Women`s hockey - OregonLive.com

XX
THE OREGONIAN ● FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2006
Northwest passage to the Winter Olympics
xt,
Kelly Stephens joins new era
Mindset: Hockey is the fastest of the team sports, requiring
excellent perception, split-second decision making and body
control. Pucks can travel up to 120 mph. Mental toughness is also
important. Players can’t be intimidated by their competition and
must play aggressively but under control.
Graphics by
STEVE COWDEN, DERRIK QUENZER
Text by ABBY HAIGHT
THE OREGONIAN
N
othing and everything has changed
for the U.S. Olympic Women’s Hockey
Team.
Team USA, which opens play Feb.
11 in Turin, Italy, still is a world leader.
And it still carries a fiery, although somewhat
lopsided, rivalry with Canada in one of the most
entertaining sparring matches in international
sports.
With young, exciting players, the U.S. team is favored
to reach the gold medal game, where it is expected to meet
its familiar nemesis.
“I’m in constant awe of their abilities,” U.S. Olympic coach
Ben Smith said of his team.
The U.S. team is led by four players in their third Olympic
Games in Angela Ruggiero, Jenny Potter,
Katie King and Tricia Dunn-Luoma. It
also is stocked with bright young
players like Seattle’s Kelly Stephens
and goalkeeper Chandra Gunn,
who will be playing on their
sport’s biggest stage for the
first time.
But the team will be
without Cammi Granato, the
heart and soul of U.S.
women’s hockey through
two Olympic Games and
nine world championships.
Granato and Shelley Looney,
who scored the game winner
against Canada in the 1998
OLYMPIC PROFILE
Next week
Olympic gold medal game,
Cross-country skiing:
were cut last summer.
Beckie Scott
“We’re always trying to
raise the bar,” said Smith,
who coached the U.S. team to Olympic gold and silver in
2002. “We had 40 athletes in the final camp and we had 40
tough decisions. And that bodes well for our future.”
But Canada remains the gold standard of women’s
hockey.
And the U.S. team expects gold will be at stake
when the two rivals next meet.
“That, for me, is a game I play for,” said
Stephens, who spent most of her teen-age
years playing in Canada. “They bring
out the best in us. We bring out the
best in them.”
Checking: Women's
hockey does not
allow checking as
men's does, but
they still have
contact with each
other, the boards
and the ice.
Contusions of the
elbows, hips and
shoulders can
occur.
Hips: The sport is
less linear than
running, requiring
greater
development of hip
muscles located
around the hip and
in the groin area.
Groin problems are
common in hockey
and can be
prevented with
good groin
strength.
Uniform: The new Nike Swift Hockey uniforms are 33%
percent lighter than traditional uniforms. This weight
reduction gives a player an average 20-inch advantage over
a 50-meter sprint.
Legs: The quadriceps and
gluteus maximus are the
main muscles used in
hockey. These muscles are
developed for quickness
and endurance. Players
tire quickly and are
replaced every 45
seconds to two minutes.
Jersey: Streamlined
and made of different
materials.
Dri-fit solid:
moisture-wicking
material.
Dri-fit mesh
Pads
Sphere dry: nodes
allow airflow
between material
and skin.
Socks: Moisture-wicking
material makes it 40
percent lighter than a
traditional wool sock.
Women’s hockey
Ankles: Muscles and
tendons around the ankle
are stressed due to the
many turns, abrupt stops
and change of direction
required to play the game.
The game | Women’s hockey was added to the Winter Olympic Games in
The rink | 210 feet long
Nagano in 1998. A team must not have more than six players on the ice while
play is in progress. A game consists of three 20-minute periods, with a 15minute intermission after the first and second periods. Teams change ends for
each period. If a tie occurs in a medal-round game, a five-minute suddenvictory overtime period is played. In the gold medal game, a 20-minute
sudden-victory period is played subsequent to another 15-minute intermission.
and 98 feet wide makes it
larger than the NHL and also
means less checking. Teams
also tend to play a more
passive “positional” defense,
anticipating plays and
forcing attackers away
from the goal rather
than pursuing
the puck
carrier.
The main shots | Good goal scorers have good shooting accuracy,
a quick release, speed, a variety of shots and the ability to shoot from
different angles and positions. Most goals in hockey are scored between 5
and 25 feet from the net.
Backhand | Most goalies fear
Slapshot | The slap shot is the
the backhand shot because its
trajectory is so difficult to read.
This shot is very effective when
cutting in front of the goal or when
the pass is made on the backhand
side at close range to the net.
most powerful and exciting shot in
hockey. However, most of the time
the slapshot ends up missing the
goal.
Sources: Nike, www.olympic.org,
International Olympic
Committee, John W.
O‘Kane M.D.; Photo
reference source:
Associated Press
Coach and assistant coaches
Player’s bench
Right
defenseman
Goalie
Right and
left Wing
Referee
Center
Linesman
Left
defenseman
Face off
circle
Timekeepers
Official
scorer
Blue lines: Divide the rink
into defensive, attacking
and neutral zones.
Goal
lights
Officials’
bench
Penalty box
Crease: The
Olympic
goalie’s
territory is
larger than
NHL and gives
the goalie an
increased offlimits area to
offensive
players.
Penalty box official
Snapshot | Within 15 to 20 feet
Wristshot | The most accurate
from the net, an accurate snap shot
is the ultimate shooting weapon.
This shot has the quickest shot
release with plenty of power.
shot, it can be released fairly
quickly. While not as fast as the slap
shot, the wrist shot can be very
powerful.
Goal
judges:
Ensures
that each
goal is valid.
Puck: 3 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. It
weighs 6 ounces and is constructed of
vulcanized rubber. The puck is frozen prior to
games to make it more bounce resistant.
Who to watch
Rules
Angela Ruggiero
Country: United States
Age: 26
Three-time Olympian
last year became first
female defenseman in
Central Hockey League
history.
Fighting
Players fighting in
Olympic hockey
receive a match
penalty and are
ejected from the
game.
Hayley Wickenheiser
Country: Canada
Age: 27
Forward is regarded as the
best women’s player in the
world and last year published a children’s book
about her life in the sport.
Penalty shots
When a penalty
shot is called
during Olympic
hockey, any player
on the shooting
team may be
selected to take it.
2006 Winter Olympics, Feb. 10-26
Women’s hockey competition schedule
10
FRI
11
SAT
WOMEN’S
QUALIFYING
12
SUN
WOMEN’S
QUALIFYING
13
MON
WOMEN’S
QUALIFYING
14
TUES
WOMEN’S
QUALIFYING
15
WED
16
THUR
17
FRI
WOMEN’S
SEMIFINALS
18
SAT
19
SUN
20
MON
WOMEN’S
FINALS
21
TUES
22
WED
23
THUR
24
FRI
25
SAT
26
SUN