Posted on 02/11/2014 5:05:54 AM PST by TurboZamboni
SOCHI, Russia—The ice surface is bigger, the pay non-existent and what used to mean bragging rights around the world in the days of dueling superpowers counts for less now that everyone wound up on the same side of capitalism. The trade-off is that you might see one, and as many four, hockey games better-played than anything in an entire season of National Hockey League contests. Here's a look at the upcoming Olympic men's hockey tournament. 1. HOME COOKING
Both of the United States' wins were earned on home ice, in 1960 and 1980, as was Canada's eighth and most recent. Nobody else has turned the trick. Russia has never played host to a Winter Games and hasn't been part of a gold-medal winner since the Unified Team in 1994 (and the Soviet Union dynasty before that). But nothing short of a title here is going to fly with generations reared on tales of the "Big Red Machine," especially since goalkeeping legend Vladimir Tretiak, serving as the Russian federation boss, is around to stir those memories.
(Excerpt) Read more at twincities.com ...
Attention Jim Litke: Lubo Visnovsky is not playing.
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