Womens Ice Hockey Recaps/Results (Day 4) (4 Matches)

Womens Ice Hocky


USA: 7 - Finland: 3
Women's Preliminary Round (Group B)

A big scare for the U.S. women's hockey team turned into a laugher - and a lesson.

Angela Ruggiero scored the go-ahead goal on an end-to-end rush with 9:44 to play, and the Americans rallied from a rare two-goal deficit for a 7-3 victory over Finland on Tuesday.

Sarah Parsons also scored two goals for the Americans (3-0), who struggled through most of the first 41 minutes of their final preliminary-round match. Trailing 3-1 after allowing a goal 13 seconds into the first period, they faced the possibility of their first loss in international play to a non-Canadian team.

But the U.S. responded with the poise it built during several exhibition matches against Finland last year. Katie King tied it with a long shot through traffic early in the third, and Ruggiero's rush sparked a five-goal third period that included one more for the star defenseman.

"I'm really happy we've had these close games, because Canada hasn't had these types of battles," Ruggiero said of the Americans' probable opponent in the gold-medal match, if both teams survive Friday's semifinals. "There was never a sense of panic in the locker room or on the bench. Maybe that's the edge we have on (Canada). We know we can come back."

The U.S. will meet Sweden in Friday's semifinals. Finland must regroup to play Canada, which beat the Swedes 8-1 earlier to cap a 36-1 run through the preliminary round.

The sport's lack of parity was the talk of the tournament's first three days, when the North American nations beat their four opponents by a combined 39-0. Quietly, Finland was winning its first two games 7-0.

Alone in the hallway afterward, U.S. coach Ben Smith approached Finland coach Hannu Saintula.

"I hope we don't see you again," Smith said. "Have you seen enough of us?"

Mari Pehkonen scored the Finns' early goal after a turnover by Ruggiero. Emma Laaksonen also scored before Kati Kovalainen added a goal with a two-man advantage in the second period, putting the U.S. down 3-1.

The Americans were disorganized and lifeless. Only the 18-year-old Parsons showed any offensive zip, and the U.S. took nine minor penalties in the first two periods.

That changed in the third, when King scored 88 seconds in. Shortly after the U.S. survived a 5-on-3 disadvantage, Ruggiero gave the Americans the lead for good with her fluid rush that led to late goals by Natalie Darwitz, captain Krissy Wendell and Ruggiero again.

"I wouldn't say the USA is not as strong," Pehkonen said. "They have the best players in the world. We don't focus for two minutes, that's enough time for them to score those three goals."

Goalie Chanda Gunn made 12 saves, but allowed the first three goals of the Olympics by American opponents. Maija Hassinen made 25 saves for Finland.


Canada: 8 - Sweden: 1
Women's Preliminary Round (Group A)

After a third straight blowout victory in the Olympic women's hockey tournament, Canada refused to apologize for being really good.

Gillian Apps scored three goals, Danielle Goyette added two more and the Canadians finished an overwhelming run through the preliminary round, routing Sweden 8-1 on Tuesday.

The game was much tougher than Canada's opening matches against Italy and Russia, which it won by a combined 28-0, but coach Melody Davidson's club still looks headed for a likely championship match against the U.S. on Monday.

With its vast advantage in goal differential, Canada will be the home team in the gold medal game if its wins its semifinal match. Some Canadian fans back home - and U.S. defenseman Angela Ruggiero - accused the Canadian team of running up the score against Italy and Russia.

The Canadians deny any intimations of bad sportsmanship, but forward Hayley Wickenheiser warned they won't show much mercy.

"This is the Olympics, and it matters," Wickenheiser said. "If there was no goal differential that mattered, we would probably dump the puck in and sit back. But it makes a mockery at the same time when you just sit back. Fans don't want to see that ... If I was watching (the U.S.) scoring so many goals, I might wonder, too, but differential does matter."

Being the home team means the Canadians would get the last line change during the gold medal match. Their opponent would have to make substitutions first, and Canada would be able to respond.

Apps, the 22-year-old granddaughter of Toronto Maple Leafs legend Syl Apps, scored three of Canada's first four goals in another easy win for the defending Olympic champions. Kim St. Pierre made seven saves for Canada.

"Sweden is more physical than what we've faced so far," Apps said. "It was good to get that test before the last two games. I think we're ready for the biggest games yet."

Ylva Lindberg scored late in the second period for Sweden (2-1), which also reached the semifinals as the second seed from Group A. The Swedes, who won bronze in Salt Lake City four years ago, sensed their predicament against Canada and rested top goalie Kim Martin for the semifinal match on Friday.

Still, Tuesday's game marked the first time in the tournament when things weren't easy for Canada. St. Pierre was forced to make a stunning stick save late in the first period, and Maria Rooth clanged a shot off the post shortly before the buzzer with Sweden trailing 3-0.

Sweden finally scored late in the second period when Lindberg's shot deflected off Goyette and rolled past a screened St. Pierre during a power play, ending Canada's string of 33 unanswered goals at the Olympics.

But that just made the Canadians mad, with Katie Weatherston and Jayna Hefford scoring to take a 7-1 lead into the third period.

Goyette, the 40-year-old three-time Olympian who carried Canada's flag in the opening ceremony, then added another goal.


Russia: 5 - Italy: 1
Women's Preliminary Round (Group A)

Years from now, Italians may not remember the scores of each contest during their women's hockey team's maiden voyage into the Olympics.

But they'll never forget the nation's first goal in the sport.

After being shut out in each of its first two games, Italy scored -- and actually had the game's initial lead Tuesday -- against Russia in the final game of pool play. Sabina Florian had the historic goal, eight minutes into the first period, but it would not hold up as Russia skated to a 5-1 victory.

Then again, Florian and her teammates may not remember the goal tomorrow morning.

"We were guests of Casa Italia where we got a bottle of Asti Spumante," Italy coach Markus Sparer said. 'I said whoever gets the first goal opens the bottle."

Russia tied the game by the period's end, and then scored four unanswered goals in the final two periods.

Russia finished pool play 1-2, while Italy was 0-3.

Russia's Olga Permyakova was taken from the ice on a stretcher in the second period, but her coach said she should make a full recovery.

"We got the information from the hospital that it's not a serious injury," Alexey Kalintsev said. "She will recover and I hope she will play in the next game."


Germany: 2 - Switzerland: 1
Women's Preliminary Round (Group B)

Michaela Lanzl had a goal and an assist and Jennifer Harss made 21 saves in Germany's 2-1 victory over Switzerland in the Olympic women's hockey tournament Tuesday night.

Lanzl, who plays at Minnesota-Duluth, scored early in the second period before setting up Christina Oswald's power-play goal several minutes later. Germany (1-2), which finished sixth in Salt Lake City, won for just the second time in its two trips to the Olympics.

"Switzerland is our rival," Lanzl said. "Three or four of our national team players play in Switzerland. It feels so good to beat our rivals."

Tina Schumacher scored Switzerland's first Olympic goal during the second period.

Patricia Elsmore-Sautter made 29 saves for the winless Swiss, who were shut out by the United States and Finland in their first two matches.

Switzerland's Kathrin Lehmann got a game misconduct penalty for slashing after the third-period buzzer.

"You don't do things like that," German coach Peter Kathan said. "She plays (professionally) in Germany, and I can't understand why she gets so mad at us at the end."

Credit: Associated Press