MILAN – Undefeated Team USA, which has run through this women’s hockey tournament in spectacular and untested fashion so far, is heading to the Olympic gold medal game with another one-sided win, this time by a margin of 5-0 against Sweden on Monday.
The sixth-ranked Swedes punched their ticket to the semifinals after pulling off an upset over the Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, in the quarterfinals. There was a bit of gamesmanship from Swedish coach Ulf Lundberg heading into the game, telling the Associated Press, “I don’t really think that the U.S. team wants to meet us right now.”
The Swedes worked hard to keep this close, but the United States hardly seemed intimidated with yet another dominant performance starting with Cayla Barnes’ goal less than five minutes in. They got goals from five players and a fifth consecutive shutout and sixth consecutive win in a tournament where they have outscored six teams by a combined 31-1.
Their shutout streak is now 331 minutes, 23 seconds, and they haven’t allowed a goal since the second period of their first game against Czechia on Feb. 5. The Americans have scored at least five goals in all six of their games.
Barnes, Taylor Heise, Abbey Murphy, Laila Edwards and Hayley Scamurra scored for the Americans and Aerin Frankel was tested more than usual and turned away all 21 shots she faced for her third shutout of the tournament.
Sweden will still have a chance to get on the Olympic podium in a bronze medal game against the losing team of Monday’s second semifinal between Canada and Switzerland. The winner will face the U.S. in the championship game on Feb. 19.
Americans once again break out in the second period
The Americans reached this point of the tournament by outscoring their opponents dramatically, so Sweden seemed determined not to let this one get away early. Throughout the first period, the Swedes packed the house and played five-on-five almost like a penalty kill, trying to keep the U.S. to the outside. And they were more than willing to sacrifice their own opportunities to do so. They were outshot 13-2, not getting their first shot until more than 11 minutes into the game, and getting their second in the final minute.
But after making it through that period down just 1-0, thanks in large part to goaltender Ebba Svensson Träff, the Swedes seemed emboldened to start the second. They came out far more aggressive and outshot the Americans 8-2 to open the period. A Scamurra tripping penalty gave Sweden its best chance to break through against Frankel, but the U.S. remained perfect on the penalty kill for the tournament, improving at the time to 9-for-9.
A little more than a minute later, Heise banked in a Hannah Bilka pass of Svensson Träff to make it 2-0, essentially ending the Swedish threat. Like they’ve done all tournament, the Americans pulled away in the period, scoring three goals in less than three minutes to close out the middle frame with a 5-0 lead. Svensson Träff was ultimately pulled after allowing the game’s fourth goal.