Team USA beats Canada 5-3 in an edge-of-your-seat, heart-pounding, nerve-wrecking battle that lived up to its billing. Or did he?
Oh, Canada, who were supposed to be the favorites in this tournament, topped Switzerland with a shootout victory and then gave an L to the Americans, who are the big underdogs.
But you should never underestimate the heart of an American! Period. Through the 1980 Olympics, this is way beyond a 1980 Olympics team. Yes, this is a young American team, but all of these American players are professionals who are in the NHL. I am far from surprised that this team won this game and especially when you have a goaltender named Ryan Miller who stopped 42 of 45 Canadian shots.
The NHL Americans, not the collage kids, got on the board just forty-one seconds after a Brian Rafalski goal deflected off a Canadian skid.
Eric Staal would tie the game at one with a small deflection that Brent Seabrook would push into the American goal that would tie the game at one.
But Rafalski would attack again with an ill-advised punt by Marty Broduer, who threw a baseball hit to the puck that Rafalski intercepted and buried to give the US team a 2-1 lead. That would be the fourth straight goal scored by Rafalski for the US of A scoring the last two goals against Norway and then the first two against these Canadians.
Canada would retaliate in the second on a clear miss attempt by the USA and Canada’s leading scorer in the Olympic game would make them pay as all American eyes were on the puck leaving Dany Heatly alone. in front while beating it at home and evening the score. .
The New York Rangers captain would give Team USA their goal lead again with pressure off Canada’s goal that left Broduer spinning and Dury pounced on a rebound and lobbed one into the empty net that drove to a 3-2 American lead. the last session.
The Americans who would start the third on a power play due to a late Canadian penalty late in the second were unable to connect on that power play, but would do so on their fourth power play attempt and third in a row than the team captain. from the USA, Jamie Langenbrunner. would redirect from, yes, Brian Rafalski’s slap shot from the spot for a 5-3 USA lead.
Canada would see its own Power Play opportunities and the Canadian poster boy, Sidney Crosby,
make it a one-goal game with time running out and Canada would keep pushing from then on to try and get a tie.
As Canada would bring out Marty Marty for the extra spiker, the USA would clear the puck and make a heart of the game play by Ryan Kesler, a native of Livonia, Michigan, who would dive for a puck with a Canadian defender in front of him. shooting into the empty net that would pass the goal area for a 5-3 Team USA lead and eventual victory.
What a great hockey game was shown tonight in a playoff game like atmosphere between the two rivals.
US Hockey wins the Pool A division and advances to the quarterfinals. All I have to say is WOW, but not 1980’s wow!
