Team USA Upsets Canada in Olympic Ice Hockey

22 February 2010

USA's Zach Parise, center, celebrates after USA's Jamie Langenbrunner, far right, scored past Canada's goalie Martin Brodeur in the third period in men's preliminary round hockey play at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, 21 Feb 2010

The U.S. men's ice hockey team upset host country Canada, 5-3, in a preliminary round game at the Vancouver Olympics. It is being called the Americans' biggest Olympic win since the 1980s "Miracle on Ice" victory over the former Soviet Union.

The game was only 41 seconds old when Brian Rafalski of Team USA fired a slap shot that deflected off Canadian star Sidney Crosby's stick and bounced past Canadian goalkeeper Martin Brodeur.

The Canadians evened the game on a goal nearly nine minutes into the contest on Eric Staal's shot. The capacity crowd roared its approval and the stadium announcer was still giving the details of Staal's goal when Rafalski scored again.

Canada evened the game in the second period, but American Chris Drury put Team USA ahead again, 3-2. The Americans took a 4-2 lead on Jamie Langenbrunner's shot with just under 13 minutes left in the game.

Crosby cut the U.S. lead to 4-3 with about three minutes left. Canada pulled goalie Brodeur, adding an extra attacker in a desperate attempt to tie the contest. The hosts had clearly outplayed the Americans, with a shot advantage of 45-23. But U.S. goalie Ryan Miller, frustrated the Canadians all night, including their last-ditch attack.