Friday, February 17, 2006

 

Women's Hockey: A Threesome?

USA/CANADA
CANADA/USA



It's always those two and nobody else in women's hockey. It was rarely ever close, as the North Americans basically had their way with the world.

...but this Olympics has been about some surprising results...

The U.S. women's hockey team made history Friday night - the wrong kind.

For the first time since international competition in women's hockey began in 1990, the U.S. and Canada won't meet in the championship match - and it's largely because of Kim Martin.

Martin made 37 saves and stopped all four American attempts in a shootout, while Maria Rooth had two regulation scores and the clinching shootout goal in Sweden's 3-2 victory in the semifinals.

When she was only 15 years old, Martin led the Swedes to the bronze medal in Salt Lake City. On Friday, she was the difference in a watershed win that decisively proves world-class women's hockey can be played outside North America.
As evil as Sweden is, I have to fully congratulate them on this victory. It's really nice to see that some other country can beat one of us (Well, the Americans, not the Canadians heh).

Now, is something wrong with the US team this year? They haven't been dominating the weaker teams nearly as much as Canada has, and now this surprising loss. Perhaps they are in a weak part of their cycle, or the other countries are catching up (which is hard to believe given the resources the NA teams have compared to the rest of the world).

So much for the usual matchup for gold. I just Martin turns back into a Swedish version of a pumpkin before she faces Canada.

Comments:
Karma for leaving Cammi Granato off the team.
 
I was thinking the exact same thing.
 
Heia Sverige! :D
 
Good teams do not make poor errors in their own zone like the Americans did against Sweden. Seems like when America got that two goal lead they thought they could cost.
 
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