Women's USA Hockey Under-18 team wins
As she and her teammates suited up for their hockey game, Kendall Coyne could not help but feel more comfortable than the others. After all, she was doing so at Seven Bridges Ice Arena in Woodridge, a rink that her Chicago Mission U19 team calls home. But the team the Palos Heights native suited up for this weekend had a different goal than usual in mind. Or, shall we say, a gold in mind.
Coyne serves as an alternate team captain of USA Hockey's Under-18 team that is playing for the world championship at the southwest suburban ice rink. On Sunday, Team USA beat Team Finland 5-0, moving their record to 2-0 in pool play. A sudden death round will begin Wednesday with the gold medal game to be played Saturday.
"It was actually a little strange today," Coyne said. "I've never played on the visitor's side of the bench. It's a great feeling coming out and seeing all the support of my family and friends."
Coyne has been a part of the team the last three years. But she said it was different this year.
"Being in the ice rink that I come to every day of my life, it's almost like another day at the office except putting on the USA sweater makes it 10 times better," she said.
Coyne is on a team that has high hopes this week. Last year, Team USA won the gold medal having defended its gold medal duirng at the International Ice Hockey Federation championships in Fussen, Germany. Sunday's win puts them in a good spot as they jockey for position in the medal rounds.
For area residents, the tournament's location offers a chance to see some high-caliber play from some high-level hockey players.
"It's great for all of the fans of hockey," said Crystal Lake resident Bob Palmer, whose daughter plays in a youth league. "It's especially good for them to see the next level of hockey."
His daughter, 13-year-old Emily Palmer, plays in a youth league and said she could see the same strategies and teamwork on the ice that her team uses. Her teammate on the Yellow Jackets, a team in the Northern Illinois Hockey League's bantam division, Giselle Medina, 13, said the chance to see the players on Sunday would be invaluable.
"It's cool to see the girls who are probably going to be in the next Olympics," she said.
As for the game, Coyne followed up a hat trick in the opener against Japan with the game's first goal at 5:28 of the second period. After Haley Skarupa's initial shot trickled through goaltender Isabella Portnoj's legs, Coyne poked the puck in and gave Team USA its first lead. She added a second goal in the thid period.
Giselle's father, Ruben Medina, said seeing that and the other goals will only help his daughter's team and the fact that it was in the Chicago suburbs made it that much more enjoyable.
"It's very interesting to see how much faster these girls are and how fast they work on every shift," said Giselle's father, Ruben Medina. "Just to see what it takes to play at that level, it's fantastic."