USA Women Ends Canadian Dominance at World Championships in "1980 Miracle" Fashion

It was a fast run to the Women's World Championships for Canada. They made short work of Kazakhstan and Russia by the total combined score of 25-0! Little did their confidence allow them to notice that they were all headed on a one way trip to the finals against the rival Americans!

THE FINAL SHOWDOWN!

Just about every cliché sports analogy would work for this final game. 4,468 strong witnessed the matchup in Linkoping, Sweden. The immovable object meeting the irresistible force! Yes, I bet you all have the image of a montage video to Europe's "The Final Countdown" in your mind.

The battle lasted for 60 minutes and 20 minutes of OT and was brought to a stalemate at 0-0. Now the international IIHF rules states that the two teams must square off in a 1 on 1 shootout! The results were as shocking as any hockey fan of the women's game... or men's game thought possible. Here's the result of the 2OT series:

USA - Darwitz - Goal
Canada - Vallancourt - Goal
USA - Ruggiero - Goal
Canada - Wickenheiser - Miss
USA - Resor - Miss
Canada - Hefford - Miss
USA - Wendell - Goal
Canada - Oulette - Miss

Team USA had come through and defeated the 8 time World Champion Canadians and sent them all home crying. All my Canadian friends have expressed their utter shock and disappointment to find out that their juggernaut team lost in such a manner!

This could only mean one thing! I wonder how many Canadian fans want to do the shootout style in the National Hockey League now? Does it still seem like a good idea? Imagine the pain of losing the Stanley Cup on a shootout when they've swept the entire semis!

Congratulations to "Pretty Eyes" Krissy Wendell for getting the series MVP award and scoring the last shootout goal! Julie Chu was named U.S. Player of the Game (Who?). But of those names that are familiar, did you notice the Angela Ruggiero name in the box score as well. I've written about her before! I predict that this huge win for the American girls is going to be put up as their version of the "1980 Miracle On Ice". What are you doing!? Are you crying!? There's no crying in hockey!

USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA

In a follow up story: Sweden beats Finland 5-2 in bronze-medal game at women's worlds