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Happy anniversary, U.S.
Olympic hockey team.


      The goaltending couldn't haven't been better in the U.S. defeat
of much-hyped Canada. The timing couldn't be more perfect, either.

      Now, the latest hockey team to capture the American public
imagination's needs only to write a happy ending to this success
story in the making, just like the 1960 and 1980 teams did.

      Winning the game they supposedly couldn't against a virtual NHL
all-star team that Canadians believed was ordained for gold, the
Americans' unexpected 5-3 victory Sunday advanced them to
Wednesday's quarterfinals as the top-seeded team.

      This game wasn't for a medal. Canada wasn't eliminated; the
Americans are assured of nothing but a bye before they play the
Switzerland-Belarus winner. Even so, this was a magical moment for
U.S. hockey that, at least in the Olympics, hasn't been matched
since the Miracle on Ice in 1980.

      "You just can't beat it. It was fun," Paul Stastny said. "It
was a once-in-a-lifetime atmosphere."

      Fittingly, Monday is the 30th anniversary of the United States'
monumental upset against the Soviet Union's supposedly unbeatable
all-world team in Lake Placid.

      A gold medal by the Americans in the Vancouver Games wouldn't be
nearly as improbable but, only a week ago, the United States was
widely considered to be at a level below the Canadians, Russians
and Swedes. That was before the Americans won all three round-robin
games in regulation.

      "We've come a long way and coming into this tournament we were
probably considered underdogs, but we have a good team and a good
mix of players," forward Patrick Kane said.

      As so often happens in Olympics, the teams that mesh the fastest
often are those that advance the furthest. The four U.S. goals
Sunday came from their most-experienced players: Brian Rafalski
scored twice and Jamie Langenbrunner and Chris Drury also had
goals.

      "Hopefully it provides the confidence we need to keep moving
forward but emotionally we need to make sure we are not going to
get too high," goalie Ryan Miller said after making 42 saves, not
all of them easy.

      While the talent-packed Canadians are frantically searching for
a linemate to go with Sidney Crosby and Rick Nash, the Americans
already seem to be coming together.

      The team is one of the youngest to represent the United States
in the Olympics. Though the average age of the players is 26, the
team has speed and cohesion, youth with a dash with experience,
confidence and, unlike the Canadians, no great expectations to drag
them down.

      And, oh, yes, goaltending. Canada's Martin Brodeur may be the
best in the world but he wasn't the better goalie on the ice.

      "He's definitely the main reason why we won," Kesler said of
Miller. "He gave us a chance to win."

      There are connections between this U.S. team and the Miracle
team of three decades ago. According to Jim Craig, the Miracle on
Ice goalie, Miller wore a shamrock on his mask in honor of Craig.
There are other links to '80, too. Ryan Suter, who had two assists,
is the son of '80 defenseman Bob Suter. And defenseman Brooks Orpik
was named for '80 coach Herb Brooks.

      Everywhere, it seemed, there were tie-ins to America's past
Olympic successes. The players wore uniforms patterned after those
of the '60 Olympic gold-medal team from Squaw Valley that, until
Sunday, was the last to beat Canada in the Olympics.

      So far, it's been a bad year for Canadian hockey teams facing
Americans. Only last month, the U.S. stunned Canada in Saskatoon to
win the world junior championships, a tournament that is widely
followed in Canada.

      That upset, of course, does not begin to compare to this. The
Canadian Olympic team is considered to be more talented than the
team that finished seventh in Turin in 2006, yet it was outplayed
by the United States after requiring a shootout to beat
Switzerland.

      Canada must beat Germany on Tuesday merely to make it to the
quarterfinals, where Russia awaits in a game that was anticipated
to take place in the finals. And coach Mike Babcock has a
goaltender controversy; Brodeur was below average and there is
pressure to start Roberto Luongo, who shut out Norway 8-0.

      "Without emotion, I'll watch the game and I'll make my decision
after that," coach Mike Babcock said. "We would've liked to be
better in that area."

      Some Canadian players, including defenseman Chris Pronger, poked
fun at the Americans' pregame comments about the intensity they
felt opposing Canada. By the end, Ryan Kesler's goal with 45
seconds remaining, the Canadians looked like they could have used
some of that urgency and motivation.


      Canada's stars were average - Crosby scored a goal, but didn't
stand out on many shifts, and Brodeur made uncustomary mistakes,
such as giving the puck away on Rafalski's second goal of the first
period.

      The Canadians aren't out of it, but it was obvious how
disappointed they are in their supposed dream team. Canada Hockey
Place was rocking and rolling for most of the game, but by game's
end had transformed into a mournful quiet.


      "It was a great atmosphere, but we didn't use that to our
advantage," Jonathan Toews said.

      Winning a gold medal in its national sport in this home-ice
Olympics is considered a must for the Vancouver Games to be a
success in Canada. That will require quite a comeback effort.

      "It is probably not where we wanted to be. But that is where we
are now," Crosby said. "When you get to this point in the
tournament it is not going to be easy and the fact we have to play
an extra game isn't a terrible thing and we will be ready for it."

      For the United States, the path to a medal doesn't look as
adventuresome as it did a week ago.

Kids trump the stars: U.S. hockey upsets Canada

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