Live Blogging Women's Olympic Hockey

*It's a final. USA wins their opening Olympic game!

*Julie Chu and Jinelle Zaugg with some pretty back and forth passing leads to Chu putting one in right at the back post with under a minute left in the game. 12-1 USA

*I had mentioned a goalie switch, but it doesn't seem to have happened when I said it did. It happened about 10 minutes left in the period. Not sure what I missed, but there was a whole discussion about Brianne McLaughlin and her college.

*China scored while I was watching Nordic. Switch the station for 4 minutes and miss all the action

*Ok, that was the best thing I've watched so far. Men's Nordic was a crazy sprint to the finish. The French guy who won the gold didn't lead the whole race. A Japanese made a sprint too early, forcing everyone to sprint early. USA Lodwick who led the whole time couldn't hold it. USA's Spillane took the lead and lost it last 100 yards

*Switched over to men's alpine for a minute because the Americans look to be making a coup and I missed a goal. It's 11-0 Team USA

*Badger Molly Engstrom takes a shot from the hash marks on the boards of the right faceoff circle and makes it 10-0. USA has 54 shots. 9:00 minutes left in the game.

*One of China's players just got in behind her keeper to make a kick save and keep the puck out of the net. Nice sacrifice for a player down 9-0.

*Team China has just 4 shots on goal, so this is not a very exciting match. Feels like everyone's just been waiting for this thing to end since about 5 minutes gone in the 2nd period.

*Now 9-0 USA on a shot by Jenny Potter that's put away by #Badger Meghan Duggan

*Goalie change for Team USA and it's still not Jessie Vetter. This better be because she's being rested.

* Ok Jocelyne Lamoureux just scored the most redonk goal. Between the legs pass to herself and then five-holed the goalie. Another top 10 play. USA 8 China 0

*Cheap, Cheap shot on Erika Lawler as she outskated a Chinese player and got taken down into the boards. Saying there's nothing wrong w/ hit? Lawler could barely limp off the ice. C'mon Erika, be ok.

*GiGi Marvin just fed Lisa Chesson a gorgeous pass on the far post which Chesson finessed in to the upper corner to make it 7-0 with 16 minutes left in the 2nd period

* NICE! First cheesehead sighting in the crowd at the women's hockey game!

*China goalie really is very impressive, though the score doesn't show it. She's made a couple of great saves. Unfortunate she has no support

*Badger Molly Engstrom takes an outside shot and Jenny Potter screened the goalie and tipped it in for a PP goal. Potter with the hat trick as USA now leads 6-0

*2nd period underway with Team USA on PP

*end of 1st period

*And just :21 seconds later Jenny Potter puts in the rebound off a Hilary Knight shot. 5-0 USA

*Finally, a #Badger gets on the board! Meghan Duggan has 3 Chinese defenders surrounding her and manages to beat the keep. 4-0 Team USA!

*UNREAL stop by the Chinese goalie after a poor clear from behind the net goes straight to Julie Chu's stick.

*Turns out #Badger Jinelle Zaug-Siergiej has a blog and has been updating it from the Olympics. She has cool pics from opening ceremonies, etc.. Seems like it will provide some cool insight to the Olympic experience.
http://jinellezaugg.blogspot.com/

*2-0 Team USA as Julie Chu stole a clearance pass and got it to Kelli Stack in front of the net. Just under 10 to go in the first period.

* Ok, the announcer guy just called Erika Lawler a "mighty mite."

*Angela Ruggiero just schooled the Chinese defenders through the zone and slides the puck under the goalies leg to make it 1-0 Team USA

*The women's Olympic hockey team starts their attempt to win the gold this afternoon.

Player to watch in the women's hockey game? Badger sophomore Hilary Knight. Knight is the youngest player on the team with possibly the best wrist shot EVER in women's hockey. Let that sink in.

Also, Jessie Vetter isn't in goal, but no one has said why. She's been called the best keeper ever. She has the NCAA record for shut-outs. She won the Patty Kaz. Why the heck isn't she playing?