DETROIT — Sunday evening, NBC-Universal televised the big game on cable MSNBC instead of broadcast –TV. The game was being bumped by ice-dancing, but true ice hockey lovers watched the USA vs. Canada matchup.
The loser wasn’t eliminated from medal contention but will have to play an extra game to reach the quarterfinals. That leaves open the chance for more things to happen. This is world class competition.
Three Michigan natives paced Team USA in the 5-3 victory. Brian Rafalski, Ryan Miller and Ryan Kesler each had superb efforts to support the physical and fast victory.
Team USA wore throwback jerseys (sweaters in Canadian hockey-speak). They were reminders of the 1960 gold medal team from the Squaw Valley Winter Olympics. The identical patch had the letters A.H.A.U.S. and USA. This was a reminder to the former name of the governing group for amateur hockey in the USA. It stood for, American Hockey Association of the United States. Nostalgia and great hockey ruled the day.
Also, the USA-USA chant was ever present remembering the thirty year anniversary of the Lake Placid Olympic gold medal.
It was called “Super Sunday” in hockey crazed Canada. The home crowd went silent as scored in the first minute of the game.
Brian Rafalski. Photo:Jamie Squire/Getty Images
“I was wiped out,” said Rafalski. He added, “Who expects to score two goals in the first period in a big game like that? I had to try to recover and get prepared for the second period.”
The other huge standout was Miller who turned aside 42 of Canada’s 45 shots.
The full day of hockey included two other clashes between nations with lots of history: Russia vs. the Czech Republic and Sweden vs. Finland. Russia won 4-2 and Sweden won 3-0. Milan Michalek, who scored the winner for Russia said, “I have never been in a more physical game.”
In the 1996 World Cup Hockey Tournament in Canada, the United States shocked the hosts in Montreal with four late goals to win. That was a manufactured tournament and Ron Wilson was the coach of that American team.
Before the big game Wilson said, “This is going to be unbelievable. It’s going to be on every TV in Canada and a good number in America. Anyone who is a hockey fan will be watching. It’s going to be a great day for hockey.”
Team USA has started out with wins over Switzerland (3-1) and Norway (6-1).
The Americans are young. On defense they have Detroit Red Wing, Rafalski who has played on three Stanley Cup Champions. He will have a calming influence on the young guns.
Rafalski, 36 and a Dearborn, Michigan native also had two goals in the Norway win. This is his third Olympics.
The Americans have earned a bye to the quarterfinals and will play the winner of the Belarus-Switzerland game.
Last Thursday Team Canada beat Switzerland, 3-2. Sidney Crosby (Pittsburg Penguins), scored the winner in overtime. That left Canada a point behind the United States, in the Group A standings.
Canada was definitely the favorite against the Americans.
With an average age of 26.5, the United States has the youngest team in the tournament, but Canada’s average age is only 28. The Americans are much less experienced in big games and on the international stage.
Just as in 1980, the absence of superstars may prove to be an edge for Team USA.
This Canadian team has been suffering from an embarrassment of riches. There is not enough puck time to go around. Mike Babcock is also trying to find enough ice time for all his elite players.
Babcock, Canada’s coach said, “We are a work in progress.”
Every team needs some diggers and grinders, skaters that will go in the corners to get the puck and pass to the snipers. Also, if you don’t get enough ice time it is hard to get into a rhythm.
“There aren’t enough minutes,” Babcock said.
The old hockey axiom still exists. In any tournament, with a hot goalie, any team can beat any other team.
One place the Americans may have an advantage is in net. Miller (Buffalo Sabres), is No. 2 in the N.H.L. in save percentages this season. He led Michigan State to the NCAA hockey title in 2007. He was also the Hobey Baker award winner that year as the outstanding collegiate player in the country.
Canada’s Martin Brodeur is an experienced goalie and a probable candidate for the Hockey Hall of Fame. This season he has had some shaky games for the New Jersey Devils though.
Babcock started Brodeur on Sunday. He played adequate for Team Canada. Babcock has the luxury to replace him with Roberto Luongo, the local favorite from the Vancouver Canucks. Luongo also played at Michigan State. Both can be winning goalies.
Patrick Kane (Chicago Black Hawks), Ryan Kesler (Vancouver Canucks), and Bobby Ryan (Anaheim Ducks) will be the number one line for the Americans.
Kesler, a Detroit area native, is a big fan favorite in Canada. He has a home in Vancouver. His empty net goal against the host country to seal the win showed the extra hustle that is his trademark.
Joe Pavelski (San Jose Sharks) of Plover, Wisconsin will also be a force on defense for Team USA.
Said USA General Manager Brian Burke, “Maybe we can come under the radar.”
A big disappointment to hockey purists is that the International Ice Hockey Federation allowed the Vancouver Organizing Committee and the National Hockey League to change the regulations on rink size. The NHL size rink is smaller than Olympic size so there is less offense. The better skating team gets penalized in an NHL sized rink. Olympic Hockey had special appeal because of the larger rink.
The Olympic motto is “Faster-Higher-Stronger”.
No one has won a hockey medal yet. There are a lot of games still to come with premier competition. What was demonstrated is that these American hockey players have shown they are fast, strong and can compete on this world stage at these Vancouver Winter Olympics.
Kowalczyk bested by Bjoergen again in Vancouver
After spending a year at the summit of women’s cross-country skiing, Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland is finding herself repeatedly looking up at Marit Bjoergen at these Vancouver Games.
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
The cross-country skiers received their medals for the 15km pursuit event. Marit Bjoergen of Norway won gold. Anna Haag of Sweden and Justyna Kowalczyk were awarded the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
Kowalczyk was bested by the Norwegian veteran again in the 15-kilometer pursuit. This is an event the Polish world champion has dominated recently. She had to settle for a bronze medal after barely beating another Norwegian, Kristen Storma-Steira, in a photo finish.
Kowalczyk was the dominant force in the sport in 2009, winning the pursuit and 30K freestyle race at the worlds and taking the overall World Cup. This season, she leads the World Cup standings by more than 400 points. She won the Tour de Ski in France in January.
CHICAGO NATIVE WINS GOLD
It is called the “Kiss and Cry” booth in figure skating. This is where the skaters have to endure waiting for their scores from the judges. At the Vancouver Winter Olympics, Evan Lysacek had to wait for his scores in the men’s figure skating long program. Then he had to wait for five other skaters to finish. This included two former world champions.
In the end, after nearly 60 minutes went by, Lysacek learned that the Olympic gold medal was his.
When the final scores were posted, Lysacek’s coach, Frank Carroll, turned to him and said: “My God, you’re the gold medalist! You are the Olympic champion!” It was the first time for the veteran and controversial Carroll to have coached a gold winner.
Lysacek, the 24-year-old skater from Naperville, Ill., edged Russia’s Yevgeny Plushenko by 1.31 points to win the Olympic gold medal.
Lysacek had two clean programs that had all the required elements and spaced his jumps. Later jumps in the event get 10 percent more points.
Plushenko, who did a quad (four revolutions) — criticized the winner in Russian newspapers.
Later in an interview on NBC, with Bob Costas, Lysacek comported himself well and only gave praise to Plushenko.
Lysacek, became the first American man to win it in 22 years. The last American man to do so was Brian Boitano in 1988.
Later, Lysacek announced that he is dating 20 year old Nastia Liukin. She is a gold medal winning gymnast from the Beijing summer games.