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Show TheSaltLakeTribune eae O12 5KE 2 3 ot Ea Tuesday, February 19, 2002 WINTER GlAUMNE Siu MEN’S HOCKEY OLYMPICS: Lex Hemphill Housley Is Relishing His Time on Ice WEST VALLEYCITY — Usually, a first-time Winter Olympian overage 35 would be latebloominglugerorbobsledder, not the highest-scoring U.S.- born playerever in the National Hockey League. But 37-year-old Phil Housley, in his 20th NHLseason,is rel- Ryan Galbraith ‘TheSail LakeTribune Andrei Mezin of Belarusstops this early shot by America’s Brett Hull on Monday,buthis luck didn’t hold. He gave upeight goals on the night. A Lethal Lineup ishing his first week as an Olympian, and the U.S. men’s hockey team, which wonits group Monday with an impressive8-1 victory over Belarus,is benefiting from his experience and his puck-movingability as a defen- seman. “It’s a greatthrill,” said Housley, who had played for his country in nineinternational tournaments beforefinally get- ting his Olympic opportunity. “T'm livingit right now. Before, it really didn’t sink in until I got here. I was quite nervous before the first game.” Housley -— who missed out on the Olympics as a younger player because he turned pro in 1982, the middle of an Olympic Coach Brooks finds right chemistry as U.S. whips Belarus BY BRETT PRETTYMAN THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE WEST VALLEY CITY — Team USAcoach Herb Brooks had fun for a while trying new things at this Olympic hockey tournament — lineshift here, a goalie change there — before returning to somesure things. Oneof those certainties: putting formerDallas Stars teammates Brett Hull and Mike Modano on the ice together, then watching the shots fly andopposing goalies squirm. That was the case Monday as ‘Team USAbelted Belarus 8-1 at the E Center, securing the top spot in Group D and a matchupagainstqualifier Germany in Wednesday's winor-walk quarterfinal round. A win 22 years after Team USA upset the Soviets in Lake Placid’s “Miracle on Ice.” First, though, the Americans had to get past Belarus,a task that did not come easy at the start. The starspangled sellout crowd and US. defensemen Chris Chelios and Gary Suter were caught off guard when Belarus scored 20 seconds after the opening faceoff. The spread-out Americans left Dmitry Pankovalonein the slot and he launched a one-timer past U.S. goalie Tom Barrasso. Team USAresponded with a flur- or screaming,” said Chelios, U.S. captain. “We knew if we kepton firing and stayed on an evenkeel, that eventually things would workout.” They did, and quickly. Barely 45 seconds into the second period, Hull beat Mezin with a one-timeron a pass from Modano. Although the former Dallas teammates won the Stanley Cuptogether in 1999, Brooks did not put the two together until the third period of Saturday’s 2-2 tie against Russia. Hull ended up tying that game with 4% minutesleft on an assist from Modano. On Monday, the U.S. coach ry, but Belarus goalie Andrei Mezin, who has never played in the NHL, knocked down shotafter blazing shot like it was the Stanley Cupfinals. “I was thinking back through the teamed John LeClair with Modano and Hull. history of hockey andall of the times an underestimated team with a great one against Finland, scored twicein the second, with Hull earning two goalie comesup with a big win,” Hull said. “We kept getting great chances and he just kept making save after save.It was a little scary.” The trio’s instant chemistry gave birth to virtually instant goals. LeClair, who had a hattrick in game assists and Modano another. “Our line really got going in the secondperiod,” Modanosaid. The Americans rolled fromthere. It got more frightening when the Scott Young and Bill Guerin each first period ended and Belarus, which scored twice in the third and Adam Deadmarsh added a short-handed there, and the Americans would had been outshot15-6,still led on the scoreboard,1-0. advance to the semifinals, possibly against Russia on Friday — exactly “A lot of things were said after the first period, but there was no yelling tally for