Shootout not exactly a golden formula
The deeper a gold-medal game for the ages went into overtime, the more the ugly possibility of a dissatisfying ending lingered.
Please let someone score, the feeling through the Gangneung Hockey Centre went — anything to avoid settling a gold medal via the shootout.
Despite great chances at both ends — the Americans had a 9-7 edge in shots on goal in the 20-minute, fouron-four period — that’s exactly what happened.
“When you work so hard and lose in a shootout, it shouldn’t be over until someone wins,” said Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin. “We gave it our all. We were so close. This is a tough one because this group is just so special.”
And then there was sniper Meghan Agosta who scored in the regular portion of the shootout as Canada’s second shooter, but was denied by American goaltender Maddie Rooney as the sixth and final Canadian attempt.
“Unfortunately we had to go into a shootout and lose that way,” said Agosta, who has 17 goals in her brilliant Olympic career spanning four Games. “I’m very proud of everyone in that dressing room. I thought we showed a lot of character with them scoring first and not letting that affect us.
“We had one goal at the beginning of the year and that was to win gold. I know every single one of us are in shock.”
It was a game that had several momentum swerves. The Americans controlled the first, thanks in part to three Canadian penalties, while the latter controlled the second. And then came the mayhem of the third and overtime.
As for penalties (Canadian coach Laura Schuler met with officials after the first), clearly they were an issue. Of course that was balanced by a wicked head shot from Poulin on Brianna Decker in the third.
“I don’t mind penalties being called, you just want it to be both ways when it’s happening on both sides of the ice,” Schuler said.