ICE HOCKEY Miracle reversed: Sweden upsets U.S. women in OT

The Americans will play Finland on Monday for the bronze medal.
LOS ANGELES TIMES
TURIN, Italy -- Miracles on Olympic ice aren't the exclusive property of U.S. hockey teams, after all.
Inspired by "Miracle," the movie account of the 1980 U.S. team's upset of the Soviet Union and subsequent gold-medal triumph, Sweden's women's hockey team struck a blow for the advancement of the women's game.
Drawing on the late Herb Brooks' training methods to fortify their stamina and his philosophy to strengthen their resolve, the Swedes pounced on a rudderless U.S. team on Friday for a 3-2 shootout victory in the tournament semifinals, earning a berth in Monday's gold-medal game against Canada.
"I'm in shock right now," said U.S. defenseman Angela Ruggiero, whose team will face Finland for the bronze medal on Monday.
No U.S. player could beat goaltender Kim Martin in the shootout, but Pernilla Winberg and Maria Rooth scored against Chanda Gunn, Rooth clinching the victory with a wrist shot from the high slot.
Second chance not enough
The U.S. got a break when Martin moved out of the crease too early on Ruggiero's unsuccessful first shot, but Ruggiero couldn't score on her second try.
"We're going to be replaying what happened over and over," U.S. forward Natalie Darwitz said. "I don't think it will kick in until we have to come to practice [today] and we're not playing in the gold-medal game."
The U.S. women's team had never lost to any opponent but Canada since the national team program was established in 1990.
In nine world championships and two previous Olympic tournaments the U.S. and Canada had played for the gold -- but that won't be the case on Monday because of Martin's 37 saves and her teammates' tenacity.
Confidence
"We knew we could beat them, but we hadn't done it," said forward Erika Holst, one of two U.S.-educated players wearing Sweden's bright yellow jersey with the three crowns on the front.
"Tonight, we said, 'This is our night. We're going to win. No one can take this away from us.' "
It was reminiscent of Brooks' speech before the U.S.-Soviet game at Lake Placid, when the coach told his players they were meant to be there at that moment, and to win. Sweden's coach, Peter Elander, said his team had watched "Miracle" repeatedly, leading him to copy a tactic and phrase from Brooks.
After a lackluster effort by the U.S. team in an exhibition against Norway, Brooks kept his players on the ice and ordered them to sprint from blue line to blue line well into the night. It was less punishment than a way to build the speed and jump that would be vital to their Olympic hopes, and Elander said he'd done the same.
It paid off Friday, as Sweden erased a 2-0 deficit on a pair of second-period goals by Rooth and withstood a 39-18 U.S. shot barrage.