U.S. Women's Hockey Wins 2018 Olympic Gold

Exactly 38 years to the day that the Miracle on Ice occurred in Lake Placid, the U.S. Women’s Hockey Team won their first Olympic gold medal in 20 years with a 3-2 shootout victory over archrival Canada at the XXIII Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Maddie Rooney (Minnesota Duluth) finished with 29 saves through regulation and a 20-minute overtime, and then stopped four of six attempts in the shootout to lock up America’s first women’s hockey gold medal since 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Canada had won the last four gold medals since then, including three via a championship game victory against the Americans. Canada had also defeated the U.S., 2-1, in a preliminary-round contest last week.

Hilary Knight (Wisconsin) opened the scoring with a power-play goal in the first period, but Canada took the lead on second-period scores by Haley Irwin (Minnesota-Duluth) and Marie-Philip Poulin (Boston University). The Americans then tied the game on a third-period breakaway tally by Monique Lamoureux-Morando (North Dakota), before the two teams played a scoreless 4-on-4 overtime.  The U.S. outshot Canada, 42-31, through 80 minutes of play.

In the shootout, Canada got goals from Meghan Agosta (Mercyhurst) and Melodie Daoust (McGill), while Gigi Marvin (Minnesota), Amanda Kessel (Minnesota) and Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson (North Dakota) connected for Team USA.  Rooney then stopped Agosta on her second attempt to ice gold for the Americans.

U.S. Women Advance to 2018 Olympic Hockey Final

Dani Cameranesi (Minnesota) scored two goals and Maddie Rooney (Minnesota-Duluth) made 14 saves as the U.S. Olympic Women's Hockey Team blanked Finland, 5-0, in a semifinal match at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Gigi Marvin (Minnesota), Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson (North Dakota) and Hilary Knight (Wisconsin) also scored for the Americans, who bested Finland, 3-1, in their Olympic opener last week. For Knight, it was also her 100th career goal in a USA uniform. Noora Räty (Minnesota) made 33 saves for Finland, which had advanced to the semifinals by routing rival Sweden, 7-2.

The U.S. will now take on archrival Canada (Wed., 11:10 p.m. ET, NBCSN) for the gold medal, the fifth time in the last six Olympics that the two neighboring nations will meet with gold on the line. Canada has won the last four golds after the U.S. claimed the inaugural women's gold in 1998, and also edged the U.S., 2-1, in a preliminary round game last week despite being outshot almost two-to-one.

The U.S. men's team will face Slovakia in an elimination game tonight at 10:10 p.m. ET (NBCSN).

U.S. Women Win 2018 Olympic Opener

The U.S. Women's Olympic Hockey Team is off to a good start following a 3-1 victory over Finland on Sunday in Pyeongchang, South Korea. It was the opening game for both teams at the XXIII Olympic Winter Games.

After Finland took a 1-0 lead with less than six seconds remaining in the first period, the U.S. would tie the game early in the second stanza on a rebound goal by Monique Lamoureux-Morando (North Dakota). The Americans then took the lead for good when Hilary Knight (Wisconsin) set up Kendall Coyne (Northeastern) for a one-timer from the right side.

Dani Cameranesi (Minnesota) closed out the scoring with 13 seconds remaining in regulation.  Maddie Rooney (Minnesota-Duluth) made 23 saves for the U.S. in her Olympic debut, while Olympic veteran and two-time NCAA champion Noora Räty (Minnesota) had 39 stops for the Finns.

Team USA will now face the Olympic Athletes From Russia in a Group A match on Tuesday at 7:10 a.m. ET at Kwandong Hockey Centre.

U.S. Wins Women's World Hockey Gold Again

 

Alex Carpenter didn't win an NCAA championship with Boston College this season. A second straight world title with the United States will have to suffice.

Carpenter’s goal 12:30 into overtime lifted the Americans to a 1-0 victory over host Canada on Monday night in the 2016 IIHF Women's World Championship gold medal game at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops, B.C. It marked the third straight time the U.S. has garnered world gold, including last year’s triumph in Sweden, and the 17th straight time America has faced Canada for gold since the women’s world tournament began in 1990 in Ottawa.

After the two teams traded power plays in the extra session last night, a shot from the right side by Megan Bozak (Minnesota) was tipped in front by Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson (North Dakota). Team Canada goalie Emerance Maschmeyer (Harvard) made the initial save, but the puck trickled behind her where Carpenter found it and slammed it over the goal line for the lone goal of the game, and her only goal of the tournament. Maschmeyer finished with 33 saves, while Alex Rigbsy (Wisconsin) made 32 stops for the U.S., which won all five of its games in the tournament.

The U.S. has now won seven out of the last nine women’s world tournaments, according to IIHF.com, and six of the last seven world crowns. Canada settled for silver for a third straight spring, minus the 2014 Olympics, while Russia claimed this year’s bronze after topping Finland, 1-0, in a shootout earlier yesterday.

Hilary Knight (Wisconsin) of the U.S. was named Best Forward and Tournament MVP after leading all players with seven goals and nine points in five games, while Maschmeyer was chosen as Top Goaltender with a 1.25 goals-against average and .956 save percentage in five outings. Monique Lamoureux (North Dakota) of the Team USA was also named to the tournament all-star team along with Knight after collecting two goals and seven points in five games.

The 2017 IIHF Women's World Championship will be contested next April in Plymouth, Mich.