Shootout Wins USA Women Hockey Gold, Ending 20-Year Drought
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It was every bit the epic game that hockey fans everywhere were expecting.
After so many heartbreaking losses to archrival team Canada, Wednesday night's game was yet another women's hockey showdown for the Olympic gold.
"Very exciting. They came back and that goal on the breakaway was very sweet," hockey fan Aiden White said.
The U.S. Women's Olympic team is comprised of the same players who demanded parity with their counterpart male hockey players last spring. The governing agency, USA Hockey, was forced to concede. That action helped avert a boycott of the women's hockey World Championships, where the team went on to win the gold medal.
"I think it's really exciting to finally win, especially because it's a shootout. That was more exciting for everybody to watch," hockey fan Katie Pernsteiner of Eagan said.
Six members of team USA were members of the Minnesota Golden Gophers. After the momentous victory, the six players posed at center ice with their hard fought gold medals.
"It was just a legitimate great hockey game, with the talent and the passion," Gopher women's hockey coach Brad Frost said.
After the victory, Frost said he could not be more proud of his players.
"When the bright lights are turned on that is what everybody sees. But not everyone sees all the hard work they do to get to the spot they're at," Frost said.
The game was tied 2-2 after regulation play. Under Olympic hockey rules, it went into a 4-on-4 overtime. But when even that couldn't decide it, a shootout eventually would.
"Boy, that move she (Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson) had in the shootout was very filthy. I am a goalie and I couldn't stop that," hockey fan Luke Conway said.
Right after Lamoureux-Davidson's incredible shootout goal put the U.S. ahead, 20-year old University of Minnesota-Duluth goalie and Andover native Maddie Roonie stonewalled Canada's last chance.
Gloves and sticks flew into the air, and the 20-year gold medal drought was over. The long-awaited golden celebration was on.