As a kid, Natalie Darwitz used to tag along to her brother Ryan’s hockey practices. Dad was the coach, so 8-year-old Natalie jumped in line and ran through drills with boys three years older.
Now, 10 years later, Natalie is playing for the U.S. women’s Olympic team, and Ryan is the one tagging along in Utah.
“She could probably beat us now,” he said.
She beat Finland on Saturday, that’s for sure.
Darwitz rang up her first Olympic hat trick, all three being highlight reel-quality goals, one of them short-handed, as the United States slapped a 5-0 beating on the Finns at the E Center to run its record to 3-0.
In leading the United States in its toughest win yet–it was the first time the Americans hadn’t scored more goals than their opponent had shots–Darwitz took over the team lead in goals with six. She also took over the team lead in scoring with seven points. The team she’s leading, mind you, includes 14 members of the 1998 gold-medal team.
Not bad for someone who just turned 18.
“It’s amazing,” said Darwitz, who had two goals in the 10-0 opener against Germany. “You dream about scoring a goal in the Olympics, but to get three goals in one game is surreal.”
Darwitz is playing right wing on the U.S.’ top scoring line, hanging with captain and Downers Grove product Cammi Granato and center Krissy Wendell. She seems unfazed by her remarkable tournament.
But to give you an idea of where Darwitz is compared with her linemate Granato, some rough math shows she was in the first grade when Granato joined the first women’s Team USA 12 years ago.
“They keep me young,” Granato, 30, said of Darwitz and the 20-year-old Wendell. “They bring the average age of the line down.
And Darwitz’s ability brings the skill level of the line up.
“Every aspect of her skating is so solid,” Granato marveled. “She could be a power skater. She has that great stride. She has great hands and that knack for the net. She wants the puck.”
She got it Saturday. She got it and she buried it.
On her first goal, Darwitz took a feed in tight from A.J. Mleczko, then dangled the puck until she cut across the crease and had an open net. One-nothing, Americans.
More Top Picks Rubber Mulch
Her second goal was pure hustle, leaping off the bench and following Angela Ruggiero’s short-handed rush before beating Finnish goalie Tuula Puputti to the glove side while being tripped and heading into the end boards. Two-oh, Americans.
She completed her hat trick in the second period with another slick move, taking a pass from Wendell, waiting until Granato and a Finnish defender slid through the crease, then calmly backhanding the puck over Puputti’s left shoulder. Four-zip.
“The puck just bounced my way,” Darwitz said. “It’s a great feeling to get a hat trick and score goals, but it’s even better when we’re winning the game and moving on.”
The U.S. women are moving on to the semifinals Tuesday against Sweden. Darwitz’s older teammates are welcome to tag along.