Monday's women's ice hockey gold medal game was not the North American battle many prognosticators had anticipated.
Both the United States and Canada clinched medals in Torino, but not against each other in the gold medal game, as was overwhelmingly projected. Instead, splitting the two North American hockey powerhouses on the podium was Sweden, which took silver after a 4-1 loss to the Canadians.
Canada, considered by many to be the favorite team on both the men's and women's sides, defeated Sweden to win its second straight Olympic gold. Sweden reached the finals courtesy of an upset win over Team USA in a stunning semifinal matchup that required a shootout to break a 2-2 tie.
Canada dominated the gold medal game from the first face-off, creating offensive chances and challenging Swedish goalie Kim Martin. Just 3:15 into the first period, Canadian forward Gillian Apps nonchalantly backhanded a shot that trickled past Martin to put her team up 1-0.
Forward Caroline Ouellette added her fifth goal of the tournament halfway through the first period to increase Canada's lead. Sweden entered the first intermission thoroughly dominated, having mustered just two shots on goal.
The Swedes came out hard in the beginning of the second period, but were unable to contain the rush of Canadian scoring. Almost nine minutes in, Cherie Piper took a pass in front of the net from Hayley Wickenheiser and snuck it past Martin for a 3-0 advantage. Less than two minutes later, Jayna Hefford scored a similar goal, taking a pass from Jennifer Botterill from the other side of the ice.
Both goaltenders played well, although Charline Labonte of Canada was hardly challenged, facing only eight shots to the 26 directed at Martin. Three of those shots came in the third period, by far the best of the day for the Swedish team.
With Ouellette in the penalty box for body checking (illegal in women's hockey), Gunilla Andersson fired a slapshot up over Labonte to put the Swedes on the board. Erika Holst and Maria Rooth got the assists for their 30-second game of catch behind the net before feeding Andersson for the score.
Those assists aside, Holst and Rooth were held silent along with the rest of the Swedish offense, which squandered five other power play opportunities by the end of the game. Canada's defense and penalty killing held the Swedes at bay for the final 10 minutes before they flew onto the ice to celebrate their gold medal.
The United States clinched the bronze medal in convincing fashion on Monday afternoon, defeating Finland 4-0. The Finns, who had lost to Canada in the other semifinal matchup, managed just 14 shots and failed to score on ten power play opportunities.
The U.S. was led by Katie King, who tallied a hat trick on four shots. Kelly Stephens added the other American goal, while Julie Chu added two assists. Chanda Gunn was perfect in net, stopping all 14 Finnish shots en route to her second clean slate of the playoffs.
These winter Olympics showcased the increasing diversity and widening field of competitors in women's hockey. Coming into Torino, the United States and Canada had lost only to each other. But with impressive wins en route to the medal round, Finland and Sweden showed a previously-unseen level of international competitiveness.
The excitement and competitiveness of this tournament will likely encourage countries to put time and money into their women's hockey programs. The gap between the European and North American teams is beginning to close, but European teams know that it will be a lengthy process.
In 2010, at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the Canadians will defend their title on home ice. But in four years, they may have a whole new slew of competitors ready to wrestle the gold from the two-time defending champs.
