When the sport was first introduced on the Olympic level in 1998, the U.S. Women's Hockey Team won the first gold medal. Since then, Team USA has been without a single gold and rival Team Canada has earned three. Look for Jesse Vetter's goaltending to help put the USA back on top.
Among the new sports are ski halfpipe, snowboard slopestyle, parallel special slalom and women’s ski jumping. None of those probably will play well with TV audiences with the possible exception of women’s ski jumping. Jessica Jerome of Team USA is a name to watch in that sport.
Two-time U.S. figure skating champion Ashley Wagner grew up as a military brat, living in three countries and four states mostly at military bases since her father was in the service. She currently trains out of Southern California and is a strong contender to win the gold in Sochi.
Behind Ryan Suter, a tireless defenseman, Team USA has a chance to repeat its surprising silver medal showing in 2010. Team Canada, though, is probably too good for them this time -- although that’s what they said about the Soviets in 1980, too.
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