matchup between the USA and
Canada.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper was among those
who left disappointed after the
Americans rallied for a 3-2 win behind Wisconsin natives Amanda
Kessel, Brianna Decker and Jesse
Vetter.
By scoring the game-winning
goal, Kessel, a Madison product,
capped an extraordinary personal
run in which she led Minnesota
to an NCAA title and perfect season and won the Patty Kazmeier
Award.
Decker, who won the Kazmeier
Award last season while skating
for the Badgers, was named to the
media's all-star team in Ottawa after accounting for six goals, tying
for the most in the tournament.
While they were rivals during
their WCHA careers, Kessel and
Decker skated on the same line
for Team USA as they once had at
Shattuck-St. Mary's (Minn.) be-
ANDRE RINGUETTE/HHOF-IIHF IMAGES
fore moving on to the collegiate ranks.
"You compete against these girls throughout
"You compete against these girls
the year and then you come together,'' pointed
throughout the year and then you
out Rigsby, UW's career saves leader after just
come together,'' pointed out Rigsby.
three seasons. "We had a great motto: Team
"We had a great motto: Team First.'' First.''
It was reinforced, Rigsby said, by their leaders: Julie Chu, the oldest member of the squad
at 31; Kacey Bellamy, 25; and Meghan Duggan,
Thus, he was able to bring context to Rigsby's
25, a UW captain when Rigsby was a freshman.
ongoing apprenticeship on the national team.
"Having the top players working together is
"Whether you play a minute or don't play at all,'' he
huge,'' she said. "There was so much leadership and
said, "being in that atmosphere is going to help.''
it came out every day with people doing what they
The atmosphere has never been better than it
could to help the team become the best it could be.''
was during the 2013 World Championships, which
Rigsby spent a lot of time in Ottawa observing
attracted record crowds, including 18,013 for the fiVetter, 27, one of the most accomplished goalies in
nal preliminary game between Finland and Canada.
the world and a Rigsby role model dating back to
There were nearly 14,000 in Scotiabank Place,
Vetter's spectacular career at Wisconsin.
the home rink of the Ottawa Senators of the Na"She's just the most composed person; she's
tional Hockey League, for the April 9 gold-medal
49
