Tough losses for Teams USA. First it was the women who dropped their game to Canada. A tough loss, but anything less than silver for the women would have been considered a disaster. A little controversy over the Canadian women celebrating with cigar, beer & champagne on the ice, hours after the game was over. So what? To me, it's the Stanley Cup for women's hockey, the ultimate prize. They wanted personal pictures on center ice. All I know is that if it were the men's team, would anyone have batted an eyelash?
The USA men's loss was tough to swallow. A 0-2 comeback, capped by a game trying goal with 24 seconds left? Wow. But Crosby put a dagger in Team USA's heart during the OT period. I hear it was the most watched hockey game in the US for over 30 years. That's great for the sport. But what is probably lost, is that the US Team wasn't expected to do much. Don't get me wrong, I love Brown, Drury, & Backes, as they are hardworking players, but hardly the marquee players of the NHL. I was shocked at how the players came together and played an aggressive game. They simply outworked most of the teams. Brian Burke picked a collection of grinders to compliment the available skill-players. To me, those US wins were an example of how hockey is still a team game, and that a collection of all-stars (Canada) won't guarantee you anything. But the all-star team won out, that's not how it was supposed to end.
Ryan Miller got his due, and tournament MVP. To me, it's no secret how good that guy is. But for him to shine on the world stage was clutch and the accompanying attention well deserved. I had always considered him a top tier goalie, now it's undeniable.
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