U.S. women skate to win

Zack Hall

Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2000 | 10:03 a.m.

The United States women's hockey team might have been in Las Vegas for a break from playing the world's most challenging women's teams but that doesn't mean it couldn't score a goal for women's hockey while it was here.

The national team did just that by beating the all-male Las Vegas Gold Miners hockey club 3-2 in an exhibition game at the Santa Fe Ice Arena on Tuesday night.

"It was a wonderful series to get up against this type of speed and strength," said national team coach Ben Smith. "It really makes us work on our transitions from offense to defense or defense to offense. Usually when we play against other women's teams -- unless we are playing Canada or Finland -- we kind of get our way."

The Gold Miners won the first meeting between the teams, 8-5, Monday night.

The national team -- which made a name for itself by winning the 1998 Winter Olympics gold medal in Nagano, Japan -- is taking a break from international competition until February, so it doesn't mind showcasing its talents against men's teams.

"This year we haven't played any men's teams yet since we got together in November," said U.S. forward Katie King, who scored a goal. "But in the past we have played men's teams. There are only so many women's teams we can play. That's (the Gold Miners) the quickest competition we'll face."

The Gold Miners jumped on the national team early with a goal by Chris Thurman midway through the first period. But the U.S. team answered in the same period when Erin Magee sent a pass in front of the crease to Melisa Heitzman who turned and fired the puck past Miners goalie Mike Castillo.

The national team dominated play in the second period. Brandy Fisher scored an unassisted goal with just under 10 minutes left in the period.

Four minutes later, King picked up a rebound and sent the puck into the back of the net for a 3-1 advantage.

American goalie Erin Whitten displayed some impressive goalkeeping, particularly in the second and third periods, to secure the victory. Whitten stopped two breakaway goal opportunities, including a glove save of Sean Rynes' shot.

"She (Whitten) really played well tonight," Smith said. "She's been one of the backbones of women's hockey in the United States for the last decade."