U.S. Women's Backup Goalie's Husband Ready To Watch Wife Go For Gold
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The U.S. women's hockey team plays a big game against archrival Canada Wednesday.
The American team includes a backup goalie that set a national record for saves in her four years on the women's team at Robert Morris University.
Brianne McLaughlin stopped an NCAA record 3,809 shots. She graduated in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
A banner in the RMU Island Sports Complex proudly recalls the silver medal Brianne and her team brought home from Vancouver. But this time, they're going for the gold.
"It's once in a lifetime, but she gets to do it twice," says her husband, Logan Bittle.
The assistant coach of the Robert Morris women's team and his wife were hockey playing students when they met.
Her husband praised her work ethic.
"The dedication to basically be a part of this for two weeks, this two-week time frame, and really, the one gold medal game, it takes a really special person to do that," he said. "And I think that's something Brianne possesses."
That game has the makings of a grudge match. A brawl erupted when the two teams met in December, a rare event in women's hockey.
"It's funny because a lot of those kids played together, through college and through pro hockey," says her husband. "Then they put on the red, white and blue and the red and white and play each other, and something changes."
Passport in hand, Logan flies to Sochi on Sunday.
"The four year dedication that went into it will all be worth it," he says, "when they have that gold medal and they're singing the Star Spangled Banner at the end."
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