Women’s Hockey Team Is Unveiled

Goaltender Chanda Gunn of Huntington Beach and former Simi Valley resident Angela Ruggiero were among the 20 players nominated to the U.S. Olympic women’s hockey team on Tuesday.

Ruggiero, a defenseman who now lives in Harper Woods, Mich., was one of four players selected to appear in her third Olympic tournament. The others are forwards Jenny Potter of Edina, Minn., Katie King of Salem, N.H., and Tricia Dunn-Luoma of Derry, N.H.

The U.S. Olympic team defeated Canada to win the first women’s Olympic hockey gold medal at Nagano in 1998 but lost to Canada at Salt Lake City in 2002. “I learned from it,” Krissy Wendell of Brooklyn Park, Minn., Team USA’s captain, said of watching the Canadians celebrate at center ice in 2002.

“It makes me a little more driven for this one.”

The U.S. women’s team defeated Canada for its first world championship last spring, but Canada has prevailed in seven of their last eight meetings. The teams will play twice more before the Turin Games -- on Friday at St. Paul, Minn., and on Sunday at Winnipeg, Canada.

U.S. Coach Ben Smith had made the key cuts to his roster in August, when he let go mainstays Cammi Granato and Shelley Looney. Only three players were cut on Tuesday, including third goalie Shari Vogt.

Gunn, a first-time Olympian who will be 26 next month, will share the goaltending duties with Pam Dreyer of Eagle River, Alaska. Dreyer, 24, postponed her wedding this summer in order to rehabilitate a shoulder injury and try out for the team.

Smith said he hasn’t designated a No. 1 goalie and added that he admires the work ethic of both goaltenders. He cited a solid performance by Dreyer in a 3-1 loss to Canada on Dec. 1 at Chicago as evidence that “she looks to be back where Pam Dreyer belongs.” Gunn, he said, “is the first one on the ice, by 45 minutes, and the last one off every day. Preparation is something she doesn’t overlook.

“She had a strong fall for us and is ready to participate for us at this level.”

Forwards Kathleen Kauth of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Kristin King of Piqua, Ohio, Kim Insalaco of Rochester, N.Y., Sarah Parsons of Dover, Mass., and Kelly Stephens of Seattle will also make their Olympic debuts. Parsons is the team’s youngest player, at 18.

Women’s teams are limited to 18 skaters and two goalies, two skaters and one goalie fewer than teams in the men’s tournament. Smith chose seven defensemen and 11 forwards but said several players might switch back and forth.

The eight-team tournament begins Feb. 11 and ends Feb. 20.

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U.S. Olympic women’s hockey team

The roster of the U.S. women’s hockey team for the 2006 Olympics, announced Tuesday:

*--* No. Name Hgt. Wgt. Age S/C Birthplace School GOALTENDERS 31 Pam 5-5 155 24 L Eagle Brown Drey River, er Alaska 30 Chan 5-7 138 25 L Huntingto Northeastern da n Beach Gunn DEFENSEMEN 3 Cour 5-9 190 26 L Woburn, Minnesota tney Mass. Kenn edy 4 Ange 5-9 185 25 R Harper Harvard la Woods, Rugg Mich. iero 5 Lynd 5-8 155 20 L Churchvil Minnesota say le, N.Y. Wall 6 Hele 5-10 155 20 L Greenwich Yale n , Conn. Reso r 8 Cait 5-4 158 20 L New Harvard lin Haven, Caho Conn. w 9 Moll 5-9 170 22 R Siren, Wisconsin y Wisc. Engs trom 11 Jami 5-9 170 24 R North Harvard e Andover, Hage Mass. rman FORWARDS 7 Kris 5-6 155 24 L Brooklyn Minnesota sy Park, Wend Minn. ell 10 Kim 5-5 130 25 L Rochester Brown Insa , N.Y. laco 12 Jenn 5-4 145 26 L Edina, Minnesota Duluth y Minn. Pott er 13 Juli 5-8 150 23 R Fairfield Harvard e , Conn. Chu 14 Kell 5-6 130 22 R Seattle Minnesota y Step hens 18 Kath 5-8 150 26 L Saratoga Brown leen Springs, Kaut N.Y. h 19 Kris 5-4 135 26 R Piqua, Dartmouth tin Ohio King 20 Kati 5-9 170 30 L Salem, Brown e N.H. King 22 Nata 5-3 140 22 R Eagan, Minnesota lie Minn. Darw itz 25 Tric 5-8 146 31 L Derry, New Hampshire ia N.H. Dunn -Luo ma 27 Sara 5-8 140 18 R Dover, Noble and h Mass. Greenough HS Pars (Mass.) ons

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