URL:http://www.thestar.com/thestar/editorial/sports/970407SPD5b_STARK.html Toronto Star Home Page April 7, 1997 Drolet shakes off vicious hit to deliver for Canada By Randy Starkman - Toronto Star Sports Reporter KITCHENER - Team Canada forward Nancy Drolet looked down and out for the count after getting smashed into the boards in overtime against the U.S. last night, but her teammates knew she'd be back. In the end, it was Drolet who delivered the knockout punch. The 23-year-old from Drummondville, Que., completed a hat trick at 12:59 of overtime to give the Canadians a 4-3 win and their fourth straight gold medal at the women's world hockey championships. ``I didn't want to say to myself, `Can I give more?' after the game,'' said Drolet. ``I just gave all I got - and I got three goals.'' Drolet was laid out on the ice for several minutes after Vicky Movsessian nailed her with a hard check at 7:07 of overtime. Movsessian got a two-minute boarding penalty, while Drolet shook off the cobwebs and didn't miss a shift. ``I hurt my neck earlier in the tournament,'' said Drolet. ``I just wanted to check to make sure I was okay. I got on my feet and I was okay so I kept going.'' Hayley Wickenheiser, who started the rush that led to the winner, said she knew Drolet would return from the thundering hit. ``I knew she'd be back,'' said Wickenheiser. ``She's tough. When the gold medal's on the line, she's there.'' Team captain Stacy Wilson also said she didn't have any doubts about Drolet's resiliency. ``Not ever,'' she said. ``Canadian players just keep coming back. They never give up. They'll never quit.'' Drolet was somewhat surprised at her good fortune. ``I didn't expect that,'' she said of her hat trick. ``We played everybody together and I was there at the right time. It was me today, but it could be a lot of people tomorrow. We're looking forward to Nagano.'' Her offensive outburst was not a surprise to Canadian head coach Shannon Miller. ``Drolet's a very, very good hockey player,'' Miller said. ``You always know when you're in a big game and there's maybe a little bit of pressure Nancy's going to come up big for you. She's very relaxed when she plays. She's got good hands. I was just waiting for her to put one in.'' ``She's a natural. She can slow the game down in her mind. She doesn't get too intense. A player like Wickenheiser's good, but at times she's too intense. Drolet is not too intense. She's soft, she's calm.'' Contents copyright © 1996, 1997, The Toronto Star. User interface, selection and arrangement copyright © 1996, 1997 Torstar Electronic Publishing Ltd.