Team USA beats Canada 5-3 in a edge of your seater, heart skipping, nerve wrecking battle that lived up to it's billing. Or did it? Oh Canada who's supposed to be the favorites in this tournament just got by Switzerland with a shoot-out win and then took an L to the huge underdog Americans.
But you should never under estimate the heart of an American! Period. Via 1980 Olympics, this is far and beyond an 1980 Olympics team. Yes, this is a young American team, but all these American players are professionals who are in the NHL. I am far from shocked that this team won this game and especially when you have a goalie by the name of Ryan Miller who stopped 42 of 45 Canadian shots.
The American NHL'ers not the collage kids got on the board just forty one seconds in on a Brian Rafalski goal deflected off a Canadian skate.
Eric Staal would tie the game at one on a little deflection that Brent Seabrook would wrist towards the American goal that would tie the game at one.
But Rafalski would strike again on an ill advised clear by Marty Broduer who took a baseball like swing at the puck that Rafalski intercepted and buried to give the American team a 2-1 lead. That would be the forth consecutive goal scored by Rafalski for the US of A scoring the last two goals against Norway then the first two against these Canadians.
Canada would get even in the second on an US miss clear attempt and Canada's leading scorer in Olympic play would make them pay as all American eyes were fixated on the puck they left Dany Heatly all alone in front as he banged it home and evened the score.
New York Rangers Captain would give Team USA their goal lead back on with pressure in front of the Canada goal that left Broduer flopping around that Dury pounced on a rebound and threw one into the empty net that lead to a 3-2 American lead going into the final session.
Americans who would start the third on a power play because of a late Canadian penalty at the end of the second weren't able to connect on that power play but they would on their forth power play attempt and third consecutive that Team USA Captain Jamie Langenbrunner would redirect off of, Yes Brian Rafalski's slap shot from the point for a 5-3 USA lead.
Canada would see Power Play opportunities of their own and the Canadian Poster boy Sidney Crosby would
make it a one goal game with time winding down and Canada would keep on pressing from there on in to try and get that equalizer.
As Canada would pull Marty Marty for the extra attacker US would clear the puck and an all out heart play of the game would be made by Livonia, Michigan native Ryan Kesler who would dive for a puck with a Canadian defender ahead of him that he would shoot towards the empty net that would make it past the goal crease for a Team USA 5-3 lead and ultimately the win.
What a great game of hockey displayed tonight in a playoff like atmosphere match between the two rivals.
US Hockey wins the group A division and get's a bye into the Quarter Finals. All I got to say is WOW, but not a 1980 wow!!!
Check out a Ryan Miller Tribute here http://www.puckvideo.com
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