VANCOUVER B.C. - Karen Thatcher said her greatest thrill so far at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics has been pulling on her jersey and taking the ice as a member of the U.S. women's hockey team.

After scoring her first goal as an Olympian against Russia, the Blaine resident won't have to look far to find which moment is second on the list.

Thatcher turned a missed shot into a memory that will last a lifetime, slapping a loose puck into the upper corner of the goal and past a splayed out Anna Prugova of Russia to give Team USA a 3-0 lead halfway through the first period during a 13-0 win over the Russians in pool play on Tuesday, Feb. 16, at UBC Thunderbird Arena. It's the second blowout win for the U.S. women's team in as many games with Finland waiting on Thursday.

"I joke with my teammates that I make my career off of rebounds," Thatcher said. "I saw that one pop out and I just started salivating almost. It felt like I had a minute to get to it. It was a great feeling to be able to pop that one upstairs. As I shot the puck, because when you shoot those you know they are going in. As I shot the puck I sort of paused and had that moment where I was thinking 'wow, that just happened.' It was a really cool feeling."

Thatcher's goal was one of many highlights for the Americans against another overmatched opponent.

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