’s best women’s hockey team, but NHL players believe Canadian Marie-Philip Poulin is the world’s best player.

Poulin received the most votes out of 496 responses in the 2019-20 NHLPA Player Poll, conducted before the season was suspended. The tally:

Poulin: 39.92%
Hilary Knight (USA): 36.29%
Kendall Coyne Schofield (USA): 15.52%
Emily Pfalzer Matheson (USA): 1.41%
Other: 6.85%

Last year, Knight received the highest percentage of votes from 203 NHL players (27.59), edging Poulin (24.14) with Amanda Kessel third (12.81) and Coyne Schofield and Pfalzer Matheson each receiving 5.91 percent.

Why were Poulin and Knight swapped this year? Perhaps Poulin’s Canadian team winning the debut of the NHL All-Star Skills Competition women’s 3-on-3 game on Jan. 24, even though Knight scored and Poulin did not.

Poulin, now 29, scored both goals in the 2010 Olympic final and the game-tying and -winning goals in the 2014 Olympic final. Even before her Olympic debut at age 18, the daughter of Quebec hospital workers was dubbed “the female Sidney Crosby.”

Knight, 30, led last April’s world championship tournament with seven goals as the U.S. won a fifth straight title. Poulin played 4 minutes, 44 seconds, total at the tournament, missing time with a knee injury.

This spring’s tournament, which was to start Tuesday, was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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