Miracle on Ice 2011

I am still in California finishing off my late Christmas break and as such was unable to watch today's Gold Medal game in the World Junior Hockey Championships.

Nonetheless, the headlines that speak of an "Epic Collapse" and broken Canadian hearts speak to the result.

A Canadian team is always favoured in any hockey championship.  It doesn't matter if the oddsmakers say that the Americans were pre-tournament favourites (as the defending champs were this time around)...the expectation is still that the Gold will either be won by Canada or must be won by beating Canada in a shock upset.

So today Team Canada surrendered a 3-0 lead that they carried into the 3rd period to lose 5-3.  As a Canadian I am disappointed.  As a hockey fan, I am not.  As a sports fan, I find it heartening.

The Russians used to be famous for their training techniques that created superbly conditioned athletes that often rolled over the opposition.  Seeing something as simple as a line change was a thing of beauty.  Unlike standard North American hockey where a line change is preceded by dumping the puck deep into the opposition end, the Russians would change their forward line by passing the puck back to a retreating defence  pairing. When fresh forwards jumped over the boards, the defence would send a pass forward and change themselves without ever relinquishing possession.

The Big Red machine was brought to heel some time ago and they were no longer able to roll over Canadian teams.  Their mystique disappeared.  It was said that Russians were superb athletes who were well conditioned and well coached.  However they lacked the "heart" of the Canadians.  It was said that hockey simply meant more to Canadian kids who would sacrifice their bodies and play with a level of emotion and desperation that Russian automatons simply lacked.

That is true no more.  The Russians found themselves in a 3-0 hole and scratched and clawed their way back.  They showed .....well a lot of heart.

Good for them.  Congratulations to Russia for showing such spirit.

Congratulations to Canada too.  Silver really ain't too bad!!!