Team Canada women's hockey captain Marie-Philip Poulin returns to practice after missing 2 games

MILAN — Captain Marie-Philip Poulin rejoined Team Canada’s women’s hockey team for practice Friday for the first time since being sidelined by a lower-body injury at the Milan Cortina Games.

Poulin missed the team’s two final preliminary round games, including a 5-0 loss to the United States, which stands as the Canadian women’s worst loss in Olympic play and the first time they’ve been shut out.

Poulin’s return comes a day after she skated on her own, and a day before Canada plays Germany in the quarterfinal knockout round.

Coach Troy Ryan previously said he was optimistic of Poulin's return during the tournament.

Poulin was among the first players on the ice for practice and spent the first 10 minutes skating on her own and taking shots, while at times shaking and testing her right leg.

She was hurt after being checked by Kristyna Kaltounkova in the first period of a 5-1 win over Czechia on Monday. Kaltounkova was penalized for an illegal hit and Poulin returned for a shift on the resulting power play before heading back to the bench while favoring her right leg.

The 34-year-old Poulin is nicknamed “Captain Clutch” for scoring three Olympic gold medal-winning goals. She is making her fifth Olympic appearance and her 17 career goals are one short of matching Canada’s career record held by Hayley Wickenheiser.