US women show no letdown at world hockey championships – Los Angeles Times

It would be understandable if the powerhouse U.S. women’s hockey team felt a bit distracted at the world championships this week.

The players settled a long-running dispute with national officials — earning better compensation and more financial support for their program — just days before the start of the tournament in Plymouth, Mich.

But last-minute negotiations haven’t shown any effect on the ice as the Americans will face Canada on Friday night for the gold medal and a chance to win a fourth consecutive world title.

“We’ve been good through the round-robin and now the semifinals,” defenseman Megan Keller said. “And we hope to just carry it over into the last game.”