Incredibly, Italy has a chance to qualify for the quarter-finals today.
photo: Andrea Cardin/IIHF
The scores are not pretty. Not at all. The five games of the 2006 Turin Olympics saw Italy, as hosts, lose all five games by scores of 16-0, 11-0, 5-1, 5-2, and 11-0. A grand total of 48-3. Ouch.
Fast forward 20 years, and those games are a dusty relic of a long forgotten era. That roster has been replaced by an Italian team brimming with confidence and playing an up-tempo game based on skill. They have played three games and won two, and have a goals differential of 8-9. Compared to 2006, it is night and day.
How has that possible?
“This is a big moment for Italian women's hockey, to kind of create a legacy here and help grow the game internationally and in our own country,” said forward Kristin Della Rovere. “I know in 2006, they scored only three goals, and the games weren't as close. So there was a big gap. We have a lot of young girls coming up now, though. Their dedication--and even in the background the older players--to get to where we are today, is really special. I hope this helps develop the game in Italy, and shows the world that the girls in Italy really can play.”
Laura Fortino won Olympic gold with Canada in 2014 and played in ten events with her country between 2008 and 2018. More recently, she has played in Italy and now is on the national team. She is 34 years old, and no one on the team can match her pedigree and success.
“It comes down to belief,” she explains of the team’s success this year. “We've said since Day One, we don't care what anybody says or thinks. The belief we have in that room will overpower everything. And we're showing that. What you're going to get with the Italian girls is, you're never going to see them quit. We fight right to the end. We fight. It's crazy how powerful belief really is.”
Fortino is part of that belief system. She has the medals to prove it. She has the experience. And she still has the legs and hockey mind. “I would say I've taken on a leadership role,” she continued. “I've been in these pressure moments. I know what we're going to feel, what we're going to go through. I've sort of been that mentor. I love it when they ask questions. Before games, I'll say a few words. I speak when I need to, to make it powerful for the girls. I would like to think I've had a positive influence with them, but they've allowed me to take on that leadership. It's been nothing but incredible for me.”
Fortino’s alter ego is another defender, 25-year-old captain Nadia Mattivi, who is a star with Lulea in Sweden after a successful career with Boston University in NCAA play. She is convinced financial commitments are essential to success.
“The investments that the federation has made in the last four or five years are showing,” she explained. “We have so much talent now. I'm so happy this is happening because it's showing the world that Italian hockey exists, and Italian talent exists. I'm so happy for the generation coming up after us. They're going to have more opportunities, whether it's going to college or playing abroad, playing in the PWHL. We're trying to break barriers. I'm not surprised we won today or that we beat France. I've seen it every day, especially the last four months, the talent we have. There's something about Italian passion, Italian drive, that makes this group so special.”
Fortino agrees, and sees a key decision to centralize in Montreal leading up to the Olympics as part of the current success.
“Investments, for sure,” she says. “The federation has put us first and really invested in the women's side. We centralized in Montreal for two months, and the money that went into that is a lot. But the federation believed in us. They gave us an incredible coaching staff. And Danielle Sauvageau, who is kind of our head coordinator, to have her on board is a big part of why we're winning here. She's provided this group what's needed to be the best we can be for February.”
Mattivi agrees. Montreal was key to today’s successes. “Being in the homeland of hockey puts you in a special mindset,” she explained. “You're surrounded by hockey. There are professional teams and coaches. The amount of resources we got really helped, but most of all I think it's the chemistry we were able to build off the ice, in terms of relationships, and on the ice in terms of systems and new lines and actually being able to work on things. That was the key.”
Carla MacLeod was a forward in Canada’s 16-0 win in 2006. She had a goal and two assists. Nothing special. But get this. She led all players with eight shots on goal. The entire Italian team had five!
“And I'm not a shooter!” she laughed when told that stat. “I don't know what was wrong with me that game! But, really, it's special memories. And I remember that game, not so much because of the score, but it was about how engaged the fans were. Of course, we had a lot of time in the offensive zone, but as soon as they got the puck over our blue line, the crowd went crazy like they scored a goal. There's a lot you take away from those experiences besides the results.”
Like Mattivi, she sees Sauvageau’s contributions as vital to Italy’s success. “I don't know a lot about their program,” MacLeod says. “I'm on the outside looking in, but you know with Danielle Sauvageau being a part of that, you know it's going to be done well. You know the details will be looked after. She's had a big impact on the sport. They're all prepared, and they've invested in it, and that's what you're seeing here. It's great for them to be playing as well as they are with the home crowd behind them. It's a thrill for them.”
In the big picture, though, the success, the investment, the incredible fans response, are all part of a cultural trend.
“Women's sports in general is finally getting recognition,” MacLeod explained. “It's so overdue, but you can see it across the globe that women's sports are being elevated. At the end of the day, of course, it comes down to investment.”
