We have a policy on HOCKEY-L that the exploits of college hockey players
after they leave college are generally off topic.  But this is an exploit
that has direct relevance to the world of college hockey and US hockey as a
whole.
 
Tonight in Montreal, Team USA defeated Team Canada, 5-2, in Game 3 to take
the inaugural World Cup.  Over the history of the sport of ice hockey, very
few international tournaments have ever been held that qualify as true
world championships involving the very best each country had to offer.  For
the first time ever, Team USA can legitimately lay claim to being the best
in the world.  Team USA finished with a record of 6-1-0, with two wins over
Team Russia and three wins in four games against Team Canada (5-3-0).  The
last two wins came in Canada.
 
I believe strongly that this tournament victory is the biggest win ever by
a US hockey team.  The 1980 Miracle on Ice led to 1996, I have no doubt of
that.  But this win surpasses 1980 because this win was no miracle, despite
the last minute heroics tonight, and it came against the world's best.  The
record of 5-1-0 against Teams Russia and Canada is very convincing indeed,
even though Canada put up a gallant fight and the teams were closely
matched.
 
The relevance to college hockey comes in that Team USA was dominated by
players who came through the US college system.  Tony Biscardi posted a
listing a week or so ago - I believe about 17 of the Team USA players,
including many of their key players, went through college hockey on their
way to the pros.  These players came from schools like Wisconsin, Boston
College, Boston University, Minnesota-Duluth, even DivII-III schools like
Bemidji State and Hamilton.
 
This is something that those of us who have spent years following college
hockey and Team USA in its various incarnations can rejoice in.  US hockey
has taken a long time to get to this point.  For a long time, despite the
many big wins by US teams and great performances by US players, US hockey
always took a back seat to Canada.  But tonight, for the first time ever,
every player, coach, and administrator involved in developing American
hockey players can celebrate a well-earned world championship win by US
hockey.  It may not have been followed as closely by the average US sports
fan, but the large hockey community that exists in the US knows the
ramifications of this win.  And the college hockey community played an
integral role in making it possible.  Without college hockey, it might not
have happened.
 
The history of US hockey has a number of great milestones.  1960 Squaw
Valley and 1980 Lake Placid rank among them.  But on September 14, 1996, a
new milestone was reached.  And from this day forth, in the world of
hockey, nothing will ever be the same again.
 
It is truly a great day for US hockey.
 
---                                                                   ---
Mike Machnik                   [log in to unmask]            *HMM* 11/13/93
*****       Unofficial Merrimack Hockey home page located at:       *****
*****   http://www.tiac.net/users/machnik/MChockey/MChockey.html    *****
>>>  14Sep96 11:16PM USA 5, Canada 2: It's A Great Day For US Hockey  <<<
 
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