MILAN — The Olympic women’s hockey tournament is always really a competition between the United States and Canada. It is now a competition between the U.S. and the U.S. The Americans just whipped Canada so soundly—and so predictably—that l would understand if loyal Canadians decide to skip next week’s gold medal game. Even if they’re supposed to play in it.
On Tuesday, the U.S. won, 5–0. It felt like 10–0. U.S. star Abbey Murphy made the play of the night: a behind-the-back, defender-draped-on-her pass to Hannah Bilka for the Americans’ second goal. But this was not about a few spectacular plays. The Americans are so much better and deeper that they made the Canadians look … feeble. Do you know how unsettling it is when Canadians look feeble at hockey? It’s like watching a surgeon spill beer in a patient.
