Hayley Wickenheiser Quotations

We're expecting to go over and win the gold and defend the gold medal. Anything less would be disappointing for us. We know what we have to do. It's just a matter of doing it on the day when it counts the most.

We've been in pressure games a lot over the years, so we're used to it. We, by no means, think we've got this thing in the bag.

When I got the second goal, I knew I had 100 goals so one of my teammates, Gillian Apps, grabbed the puck for me.

She threw it out from the corner to the high slot, and I just sort of made a little fake and went top shelf over the Swedish goalie. It was a decent goal, a nice goal. Sometimes you get them on garbage goals, but this was kind of a fun one.

I grew up in a small town and once I had a woman come into the dressing room and she screamed at me that I shouldn't be on the ice with her son.

What you'd like to see from a young player is they have to come into camp confident enough to take somebody's spot. You see that a lot more in men's hockey than you do in the women's game.

I think it's the greatest upset in women's hockey. They were talking about taking women's hockey out of the Olympics. I think after tonight you can't talk about that any more.

I think it's the greatest upset in the history of women's hockey. It is a bit bittersweet. We've been geared toward the U.S. all year, and we prepare for them with everything we do. We were anticipating playing them, but it's great for Swedish hockey and for the game's health.

Little bit of mixed feelings because they've been our greatest competition for 15 years and now it's a different final. I think it's the greatest upset in the history of women's hockey today.

It doesn't matter to me; we could fly under the radar all the way to the big game that we win and that would be fine.

...is to win the Olympic gold medal this year, that's for sure the biggest one.

I thought it was going to be closer. That's not great hockey.

We haven't faced a lot of adversity in our own end, but I'm sure they'll be fired up when they hear that comment. They'll be ready to go.

We are completely prepared. If we don't beat ourselves, we'll be fine.

You'd never see that on a men's team with a little baby on the bus who is crying at midnight. All the girls enjoy having him around. It's refreshing if it makes her feel comfortable, we're fine with it.

To be Olympic champions for the second time in a row is great. It's definitely harder to defend gold than to win it.

To defend the gold for our team and every Canadian back home is huge. For us, it's all gold or nothing. There's no other medal to win in this tournament. That's the pressure we put on ourselves. We're just happy we can land in Canada with everybody smiling.

We expected Italy to be weak. I don't know if we would have predicted that score, but we're not going to apologize for winning by that much. It's the Olympic Games and we've got a gold medal to try and win.

We expected Italy to be weak, but we're not going to apologize for winning.

We are a pro team in every sense of the word outside of being paid like pro players.

We did a great job and I am really happy for our team.

This is a pretty powerful line. We just complement each other's strengths. (Gillian) is a big-body presence and creates a lot of space for Piper and I to make plays. I think we have good chemistry right now.

They (Finland) played a great game against the U.S. and we have to get off to a quick start. Finland is always a problem with their speed and scoring ability.

You don't want to leave anything to chance. Unfortunately, because I hate blowing teams out like that.

There were a lot of kids in the crowd and I think a lot of them were familiar with my name and obviously being over here with the attention I received when I was here. It was kind of nice to hear the kids squealing, the atmosphere was good.

This is the Olympics, and it matters. If there was no goal differential that mattered, we would probably dump the puck in and sit back. But it makes a mockery at the same time when you just sit back. Fans don't want to see that. ... If I was watching (the U.S.) scoring so many goals, I might wonder, too, but differential does matter.

It's kind of nice to get the monkey off my back and get two goals and now I don't have to think about it anymore.

It's really exciting. We've been working eight, nine months for this moment. It felt a little surreal, going to the rink, getting our stuff and leaving but we're ready to go.

It's our first meeting since the worlds, so it will be interesting to see what they look like, and how we look as well.

It's great to see the other nations doing well, but as far as this tournament goes, we've got to be ready to beat the U.S.. We'll try not to think about it until the final, but it's always there. It has to be. We always play them, and it's a rivalry.

It was kind of a nice moment. It was exciting to get the 100th goal and to do it in Finland where I played before... it was sort of a neat feeling.

It was painful. So I just tried to pass more than shoot.

It (Sweden's participation in the final) is great for the game.

They made a huge banner and all the kids and staff signed it. It's a little hard to say goodbye to Noah. He's almost six now so he knows what's going on. He said 'I'll see you over there mom,' and gave me a stuffed animal to send me on my way - a shark, so I'll have that in my room.

I hope that (Canadians) will be proud and understand how we had to go through this tournament to get to the end result.

I didn't expect much from Italy, but Russia I thought would be better. I don't think they played with much heart.

I could go on an on. All the girls on this team can tell you similar stories.

Am I worried? Sure, I'm worried. When it comes to the Olympics, it can't be a predictable finish.

To represent the best of Canada is such an honour, it's chilling. There is so much excitement.

I'm really happy that it's in Russia. I've had a lot of success here. I had my first world championships here when I was younger so I am happy to do the Olympics here. I am really enjoying myself.

Wave it high, and don't trip and fall.

That was such an important time for us, as a team. It was our second gold medal in a row, following Salt Lake City, and really established ourselves as the best team in the world.

I hear they had our flag on their dressing room floor. I wonder if they'd like us to sign it?

Many times I had to dig deep and perform. All of that adversity helped me and drove me to want to be the best.

People would say, 'Girls don't play hockey. Girls don't skate.' I would say, 'Watch this.'