Canada looks for early offence in women’s hockey vs. Switzerland

Team Canada won its last two prelim games in women's hockey without benefit of scoring in the first 40 minutes, so it would follow that a quick start is imperative in Monday's semifinal vs. Switzerland (12 noon ET/9 a.m. PT, CBC).

It would, as if it needs to be stated, take something approaching a minor miracle to end up with any outcome other than a U.S.-Canada gold-medal matchup on Thursday. Increasing parity aside ("The media makes a bigger deal about the U.S. and Canada going right to the final than anyone else does," Team USA's Meghan Duggan says), that's what they each want, deep-down. t was "unemotional" final in Turin eight years ago when Canada found itself playing Sweden in the final after a shootout upset of the Americans.

There is a sneaking suspension that the U.S. did not put its best foot forward on Thursday. Meghan Agosta-Marciano and Hayley Wickenheiser each came through with multi-point efforts in the final 20 minutes of the 3-2 win. For Canada, that makes the priorities ahead of the showdown with the Swiss and goalie Florence Schelling, who had a 41-save shutout in a 2-0 quarter-final win over Russia on Saturday, fairly obvious. That can be easier said than done against a Swiss team whose M.O. is to make opponents make the first mistake.

Canada fired 69 shots at Schelling during a 5-0 win on Feb. 8.

Regardless, building an early lead reduces the chance of a Swiss upset and allows coach Kevin Dineen, the staff and players to start preparing for the final. Schelling is as good as any goalie still active in the tournament, and facing her is good preparation for facing Team USA's Jessie Vetter, who vexed Canada in the gold-medal game at the worlds in 2013.

Secondly, it might mean that Canada has both of its top lines in sync at the same time. The Agosta-Marciano, Wickenheiser and Natalie Spooner line carried the team offensively vs. the U.S.. In Canada's second game, it was quiet while the Marie-Philip Poulin-Rebecca Johnston-Jayna Hefford line did a lot of heavy lifting offensively. It would be hard to beat the U.S. twice in one tournament as a one-line team each time.

Thirdly, every ounce of energy Canada can conserve should help it prepare for the Americans' speed, should they hook up on Thursday in another joust for the gold. The Americans' extra gear is no secret — "Canada isn’t as fast as the USA," Sweden assistant coach Leif Boork said — but Canada was able to be positionally sound and kept the U.S. contained last week.

For the U.S., reviewing that game was, as star Hilary Knight put it, "painful." Only the people in the dressing room know how it will recover. Only those in Canada's room know how well it's done resetting to zero after winning a first-round game that didn't change much within the tournament, but did end a five-game losing streak against the Americans.

The winner of the North American powers' prelim game at the past two worlds has gone on to lose the gold-medal game. Each has to win Monday before that becomes a bigger storyline.

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.