Underachieving North Americans Going Home
Underachieving North Americans Going Home
Published: 2/23/06, 12:46 PM EDT
TURIN, Italy (AP) - Wayne Gretzky's hand-picked club fell way short, his aging corps of veterans unable to match up with speedier Europeans. The Americans suffered the same fate, leaving Italy with only one victory. It was a whole lot of underachievement by the two North American teams who won gold and silver just four years ago.
"We didn't play well enough. We didn't deserve to win," Canada captain Joe Sakic said of the defending gold medalists. "The level was a lot higher than it was in 2002."
Finland dispatched the Americans 4-3 Wednesday night to advance to the semifinals, and Canada was eliminated a few hours later in a 2-0 loss to longtime nemesis Russia.
Four years ago, Canada knocked off the United States to win the title in Salt Lake City. That ended the hockey-crazed nation's 50-year wait for a gold medal in hockey.
It also erased the bitter taste the two countries had to endure from the 1998 Nagano Games when neither medaled in the first Olympics that featured an NHL midseason break.
"I know we gave our best, everybody gave a great effort but we didn't put it together like we needed to," U.S. forward Bill Guerin said after the Americans' fourth one-goal loss in the tournament. "It's one of those things you just don't want to walk away from."
But now they will have to watch four European nations face off for the gold.
Russia (5-1) will take on Finland in one semifinal on Friday, and the Czech Republic (3-3), which defeated Slovakia 3-1, will play Sweden.
The Czech-Sweden matchup will have extra juice because it will pit several New York Rangers against each other. Sweden will send goalie Henrik Lundqvist out to try to stop the likes of forwards Jaromir Jagr, Martin Straka and Martin Rucinsky.
"It doesn't matter. We just have to face Sweden," Jagr said of the world champion Czechs.
Two big reasons the Rangers are in first place in the Atlantic Division are Jagr, who leads the NHL with 40 goals and 88 points, and Lundqvist - a rookie who has posted 25 wins and a 2.09 goals-against average.
"I know him, and he's a big part of our hockey club and it's going to be a big challenge," Jagr said.
Clearly, at least one U.S. player felt his club faced too many challenges from team leadership.
Mike Modano, a three-time Olympian, was benched for most of the third period of the Americans' last loss and then took aim at his bosses.
"You'd think USA Hockey would be a well-oiled machine, but it's not," he said. "Basically we were on our own for hotels, tickets, flights, stuff like that."
The Americans came out flat in the opening period Wednesday, allowing Sami Salo's short-handed goal that gave Finland a 2-0 lead. Modano scored two goals in the tournament, but was a non-factor in the finale, when he didn't so much as put a puck on the net.
"It's very disappointing, because the people at USA Hockey do a tremendous job," general manager Don Waddell said of Modano's comments. "There is a lot of pressure on people. The top people at USA Hockey are volunteers."
U.S. coach Peter Laviolette didn't think enough of Modano's performance to have him on the ice during crunch time.
He certainly was less pleased with the forward's Olympic exit interview.
"We were down looking for goals and looking for offense, and it wasn't about Mike Modano," he said. "The third period was clearly our best period. ... I think some players in general didn't seem to have the jump, and you do your best to get the players out there that have the jump."
Waddell choked back tears as he tried to explain why the team he built was bounced out of the games with just one - against Kazakhstan.
"We came here with higher expectations, and it's disappointing. But you have to move on," the Atlanta Thrashers general manager said.
It was the latest Olympic disappointment for U.S. hockey. The women's team seemed a lock for at least a silver medal, but had to settle for bronze after falling to Sweden in the semis.
The men didn't even get that far.
"We're out of the tournament, but it's not like we have to blow it up and start over," Waddell said.
Olli Jokinen scored two power-play goals in the second period for Finland (6-0), which recovered after blowing an early two-goal lead.
The Canadians could only dream of having such an advantage, as they were shut out in three of their final four Olympic games.
Upon arriving in Turin, Gretzky said he would be blamed if Canada lost because of the gambling probe that surrounded his wife and Phoenix assistant coach Rick Tocchet - the alleged financial backer of the betting ring.
"I'll take all, deservedly so, the responsibility for not winning," Gretzky said. "That's the position I'm in and the responsibility I have."
Just like the Americans, Canada's aging corps of veterans couldn't match up with speedy Europeans on a larger-sized Olympic rink.
"You have to get used to it. It's not easy," Jagr said. "I felt a little bit better than I did before. You play the North American style and you play that kind of game, but now you have to play a different game. Even though it's the same rules, it's a different game."
Credit BellSouth
