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- Undefeated U.S. women’s hockey team crushes Finland 5-0, remaining dominant during the Milan-Cortina Olympics.
- Goalie Aerin Frankel posted a shutout facing just 11 shots, helping the U.S. lead the field with the best goal differential.
- Hilary Knight scored her 14th Olympic goal, tying the U.S. record and joining Natalie Darwitz and Katie King in women’s hockey history.
MILAN — The U.S. women’s hockey team came into the Milan-Cortina Winter Games ranked No. 1 in the world. And two games into group play, it’s shown that ranking might be something of an understatement.
With Saturday’s 5-0 victory over No. 3 Finland, the unbeaten Americans have outscored their two opponents 10-1 and outshot them 91-25. Their 10 goals are tied for most in the tournament, they have the best goal differential and goalie Aerin Frankel has the first shutout.
But that doesn’t mean the U.S. has nothing to fear in the Olympics. A fast-moving norovirus has already walloped two of the 10 teams in Milan, forcing Finland to postpone its first game and Switzerland to quarantine ahead of its second. Both countries came to Milan as medal contenders.
The Americans, meanwhile, have gold within their reach — provided they can stay healthy.
“We’re relying on our medical professionals to prepare us as best they can,” said captain Hilary Knight, whose second-period goal gave her 14 in Olympic competition, tying the all-time U.S. record. “We don’t want sort of an unfortunate bounce in our direction. It’s just washing hands, making sure we’re distancing when appropriate.”
“We’re obviously cautious, trying to do the best we can,” added defender Cayla Barnes. “Hopefully everything will be alright.”
The norovirus, a common disease that spreads through contaminated food, water or direct contact with an infected person, was first detected Tuesday night when Finnish coach Tero Lehtera was told some of his players were sick.
Symptoms of the virus, which can last as long as three days, include sudden and severe vomiting and diarrhea. So Finland was forced to cancel practice Wednesday, then missed its first game with Canada a day later because 13 of the team’s 23 players were still isolated in the athletes’ village.
American Hilary Knight has tirelessly advocated for the growth of women’s hockey as one of the sport’s biggest stars, and Caroline Harvey is ready to follow in her footsteps.
“It is the Olympic Games. We have been waiting for this for years,” said Kimmo Oikarinen, general manager of the Finnish team, the bronze medalist four years ago.
A day later Switzerland’s hockey team missed the opening ceremony when one of its one of its players tested positive for the virus, forcing the entire team into isolation. However its game with Canada went on as scheduled Saturday.
Olympic officials have downplayed the virus, saying there is “no outbreak” in the athletes’ village and there was reason to suspect the cases on Swiss and Finnish teams were related, even though the teams are staying in the same building, with Finland a floor below Sweden. The teams share common areas, including laundry facilities and dining rooms.
To its credit, Finland, already guaranteed a spot in the quarterfinals, didn’t use the virus as an excuse, counting Saturday’s loss as a win simply because the team made it onto the ice.
“We’re just trying to stay positive,” she said. “We’re just trying to go day by [day]. That was not the worst timing, because if it would have hit later, that would be way worse.”
Speaking of things that could be worse, if the Finns play the U.S. again in the knockout rounds it could be facing a team that’s even better than the one that dominated them Saturday.
“I’d like to think we always have another gear,” Barnes said. “Obviously we’re pushing the pace. But as we get deeper into the tournament, you’ve got to find that next gear.
“As the lights get bigger, that extra gear needs to come out.”
The Americans didn’t exactly have to pop the clutch to get started Saturday, with Alex Carpenter scoring her second first-period power-play goal in as many games to get the rout started. Taylor Heise, Megan Keller and Knight made it 4-0 with a trio of goals in seven-minute span early in the second period before Abbey Murphy closed out the scoring with less than six minutes to play.
Afterward Knight, playing in her fifth Olympics, suggested that the virus may indeed be her team’s most dangerous foe in Milan. Because if the Americans stay healthy, she promised, they’re only going to get better.
“We can definitely get better,” she said. “If you’re not evolving, we’re not doing anything the right way. So, yeah, there’s definitely things that we’re gonna work on and continue to develop.”
