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The best moments from the women's hockey tournament

The women's Olympic hockey tournament may be over, but the closing ceremonies haven't happened yet. With Canada and the USA dominating for 16 years, the women's game was on the hot seat to show progress. 

Looking back, the women's tournament was the best since the event's inclusion in the 1998 Nagano Olympics and while some nations stepped up, others were static.

Here's a look at the best moments from the women's tournament.

Noora Raty

In one of the most surprising headlines during the tournament, Finnish goaltender Noora Raty announced her retirement from professional hockey. Raty was expected to help Finland grow and one day challenge for a silver or gold medal. That wouldn't happen.

In a disappointing 4-2 loss to Sweden in the quarterfinal, the Finns would be playing for fifth place, which they would achieve.

Raty wrote in a letter to women's hockey fans that she needs to be challenged when she plays hockey. She wants to be able to play in a professional league and make a living. While playing with the Finnish National Team, they never achieved what she wanted. Raty recently graduated from the University of Minnesota and had nowhere competitive to play.

Raty chose to retire after the Olympics to begin a career. She doesn't make any money while playing with the National Team, and a competitive North American women's league doesn't exist. For Noora, she wants to play with men.

She isn't the only woman to want to play in a men's league. Team USA's Hilary Knight wants to play in the third-level Swedish league just like Noora. If the IIHF allows elite women to play in their leagues, this may be the move that brings women's hockey to a new level.

Florence Schelling and Switzerland

As Team Switzerland's goaltender, the surprise and MVP of the tournament came out of nowhere for many. She's played in two Olympic Games and has helped the Swiss National Team slowly rise up the standings. Qualifying for the tournament in 2006, the Swiss finished seventh in Turin, fifth in Vancouver, and now with a bronze medal in Sochi.

The Swiss have asserted themselves as one of the threats for medals. That list now includes Finland and Sweden as well. The game is growing, and thanks to Florence Schelling, who frustrated both the Canadian and Swedish teams, has put women's hockey in a better place.

Although the Swiss were unable to defeat Canada in the semifinals, they were able to get themselves on the podium with a steady climb. The 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea could be the most competitive women's tournament yet.

Meaghan Mikkelson

Team Canada's Meaghan Mikkelson played the Gold Medal Game with a broken right hand. In her second Olympics, the 29-year-old defender scored one assist through the tournament. 

Her contributions in the final against the USA may not show up on a scoresheet, but she played some of the biggest minutes amongst defenders and created many scoring chances for the Canadians. She did it all with a broken right hand.

The post that gave Canada life

The best moment of the tournament came in the Gold Medal Game. 

With Canada's Catherine Ward manning the point and an empty net behind her, the linesman came crashing into her sending her outside the blue line. The USA came within an inch of scoring on the empty net to make the score 3-1 late in the third period. 

In a twist of fate, the shot would hit the right post and stay out of the net. Soon after the Canadians would tie the game thanks to forward Marie-Philip Poulin. Needing overtime, the Canadians had fought back from a 2-0 deficit and were ready to defend their gold medal.

With a goal from Marie-Philip Poulin, the Canadians would win their fourth-straight gold medal. The post was integral to the Canadians completing the comeback.

Rene Fasel defends women's hockey

While holding a press conference with the NHL's commissioner Gary Bettman, IIHF President Rene Fasel told reporters women's hockey would never be eliminated from the Winter Olympics. 

Fasel has been critical in the past with the competitive nature of the women's tournament, but has given the women a chance to prove they belong in the Olympics. 

"I think it's much better than it was in Vancouver. We started in Vancouver with 17-0 Canada-Slovak game. We have 80,000 girls playing in Canada, and we have maybe 4,000 or 4,500 playing in Finland, maybe 2,000 in Sweden and in Switzerland and Russia if we have 2,000 girls playing that would be a lot. It's much better, but we are not there and we can see the result." Quote via Stephen Whyno

With the pressure on North America to create a NHL for women, Bettman agreed with Fasel and was happy to hear women's programs would not be cut, "I believe in the importance of the women's game. It's something that needs work and is worthy of further attention."

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