The U.S. women’s hockey team was expected to win. Rather, they should had won. After all the U.S. team was up by 2-0 against Canada. Trailing by two goals, it seemed Canada’s golden ticket path to the medal would soon be swept away. The U.S. would finally beat Canada and earn their gold medal.
Canada stunned the world and their American counterparts as they rallied with just under four minutes left in the game. With stunning accuracy and prowess, Marie-Philip Poulin closed the casket over America’s gold medal dreams. Poulin also lead the Canadian team to tie scores with the U.S. team with just 55 seconds left in the game.
U.S. captain Meghan Duggan and Alex Carpenter scored the two only goals for the American women’s hockey team. The U.S. team gathered together after the game, their somber faces marred with tears as they watched Canada’s flag rise above their own. The golden ticket of dreams was dashed by the bitter win of silver.
The U.S. coach Katey Stone stated the game of hockey comes down to the “inches, bounces of the puck” and when in competitive sport, each moment is a new chance to rise above the opposing team. The U.S. team remain loved by their country, even though they aimed hard and fast for the gold.
The irony of the win was not lost on fans. Canadian player Poulin crushed the American girls dreams this year, but her reminder is painful. In Vancouver at the tender age of 18 and just a rookie, Poulin scored two goals in under three minutes to swipe the gold from the Americans. It is a repeated mantra with the same results. Poulin is proven to be a dream robber for the U.S. women’s hockey team.
From questionable penalties that may had bolstered Canada’s win, the Americans saw their dream crumble within a span of four minutes. The hardest hit on the team is the four time returning Olympian Julie Chu, this was her last year hitting the Olympics. She placed on a brave face and poetically spoke about how dedication and commitment marked the journey for the U.S. hockey team.
The Canadian women’s hockey team trounced the U.S. women’s hockey team in the final moments, nabbing the golden ticket to a medal win. While silver shows the dedication to the sport, the women do not feel they have won silver, only they have lost the gold.
Contributing: Angelina Bouc