Palmer native to play in Winter Olympics women's hockey gold medal game

VANCOUVER — Palmer native Kerry Weiland scored a third-period goal to help lead Team USA to a 9-1 win over Sweden during the semifinals of the 2010 Winter Olympics women’s hockey tournament in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on Monday.

With the win, Team USA skates into the gold medal game, where Weiland and her teammates will play either Canada or Finland on Thursday. Canada and Finland will meet in the other semifinal today at 4 p.m. AST. Weiland is also now guaranteed of earning at least a silver medal in the Olympic Games.

Weiland scored her first career Olympic Games goal 7 minutes and 15 seconds into the third period. That score gave Team USA the commanding 7-1 lead.

Weiland, a 1999 graduate of Palmer High School, scored a goal and posted a +2 rating in about 15 minutes of ice time. The blueliner now has a goal, an assist and a +6 rating in four games.

— Jeremiah Bartz