Americans Show Heart in Heart of Hockey Country

The preliminary round game between the United States and Canada Sunday night had a ton of hype around the matchup between the two North American nations and it lived up to hype without a doubt. The focus of the nation is on Canada because they are playing at home and after their shootout win over Switzerland in their last game, they needed a start to propel them throughout the rest of the game and that is the complete opposite of what happened.
With forty seconds passed in the first period, Brian Rafalski unloaded a slapshot that deflected off of Scott Niedermayer's stick and to the left of Marty Brodeur into the net to make it 1-0 USA. Before most fans had even taken their seats at Canada Hockey Place, the place was quiet.
Quiet until Eric Staal leveled the game eight minutes after Rafalski's goal. But, twenty two seconds later, Rafalski scored again giving the lead back to the USA and silencing the crowd once again.
In the second period, halfway thru the third minute, Dany Heatley tied the game for Canada and gave them momentum that lasted for most of the period, but they could not score again in the second because of Ryan Miller in the American goal. After stopping 18 shots in the first period, the Buffalo Sabres' goalie stopped 11 of the 12 Canadian shots in the second period. Late in the period, veteran Chris Drury scored to make it 3-2 and that is how it would stand going into the second intermission.
The third period was nothing less of thrilling starting with a slew of Canadian penalties, the last of three led to the power play on which Rafalski almost got his third goal but it deflected off of Jamie Langenbrunner who was credited with the goal. The last five minutes were full of physical play, just like the whole game, and then a penalty on American defensemen Eric Johnson for tripping with 5:04 left gave Canada the advantage they wanted. After failing to score on a power play two minutes before, the Canadians finally capitaziled with a goal from Sidney Crosby. After the Crosby goal, you could feel the tension in the building through the television with play-by-play announcer Mike Emrick shouting every thirty seconds because of a shot by Canada being stopped by Miller. The pressure kept coming and coming until an American clearance turned into a hustle goal into the empty net by Ryan Kesler which clinched the game for the team from south of the border. The final forty five seconds after Kesler's goal were filled with desperation for the Canadian players and shock from the fans that just witnessed the biggest American hockey win since the Miracle on Ice in Lake Placid in 1980.
3 Stars
3. Zach Parise and Jamie Langenbrunner
Both wingers were on the best line of the night center by Paul Stastny and with Brian Rafalski and Ryan Suter at defense. From the beginning, the two New Jersey Devils fought hard and set the tone early setting up Rafalski's first goal.
2. Brian Rafalski
Rafalski set the tone with his first goal and then silenced the crowd with his second goal. He almsot had a third had his shot not been deflected off of Langenbrunner.
1. Ryan Miller
It was defintely Miller Time in Vancouver tonight. The Canadians kept shooting and shooting and with the exception of three goals, Miller kept saving and blocking shots in net. Miller ended up with 42 saves, more than his first two games combined.
Up Next: Team USA will either be first or second depending on if the Sweden-Finland goes to overtime tonight.
Canada will have to play a play-in game to get to the quarterfinals, they will be either the 6 or 7 seed.