World’s Big 2, U.S., Canada, Itch to Play

NAGANO, Japan —  The gulf separating the top two women’s hockey teams in the world from the rest of the pack is so wide that the round-robin phase of the first women’s Olympic hockey tournament was merely a formality.

There was no suspense, not with the U.S. outscoring its opponents, 26-3, in winning its first four games and Canada winning its first four by a combined 24-5.

The tournament has lacked surprises, but it won’t lack for emotion when Canada and the U.S. meet for the gold medal Tuesday at Aqua Wing. Before that, however, they will meet in the round-robin finale Saturday to determine which team will have the better seeding--and the last line change--on Tuesday.

Both teams clinched berths in the gold-medal game Thursday, with the U.S. overpowering Japan, 10-0, and Canada holding off Finland, 4-2. Both claim they’re at the top of their game and ready for the stiff challenge each team knows only the other can provide.

“I think we respect them. A lot of people try to build this into hate, but it’s not,” said defenseman Geraldine Heaney, who scored Canada’s second goal Thursday. “We know them well, and they know us well, and we’re looking forward to playing them.

“We’re the top two countries in the world, and we bring out the best in each other. You can see the difference when we play each other and when we’re playing other teams.”

Neither team has lost to anyone but the other. Each defeated Finland in this tournament, 4-2, and Finnish Coach Rauno Korpi sees very little difference between the two finalists.

“The game will be really even, a close game,” said Korpi, whose team will face China for the bronze medal Tuesday. “I guess the Canadian team is going to win. The U.S. team has one advantage, as we had--we could start the game as underdogs. . . .

“[Canada is] used to winning. They won the world championships and got to the tournament final here. They play a little bit more solid tactical hockey. They can handle pressurized situations a little bit better than the U.S. team.”

Canada faced some moderate pressure Thursday, but withstood a late charge by Finland on the strength of two goals by Therese Brisson and one each by Heaney and Danielle Goyette.

U.S. players dispute Canada’s superiority.

“This week, I’m not sure if they’ve had problems on their team or not, but they don’t seem to be taking every team seriously,” said winger Shelley Looney, who scored twice Thursday in a five-goal first period for the United States. “They didn’t score as many goals as I thought, but they came out ahead. They didn’t come up for every game, but that doesn’t mean when we meet up with them, they’re going to sit back.”

Each team also claims to be holding some secrets--which might be difficult to believe after they’ve played 13 exhibition games.

“They may not have shown us all their cards, and we may not have shown them all of our cards,” said U.S. forward Karyn Bye, who scored her fifth goal of the tournament Thursday and is tied with Goyette for the scoring lead with eight points. “We play with a full deck, and we’ve got a few more cards up our sleeve.”