Dartmouth seniors Gillian Apps and Cherie Piper continued their rapid scoring pace and two-time Patty Kazmaier winner Jennifer Botterill (Harvard ’03) assisted on two other goals in Canada’s 4-1 win Gold Medal Game win over Sweden. Piper and Apps finished tied for the tournament lead with seven goals scored. The effort capped the most dominant performance by one team in the history of Olympic women’s hockey.
Boston College assistant coach Katie King closed out her Olympic career in style with a pure hat trick to cap a 4-0 Bronze Medal Game win over Finland. Harvard senior Julie Chu was the Americans’ top playmaker with the primary assist on the first and fourth U.S. goals.
Canada 4, Sweden 1
Apps notched her seventh goal of the tournament when she cut across the slot and slipped a backhander past Martin into the opposite corner at 3:15 of the first period.
Caroline Ouellette (Minnesota-Duluth ’05) made it a 2-0 game at 12:13 of the first period when she one-timed a feed across from Jayna Hefford, on a rush into the zone started by Botterill.
Piper extended Canada’s lead to 3-0 when she one-timed a feed in front from Hayley Wickenheiser behind the net. Apps did not figure on the goal, but she drew away all attention from Piper on the other side of the net.
Botterill and Harvard sophomore Sarah Vaillancourt each assisted on the fourth Canadian goal just 1:29 later. Vaillancourt brought the puck into the zone, and Botterill carried it behind the net and fed Hefford in front for the score.
Former UMD stars Erika Holst ’03 and Maria Rooth ’03 assisted on the third period’s lone goal when they passed the puck back and forth behind the net and fed Gunilla Andersson in the high slot for the score.
Future UMD goalie Kim Martin stopped 22 of 26 shots for Sweden, who only put eight shots on Canada’s net.
U.S. 4, Finland 0
The U.S. wasted no time putting this game away, scoring three goals in the first period.
Chu’s shot from the point on the power play was deflected in by Kelly Stephens for the first U.S. goal 2:32 into the game.
King deposited goals on great individual skating efforts at 8:09 and 11:05 of the first period. On each, she carried the puck into the zone herself and dazzled the Finnish netminder. Yale sophomore Helen Resor earned an assist on King’s first goal and Jenny Potter (UMD ’04) had the assist on King’s second.
Chu fed King for a one-timer at the crease at 11:44 of the second period to complete King’s pure hat trick. Kristin King also earned an assist on the goal.
Despite the hat trick, Katie King’s best shot might have been with 12 seconds left when she cross-checked a Finnish player, who had hit Kristin King from behind. As a result of her dedication, Katie closed out her playing career in the penalty box.
