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Matchup is looming for U.S. and Canada
By Zack Van Eyck
Deseret News Olympic specialist
WEST VALLEY CITY — Five weeks ago, Cherie Piper thought her Olympic experience would involve hanging out with friends and watching the Games on TV.
But that was before an unexpected Jan. 14 decision by Canadian women's hockey coach Daniele Sauvageau to drop veteran forward Nancy Drolet from the Olympic roster and add the 20-year-old Piper.
Tuesday, the Ontario native will enter Canada's medal-round semifinal game against Finland (11 a.m. at the E Center) with three Olympic goals, tied for second on the team behind Hayley Wickenheiser's four.
"It was definitely huge for me personally," Piper said of being named to the Olympic squad months after the supposed final roster was announced. "It was just shocking until I called my parents and friends and just let them know that I was going to the Olympics. That's when it started to sink in and now I'm just trying to soak it all up and enjoy the opportunity."
Piper had the credentials, if not the Olympic experience. She was the top scorer on Canada's Under 22 team last season and also played for the national squad in 2000-2001.
Drolet scored game-winning goals in World Championship victories over the U.S. in '97 and '00, but did not have much success in eight straight pre-Olympic losses to the Americans. Sauvageau's call-up of Piper was viewed as a move to increase Canada's goal-scoring potential, and the change has made the Canadian coach look good so far.
"I don't think I was brought in for that reason," Piper said of her penchant for finding the net. "Maybe it was just to make a change or maybe to bring some intensity to the team. But I play hockey because I enjoy it. I love the game, so I don't feel any pressure when I play."
Neither the Canadians nor the Americans are likely to feel much pressure Tuesday. Both are projected to win their semifinal games and advance to Thursday's gold-medal match. Canada and the U.S. have played for all 14 of the gold medals awarded in women's ice hockey (Olympics, World Championships and other sanctioned tournaments) since international play began in 1990. Team USA has won just two of those gold medals, including the first Olympic gold medal awarded in '98, but is favored to win this time around.
Canada (3-0) has never lost to Finland (2-1), which was pummeled 5-0 by Team USA on Saturday. And the U.S. (3-0) has never lost to its semifinal opponent, Sweden (2-1), which was blanked 11-0 by Canada on Saturday night. The U.S.-Sweden game will be played at 4:30 p.m., also at the E Center.
Finland and Sweden are likely destined for a bronze-medal showdown Thursday, but neither team has given up on something more.
"They have been unbeatable by far," Finland's Emma Laaksonen, who plays for the University of Ohio, said of Team USA. "But in the final game, I believe, we are going to be there and after that, they are not unbeatable anymore."
Sweden's Maria Rooth, who plays for the University of Minnesota-Duluth, acknowledged that a Canada-U.S. matchup in the finals is highly anticipated.
"They are both great teams. It doesn't matter what the score has been in the other games this year, I think it comes down to how they play that day," she said. "It will be interesting to see — if they get that far."
E-MAIL: zman@desnews.com
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February 18, 2002
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