Emily Pfalzer, Haley Skarupa, Amanda Kessel, Kali Flanagan, Hilary Knight and Kendall Coyne huddle up before the United States’ opening game against Finland.

GANGNEUNG, South Korea – Don’t use Sunday’s lid-lifter of the Olympic tournament to make any broad, sweeping statements about the state of women’s Hockey.

That’s the tease, at least, after the Americans opened the PyeongChang Olympics with a taut 3-1 victory over Finland at Kwandong Hockey Centre.

The only shift in the gold and silver medals came in 2006, when Ruggiero and her teammates were upset by Sweden in the semifinals, and settled for bronze.

Lamoureux-Morando helped the Americans pass the test by digging a puck out of scrum in the corner in the second period, skating across the crease, then burying her own rebound behind Finnish goalie Noora Raty, the University of Minnesota product who played up to her reputation as the best goaltender in the tournament.

The IOC, through a gender equity project, is starting to “really take a look at everything,” according to Ruggiero, “not just participation in the Games, but funding, which I think is pivotally important.

The women on the U.S. hockey team who are assembled here in this coastal city have no time for such deep and important thoughts.