Canadian Olympic hockey team has a Heated Rivalry-themed 'mascot'
The Canadian Olympic women’s hockey team is hoping to get a little inspiration from the hottest show in the world.
In a video shared today by CBC, Canadian forward Emma Maltais was shown walking through the mixed media zone holding up a wooden loon gifted to her by a fan, a little homage to the Crave Original hockey romance show Heated Rivalry.
If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of the show, two closeted male pro hockey players from competing teams in Montreal and Boston carry on a secret romance.
The show, based around a book series by Rachel Reid, centres oncharacters Canadian Shane Hollander and Russian Ilya Rozanov, who learn more about each others’ cultures and lives throughout their years hiding their relationship.
In the season one finale, Rozanov visits Hollander’s Canadian cottage, where he is alarmed by a loon call.
“Stupid Canadian wolf bird,” Rozanov said, who is played by actor Connor Storrie. “What kind of a bird makes a noise like that?”
It appears that Maltais and the rest of the team have rallied behind their own loon, carrying it throughout the Winter Games and calling it “wolf bird.”
In 2002, Team Canada’s men’s and women’s hockey team had the famed “lucky loonie” buried at centre ice of the arena in Salt Lake City, a tradition that has been often copied but never fully replicated.
“Maybe this is Team Canada’s lucky loon,” CBC Olympics reporter Claire Hanna quipped.
When does Canada’s women’s hockey team play next?
Canada will play Switzerland on Monday at 12:10 p.m. PT/ 3:10 p.m. ET with a shot at the gold medal game on the line. Canada came out victorious by a 4-0 score in the preliminary round.
But Canada’s road to repeat as gold medal winners will be tough.
In the preliminary round, they were beaten 5-0 by the United States, which has been pretty commonplace in recent matchups. The Americans play Sweden on Monday in the other semifinal.
The United States are riding a seven-game win streak against the Canadians, including a gold medal victory over their rivals in last year’s world championship gold medal game.
But while their longtime rivals might appear to have a stronger roster on paper, perhaps Canada’s lucky loon will give them the edge, should the two teams meet in the final.