Whoah.

Swedish women shock U.S. in semis
Posted: Feb.17, 2006, 12:52 pm CST; Updated: Feb.17, 2006, 2:21 pm CST

TORINO, Italy (AP) --
Women's Official Full Results
Team 1 2 3 OT SO Total
1 1 0 0 0 2
0 2 0 0 2 3

The U.S. women's hockey team made history Friday night - the wrong kind.

For the first time since international competition in women's hockey began in 1990, the U.S. and Canada won't meet in the championship match - and it's largely because of Kim Martin.

Martin made 37 saves and stopped all four American attempts in a shootout, while Maria Rooth had two regulation scores and the clinching shootout goal in Sweden's 3-2 victory in the semifinals.

Possibly the best thing ever to happen to women's ice hockey, and I honestly don't mean that with any snark towards the U.S. team. I actually feel somewhat gutted for them. However, with the Finns looking competitive, and the Swedes pulling off this monumentally unlikely victory, it appears the sport may be developing nicely at the international level. A lot of Canadians are celebrating as though this result automatically hands them the gold, but don't bet on it just yet...