Decker hurt in U.S. women’s hockey win
BEIJING — Difficult as it was hearing Brianna Decker crying out in pain while laying prone on the ice, Kendall Coyne Schofield understood the U.S. women’s hockey team still had a game to finish.
After the Americans wrapped up their 5-2 win over Finland to open the Beijing Games, Schofield could verbalize what she felt when encountering Decker standing on crutches next to the bench.
“I just told her, ‘We got this,’ ” Schofield said. “No matter what she’s a big part of this group. … You saw that in our response after she went down, how much we picked up the game and took control.”
The Americans certainly had their teammate’s back after Decker was hurt while being tripped from behind by Ronja Savolainen 9:32 into the first period. The sight of the team’s assistant captain and 11-year veteran unable to put weight on her left leg before being stretchered off provided a motivating spark to the defending Olympic gold medalists.
Amanda Kessel and Alex Carpenter scored over the next 3½ minutes in the Group A match. Schofield then put the win away with two goals in 64 seconds in the second.
“There’s no replacing Brianna Decker,” said Schofield, the team’s captain. “But in that situation, everyone stepped up to the plate in the way they were asked to. And I think that’s how we were successful tonight.”
Now it’s a matter of the Americans continuing to forge ahead — while more than likely missing their top center — in their bid to become the first U.S. squad to win consecutive titles.
Without going into detail, coach Joel Johnson said Decker’s injury was still being evaluated.
Carpenter scored twice for the U.S., and Maddie Rooney stopped 10 shots in just her second game since an injury forced her to miss the world championships in August.
In other games, Natalie Spooner had two goals and three assists and Claire Thompson had a goal and four assists in Canada’s 12-1 win over Switzerland in Group A. Sarah Fillier scored the first two goals and the Canadians led 8-0 through two periods.
Canada is the reigning world champion after a 3-2 overtime win over the U.S. in August ended the Americans’ fivetournament gold-medal run.
In Group B, Michaela Pejzlova scored on a breakaway with 13:33 left in the third period, and the Czech Republic capped its women’s hockey Olympic debut with a 3-1 win over host China. Also, Rui Ukita capitalized on a turnover to score the go-ahead goal on a breakaway 4:03 into the third period in Japan’s 3-1 victory over Sweden.
Moguls: U.S. skier Jaelin Kauf got a great start on her Olympic journey, speeding through the bumps to finish third in a qualifying round. She’ll be back at it Sunday with the medals on the line.
Jakara Anthony of Australia led the way in qualifying, followed by defending Olympic champion Perrine Laffont of France. Kauf ’s American teammates, Olivia Giaccio and Hannah Soar, each finished in the top 10 to guarantee their spots in the final.
The only American who didn’t advance was Kai Owens, who was a scratch due to a nasty crash in training a few days earlier. Owens is the 17year-old who’s returning to the country where she was born; she could be cleared in time to compete Sunday, the final chance to qualify.