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Team USA no longer is a
mirade waiting to happen
By Jim Baker
©TVData Features Syndicate
Just as basketball at the 1992
Summer Olympics in Barcelona,
Spain, was changed by America’s
“Dream Team,” hockey at the 1998
Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan,
will be changed by the “Dream
Tournament.”
This year’s competition for the
gold medal in men’s hockey marks
the first time players from the
National Hockey League will partici
pate.
John Davidson, the former New
York Rangers goaltender who is
working the Games on CBS with
Sean McDonough, believes it’s about
time the game’s top professionals got
involved.
“It’s time the world saw how great
the NHL is at its highest level of play,
and the Olympics will provide that
stage,” Davidson says. “I think people
will be mesmerized by the NHL’s
best.”
Davidson believes Team USA,
which hasn’t won the gold medal in
hockey since the “Miracle on Ice” at
the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake
Placid, N.Y., has a great chance this
year.
CBS carries every Team USA
game live on the East Coast; the only
drawback is the 12:45 a.m. face-off
times necessitated by the 14-hour
time difference with Nagano.
Team USA’s opening game is
Friday, Feb. 13, against Sweden, the
1994 Olympic champion, led by Peter
Forsberg of the Colorado Avalanche.
Davidson thinks Sweden will win the
bronze medal this year.
Team USA’s biggest game prior to
the quarterfinals, which begin
Wednesday, Feb. 18, is its showdown
with Team Canada on Sunday, Feb.
15.
The Canadians, who Davidson
says are “especially deep through
four lines,” have been smarting ever
since Team USA - featuring many of
the same players - scored four goals
in the final five minutes to upset Team
Canada for the 1996 World Cup title.
Davidson says Canada - which
features the experience of Wayne
Gretzky (New York Rangers), the
power of Eric Lindros (Philadelphia
Flyers) and the skill of Paul Kariya
(Mighty Ducks of Anaheim) - is the
slight favorite to win the gold
medal. But he recalls how U.S.
goalie Mike’ Riohtep (Raorgecs>
stoppled the Canadians in that Worid
Cup thriller.
“He was sensational, making
incredible saves,” Davidson gushes.
“Canada’s players couldn’t believe
they lost, and now they want this
badly. How badly? They announced
their Olympic team from Ottawa ...
live on two (Canadian) networks. It’ll
be neck and neck between Canada
and the U.S.”
Richter and fellow netminder John
Vanbiesbrouck (Florida Panthers) are
the backbone of Team USA. But it is
the mix of talent in front of them that
Davidson believes could turn the tide
for the team.
“It’s a combination of great play
ers, like Keith Tkachuk and Jeremy
Roenick (Phoenix Coyotes),” he says.
“Add the scoring of Tony Amonte
(Chicago Blackhawks) and John
LeClair (Flyers), the remarkable
comeback of Pat LaFontaine
(Rangers), Mike Modano (Dallas
Stars) coming back from a knee
injury, Brian Leetch (Rangers) and
Chris Chelios (Blackhawks) on
defense, and this can be a tremendous
team.”
Davidson points out that all the
NHL players face a big difference at
the Olympics: An international hock
ey rink is 15 feet wider than most of
those in the NHL. The extra space
leads to faster, more wide-open
action.
Davidson realizes there has been a
lot of debate about the NHL shutting
down for almost three weeks in mid
season to allow its players to partici
pate in the Olympics, but he believes
it’s worth it.
“Deal with it,” he snaps.
But Roenick points out another
problem: the overstacked NHL
schedule during the weeks leading up
to the Olympics.
“I think it hurt many players, ” he
says. “There have been a lot of
injuries going around because of all
the playing time and lack of rest. It
really takes a toll on your mind and
body, but you have to make sacri
fices. We’re grown men. We get paid
a lot of money for what we do. It’s
not too much to ask for a year.”
Round-robin play will reduce the
field to eight teams and determine
seedings for the quarterfinals and the
semifinals, which begin Friday, Feb.
20. The bronze and gold medal games
take place Saturday, Feb. 21.
In addition to CBS’ coverage,
Mike Etnrick, Fox’s lead NHL play
by-play announcer, who worked with
Davidson for CBS at previous
'Olympics, calls the' hockey action,
duripg THT’s ,50 hours of Olympic,
coverage.
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