thefinal result. “Everybody got into the action, and that lifts everybody's spirits,” PLAYER OF THE GAME Aiter helping Team USAsalvage tie against Russia, Brett Hull again provides the spark with a goaland twoassists, GOAL OF THE GAME Belarus goalie Andrei Mezin slides over to block a Hull slap shot, But LeClair, standing in front of the net, stops the puck, moves across the crease and flips it into the net QUOTEWORTHY “\ read the rule on the board [in the dressing room] that whena helmet goes off, you have to immediately put it on, but no one said it had to look good.” — Brett Hull after getting a penalty forfailing to strap on his helmet said Guerin, who madealittle speech during the first intermission when his teamwas trailing, “It wasn't just me, However many guys there are on the team, that is how many leaders we have. Everybody is saying something and everybody is contributing. Wejust havetostay together no matter what comes up. Wewill live and die as a team.” bpretty@sltrib.com Despite Its TroubledStart, Canada Promises— Finish earn oneofthe three or four defenseman openings. Thanks toa strongfirst half with the Chicago Blackhawks — heis fifth among NHL defensemenin goals with 11 — he was chosen for the team Dec.22. “T really wanted to makethis team,” said Housley, the oldest of the seven U.S. hockey players making their Olympic debuts here.“It was extra motivation for me in the summertime, and it paid off thefirst part of the season. Our team was doing well, andI justfelt good about myself contributing. I knew I hada chance. Even thoughthe U.S. team selectors, led by coach Herb Brooks, opted to addonly three moredefensemento the four original picks (Chris Chelios, Gary Suter, Brian Leetch and Brian Rafalski), Housleystill madeit, largely due to his experience on thelarger interna- tional ice andhis offensiveabilities, which becomeinvaluable in the more wide-open game. Brooks’choiceofbetterskating defensemen — Aaron Miller and Tom Poti were the others added in December — has paidoff, if the just-completed final round of the Olympictournament is any indication. The Americanshave allowed only three goals in three gameshere, whereasthe 1998 team yielded 14 goals in four games. The defense here simply appears more mobile. BY BRETT PRETTYMAN THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE And, with better-attacking Olympic hockey team nowis if the players bring back a gold medal across the U.S. border. After an under victory against an overmatched German team,a blowoutloss to Sweden and a Sweden Czech Republic 1 Canada Germany 38 tie Monday against the Czech Republic at the E Center, Team Canada mustfind answers,not excuses. Nolongercan the Canadians write off a game as inconsequential or 1 ° been potent, scoring 16 goals and averaging 37 shots per game. Exceptfor the first two periods Ploooox way Canadians will forgive their o<D Ole 2 =5 ea+orQlo--ord Cc esen4 Doss04% defensemen,the U.S.offense has WEST VALLEY CITY — The only ofthe2-2 tie with Russia, Team USAhasput more than 10 shots on goal in every period. On Monday,thelines of Brett Hull-Mike Modano-JohnLeClair, Tony Amonte-Doug Weight-Bill Guerin, and Adam DeadmarshChris Drury-Brian Rolston each put 10 or moreshots ongoal. “All our lines,it’s good to see blame a shaky performance on the larger Olympicice or the lack of practice. The time for head-scratchingis over. On Wednesday, Canada faces Finland in the quarterfinals, The winner playson;thelosersits. All the what’s-wrong-with-Canada chatter was not lost on the team’s executive director, WayneGretzky. “Americans love our poorstart,” hesaid. “No one wants us to win but our players andour loyal fans. We're very proud. I guarantee you, we'll be standing tall at the end.” Czech forward Martin Rucinsky is not so sure. “We don’t care about Canada,” he said. “I don’t think they’re the best team out there right now,” The Canadians are getting used to such verbal jabs. “We've been criticized a lot this week, but we knew we would have five days to get ready,” said Canadian goalie Martin Brodeur, who had 20 saves