Miracle worker to guide U.S. Women’s Hockey

USA Hockey announced that Mark Johnson, current head coach of the University of Wisconsin women’s powerhouse team, will be the head coach for the 2010 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team.

Questionable choice? When long-time coach Ben Smith left the position of head coach he advocated for a female head coach. There were credible female candidates for the gig, including Katey Stone, Harvard’s head coach, who took the team to a win at the last Four Nations Cup (beating Canada) and Jackie Barto of Ohio State.

While it would have been great to have a woman guide the team, there’s no doubt the fifty-one year old Johnson has the credentials. He represented the United States as a player in 13 international tournaments, including eight world championships. Most notably, he played on the 1980 gold-medal winning U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team and scored twice in the “Miracle on Ice” team’s upset of the heavily favored Russians.

The son of “Badger” Bob Johnson, the ever-optimistic coach who won  three NCAA titles at the University of Wisconsin and a Stanley Cup championship with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Johnson has been able to take the best of what he learned with the 1980 gold-medal team, and blend it with his father’s knowledge and love for the game. Johnson was an assistant coach of Wisconsin’s men’s team before taking over the women’s team and leading them to two NCAA titles. He has also been a part of the coaching staff of U.S. men’s and women’s teams for years.

With the announcement of Johnson as head coach, the USOC takes a look back at Amazing Moments in Olympic History and the team that paved the way for the current women’s ice hockey squad.

Eleven years ago in Nagano, Japan, history was made when women’s ice hockey was first contested in the Olympic Winter Games.  There were six countries competing for gold, though it was expected that it would all come down to Canada, the winner of the previous four World Championships, and the United States. 

The U.S. defeated every other team in preliminary play before facing Canada in the gold medal game.  After a scoreless first period, the U.S. scored two power-play goals in the second and third.  Canada finally answered with a goal of their own, their first and only of the game. 

In the final minutes of the game Canada pulled their goaltender in an attempt to tie up the score, but it was not meant to be.  The U.S. team gained possession of the puck and ended the suspense with an empty net goal in the final seconds of play.  With a final score of 3-1, the U.S. women’s ice hockey team had become the first Olympic gold medalists in their sport.

Watch video…

U.S. Women defeat China PR 1-0 on Achieve Your Gold Tour

December 14, 2008 – The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team defeated China PR 1-0 in an entertaining match on a cool night at The Home Depot Center in Los Angeles as Tina Ellertson scored her first international goal in the 61st minute.

Ellertson, a defender in her previous 32 caps for the USA, was a forward in college at the University of Washington and started at striker for the first time in her national team career.

Assisting on the goal was forward Amy Rodriguez, who returned to the U.S. team for the first time since the Olympics after completing her senior season at the University of Southern California. After coming on at halftime, Rodriguez’ trademark speed caused problems for the Chinese during the entire second half and it was her blistering pace that created the winning goal.

“I’m so excited, I’m grinning from ear to ear,” said Ellertson, who was out for most of 2008 after having her second child. “I wanted to be back playing and being out there. Today was so awesome. It’s been a while since I played up top but it felt great.”

Goalkeeper Hope Solo made four saves for her 13th shutout of the year and the 41st of her international career.

Veteran Kristine Lilly returned from a nearly 14-month hiatus after taking time off to have her first child and earned her 341st cap when she came on in the 55th minute. The Queen of Caps showed well in her 35 minutes of action, just missing wide at the near post in the 59th minute, and in the 76th minute forced Zhang to make the best save on the night as she dove right to block a low, line drive from 12 yards out.

Midfielder Shannon Boxx,  a SoCal local who grew up near the Home Depot Center, talked to the LA Times before the game. The 31-year-old was feeling burned out last year and credits her re-energized take on the game to U.S. Coach Pia Sundhage.

“I’ve just been enjoying myself so much,” Boxx said after a recent practice. “I’m having fun, I’m laughing, and all of a sudden my game is getting better.”

Nominated again this year for FIFA world player of the year, Boxx will be playing with the Los Angeles Sol when the Women’s Professional Soccer league launches next spring.

Last night’s victory was the USA’s third of 2008 over China after also winning 1-0 in January in Guangzhou and 4-0 in March at the Algarve Cup in Portugal.

With the win, the U.S. extended their record number of wins in a year to 32, with just one loss and one tie. The Achieve Your Gold Tour wraps up on Wednesday, Dec. 17, at Ford Field in Detroit as the U.S. hosts China again and Lindsay Tarpley and Kate Markgraf return to play in their home state.

Who’s that Girl?

December 12, 2008 -  U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo showed up at training camp this week with a bit of a different look. Seems the former blond has changed teams to the brunettes. Since Hope always has fun whether she’s blond or brunette, we’ll put that old adage to rest. The WNT Blog thinks it’s a good look for the USA’s #1 and perhaps even makes her more intimidating in the nets?

What do you think?

Hockey: U.S. wins 4 Nations in shootout

November 9, 2008 – Wow! The U.S. Women’s National Team outlasted arch rival Canada in an epic six-round shootout to earn a 3-2 win in the championship game of the Four Nations Cup in Lake Placid, N.Y.

Canada lost captain Hayley Wickenheiser for all but the first period of the game. Wickenheiser suffered a right leg injury late in the first and her absence was acutely felt in the shootout.

Sweden defeated Finland to take third place.

In other big hockey news, Angela Ruggiero made history this week at 4 Nations as she took to the ice for Team USA for the 206th time, surpassing Cammi Granato’s previous record of 205 games played for the United States. 

Many only know Ruggiero from her TV appearance on The Apprentice but her sports career is on par with players like Mia Hamm.  Like Hamm, Ruggiero was fifteen when she made her national team debut.  At 18 she won gold in the inaugural Olympics for women’s hockey.  The Harvard grad has been a world champion twice and has been named the best defender of the world championships or the Olympics six times.

In 205 total career games, Ruggiero has amassed 55 goals and 119 assists for 174 points.  She might not have won “The Apprentice” but she’s tops in our book.

Congrats to Angela and Team USA – Well done ladies!