Associated Press
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah – Just as it did in 1980, the U.S. Olympic hockey team is beginning to believe in the magic word “destiny.”
John LeClair, losing a tooth but not his scoring touch, and linemate Brett Hull each scored a goal and the streaking United States closed within a victory of its first Olympic medal since the Lake Placid Games, beating Germany 5-0 Wednesday.
Mike Modano, the third member of the productive U.S. top line, had two assists, while Jeremy Roenick, Chris Chelios and Tony Amonte also scored to back Mike Richter’s 28-save effort.
The United States now plays Russia on Friday in a semifinal rematch of their 2-2 tie Saturday that drew the largest U.S. TV audience for hockey since the 1980 Olympics. Russia beat defending gold medalist Czech Republic 1-0 Wednesday.
And how’s this for coincidence: Not only is Herb Brooks the U.S. coach, as he was in 1980, but Friday is the 22nd anniversary of the “Miracle on Ice” – America’s 4-3 Olympic upset by a group of inspired amateurs of the seemingly unbeatable Soviet Union hockey machine.
Asked the differences between that Olympic semifinal game and this one, Brooks said, not even breaking into a smile, “We’re going to watch the U.S. women’s game.”
Otherwise, Brooks repeatedly refused all comparisons as he tries to keep the focus on this group of NHL stars, saying, “There are no similarities whatsoever. I don’t know what else to say.”
Some of his players respectfully disagree, saying they watched that historic game and envisioned playing a similar game sometime in their careers. Several players said this matchup almost seemed fated, with Brooks coaching again and the identical date.
“Some of the guys were talking in the locker room about that,” Modano said. “I played with Neal Broten, who was on that team, and he said there’s never been anything like it.”
There was an upset of historic magnitude in Wednesday’s quarterfinals, but this time it didn’t involve the United States. Just before the Americans took the ice, Belarus stunned previously unbeaten Sweden 4-3 to eliminate a potential finalist.
Brooks said, “I believe that opened up a lot of eyes. It’s why we play the game and why it’s not just something on a piece of paper.”
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