Americans to Face a Team on the Rise

In its third game, the U.S. women’s hockey team finally will get its first real test.

Finland, seeded third behind Canada and the United States in the inaugural women’s tournament, will provide the stiffest challenge the U.S. has yet faced. Confident after shredding China’s defense, 5-0, and fending off Sweden’s physical play in a 7-1 victory, the U.S. players feel prepared tonight at Aqua Wing to face a skillful team that has given them some nervous moments in exhibition games.

“We’ve played pretty well, and I consider these two games the biggest games we’ve played,” center A.J. Mleczko said. “Good teams always have more potential.”

Said U.S. Coach Ben Smith: “I thought we played OK [against Sweden]. I’d like to see us play better. We’re fortunate that we have a team that has great balance and depth.”

Finland has been a step below Canada and the U.S. in skill and offensive power since the inception of women’s international play, finishing third behind Canada and the U.S. at the first four women’s world championships. It has never defeated the U.S., but the teams tied, 3-3, in December at the Three Nations Cup in pre-Olympic play and it lost to the U.S. once by one goal and once by two during their four other pre-Olympic exhibitions.

“Finland is a pretty physical team, and their speed really makes them dangerous,” U.S. left wing Katie King said. “We’re going to have to come out hard and strong to defend against them.”

Finland, Canada and the U.S. are 2-0, but Finland leads the group because of its plus-16 goal differential, built in a 6-0 rout of Sweden and an 11-1 rout of Japan.

“They’re a fast team and they have a couple of smart lines and some good defensemen,” U.S. defenseman Sue Merz said. Defenseman Kirsi Maaria Haenninen, one of Finland’s biggest players at 5 feet 10 and 152 pounds, used her booming slap shot to score three power-play goals against Japan. She is the top-scoring defenseman in the tournament, with four points. Forward Hanna-Riikka Niemenen, voted to the all-tournament team at each of the last three world championships, is the Olympic scoring leader with three goals and six points.

“Their special teams concern me a lot because they have a very potent power play that centers around [Haenninen], who is a highly skilled player and maybe shoots the puck as hard as anybody in the tournament,” Smith said.

The U.S. has been solid on special teams, scoring five power-play goals in 14 advantages and one short-handed goal. Karyn Bye leads the team in scoring with three goals and four points.

Goaltender Sarah Tueting, who stopped 10 shots in the opener, will start again today as Smith continues his goalie rotation. Sara DeCosta made two saves against Sweden.