Team USA dominates Finland 5-2 in women's Olympic hockey opener; Brianna Decker injured

BEIJING — One of the consequences of having only a few spectators allowed to watch events like hockey at the Olympics is that those in the arena can hear everything.

That can be a good thing, as Team USA's emotion, energy and communication was audible throughout its 5-2 dominance of Finland in its opening game of the Beijing Winter Games. Kendall Coyne Schofield and Alex Carpenter pumped in two goals each to lead the cause.

It also meant that there was no way to not hear Brianna Decker scream and curse her first-period injury.

Decker got tangled up with Finland's Ronja Savolainen as they worked behind the U.S. net, with both falling to the ice. Decker rolled over in pain as she appeared to suffer damage to her left leg. She sat up on a stretcher as she was taken off of ice as her teammates offered stick taps.

Team USA had to battle with a couple banged-up players during their preparation for the Beijing Games, then fought through a run of COVID-19. So there was relief and optimism when they arrived in China with everyone healthy.

That run of health lasted 9 minutes 22 seconds.

Good teams move on, and Team USA will try to do the same. It will likely lead to more ice time for young players like the Gophers' Abbey Murphy.

After Decker left the ice, Team USA let the Finns have it.

Former Gopher Amanda Kessel carried the puck in from the left circle and stuffed a shot past Anni Keisala to open the scoring at the 10:37 mark. Then, 2:22 later, Petra Nieminen paid for her hooking penalty as she watched Jincy Dunne feed Carpenter's first goal to make it 2-0. Carpenter needed time to tee up her shot but still beat Keisala to the near post.

The score reflected Team USA's dominance as it held Finland to five first-period shots while spending the majority of the time in the Finnish zone.

Schofield took over the second period. She buried a shot by Keisala from the right circle 5:32 into the period to put the Americans ahead 3-0. Then she tipped in Savannah Harmon's shot from the left point after Hannah Brandt of Vadnais Heights easily won the faceoff. Even with a comfortable lead, the Team USA bench was on its feet, not wanting to see a slip in performance level.

Susanna Tapani, who played at North Dakota, scored a power play goal in the third for Finland's first goal before Carpenter's second made it 5-1.

Tapani then added a second goal with 2:20 left. The goal was initially waved off and the rest of the game was played, then a video review showed the shot had gone in and the final 2:20 was replayed.

In the end, the U.S. outshot Finland 52-12.

Team USA's next game is Saturday against the Russian Olympic Committee.