2003-04 National Women's Team

The 2003 4 Nations Cup finished in style with a classic tilt between women’s hockey two superpowers Canada and the USA. Canada’s National Women’s Team came up on the shortend of a 2-1 shootout game.

The best chance in the opening ten minutes came as Colleen Sostorics left the point along the boards, managing to beat a U.S. defender in close to get in alone on U.S. goaltender Pam Dreyer, but Dreyer was up to the challenge and the game remained scoreless. At the other end, Canada’s goaltender Charline Labonté came up with a great save on Kristin King from the slot.

Canada was first on the board at 14:01, thanks to some great forechecking which led to Jayna Hefford setting up Caroline Ouellette in front, who beat Dreyer between the legs.

USA tied the score at 1-1 midway through the middle frame, during a power play. Labonté made the initial save but the puck found its way onto Cammi Granato’s stick in the crease and the veteran scored. Granato came close to putting USA on top two minutes later, but Labonté made a great pad save to keep score 1-1 through forty minutes.

Canada carried the play for the entire five-minute overtime but their numerous chances didn’t translate into the winning goal, and we were off the sudden death shootout.

Unlike IIHF regulations, the tournament format called for a sudden death shootout which meant that the pressure was on right away. The shootout went all of 11 rounds, including spectacular saves by both goaltenders and a goalpost hit by each side, before Granato beat Labonté on a deke to give the U.S. their second Nations Cup, and 2nd victory in six shootout games against Canada.
Canada’s players and staff will be traveling all day on November 10th, scheduled to arrive as a group in Toronto, ON at 3:35 pm (Eastern), although a number of the players and staff will then be connecting to their final destinations.