TURIN, Italy — With the heartache of a historic defeat still fresh for the U.S. women's hockey players, they felt a consolation — albeit a very faint one.

Nobody can claim women's hockey is a North American monopoly, they thought. The defeat could spur worldwide interest in their sport. It might become more competitive, no longer merely a two-team race between the U.S. and Canada.

But consolations aside, the Americans knew that this was one dreadful, mind-boggling loss.

"We'll probably keep saying all that to ourselves, but it sure doesn't make this feel much better," said forward Katie King, a three-time Olympian.

Sweden claimed the Americans' customary spot in the finals by stunning them in a 3-2 shootout Friday behind phenomenal goalie Kim Martin, who made 37 saves and turned aside all four U.S. attempts after regulation. While the Swedes celebrated in a frantic pile, the U.S. players stared blankly at a celebration their fans hoped they would never see.

"We knew this day was coming at some point," forward Kristin King said. "Lots of good will come out of another team getting to the final. It's great for Swedish hockey, and it shows we're not a two-team sport."

King then sighed, the memory of her first Olympic goal not dulling the sting.

"But it's tough, and it's hard to take. I don't know what to do with myself."

For the first time since women's hockey went international in 1990, the Americans were beaten by someone besides Canada. Sweden will play Canada, a 6-0 winner over Finland in the other semifinal, for the gold medal on Monday.

The Swedes owed it to Martin, the 19-year-old goalie with a brick fortress painted on her mask. She stopped everything the Americans shot at her in the final 48:56 of regulation and overtime, then was barely tested in the shootout.

Maria Rooth, whose four years at Minnesota-Duluth paved the way for dozens of other European players to the world's best training grounds, had both regulation scores in a 3½-minute span and the clinching shootout goal.

After U.S. captain Krissy Wendell missed and Rooth finished it with a low stick-side shot, the Swedes mobbed Martin. They joined hands and skated around the ice to the cheers of a small rooting section.

"We talked last night and asked everybody to try to feel what it would feel like to win," Rooth said. "We wanted everybody to see that picture. ... The one thing different in the past was deep down, we didn't believe we could beat them. We felt we could this time."

The Americans often seemed to be begging for their first loss to Sweden in 26 meetings, playing carelessly and tentatively despite a heavy advantage in shots. Both of Rooth's goals were gifts on U.S. giveaways, leaving goalie Chanda Gunn helpless.

The sport's domination by the U.S. and Canada was the talk of the tournament's first week, with some questioning whether a sport even more stratified than baseball belonged in the Olympics.

Canada and the U.S. had never lost to anybody except each other in a match at the World Cup or the Olympics. The Americans won the sport's inaugural gold medal in Nagano and Canada won in Salt Lake City, shredding their foes in every prior match.

But the Americans did their part for parity with a terrible tournament. They barely rallied past Finland on Tuesday before losing to Sweden, which lost 8-1 to Canada in the preliminary round.

The Canadians had no problem with Finland in the other semifinal, with Cherie Piper getting two goals and Gillian Apps scoring four points while they racked up five power-play goals. Charline Labonte made 17 saves in her second shutout for Canada, which outscored its first four opponents 42-1.

The Swedes know their next task is even more daunting, but they don't seem to mind settling for silver.

"It's always been two countries that can win the gold," said Mats Naslund, the president of the Swedish Hockey Federation. "I think Canada is too much ahead in this Olympics, but it gives the girls a chance for the next Olympics to catch up."