Turin – The last time Madison Potter saw her mom play hockey, she had no clue what was going on.
There aren’t too many 13- month-old kids who know the alphabet, let alone why mom is chasing some little black hunk of rubber around an ice rink. Thus, hockey at the Salt Lake Winter Games isn’t a major part of the family photo album back home in Edina, Minn.
Ah, but Turin, this Madison will remember, especially after Sunday when Mom put on a little show in a 5-0 victory over Germany in women’s hockey.
Jenny Potter scored the first goal and set up the second by Katie King as the Americans went 2-for-2 for the weekend to start what they hope will be a run to Olympic gold.
The only mother on the team wasn’t the lone scoring star, though.
Sarah Parsons, at 18 the team’s youngest player, scored the third and fifth goals and set up the fourth.
“You saw why she’s here,” coach Ben Smith said of Parsons. “Even though she’s young in age, she’s mature in her ability and goal-scoring.”
As the game ended and the players left the ice, Potter saw her 5-year-old daughter for the first time since early January. Madison couldn’t attend Saturday’s Olympic opener – too many friends and family, not enough tickets – and for the previous four-plus weeks the team had been training on the East Coast.
So what happened Sunday night?
“I made her cry,” Potter said, an I-want-to-cry-myself look coming over her face. “I saw her through the glass and waved and she wanted to see me but she couldn’t get to me.”
Once the media obligations were over, she was headed out for a real reunion in the rink, where not long before Team USA outshot Germany 60-10 and at no point was challenged.
“In this constellation, we didn’t have a chance,” German coach Peter Kathan said. “We just don’t have the same quality players.”
Before the team left the U.S. for Italy, Madison sent Jenny a card.
“It said, ‘Hi, Mom, play good hockey and thanks for all the stuffed animals,”‘ Potter said.
Mom did as ordered.
CANADA 12, RUSSIA 0: Two days into the hockey tournament, the question is not who’s capable of beating Canada, but can anyone score on the defending champs?
Less than 24 hours after a record-setting 16-0 victory over Italy, the Canadians blanked Russia, with Megan Agosta and Cherie Piper scoring three goals apiece.
Goalie Charline Labonte stopped 17 Russian shots.
“It’s very difficult to make any comments when you lose by this score,” Russian coach Alexy Kalintsev said.
