23 player selected to US Women's national hockey team

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) USA Hockey selected 23 players to the women's national team for the Olympics on Friday, and all but two helped the United States earn the gold medal at the Women's World Championship last month.

Hilary Knight, who scored the overtime winner over Canada to give the U.S. women their fourth straight title at the world championship, is one of 12 members selected who also played on the silver medal-winning 2014 Olympic team.

The others include: Meghan Duggan, Kacey Bellamy, Megan Bozek, Alex Carpenter, Kendall Coyne, Brianna Decker, Amanda Kessel, Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson, Monique Lamoureux-Morando, Gigi Marvin and Lee Stecklein.

The remainder of the roster includes: Nicole Hensley, Alex Rigsby, Maddie Rooney, Kali Flanagan, Megan Keller, Emily Pfalzer, Hannah Brandt, Kelly Pannek and Amanda Pelkey.

Forwards Kelli Stack and Haley Skarupa, who played at worlds, were replaced by Dani Cameranesi and Annie Pankowski.

A roster-leading six players are from Minnesota. Former Gophers star Robb Stauber is the head coach. Players and staff will relocate to the Tampa area in September to train in preparation for the 2018 Olympics in South Korea.

The U.S. women recently reached an agreement with USA Hockey, settling a wage dispute after players had threatened to boycott the world championship on home ice in Plymouth, Michigan.

Instead, they got a four-year deal that provides about $70,000 in non-Olympic years and as much as $129,000 in Olympic years with bonus money for winning the gold from USA Hockey and the U.S. Olympic Committee. They also will get the same travel, accommodations and insurance as the men's team.

USA Hockey also promised to establish a committee to improve the growth and promotion of girls and women's hockey.