Women's Hockey

1998 Winter Olympics


General Information

The 1998 Winter Olypics is taking place in Nagano, Japan from February 7-22, 1998. Women's Hockey was in the Winter Olympics for the first time ever!! Six countries battled it out for the first-ever Olympic Gold medal, with Team USA coming out victorious. Canada claimed the silver medal, and Finland the bronze.

The 1997 Women's World Championship served as a qualifier for the 1998 Winter Olympics, which took place in Nagano, Japan. The top five teams from the 1997 World Championship, along with the host team from Japan competed in the 1998 Winter Olympic Games.

The six countries listed below competed at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano. The numbers below indicate the rank for each country, based on their placing at the 1997 Women's World Hockey Championship. Japan has been invited as the host team, and is seeded 6th.

Canada
1. Canada
USA
2. USA
Finland
3. Finland
China
4. China
Sweden
5. Sweden
Japan
6. Japan (host team)

The top four teams in Olympic round-robin advanced to the medal round: Third-placed Finland and fourth-placed China played for the Bronze; first-placed USA and second-placed Canada played for Gold.

The round-robin games were held at the Aqua Wing Arena; both medal-round games were held at the Big Hat Arena.


Olympic Game Schedule and Results

[Women's Hockey Coverage on the Official Olympic Site]
[CBS Sportsline Summary]
DATE              GAME  TIME     RESULT

February 7, 1998    Opening Ceremonies

February 8, 1998    1   12:00    Sweden   0 -vs-  Finland 6 (summary)
                    2   16:00    Canada  13 -vs-  Japan   0 (summary)
                    3   20:00    China    0 -vs-  USA     5 (summary)

February 9, 1998    4   12:00    Finland 11 -vs-  Japan   1 (summary)
                    5   16:00    USA      7 -vs-  Sweden  1 (summary)
                    6   20:00    Canada   2 -vs-  China   0 (summary)

February 10, 1998   Day Off

February 11, 1998   7   12:00    Sweden   3 -vs-  Canada  5 (summary)
                    8   16:00    Japan    1 -vs-  China   6 (summary)
                    9   20:00    USA      4 -vs-  Finland 2 (summary)


February 12, 1998  10   12:00    China    3 -vs-  Sweden  1 (summary)
                   11   16:00    USA     10 -vs-  Japan   0 (summary)
                   12   20:00    Finland  2 -vs-  Canada  4 (summary)

February 13, 1998  Day Off

February 14, 1998  13   12:00    Japan    0 -vs-  Sweden  5 (summary)
                   14   16:00    Finland  6 -vs-  China   1 (summary)
                   15   20:00    Canada   4 -vs-  USA     7 (summary)

February 15, 1998  Day Off

February 16, 1998  Day Off

February 17, 1998  For Bronze...
                   16   14:00    Finland  4 -vs-  China   1 (summary)
                   For Gold...
                   17   18:00    USA      3 -vs-  Canada  1 (summary)

Round Robin Points

The round robin competition is now complete. The only upset in terms of a lower ranked team beating a higher ranked team happened in the game between Canada and the USA. Although Canada was up 4-1 at 5:53 in the third period, USA fought back to claim a 7-4 win.

In an emotional game between Sweden and Japan, Sweden crushed Japan's hope of picking up a win in front of their hometown crowd at this first-ever Olympic showing in women's hockey, by defeating the Japanese by a score of 5-0.

[Official Olympic Site Round Robin Results]

GP Win Loss Tie GF GA PTS
U.S. 5 5 0 0 33 7 10
Canada 5 4 1 0 28 12 8
Finland 5 3 2 0 27 10 6
China 5 2 3 0 10 15 4
Sweden 5 1 4 0 10 21 2
Japan 5 0 5 0 2 45 0


Rosters

Canada
Canada
USA
USA
Finland
Finland
China
China
Sweden
Sweden
Japan
Japan


Official Olympic Web Site Links


Media Coverage

Lifetime Cable is going to show one of the women's ice hockey games from the Olympics. They have made a web page with more information. Prior to the Olmpics, Lifetime Cable has shown their support of women's hockey by televising a game from the Three Nations Cup on December 17th. They will also be showing one minute interviews with Team USA players every Sunday night at 10:45 pm for the next six weeks.

