GANGNEUNG: Monique Lamoureux-Morando and Kendall Coyne netted second-period goals to lift the United States past Finland 3-1 Sunday in their opening game of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic women's hockey tournament.
It was the first Olympic start for the US women since their heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Canada in the 2014 final, the Americans surrendering a last-minute equaliser and over-time gold decider.
The Canadians, on a 20-game Olympic win streak and seeking a fifth consecutive gold medal, open their competition later against the Olympic Athletes from Russia.
The Americans have won eight of the past 10 world championship titles, beating Canada in the final each time including the past three years, but took their lone Olympic title 20 years ago at Nagano.
Finland's Venla Hovi opened the scoring with 5.8 seconds remaining in the first period to seize momentum for the Scandinavians.
Petra Nieminen centered to Hovi in the slot and she blasted the puck into the far corner past the glove of US goaltender Maddie Rooney.
But the Americans responded by outshooting Finland 23-5 in the second period and seized the lead.
Lamoureux-Morando skated through the crease and fired three times at Finnish goaltender Noora Raty, the last over her right leg and into the net to equalise 8:58 into the second period.
Just 2:31 later, Kendall Coyne gave the US women a 2-1 edge, one-timing a cross-ice pass from Hilary Knight just under the crossbar for a power-play goal.
The Americans denied Finland on two power-play chances in the third period to hold on for the victory, which was clinched by Dani Cameranesi's empty-net goal with 13 seconds remaining after Finland pulled Raty for an extra attacker.
Rikka Valila, 44, became Finland's oldest-ever Winter Olympian and the oldest player in Olympic women's hockey history.
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