Difficult as it was hearing Brianna Decker crying out in pain while laying prone on the ice, Kendall Coyne Schofield understood the US women’s ice hockey team still had a game to finish.
After the US wrapped up their 5-2 win over Finland on Thursday 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.”
Photo: AFP
The US certainly had their veteran teammate’s back after Decker was hurt while being tripped from behind by Ronja Savolainen 9 minutes, 32 seconds 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 twice over the next 3:30 in the Group A match. Schofield then put the win away with two goals in 64 seconds in the second period.
“There’s no replacing Brianna Decker, 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,” US captain Schofield said.
Now it is a matter of the US continuing to forge ahead — while more than likely missing their top center — in their bid to become the first US squad to win consecutive titles.
“It was sickening,” Kessel said of the yelps of pain coming from Decker after she and Savolainen were tangled up to the left of the US net. “She’s one of the toughest players that I’ve ever played with or against, so you know she’s not staying down on the ice or crying when it’s not bad. So it’s definitely a gut punch. We want to win for her.”
Without going into detail, US coach Joel Johnson said that Decker’s injury was still being evaluated.
Johnson also said he was not going to dispute the official’s decision not to penalize Savolainen, who appeared to slew-foot Decker from behind, leading to both players falling to the ice.
“They saw it as just people getting tangled up,” Johnson said. “I’m biased and so I saw it a little differently, but I don’t think it was a missed call by any means.”
Savolainen said she was not sure what happened and called it “an unlucky situation,” while sharing what she told Decker following the game.
“I just ask how she’s feeling, and then I said: ‘Sorry.’ Like, I didn’t want to hurt her,” she said.
Decker’s injury was the second to a key player during the tournament’s opening day. Canada forward Melodie Daoust did not return after being checked hard into the boards by Sarah Foster in her side’s 12-1 rout of Switzerland.
Carpenter scored twice for the US, and Maddie Rooney stopped 10 shots in just her second game since an injury forced her to miss the world championships in August last year.
Finland had little response to the US after Decker was hurt. They managed just one shot over the remainder of the first period. They were outshot 19-2 in the second and 52-12 overall.
Susanna Tapani scored twice, while Anni Keisala made 47 saves for Finland, who won bronze at the 2018 Olympic Games.
Tapani’s second goal came with 2:20 remaining, although it was not awarded until a video review was conducted after time ran out. The teams were ready to depart to their locker rooms before they had to play the final 2:20 over again.
“USA are a really good team and they did an awesome job,” Finland captain Jenni Hiirikoski said. “They showed how to score today.”
In other games, Natalie Spooner had two goals and three assists, and Claire Thompson had a goal and four assists in Canada’s win over Switzerland in Group A.
“That’s quite the way to make an entrance into the Olympics,” Spooner said.
Sarah Fillier scored the first two goals and Canada led 8-0 through two periods.
Canada are the reigning world champions after a 3-2 overtime win over the US in August ended the US’ five-tournament run of gold medals.
In Group B, 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.
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