From the Lawrence (MA) Eagle-Tribune, Sunday, February 16, 1992
 
POLAND ANYTHING BUT PATHETIC
(Steve Heinze of North Andover is one of the key performers for the U.S.
Olympic hockey team.  Heinze is giving Eagle-Tribune readers his perspective
after each game at the Olympic Games.)
 
MERIBEL, FRANCE - I said it before, nothing is going to be easy, and beating
Poland (3-0) was not easy.
 
I don't know if it was because we came out flat or we put too much pressure
on ourselves, but we didn't play our best.
 
But we're not upset.  How can we be?  We won the game.  We're undefeated.
 
In between the first and second period, coach Dave Peterson told us that we
had to stop playing not to lose, like the game against Italy.
 
We settled down after that.  We knew that once we scored the first goal, it
was over.
 
Our goalie, Ray LeBlanc, did it again.  He got his second shutout.  He really
wasn't tested too much, but he made some big saves early in the game.
 
Ray is different.  He's modest.  He keeps to himself.  I think all goalies
are a little bit different.
 
At this level, most goalies have the same amount of skills.  The difference
is confidence.  Ray is as confident as a goalie can be and it rubs off on
everybody else.
 
I had a pretty good game.  My line, with Teddy Donato and Marty McInnis,
played pretty well.
 
On the bench, coach told our line we had to pick it up a bit.  We got a little
ticked off when he said it.  We then concentrated on hitting people.  I got
in a few.
 
Our line finally scored after a lot of good chances yesterday.  I had a few
good chances again, but it wasn't going in for me.
 
On the goal we scored, to make it 3-0 in the third period, I had the puck
and passed it to Marty behind the net.  It was going to be a give-and-go,
but after I passed it, I faked myself out and ran into the defenseman, and
fell down.  Marty then went around the side of the net and stuffed it in.
 
Now we have to prepare for Sweden.  They are supposed to be the best team in
the world.  They won the World Championship last year, they have a ton of skill
and are a little bit older.
 
They have former NHL stars Hakan Loob, Mats Naslund and Borje Salming, who
has to be at least 41.
 
We beat them in the last game before the Olympics, but that doesn't mean
anything right now.
 
Sweden is a lot like Finland.  They like to skate and open up the game.  We
like to take the body, so it will be interesting.
(end)
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Mike Machnik    [log in to unmask]   mikem@{beanpot,bubba}.ma30.bull.com