The Sports Network (TSN) in Canada showed the Three Nations Cup final on Saturday December 20th at 3:30 pm EST. They also showed an exhibition game between Canada and the USA on Jan. 16, 1998.

CBS is planning to broadcast the Olympic gold-medal game, at 7:00 am EST on Tuesday February 17th. Here is their broadcast schedule. Here's a summary of their women's hockey coverage:

Feb 7 4-6pm EST -- Men's downhill and women's ice hockey previews.
Feb 8 3-6pm EST -- Men's luge, men's speedskating and women's ice hockey.
Feb 14 2:30-6pm EST -- Men's and women's ice hockey and nordic combined.
Feb 14 8-11pm 11:35-12:35pm EST -- Some women's ice hockey reports.
Feb 17 7-9am EST -- Women's ice hockey gold medal game.
Feb 17 8-11pm 12:35-3am EST - Some women's ice hockey (wrap-up).

TNT is showing the US games Mon US vs Sweden, Wed US vs Finland, and Thur US vs Japan between noon and 5pm CST. Between periods they sometimes switch off to curling, crosscountry sking, etc.

Here is the Nagano Olympic CBC-TV Broadcast Schedule for Women's Hockey:

Feb 8 Canada vs Japan 11:00 pm PST / 2:00 am EST
Feb 9 Canada vs China 3:00 am PST / 6:00 am EST
Feb 10 Canada vs Sweden 7:00 pm PST / 10:00 pm EST
Feb 12 Canada vs Finland 3:00 am PST / 6:00 am EST
Feb 14 Canada vs USA 3:00 am PST / 6:00 am EST
Feb 17 Gold Medal Game 1:00 am PST / 4:00 am EST

CBC has also shown two women's hockey documentaries. The first was aired on the CBC National on Jan 16, and the second on Jan 18 was called The Game of Her Life. The Game of Her Life will be re-broadcasted on CBC on Saturday February 7th from 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm EST.

The final pre-Olympic game between Team USA and Team Canada in Colorado Springs on January 28th is available by the Microsoft NetShow Player. The USA Hockey web page has a link to the audio clip. You can listen and watch RealAudio clips from the CBS Hockey Video Page, and Audio Page.


Exhibition Games leading up to the Olympics

  Sept  5 1997:  USA   5 -vs- Sweden 1   (Furudal, Sweden)
  Sept  7 1997:  USA   5 -vs- Sweden 3   (Orsa, Sweden)
  Sept  8 1997:  USA  14 -vs- Sweden 1   (Gnesta, Sweden)
  Sept 10 1997:  USA   3 -vs- Finland 1  (Nokia, Finland)
  Sept 12 1997:  USA   3 -vs- Finland 2  (Huittinen, Finland)
  Sept 13 1997:  USA   3 -vs- Finland 0  (Kangasaia, Finland)

  Oct   8 1997:  Canada  6 -vs- China  2  (Calgary, AB, Father David Bauer)
  Oct   9 1997:  Canada  3 -vs- China  0  (Calgary, AB, Father David Bauer)
  Oct  11 1997:  USA    10 -vs- Concordia 0 (Lake Placid, NY, Olympic Center)
  Oct  12 1997:  USA     4 -vs- Concordia 2 (Lake Placid, NY, Olympic Center)
  Oct  16 1997:  Canada 10 -vs- Sweden 0  (Calgary, AB, Father David Bauer)
  Oct  17 1997:  Canada  6 -vs- Sweden 1  (Saskatoon, SK, Saskatchewan Place)
  Oct  18 1997:  USA    10 -vs- ECAC   1  (Concord, NH, Everett Arena)
  Oct  19 1997:  Canada  7 -vs- Sweden 0  (Regina,  SK, Regina Agridome)
  Oct  20 1997:  Canada  6 -vs- Sweden 1  (Melfort, SK, Northern Lights Palace)
  Oct  21 1997:  USA     8 -vs- ECAC   0  (Gloucester, MA, Talbot Rink)
  Oct  25 1997:  Canada  4 -vs- USA    5  (Salt Lake City, Utah, E Center)

