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Former BC players shine as USA takes gold in women's hockey

BOSTON — The United States topped Canada in a shootout to win the gold medal in women’s ice hockey at the winter Olympics early Thursday morning.

Watching them, wide awake at nearly 3 a.m. Eastern Time was Boston College’s head coach Katie Crowley.

It’s been 20 years since Crowley won her own gold medal with the USWNT at the 1998 winter Olympics.

Since then, the U.S. has appeared in every gold medal game but one and lost to Canada in each of them -- except last night.

“You’re staying up late and getting up early to watch these games, but it’s been really fun to watch our players over there and see them be successful and do as well as they’re doing,” Crowley told Boston 25 News Thursday. “Obviously, it’s a great moment for them – for the five of our players that are there.”

Five former Eagles are on the current USWNT roster: Haley Skarupa, Megan Keller, Emily Pfalzer, Kali Flanagan and Cayla Barnes.

Skarupa is a forward, while the other four play defense.

“Haley … she’s had a different road to her Olympic games and I’m just really excited to see her excel,” Crowley said. “I think it’s a lot of fun for us at home watching them … they’re all out there in a lot of situations.”

Crowley took over BC women’s hockey ten years ago and has turned the program into a national and even international competitor.

In the last three years alone, 17 eagles have represented the United States of Canada in international competition.

When goalie Maddie Roonie stopped the final Canadian effort in the shootout in the Pyeongchang games last night, all five Eagles piled over the boards with the rest of their team. It was 20 years after the women’s last gold medal and 38 years to the day after the men’s famous ‘Miracle on Ice’ victory over the Soviet Union.

“It’s good cause you can kind of sit back and watch for fun and obviously we’re cheering for those five and myself being an alum of team USA, it’s a great moment for team USA,” Crowley said.

It was sweet redemption for the 10 Americans who watched the Canadians snatch gold away in Sochi.

Not only did the Americans end the Canadians' stranglehold on Olympic gold, they ended a skid of five straight against their rival coming into this game, including a 2-1 loss in the tournament a week ago.
It's the perfect ending to a story every young hockey player wants to write.

“It’s a tremendous experience, it’s everything that you’ve dreamed of and these five players have been dreaming of this,” Crowley said. “This have been what they’ve aimed for since they were little and I think they’re taking in a lot of things. They’ve worked extremely hard to get to this point. This is the best game you’re going to see in women’s hockey.”

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TERESA M. WALKER ,  AP Sports Writer, contributed to this report.

MORE: U.S. women's hockey team wins Olympic gold