Larkin said many of the men’s players watched the women’s game on television in a treatment room at the end of the hall they share with the women at the Olympic Village.
“We were going nuts,” said Larkin, a Michigan native. “Pretty good moment, and great for them. Megan Keller, that’s a great story. Michigan girl. Very proud for her, and yeah, great moment for USA Hockey.”
Sullivan said the coaches caught bits and pieces of the women’s game while preparing for Slovakia.
“It’s a great thrill,” Sullivan said. “Those girls, what a terrific hockey team. They’ll be an inspiration to the next generation of girls growing up in the United States. It’s crazy how far women’s hockey has come in the United States, and a lot of it is due to the teams like this and the girls that play on these teams. They inspire the next generation, and that’s how it works, and we couldn’t be more proud of them.”
Could they inspire the men?
“Without a doubt,” Sullivan said. “I think you look at how dominant they’ve been throughout the course of their tournament and before. That’s one of the best women’s teams, I think, I’ve seen, and we certainly aspire to do the same on the men’s side.”
