In a display of highly competitive ice hockey, the Canadian women’s team beat the United States women’s team 3-2, winning the gold at the XXII Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The Canadian team was the three-time defending Olympic champion, making this its fourth consecutive gold win at the Winter Olympics.
“We wouldn’t want to face anyone else in the gold-medal game,” United States forward Amanda Kessel said in an interview with USA Today February 20. “They’re the defending Olympic champions so you want to play the best.”
Despite defeat, the United States put up a strong, aggressive front against Canada. By the end of the second period Canada had not scored, while the United States was ahead with two goals. In the third period, Canada scored its first goal, and then a second with 54 seconds left on the clock, tying the game. Canada took the lead to win the gold with a third goal in overtime.
The game aired February 20 at noon on the NBC Olympic channel. Although most students at Convent of the Sacred Heart were in classes at that time, some Upper School students were able to watch the game as it was live streamed to a projector screen in the Core Center.
“Watching the Olympics with my friends surrounding me was surreal. Here we were, all gathered together in support of the same team whom we desperately wanted to win. We laughed, cheered and got nervous, all together as a community,” senior Janice Comer said.
The United States women’s hockey team holds a special place in the hearts of Sacred Heart students because Director of Athletics, Ms. Kelly Stone, is the proud sister of US women’s hockey coach, Katey Stone.
-Bianca Chiappelloni, Video Content Editor