  Nov   1 1997:  USA     9 -vs- NU     0  (Walpole, Mass., Iorio Rink)
  Nov   2 1997:  USA     9 -vs- UNH    0  (Durham, NH, Towse Rink)
  Nov   4 1997:  USA    14 -vs- Brown  0  (Providence, RI, Meehan Auditorium)
  Nov   7 1997:  USA     2 -vs- Canada 3  (Bathurst, NB, K.C. Irving Center)
  Nov   8 1997:  USA     1 -vs- Canada 4  (Saint John, NB, Harbour Station)
  Nov  10 1997:  USA     3 -vs- Canada 2  (Kitchener, ON, Memorial Auditorium)
  Nov  12 1997:  USA    14 -vs- Providence 0 (Providence, RI, Schneider Arena)
  Nov 12-20 97:  ***Tour of Finland***
  Nov  12 1997:  Finland 5 -vs- Sweden 0  (Lahti, Finland)
  Nov  13 1997:  Canada  5 -vs- Sweden 3  (Vierumaki, Finland)
  Nov  14 1997:  Finland 2 -vs- Canada 5  (Valkeala, Finland)
  Nov  16 1997:  Finland 3 -vs- Sweden 2  (Tikkakoski, Finland)
  Nov  17 1997:  Sweden  2 -vs- Canada 5  (Vierumaki, Finland)
  Nov  18 1997:  Finland 4 -vs- Canada 7  (Helsinki, Finland)
  Nov  20 1997:  Finland 1 -vs- Canada 6  (Matinkyla, Finland)
  Nov  15 1997:  USA     6 -vs- China  2  (Walpole, Mass. Iorio Rink)
  Nov  16 1997:  USA     5 -vs- China  0  (Cambridge, Mass. Bright Hockey Ctr)
  Nov  19 1997:  USA    15 -vs- Dartmouth 0 (Hanover, NH, Thompson Arena)

  Dec   4 1997:  USA     3 -vs- Canada 1  (Minneapolis, MN, Mariucci Arena)
  Dec   6 1997:  USA     4 -vs- Canada 5  (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
  Dec 12-20 97:  ***1997 Three Nations Cup***
  Dec  13 1997:  USA     3 -vs- Finland 3 (Lake Placid, NY, Olympic Center)
  Dec  14 1997:  USA     2 -vs- Canada  3 (Lake Placid, NY, Olympic Center)
  Dec  15 1997:  Finland 3 -vs- Canada  6 (Ottawa, ON, Nepean Sportsplex)
  Dec  16 1997:  USA     6 -vs- Finland 3 (Saratoga, NY, Wiezel Avenue Arena)
  Dec  17 1997:  USA     4 -vs- Canada  5 (Burlington, VT, Gutterson Fieldhouse)
  Dec  18 1997:  Finland 3 -vs- Canada  8 (Belleville, ON, Quinte Sports Centre)
  Dec  20 1997:  USA     3 -vs- Canada  0 (Lake Placid, NY, Olympic Center)

  Jan   9 1997:  USA        -vs- Cleveland Jr. Barons (7pm, Cleveland, Ohio Gund Arena)
  Jan  16 1997:  USA     1  -vs- Canada 2 (Vancouver, BC, GM Place)
  Jan  20 1997:  USA (OT)4  -vs- Canada 3 (San Jose, CA, San Jose Arena)
  Jan     1997:  Finland 10 -vs- Sweden 0
  Jan     1997:  Finland 13 -vs- Norway 0
  Jan  26 1997:  USA      3 -vs- Canada 1 (Calgary, AB The Saddledome)
  Jan  28 1997:  USA      2 -vs- Canada 4 (Colorado Springs, CO)

  Feb   4 1997:  Canada   1 -vs- Sweden 1 (Nagano, Japan)
  Feb   4 1997:  USA     10 -vs- Japan  0 (Nagano, Japan)

Canadian News Sources


American News Sources


Team USA Information


Team USA Articles


Team Canada Information


Souvenirs


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This page is maintained by © 1998 Andria Hunter (andria@whockey.com).

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