Megan Bozek of the United States, left, congratulates teammate Kacey Bellamy after Bellamy scored a goal against Sweden during the first period of the 2014 Winter Olympics women's semifinal ice hockey... (Associated Press) 
 
 Lyndsey Fry, center, of the United States reacts after a goal by teammate Megan Bozek against Sweden during the second period of the 2014 Winter Olympics women's semifinal ice hockey game at Shayba Arena... (Associated Press) 
 
 Lyndsey Fry of the United States celebrates Megan Bozek's goal as Goalkeeper Valentina Wallner of Sweden sits on her knees during the second period of the 2014 Winter Olympics women's semifinal ice hockey... (Associated Press) 
 
 Lyndsey Fry of the United States trips over Goalkeeper Valentina Wallner of Sweden during the first period of the 2014 Winter Olympics women's semifinal ice hockey game at Shayba Arena, Monday, Feb. 17,... (Associated Press) 
 
 Goalkeeper Valentina Wallner of Sweden leaves the ice at the end of the second period of the 2014 Winter Olympics women's semifinal ice hockey game against the USA at Shayba Arena, Monday, Feb. 17, 2014,... (Associated Press) 
 
 Team USA celebrates a goal against Sweden during the second period of the 2014 Winter Olympics women's semifinal ice hockey game at Shayba Arena Monday, Feb. 17, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. "When that buzzer goes off and it erupted in the arena and we fell short of our goal of being the best in the world, that hurts," the four-time Olympian said after the United States beat Sweden 6-1 on Monday to reach the gold medal game in Sochi. "The last four years, that's been our goal." Russia has won 18 of 33 medals in ice dance's Olympic history, but now North Americans own two straight golds. "Julie's been everything to the program, she's been a youngster, she's been a veteran ... she's been a mother to the younger kids. DROUGHT OVER: USA two-man bobsled takes bronze 
 
 HOCKEY: USA women advance to gold-medal game 
 
 . "It was the perfect moment," White said, "to express how grateful that I am to have her by my side."
– US speedskaters aren't doing so hot, but other Americans strapping on skates at Sochi are making up for it. Today, Meryl Davis and Charlie White won the first-ever gold for USA in ice dancing, reports CBS News. They beat the last gold-medal winners, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada, by a relatively wide margin of 4.5 points. (The couples train together.) "It still hasn't sunk in yet," says Davis, 27. Adds White, 26, of their mistake-free skate today: "That in itself justified 17 years of hard work." The win is all the more impressive because, in ice dance, Americans "weren't even afterthoughts a decade ago," observes USA Today. In a less delicate ice-skating sport, the US women's hockey team advanced to the gold medal game against Canada with a 6-1 win over Sweden, reports AP. That's the matchup pretty much everyone expected before the Olympics began, and if previous games between these two very unfriendly rivals are a guide, this one should be entertaining even for non-hockey fans. The game is at noon Eastern on Thursday.