Full Speed Ahead for U.S.

It’s getting difficult to keep up with the U.S. women’s hockey team. Sometimes they score before the public-address announcer has a chance to finish giving the details of the previous goal.

At times the crowd tried counting up the goal tally in the first two games, sometimes running off more numbers than an episode of “Sesame Street,” but ditched that Thursday after No. 10.

The U.S. defeated China, 12-1, in a preliminary-round game at the Peaks Ice Arena, giving the Americans 22 goals on 128 shots (including 71 Thursday).

“It’s definitely a contagious feeling,” said U.S. forward Katie King, who scored two goals Thursday.

“Everyone loves to see the scoreboard light up. We just try to rush the net and get the puck in the goal. One line scores, then the next and the next. Every line on this team can score, and that’s what makes us a good team.”

Team captain Cammi Granato had a hat trick and Laurie Baker had two goals as well.

The most unlikely goal came 16 minutes into the second period. That’s when Yang Xiuqing took a couple of strides past center ice, flipped the puck at the American net and saw it trickle between U.S. goalie Sarah Tueting’s skates.

“It was such a fluke thing,” Tueting said. “I was looking down at my pads and suddenly I heard her scream. It was like a bouncing ball, not a puck.”

Even Yang had to admit: “It was kind of a lucky goal.”

It’s the only goal scored against the U.S. so far in the tournament. China has scored before against the U.S., so it didn’t exactly mark a major breakthrough for a country that has only 100 women’s hockey players.

But it did serve as a reminder to the Americans that they aren’t so invincible that they can afford lapses in concentration.

“You have to keep telling yourself: ‘Watch the puck’” Tueting said. “Before the game I was looking for my parents in the stands. I haven’t looked for my parents since I was 7 years old.

“That was exactly the problem. When you’re focused, you don’t even see the crowds, the flags, anything. There could be purple people up there and it wouldn’t make a difference.”

U.S. Coach Ben Smith has said that Tueting and Sara DeCosta will alternate starts in goal during the tournament.

The rotation plays out that DeCosta would get the start for the U.S. in the gold medal game. Tueting’s only chance to get that start would be to put on an overwhelming goaltending display.

She didn’t get many opportunities to redeem herself Thursday, as the Chinese managed only 10 shots.

Teams have trouble getting the puck past the Americans and into the offensive zone.

The U.S. had its own troubles in the first period, when players tried to do everything themselves. After Smith encouraged them to stay true to the team’s nature and pass more, the offense opened up with five goals in the second period.

Two goals came in a span of 35 seconds. In the third period, the U.S. scored twice in 30 seconds.

That was more offense than the Chinese showed all day. They went an entire five-minute power play without recording a shot on goal.

The penalty came when Tricia Dunn checked a Chinese player against the glass from behind at the end of the first period. Dunn received a game misconduct.

The U.S. plays Finland next. Finland, which defeated Germany, 3-1, Thursday, has finished third in six of the seven women’s World Championships, and this is expected to be the American’s toughest test in the preliminary round.

They didn’t play the Finns in their pre-Olympic tour because a November trip for a tournament in Finland was scrapped in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

In the case of common opponents, Finland only beat China by four goals. But at least it didn’t allow China to score.

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Katja Riipi scored Finland’s first goal and assisted on the other two to key a 3-1 victory over Germany.

Tuula Puputti stopped 15 shots for Finland (2-0). Stephanie Wartosch-Kurten made 36 saves and Julia Wierscher scored Germany’s first goal of the Olympics with 6:05 left.

Finland, which has already beaten China, essentially clinched a berth in the medal round. Germany (0-2) is all-but eliminated from medal contention.