If Italy can qualify for the quarter-finals, well, you would think that investment would just continue to grow and grow. The sky is the limit.
Fast forward 20 years, and those games are a dusty relic of a long forgotten era. That roster has been replaced by an Italian team brimming with confidence and playing an up-tempo game based on skill. They have played three games and won two, and have a goals differential of 8-9. Compared to 2006, it is night and day.
How has that possible?
“This is a big moment for Italian women's hockey, to kind of create a legacy here and help grow the game internationally and in our own country,” said forward Kristin Della Rovere. “I know in 2006, they scored only three goals, and the games weren't as close. So there was a big gap. We have a lot of young girls coming up now, though. Their dedication--and even in the background the older players--to get to where we are today, is really special. I hope this helps develop the game in Italy, and shows the world that the girls in Italy really can play.”
Laura Fortino won Olympic gold with Canada in 2014 and played in ten events with her country between 2008 and 2018. More recently, she has played in Italy and now is on the national team. She is 34 years old, and no one on the team can match her pedigree and success.
“It comes down to belief,” she explains of the team’s success this year. “We've said since Day One, we don't care what anybody says or thinks. The belief we have in that room will overpower everything. And we're showing that. What you're going to get with the Italian girls is, you're never going to see them quit. We fight right to the end. We fight. It's crazy how powerful belief really is.”
Fortino is part of that belief system. She has the medals to prove it. She has the experience. And she still has the legs and hockey mind. “I would say I've taken on a leadership role,” she continued. “I've been in these pressure moments. I know what we're going to feel, what we're going to go through. I've sort of been that mentor. I love it when they ask questions. Before games, I'll say a few words. I speak when I need to, to make it powerful for the girls. I would like to think I've had a positive influence with them, but they've allowed me to take on that leadership. It's been nothing but incredible for me.”
Fortino’s alter ego is another defender, 25-year-old captain Nadia Mattivi, who is a star with Lulea in Sweden after a successful career with Boston University in NCAA play. She is convinced financial commitments are essential to success.
“The investments that the federation has made in the last four or five years are showing,” she explained. “We have so much talent now. I'm so happy this is happening because it's showing the world that Italian hockey exists, and Italian talent exists. I'm so happy for the generation coming up after us. They're going to have more opportunities, whether it's going to college or playing abroad, playing in the PWHL. We're trying to break barriers. I'm not surprised we won today or that we beat France. I've seen it every day, especially the last four months, the talent we have. There's something about Italian passion, Italian drive, that makes this group so special.”
Fortino agrees, and sees a key decision to centralize in Montreal leading up to the Olympics as part of the current success.
“Investments, for sure,” she says. “The federation has put us first and really invested in the women's side. We centralized in Montreal for two months, and the money that went into that is a lot. But the federation believed in us. They gave us an incredible coaching staff. And Danielle Sauvageau, who is kind of our head coordinator, to have her on board is a big part of why we're winning here. She's provided this group what's needed to be the best we can be for February.”
Mattivi agrees. Montreal was key to today’s successes. “Being in the homeland of hockey puts you in a special mindset,” she explained. “You're surrounded by hockey. There are professional teams and coaches. The amount of resources we got really helped, but most of all I think it's the chemistry we were able to build off the ice, in terms of relationships, and on the ice in terms of systems and new lines and actually being able to work on things. That was the key.”
Carla MacLeod was a forward in Canada’s 16-0 win in 2006. She had a goal and two assists. Nothing special. But get this. She led all players with eight shots on goal. The entire Italian team had five!
“And I'm not a shooter!” she laughed when told that stat. “I don't know what was wrong with me that game! But, really, it's special memories. And I remember that game, not so much because of the score, but it was about how engaged the fans were. Of course, we had a lot of time in the offensive zone, but as soon as they got the puck over our blue line, the crowd went crazy like they scored a goal. There's a lot you take away from those experiences besides the results.”
Like Mattivi, she sees Sauvageau’s contributions as vital to Italy’s success. “I don't know a lot about their program,” MacLeod says. “I'm on the outside looking in, but you know with Danielle Sauvageau being a part of that, you know it's going to be done well. You know the details will be looked after. She's had a big impact on the sport. They're all prepared, and they've invested in it, and that's what you're seeing here. It's great for them to be playing as well as they are with the home crowd behind them. It's a thrill for them.”
In the big picture, though, the success, the investment, the incredible fans response, are all part of a cultural trend.
“Women's sports in general is finally getting recognition,” MacLeod explained. “It's so overdue, but you can see it across the globe that women's sports are being elevated. At the end of the day, of course, it comes down to investment.”
If Italy can qualify for the quarter-finals, well, you would think that investment would just continue to grow and grow. The sky is the limit.