The Associated Press
The United States' Cammi Granato (21) celebrates after scoring in the first period on Tuesday during a 4-0 semifinal victory over Sweden. In the background is teammate Katie King.

U.S. women to face Canada for gold

GANNETT NEWS SERVICE

Originally published Wednesday, February 20, 2002

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah -- The shelves that once housed the Cammi Granato bobblehead doll at the souvenir tent were barren. Sold out, apparently.

Or maybe there was a recall. After all, the originals have no gold medal draped around the neck, which is the look Granato and her U.S. women's hockey teammates will have if they can win one more game at the Salt Lake City Olympics.

Team USA, behind a pair of goals from Granato, reached the gold-medal game by defeating Sweden 4-0 on Tuesday at the E Center.

"When the buzzer went off it hit me that we're in the gold-medal game," forward Julie Chu said.

The Americans will, of course, play Canada on Thursday, a rematch of the 1998 championship game in Nagano. In the world of women's hockey, the two countries tower above everyone else. They are the Yankees and Red Sox amongst a group of Little League teams.

There has never been a women's World Championship or Olympics that didn't end with the United States and Canada playing for gold.

"The two best teams are in the final," Team USA coach Ben Smith said.

Neither team painted a semifinal masterpiece to get there, however.

Finland took a 3-2 lead into the third period before Canada erupted for five goals and won 7-3. The Americans watched much of that game during lunch, so they were perhaps on alert when they played Sweden.

"We knew we definitely couldn't be complacent," Chu said.

Yet they still lacked luster. While Team USA was in total control from the outset, they lacked their typical killer instinct. The Americans outshot Sweden 32-10 after averaging 59 shots in blowout wins over Germany, China and Finland.

"It's good to see teams giving the U.S. and Canada a hard time," said Sweden forward Erika Holst.

Smith wholeheartedly agreed.

"Here we are, right on the verge of being where we're trying to get, and I think the Swedish team thought they had the chance of a lifetime, and that's why you had a very hard-fought game," he said.

For the first time since arriving in Salt Lake City, the Americans actually were required to play hard until the end, something they did out of habit but not necessity in their first three games.

"We played very well," Swedish coach Christian Yngve said, "but I also think they have another gear to put it in."

The gold medal game will once again provide the ultimate finale. The Americans went 8-0 against Canada during the pre-Olympic tour, but when they last played for gold -- at the 2001 World Championships -- the Canadians prevailed 3-2.

"We've always said no one was handing out medals in those games, they were exhibition games," Canadian forward Vicky Sunohara said. "We know we have to play 60 minutes of great hockey to win and we're ready to do it."

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