The result was an ineffective U.S. trio for the most part. As well, Dineen had his players use the full sheet of ice. Guess what? Maybe Canada is just as fast as the Americans? Canada passed east-west and north-south through the middle with incredible effectiveness, the wingers blowing to the outside around the American defencemen and a torpedo-kind of long passing up the middle catching their opponents off guard.

In the end, both goalies were solid and the defence almost letter perfect. Slight advantage Canada, but this was only the first of six expected periods between the two teams in the next week and as such the least important.

If the first period was establishing a strategy, the second was about a glorious up-and-down exchange of chances. Both goalies were sensational, Labonte stoning Brianna Decker on a breakaway and Vetter matching with a great pad save off Gillian Apps.

Labonte came back with another breakaway save off Lyndsey Fry, who was the beneficiary of a Laura Fortino giveaway at the U.S. blue line on a power play.

And then on a power play of their own, the Americans struck. Anne Schleper’s quick shot from the slot was re-directed by Hilary Knight in front, and just like that the U.S., which had been neutralized much of the game, had the crucial 1-0 lead.

Canada came out with purpose to start the third and tied the game early on its own power play. Wickenheiser got a loose puck by the left faceoff dot and found Meghan Agosta to the back side for the easy tap in at 2:21.

"We knew we just needed one goal, and we could get that on any shift from any line," Wickenheiser noted. "We just had to stay with it, and nobody was panicking."

Less than two minutes later, Wickenheiser put Canada ahead when her shot from in close squeezed throug the pads of Vetter and over the goal line. It appeared the whistle might have sounded before the puck crossed the line, but referee Anna Eskola consulted with the video-goal judge who confirmed the score.

"There was a whistle on the ice, definitely," said Hilary Knight. "We play to the whistle. That’s why a lot of the U.S. players stopped. Unfortunately, I don’t know if they have audio on the review, but that was not the right way for us to go out...I was right there on the ice. I heard it. But I guess you’ve got to play through the whistle, right?"

Agosta made it a 3-1 game when she collected a loose puck at her blue line and had a clear break, beating Vetter between the pads at 14:55.

It wasn't until near the end of the period the Americans regsitered their first shot, finishing with only three in the final 20 minutes.

With Vetter on the bench, Schleper's long shot fooled Labonte. It trickled off the goalie's glove and in at 18:55 to make it 3-2, but the U.S. couldn't get near the Canadian goal in the final minute.

In the end, the Decker line had only seven of the U.S.'s 27 shots and were well neautralized by Canada's checking, but the real test will be a gold-medal showdown--if both teams make it that far.

The appetizer was delicious. Now fans are hoping the main course is just as delectable.