Monday sonethe Czechs. “Now,evel goalie Boma Hasek outplayed his counterpart with 33 saves, but he gave up a goal to Joe Nieuwendyk with 34 minutes left. The Czech Republic, the reigning Olympic medalists and three-time world champions, play Russia on Wednesday, a rematch of the 1998 gold medal game. Martin Havlat scored twice for the Czechs and Jiri Dopita once, but the E Center fans were mostexcited with two tallies by Canadian captain h cycle — cameto Team USA's orientation camp in Colorado Springs in September, hoping to that unity, and everyonefeels more comfortable,” said Housley, who believes his team has exhibited the necessary patience after going scoreless in thefirst period of eachofits three games. Mario Lemieux, including one that had to be reviewed. With barely a minute left in the second period, Lemieux broke in on Hasekandfired a shot. Hasek gloved the puck, but his momentum contin- ued backward om he eventually fell across the lin The goal light did not come on and referee Bill McCreary did not indicate a goal, but the Canadians insisted it should count. After reviewing the play for several minutes, the goal was awarded because Hasek’s glove crossed the line. “I didn’t even know where the puck was,” Hasek said. “I couldn't sayif it was in. ... I couldn't see it.” Although theyfailed to get a victory, the Canadians said this was their best gameso far in the tournament. “Wejust wanted to get past these first three games so we could spend some time together,” said Canadian defenseman Scott Niedermayer. “It hasn't been the smoothest three games, but hopefully, we are getting better and better.” Canadian forward Theo Fleury “They [the Czechs} have the best ' ‘Trent Nelson/TheSalt LakeTribune Czech defensemen Jaroslav Spacek and Pavel Kubina push Canadian Paul Kariya onto goalkeeper Dominik Hasekafter Kariya’s goal Monday. goalie in world, and it is not very often that you get three goals on him,” said the New York Rangers winger. “Seven days ago, we were all playing for different teams with dif: ferent systems and then one day of practice and, bang, weare in the mid. dle of the Olympics.” Fleury, a formerSalt Lake Golden Eagle, drew theire of the Czechslate in the game after he and Hasek col lided in front of the crease, Once Fleury got up, Czech defenseman Roman Hamrlik slammed himin the back, flattening the Canadian face first on theice. Fleury shrugged it off as part of the game, but Gretzky was not as understanding. Labeling the hit “cowardly” and “blatant,” Gretzky called for Hamrlik to be suspended from the Olympics. “If that had been an American or a GOAL OF THE GAME Canadian dolenseman Scott Niedermayer The Americans’2-0-1 record in Olympic poolplay is their best in a decade. The 1992 team, whichincluded three players on the currentroster (Mike Dunham,Keith Tkachuk and Scott Young), wasthelast U.S. squad to winits group, going 4-0-1 behind goalie Ray LeBlanc. That team earneda favorable quar: terfinal match with host France just as this team seemingly scoots the puck to a breaking Mario Lemieux. Paul Kariya joins the rush and Lemieux looks at him as ito make a pass but instead flicks the puck past a has against Germany on Wednesday. PLAYER OF THE GAME bit higher,not that the urgency wasn’tthere thefirst three games,” said Housley of the surprised Dominik Hasok. After resting a sore hip in Canada’s last game, Lemioux scores his teams first two goals and the first of his Olympic career Canadian player, that hit would have beenthe first question you asked me, 1 want to know why | wasn't asked that question,” Gretzky said, “I'm tired of people taking shots at Canadian hockey, If we do something like that, we're hooligans.” bpretty@slirib.com “The urgencywill be little upcoming playoff round. “We know what's at stake.” Starting Wednesday, a loss sends you home, AndPhil Housleyis not interested in going homeearly. Unlike the other elder statesmen on the U.S. blue line Chelios, Suter and Leetch he neverhas been to an Olympics before. He would like to hang around a while — say, until Sunday, themphill@sttrib.com |