Canada-Finland hockey postponed, McMorris to miss big air qualifying at Winter Games

Canada's Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant in action during the mixed doubles round robin phase of the curling competition against Norway, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

MILAN -- The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics have yet to officially open, but Canada is already dealing with setbacks.

Canada’s opening women’s hockey game against Finland was postponed Thursday due to illness while snowboarder Mark McMorris is skipping the big air preliminaries after a training crash on Wednesday .

The women’s hockey opener in Milan was postponed after cases of norovirus were identified within Finland’s team.

“The decision was taken following consultations with medical professionals after cases of norovirus were identified within Team Finland,” said a joint statement Thursday from the International Olympic Committee, the International Ice Hockey Federation and the organizing committee.

“It was made collectively and in accordance with established health and safety principles, with the health and well-being of players, team staff, officials and all tournament participants as the highest priority.”

The preliminary-round game will now be played Feb. 12 at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena. Canada is the defending Olympic champion, having beaten the United States for gold four years ago in Beijing.

Canada faces Switzerland on Saturday, Czechia on Monday and archrival United States on Tuesday in Group A play. Finland won bronze at the 2022 Olympic Games.

Canada held an optional skate Thursday for a handful of players.

Men’s big air snowboarding qualification is scheduled for Thursday night in Livigno. But according to both the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canada Snowboard, McMorris won’t take part after crashing during a Wednesday night training session.

McMorris, 32, of Regina, will be available for media leading into the slopestyle event.

“Fortunately, things are looking good for slopestyle, so I’m staying positive and shifting my focus there,” McMorris said in the statement. “Huge thanks to the incredible medical staff who took great care of me, and to everyone who reached out with so much love and support.”

McMorris has won three Olympic bronze medals in slopestyle.

Canada’s mixed doubles curling team of Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman beat Norway 6-3 on Thursday afternoon in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

“A gritty win and there’s going to have to be a few more of those, I think this week,” Gallant said. “So that’s a good sign.”

The husband-and-wife duo from Chestermere, Alta moved to 2-0 in round-robin play and were scheduled to face Italy later Thursday.

Gallant and Peterman opened Wednesday with a tidy 10-5 victory over Czechia’s Julie Zelingrova and Vit Chabicovsky.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 5, 2026.