U.S. team no shoo-in, women say

Despite their 31-0 hockey record, they aren't thinking or acting like favorites.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published February 12, 2002

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah -- How can the United States women's hockey team not be confident a second gold medal is in the bag? How can it not be overconfident?

The team finished its pre-Olympic schedule at 31-0-0, and last week pasted the Russians 7-0 in an exhibition.

The numbers are so overwhelming that the United States, which won the first women's hockey gold medal at the 1998 Games in Nagano, Japan, is drawing comparisons to the Soviet Union's Big Red Machine, which dominated the men's game from the 1960s through the '80s.

But captain Cammi Granato said she need only recall the Soviets' shocking loss to the United States in the 1980 Games to keep her focused.

"Everyone asks us about the gold medal and we haven't even played the first game yet," Granato said. "It doesn't matter who's the favorite. We know what our goal is and we're preparing for that.

"There are no shoo-ins here."

The United States, which opens Olympic play today against Germany at the E Center, is probably as close to that as a team can get.

It gets terrific goaltending from Sarah Tueting and Sara DeCosta. It uses four lines and goes eight deep on defense. It also defeated Canada, the seven-time defending world champion, eight times during the pre-Olympic tour.

"Going into Nagano, nobody thought the U.S. could win," Canadian coach Danielle Sauvegeau said. "Now nobody thinks they can lose."

It is up to coach Ben Smith to keep his team playing with an edge.

He does it in obvious ways.

"We'll bring out all the cliches," Smith said.

Such as?

"You have to take it one game at a time" and "we know what's at stake out there."

Oh, and don't forget, "It's an exciting opportunity to show what this team can do."

Smith also works subtly by reinforcing basics like passing and shooting.

"The way he has pushed us has brought our level up," Granato said. "It's been great for our team."

The team also has gotten a jolt of enthusiasm from six young newcomers, who have gotten practical lessons from the 14 veterans.

"We've sat them down and told them what to expect," forward Karyn Bye said.

Cue the cliche.

"What happened in the past doesn't matter," she said. "It's a clean slate and we have to take it one game at a time."

The United States and Canada are in an interesting position.

While Smith said, "I'd like to win every game 45-0," he knows women's hockey will gain greater acceptance only through better competition.

Smith said Canada and the United States have huge advantages. Canada's great hockey tradition attracts good athletes, and the United States has Title IX, which attempts to ensure equal athletic opportunities for men and women.

Those advantages have moved the teams far ahead of the other Olympic entries: Russia, China, Kazakstan, Germany, Finland and Sweden.

Going into the Olympics, though, it is the United States that has been far superior to Canada, its expected opponent in the gold-medal game.

"I think everybody is writing us off going into Salt Lake City," Canada assistant captain Hayley Wickenheiser said. "But that just motivates us even more. It's a one-game deal and we know we can beat them. It's a confidence thing. It's a psychological thing, and we just have to give it our all in that one game."

For the United States, it seems the natural thing.

"Our expectations are realistic," Granato said. "But the Olympics is the greatest challenge for any athlete to take the gold. They don't hand these things out. That's the question of the next two weeks. Who will handle the pressure to perform?"

As for comparisons to the Big Red Machine, Granato said they are, at the least, premature.

"They were a legendary team," she said. "They proved themselves. We still have a lot to prove."

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