A A I Behrend Beacon Q
I 4* February 26, 2010 fc. J I J
I 11 www.thebehrendbeacon.com
WINTER OLYMPICS
Team USA upsets the Canadians in front of home crowd
zeative Commons: s.yum
Team USA celebrates a goal scored by Brian Rafalski (28) against Team Canada. Team USA defeated the Canadians for the first time in 50 years at Canada Hockey Place on Feb. 21.
NICK BLAKE
s ports editor
The United States ex
pected stellar performances
from people like snow
boarder Shaun White, skier
Lindsey Vonn and speed
skater Apolo Anton Ohno,
and they got them.
But it’s the success of the
men’s ice hockey team that
very few expected.
Team USA has propelled
itself into the semi-final
round of the Olympic tour
nament and posts a 4-0
record.
Team USA made it
through the preliminary
round with a 3-0 record.
Their most impressive win
came against the home fa-
vorite, powerhouse Team
Canada.
When the U.S. and
Canada took the ice on Feb.
21, Canada Hockey Place
was bursting at the seams
with Canadian supporters
who were hoping to see the
Americans run right off the
ice. Well, it was not the
game they expected to see.
Team USA came out play
ing with passion, and 40 sec
onds into the game,
defenseman Brian Rafalski
found the back of the net,
giving the Americans a 1-0
lead.
After the goal, both teams
picked up the play, and a
back and forth, hard hitting
contest unfolded. Seven
minutes later the Canadians
scored, tying the game at 1-
Less than a minute later,
Team USA reclaimed the
lead at 2-1 on Rafalski’s sec
ond goal of the game.
The second period saw a
goal from each team, and
the game intensified.
Team USA doubled their
shot total from the first pe
riod, and the Canadians
continued their offensive as
sault on goaltender Ryan
Miller. The second period
ended with the U.S. leading
3-2.
The third period may have
been the most breathtaking
of the game. Less than 10
minutes in, Team USA cap
tain Jamie Langenbrunner
picked up a goal when a
shot from Rafalski deflected
off his skate and past Cana
dian goaltender Martin
Brodeur.
With a 4-2 lead, Team
USA controlled the rest of
the third period, until there
was about four minutes left
to play.
Back-to-back U.S. penal
ties led to a power play goal
for the Canadians from Sid
ney Crosby with just over
three minutes left to play,
cutting their deficit to just
one goal at 4-3.
The Canadians were in
desperation mode for the
final minutes of the game,
doing everything they could
to tie the game and send it to
overtime.
Head coach Mike Babcock
pulled Brodeur from the net,
giving the Canadians an
extra attacker.
Pulling a goaltender is a
high-risk, high-reward situ
ation, and U.S. forward
Ryan Kessler was able to get
the puck in the empty net
with 45 seconds to play, giv
ing the U.S. a 5-3 lead.
The Canadians continued
to assault Miller, tallying 12
of their 14 third period shots
in the final two minutes of
the game. Miller stood tall
though, and the US defeated
Canada for the first time
since 1960.
Miller was the saving
grace for Team USA, stop
ping 42 of 45 shots from
Team Canada.
“It was one of the biggest
orts
games I have ever played
in,” said Miller. “Hopefully it
provides the confidence we
need moving forward.”
Team USA will play Fin
land in the semi-final on
Feb. 26. If the Americans
win, they will move on to the
finals and play for at least a
silver medal. A medal of any
color would be an amazing
accomplishment for this
young team, but they be
lieve they will win gold.
The other semi-final
matchup will feature
Canada and Slovakia.
Should Canada and the US
win, hockey fans could get a
rematch for the ages, as the
two teams would meet
again, this time for a gold
medal.