News Associate Editor
In one of the biggest upsets in Olympic hockey since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice,” the Swedish Womens Hockey Team defeated the United States in Friday’s semifinal round, ending the gold medal hopes of an American squad which features three Choate alumni. Sweden’s 3-2 triumph in a shootout marked the first time the United States Women’s Hockey team had lost to an opponent other than Canada in international competition.The Americans, who had beaten Sweden in all of their previous 25 contests, mounted a formidable offensive assault, but were thwarted by 19-year-old Swedish goalie Kim Martin, who stopped 37 shots including all five in the shootout. Three-time Olympian and Choate alum Angela Ruggiero ‘98 had a chance to break the tie in the shootout but missed an open net. When Sweden’s Pernilla Winberg and Maria Rooth scored on their successive attempts, the stunning fate was sealed for a U.S. expected to meet Canada in the gold-medal game for the third consecutive Olympics.“It hurts, it stings,” said Ruggiero, who spoke of the importance of not looking past opponents like Sweden when she visited Choate with her teammates to play the Boys Varsity Hockey Team last month. “I’m in shock,” she told the New York Times.The Swedes got two goals from Rooth during the first three periods of action and rode the spectacular goaltending performance of Martin to victory. “Their goalie stood on her head, basically,” said U.S. forward Kristin King in an interview with the Times. The Swedish netminder, who led her country to a bronze medal at the 2002 Salt Lake Games as a 15-year-old, sat out Sweden’s previous contest to rest up for the showdown with the heavily-favored Americans. Apparently, the extra downtime served its purpose, as Martin stifled five Americans, including one of the world’s top players, Angela Ruggiero, in the deciding shootout.“The puck bobbled off the stick. That’s the way it goes,” explained Ruggiero to the Times after missing the cage on her second shootout attempt (the first was discounted because Martin moved too early).The game was filled with other missed opportunities for the U.S. Women. They held a 2-0 early in the game, but allowed the Swedes to come back and tie on a shorthanded goal to send the game to overtime. The U.S was unable to convert a 1 minute 23 second five-on-three advantage in the second period and could not score on a power-play in the extra frame.After the game, the Americans’ emotions ranged from surprise to disappointment. “It is tough and it is hard to take,” U.S. forward Kristin King told ESPN.com. “I don’t know what to do with myself.”U.S. Coach Ben Smith spoke of his frustration at the Americans’ inability to match Sweden’s determination while Ruggiero tried to take a wider view. “Everybody talks of the USA and Canada, but this may just open the world’s eyes to the fact that there are other teams out there. We’re back on our heels right now, but if you can take something positive away from this, then maybe it’s that,” she told ESPN.com.The Swedish women were equally shocked by their improbable victory. It’s hard to believe,” said forward Erika Holst on ESPN.com. “When it was over, I had to ask people what had happened. We were the only ones to believe in this result.” The Swedes will have to engineer another upset against Canada to capture the gold medal.
