Olympic Hockey's Biggest Surprises




The United States hockey team could not have planned this any better. I originally thought it was a definite tough situation for Team U.S.A. to find itself in the same preliminary pool as gold medal favorite Team Canada, but with all the surprises in this competition, I've been led to believe that Team U.S.A.'s seeding actually worked out in the Americans' favor. What I didn't know before the Olympic Games began is that:

Switzerland's goalie Jonas Hiller would play the game of the tournament against Team Canada, forcing play into regulation, O.T., and a shoot-out, where Canada eventually locked the win.

One of the best puck-handling goalies of all time, Canada's Martin Brodeur, would have a tough time the night his team played U.S.A., as the goalie uncharacteristically turned the puck over twice in the first shift, helping the United States do just what they needed to do: score first!

The same night Brodeur had trouble in the net, U.S. goalie Ryan Miller, would play the game of his career, stopping 42 of 45 shots.

Because of Hiller's outstanding play against Canada, it would help seed Switzerland against Belarus in the play-off qualification. Switzerland won 3-2, forcing the Swiss to be pitted against Team U.S.A. in the quarterfinal.

The U.S. would take first overall after the preliminary round, giving them a game to rest before having to play Switzerland in the quarterfinal.

Neither Sidney Crosby nor Alexander Ovechkin, the two players everyone was going to watch during the Canada-Russia game (and the men who I featured as a "game within a game"), would be a factor during the match-up. Neither of the superstars had a goal or an assist.

Finland goalie Miikka Kiprusoff would eat the same pre-game meal prior to playing the U.S.A. that Canadian goalie Brodeur ate before he took the net against team U.S.A. Apparently the ingredients prevented both net-minders from handling the puck the first two minutes of the game, allowing the U.S. to score first and take control. That momentum helped Team U.S.A completely dominate Finland for the entire 60 minute game, thrusting the Americans into the gold medal game.

Someone would have to take the defibrillator out of the red box inside GM Place and not only bring the Canadian team back to life after falling to Team U.S.A., but also revive the fans and the city of Vancouver, both which were in a state of mourning for several days after the loss. The steady pulse that began to beat in the Canadian-corroded artery helped Team Canada destroy Germany and then go on to play one of the most dominating periods of international hockey I’ve ever seen, beating Russia 7-3.

That the most perfect scenario for North American hockey—Canada vs. U.S.A.—would actually happen! Bring on the gold medal game.


More Olympic hockey stories by Bret Hedican