MILAN — The U.S. women’s hockey team hasn’t asked for much from its goalies so far during these Olympics, but Gwyneth Philips came through Monday night when the Americans needed her.
She robbed Switzerland’s Rahel Enzler late in the first period when Team USA’s 5-0 victory was still very much in doubt.
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With underdog Switzerland trailing by a single goal and beginning a two-minute power play, Swiss forward Ivana Wey fed a slick pass to Enzler who was camped out all by herself in front of the American net. It appeared that Enzler’s one-timer would find the open left side of the net, but Philips extended her right arm just in time and calmly made a glove save.
“I’m a backwards goalie, I stuck my glove out and it went in my glove,” Philips said with a laugh. “That’s why I made that save. That was a big save for our team. You don’t want to let them score there and get the energy.”
That deft save from Philips and several others kept the U.S. in front on a night when its defense surrendered an Olympics-high 21 shot attempts and its high-octane offense never found top gear. The Americans didn’t open a two-goal advantage until less than six minutes remained in the second period and didn’t put the game away until early in the third.
Philips had been the backup goalie behind Aerin Frankel for the U.S.’s first two games of group play against Czechia and Finland. She said she was “super excited” when she found out via a Sunday text message from head coach John Wroblewski that she was going to get the chance to make her Olympic debut as the starter against Switzerland.
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Philips took full advantage of her opportunity, bailing out her teammates on multiple occasions. The Americans have surrendered just a single goal in three games so far this Olympics. Now they have two goalies they can trust.
“She’s a brick wall in there,” U.S. defender Caroline Harvey said. “She had some phenomenal saves. If you think about that one right off the power-play draw, just a huge glove save. We have full trust in her whenever she’s in the net.”
A less-dominant-than-expected victory over Switzerland improves the U.S. to 3-0 entering its most anticipated game of group play. The Americans renew their decades-old rivalry with Canada on Tuesday in a matchup of co-favorites who have combined to win every Olympic or World Championships gold medal.
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The U.S. edged Canada in the gold-medal match at last year’s World Championships and swept four straight Rivalry Series games against the Canadians in November and December, but Canada had the upper hand in the rivalry prior to that. Many of the stars of Canada’s 2022 Olympic championship team have returned to make another run in Milan.
For the U.S. to take down its neighbors to the North, the Americans will need the scoring punch they displayed in Monday night’s third period and not the lethargy of the first and second. Several scoring opportunities went to waste early in the game as Taylor Heise was unable to convert a breakaway and Tessa Janecke’s backhander clanged off the post.
It took a lucky break for the U.S. to even scratch out its second goal. Joy Dunne won a loose puck behind the Swiss net and tried a sweeping backhand shot. The puck would have slid well wide of the net, but it ricocheted off the outside of defender Stefanie Wetu’s right skate and into an open net.
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The third period was a different story as Hannah Bilka, Alex Carpenter and Caroline Harvey each got pucks past Swiss goalie Andrea Braendu. The U.S. also had a Hayley Scamurra goal taken off the scoreboard early in the third period when referees ruled teammate Dunne had interfered with Braendu in the crease.
The lopsided score allowed Wroblewski to pull Philips in the final minutes and get his third goalie some ice time too. Sure enough, Ava McNaughton came through with a big glove save to preserve the shutout.
“It was an absolute laser too and she was going in cold,” Philips said. “I’m so happy for her.”
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