The men’s ice hockey tournament at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia will begin on Thursday, February 13 with four very intriguing contests. Finland and Austria will open play at 3:00am, ET in a game that will feature 15 members who play their full-time hockey in the NHL. Once Finland and Austria finish their opening battle, Slovenia will meet with host nation Russia while the United States battles Slovakia. Hoping to cap off a strong opening slate, 2010 Vancouver Gold Medalist Canada takes on a Norway team hoping to pull a few upsets in Group B.
Team USA enters the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics with some unfinished business. Dropping the Gold Medal game to Team Canada back in 2010, the U.S. Men’s National Hockey team hopes to make another strong run through qualifying in order to set themselves up with a chance to advance in the semifinals. Strong talent in captain Zach Parise – who sent the 2010 title game to overtime with his tying goal in the final minute of play – along with veteran players Ryan Callahan, Patrick Kane, Phil Kessel and defenseman Brooks Orpik provide the Americans with a trustworthy group of scorers and defenders, with top-level play landing in goal as well.
Despite indicating earlier in the week that he would not announce which goalie he would start Thursday in the opener, United States head coach Dan Bylsma has elected to go with Jonathan Quick, who plays regularly for the Los Angeles Kings of the NHL. Understanding that he has talent and depth among Quick, Buffalo Sabres keeper Ryan Miller – who was fantastic in the USA’s 2010 run – and Jimmy Howard of the Detroit Red Wings, Bylsma never lacked confidence with his trio in net. “We've seen all our goalies play really well, and we've seen Ryan play the whole year and do very, very well on a team that's struggling,” he said. “And Jonathan’s got a track record, and he’s come back in the last month and he played well as well.”
While a talented group guides Team USA Thursday in Sochi, the Slovakian trio of Zdeno Chara, Jaroslak Halak and Marian Hossa will look to halt the United States’ early plans. Halak has been strong between the pipes for the St. Louis Blues this season – posting a 24-8-2 record with a 2.66 GAA and 0.915 save percentage – but his talent in net may not be enough to slow the USA. Injuries to Marian Gaborik and Lubomir Visnovsky put a dent in Slovakia’s offensive and defensive abilities on a team that lacks depth to begin with and a date with the United States certainly won’t make life any easier.
A complete performance will certainly be needed if Slovakia is to upend the United States Thursday but in the Winter Olympics, crazier things have happened.
United States vs. Slovakia: DATE, TIME & VIEWING INFO
DATE: Thursday, February 13
TIME: 7:30am, ET
TV COVERAGE: NBC Sports Network
LIVE STREAM: CLICK HERE
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