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Canadian women's team relish hockey domination

The Canadian national ice hockey team pose with the gold after they defeated Sweden at the Palasport Olimpico in Turin. PHOTO: AFP

Only cleaning crews were in the stands when a few Canadian players decided to immortalize their greatest moment on ice.

With champagne and cameras in hand two hours after the gold-medal match, goalies Becky Kellar and Colleen Sostorics stretched out flat at the center of the rink where Canada dominated every opponent in the Olympic women's hockey tournament. They both joined in the poses and preenings, while forward Caroline Ouellette took pictures and laughed.

Canada earned that moment and more with the most dominating performance in the sport's Olympic history. The 10-day run in Turin -- six months in the making -- culminated with a 4-1 victory over Sweden on Monday that was just as one-sided as every other contest in the Canadians' five victories by a combined score of 46-2.

Although the championship path didn't include a third straight Olympic showdown with the US team, Canada still defended its Salt Lake City golds and sent upstart Sweden home with the same thrashing it had planned for its US archrivals.

The US team, still stinging from its historic upset loss in the semifinals, finished strong with a 4-0 victory over Finland in the bronze medal game. Germany beat the Soviet Union 1-0 in a penalty shootout for fifth place while Switzerland defeated Italy 11-0 for seventh.

"We were the favorites for a reason, and we showed exactly why," Canada captain Cassie Campbell said. "We faced much more adversity four years ago, but we were just as determined and just as focused this time. It's really even sweeter when you can come through as the favorite."

Canada scored with pinpoint passes and dazzling pirouettes, soft wrist shots and firm tip-ins.

When the fourth goal went past Swedish goalie Kim Martin, she shrugged her shoulders slightly and looked straight ahead -- perhaps all the way to Vancouver in four years, when the world might stand a better chance.

"We showed Hockey Canada is dominant," said Danielle Goyette, Canada's 40-year-old flag-bearer in the opening ceremonies. "This makes it worth everything we did, all the months we spent working on this day. We didn't end up with the final matchup we expected, but we got the same result."

Behind Martin, the 19-year-old puck-stopper extraordinaire, Sweden managed a 3-2 shootout win over the US on Friday in a semifinal immediately called the biggest upset in the sport's history.

But starting with Gillian Apps' goal on a surreal blind backhand just 3:15 into the gold medal game, the Canadians showed their game would be the same, regardless of the opponent. They had worked too long -- for nearly seven months straight -- and much too hard to leave with anything but duplicates of their Salt Lake City golds.

"To defend the gold for our team and every Canadian back home is huge," said Hayley Wickenheiser, the tournament most valuable player. "For us, it's all gold or nothing. There's no other medal to win in this tournament. That's the pressure we put on ourselves. We're just happy we can land in Canada with everybody smiling."

When it was over, the Canadians roared off their bench and hit goalie Charline Labonte so hard that they dislodged the net from its moorings. Goyette jubilantly threw her glove and stick in the direction of the overhead scoreboard, while Wickenheiser held her adopted son, Noah.

The Americans watched the scene from the stands in blue sweat pants and crisp white jerseys. Their victory over Finland, highlighted by Katie King's three goals and Chanda Gunn's perfect goaltending, was an impressive end to a season that began with Cammi Granato's controversial dismissal.

The Olympics only included one misstep against Sweden -- but it's a misstep that will benefit women's hockey for years to come with the excitement and discussion it sparked in a sport that became boring with North America's dominance.

But after singing along to O Canada during the postgame medals ceremony, the Americans and Canadians shook hands and hugged. Sadly, it was their only meeting of the Olympics.
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