Palmer native scores goal, chance to play for Olympic gold medal

VANCOUVER — Kerry Weiland of Palmer will get to play in the gold medal game that everyone expected — the U.S. against Canada in women’s hockey.

Weiland, a defenseman competing in her first Olympics, scored her first goal of the tournament as the U.S. routed Sweden 9-1 on Monday afternoon at Canada Hockey Place.

A few hours later, Canada blanked Finland 5-0 to confirm the third gold-medal game between the rivals in the last four Olympics.

“The work’s not done. We’re going to have to play a full 60 minutes and really put our hearts out on the line and not be afraid of what could happen,” Weiland said of Thursday’s showdown, in which host Canada will be favored. “It’s a dream come true to be playing Canada.”

In their first four games in Vancouver, the U.S. and Canada have been utterly dominant, outscoring their opponents by a combined score of 86-4.

But the Americans made sure not to overlook Sweden, which behind goalie Kim Martin’s 37 saves shocked them 3-2 in a semifinal shootout in Italy in 2006. The Americans wound up with a disappointing bronze medal, while Canada beat the Swedes for gold. Six players from that team suited up Monday.

“I think definitely in the back of everybody’s mind was that we make sure we take care of business today and we don’t look past anyone,” said Weiland, who was cut from the 2006 team, moved temporarily to Switzerland to play club hockey,and watched from the stands as her teammates lost to Sweden.

Martin is still the goalie for Sweden, but the Americans solved her Monday with relentless pressure.

“It’s going to be the second, third and fourth opportunities on a goalie that can be that hot, so that’s what we did,” Weiland said. “We just tried to take her eyes away so she couldn’t see the puck, and when she was down, you’ve got to lift it over her.”

The U.S. built a comfortable 4-0 lead after 26 minutes on goals by Monique Lamoureux(through Martin’s five-hole), Meghan Duggan (power-play rebound), Angela Ruggiero (top shelf) and Caitlin Cahow (botched glove save by Martin).

The game was well in hand when Weiland made it 7-1 with a shot 7:15 into the third period that worked its way through a wall of players. Weiland, who previously had one assist in the tournament, thought a teammate might have tipped it in, but the official score sheet said otherwise.

“My teammates really put their bodies in the way for a shot to screen the goalie,” Weiland said. “As far as I can tell I was the last that put it in.”

Weiland now has an Olympic souvenir to go with the upcoming medal. “I think (my teammates) grabbed that puck for me. That will be a moment in my life that I’ll always cherish,” Weiland said. “But that’s an individual accomplishment. We’re here for a team goal. No goal will ever out-do a chance … at having a gold medal around our necks.”

Weiland is one of seven Alaskans at these Olympics and will almost certainly be the

only one to bring home a medal. That makes her the fifth Alaskan to medal at the Olympics, joining Alpine skiers Hilary Lindh and Tommy Moe, snowboarder Rosey Fletcher and women’s hockey player Pam Dreyer. Another snowboarder, J.J. Thomas, was born in Fairbanks but won his 2002 bronze as a Colorado resident.

Lamoureux, from North Dakota, wound up with a hat trick Monday and seven other Americans scored two points.

U.S. coach Mark Johnson, on the 30th anniversary of the Miracle on Ice win over the Russians that he starred in at Lake Placid, shrugged off the fact that Canada has topped the U.S. women in recent meetings.

“History tells us what happens prior to the Olympics doesn’t matter,” Johnson

said in a press conference, pointing out that the U.S. was 8-0 going into the 2002 Salt Lake City games, only to lose in that final to Canada.

The Americans have won gold, beating Canada at the inaugural women’s tournament in 1998 in Nagano, Japan.

On Thursday, Canada may benefit from a huge flag-waving crowd, but that didn’t help the Canadian men during a 5-3 loss to the U.S. on Sunday.

“I do know how much pressure is going to be on their shoulders,” said Ruggiero,a four-time Olympian. “I know what they have to deal with. It’s a lot.”