The defenseman from Palmer on Sunday picked up her second gold medal in the last two seasons, helping Team USA defend its title in the International Ice Hockey Federation's Women's World Championship.
The Americans beat Canada 4-1 in Hameenlinna, Finland, and thus leapfrogged the Canadians to earn the IIHF's No. 1 world ranking for the first time since the rankings were introduced in 2004.
Weiland, 28, earned an even plus-minus rating in the game and was plus 3 in five tournament games. The University of Wisconsin graduate is a member of USA Hockey's Women's Select Team, which is based in Blaine, Minn.
Sunday, the Americans used two goals from Catilin Cahow, including her first strike just 24 seconds into the match, and Jessie Vetter's 39 saves to turn back the Canadians. Canada beat Team USA 2-1 in a qualifying match Friday, but the Americans prospered when it mattered most, just as they did in winning the 2008 title in China.
Also picking up gold medals were Jocelyne and Monique Lamoureux, the 19-year-old twin sisters of Alaska Aces goaltender Jean-Philippe Lamoureux.
Weiland, a two-time All-American for the Badgers and a woman with designs on making the U.S. Olympic Team in 2010, also owns two world championship silver medals. She earned those medals in 2007 and 2004, when the Americans fell to the Canadians in the title matches.
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