U.S. women enjoy a semi-sweet win
The U.S. relentlessly dominated Germany, scoring soon after the puck dropped and refusing to relent until the final horn sounded.
Hilary Knight scored 1:06 into the game and Kelli Stack added a goal midway through the first period to give the Americans a cushion that they weren’t content with in an 11-0 victory over the Germans last night in the women’s hockey world championship semifinals in Plymouth, Mich.
“We didn’t want to play down to their pace,” said Kendall Coyne, who scored two of her team’s five goals in the second period. “We want to play up to our pace.”
The Americans will face Canada for gold tonight. They’re shooting to win a fourth straight world championship final against the rival Canadians, who beat them in the 2014 Olympics.
“There’s no love lost on the ice,” U.S. captain Meghan Duggan said. “It gets heated.” Without needing to break a sweat,
Nicole Hensley stopped eight shots for the U.S. for a shutout.
The Americans didn’t let up in the second, scoring five times in the first 6-plus minutes of the period to take a 7-0 lead that left only the final score in doubt, or until the final horn sounded.
Canada and the U.S. have met in every world championship since the event’s inception in 1990, and the Americans have won six of the last seven.
IIHF President Rene Fasel said it might take another 10 or 15 years for the rest of the world to catch up with the Americans and Canadians.
“The gap is still very big,” Fasel acknowledged before the tournament.
Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson, Monique Lamoureux, Haley Skarupa, Amanda Pelkey, Emily Pfalzer, Megan Keller and Alex Carpenter of North Reading added goals for the American women, who just prevailed in an off-ice fight with USA Hockey for better wages. In the earlier semifinal game, Marie-Poulin had a goal and an assist in a 2-plus minute span of second period, helping Canada pull away and beat Finland, 4-0.
NFL: Sherman OK in Seattle
In his most expansive comments on the topic since the team began acknowledging publicly that he could be traded, cornerback Richard Sherman told Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated’s MMQB in a story published yesterday that he doesn’t expect a trade to happen and retains a good relationship with the team.
“Very little chance it happens, but both sides are listening,” Sherman said via text, according to Breer. “I honestly don’t have much more to say about it than what I’ve already said. We have a great relationship. There is a lot of love and respect. There is no bad blood.”
Sherman also said that he doesn’t think the Seahawks are trying to send him a message via the trade rumors about their hope that he wouldn’t repeat his actions of last season if he stays with the team in 2017.
Those were the first comments of any kind Sherman had made in more than a week, and his first since Seahawks general manager John Schneider further acknowledged Wednesday that there is substance to the trade rumors. . . .
Authorities say an Arizona Cardinals receiver Marquis Bundy, 22, was arrested outside a Scottsdale nightclub on suspicion of disorderly conduct and failure to obey police commands.
Soccer: Dunn, Long lift U.S.
Crystal Dunn scored twice on the same field where she tied a national team record with five goals in a game last year and the U.S. women’s soccer team rolled to a 4-0 exhibition victory over Russia in Frisco, Texas.
Allie Long also scored two goals to give her five for her national team career — all on headers — as the U.S. celebrated with an easy win a day after the announcement of a new labor deal that will cover the 2019 World Cup and 2020 Tokyo Olympics. . . .
Brazil has taken over at the top of the FIFA rankings for the first time since 2010. Argentina dropped to No. 2 as World Cup-winner Germany is still No. 3, followed by Chile and Colombia. The United States climbed seven spots to No. 23.
Misc.: Easy win by Wozniacki
Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark defeated Annika Beck of Germany 7-5, 6-1 in the third round of the Volvo Car Open in Charleston, S.C. . . .
Duke guard Luke Kennard and Kentucky guard Isaiah Briscoe will enter the NBA draft. . . . Sophomore forward Carlton Bragg Jr. is transferring from Kansas, ending a rocky tenure with the Jayhawks marked by legal trouble off the court and underwhelming play.