Women’s Hockey: Canada Sets Olympic Record With 18-0 Victory

If I told you that a goaltender allowed 18 goals in one game yet still played an incredible game, would you believe me?

Slovakian goaltender Zuzana Tomcikova was under fire all game long, facing 67 shots in just three periods of play as Team Canada set an Olympic record with a dominating 18-0 victory. Tomcikova was pretty much the only player on the Slovakian team with any sort of competition in her veins against the Canadians, as the game was even more one-sided than the score would suggest.

Sweden outshot Switzerland 22-9, receiving goals from Rundqvist, Enstrom and Uden-Johansson while goaltender Kim Martin got the shutout. The Swiss struggled all game long sustaining any sort of pressure, while Sweden played a safe and patient game and took advantage of the opportunities they scored once in each period.

More: SB Nation’s full coverage of the Winter Olympics and complete 2010 Winter Olympics Medal Count Tracker

Danijela Rundqvist scored for Sweden on a nifty give and go in the first, and Tina Enstrom just extended Sweden’s lead off another one timer off a pass from behind the net. The game had been a bit disjointed, without many prime scoring chances for each team, until Sweden open things up a bit with a spirited shift from their top line.

Both teams are playing it close defensively, and there have been few odd-man (woman?) rushes. One thing to keep in mind is that checking is illegal in women’s hockey, and with two European teams playing the physicality is even more toned down.