Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.23

www.afootinthecrease.com

Remember back, oh say eight years ago, when there were really only six countries – Canada, the United States, Sweden, Finland, Russia and the Czech Republic – that had a legitimate shot at winning Olympic medals in hockey? Well really, after what Belarus did to Sweden in Salt Lake City in 2002, I guess you’d have to say twelve years ago in 1998 in Nagano, Japan.

In 2006 at the Torino Olympic Games, Switzerland did the unthinkable and knocked off hockey giant and defending Olympic gold medalists at the time Team Canada by a score of 2-0. This may have been the first indication that the “Big Six” countries were no longer alone in their battle for three Olympic Medals. They had company now and it was coming fast.

Now at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games, it is clear that several new countries have jumped to the fore and no longer can be viewed as nuisances in between games against the old superpowers. Switzerland, Slovakia, Germany, and Belarus have all held their own to this point in the men’s Olympic hockey tournament.

The Swiss gave the USA all they could handle in a 3-1 loss and pushed Canada to the brink in a shootout. Belarus very nearly knocked off Sweden once again before eventually falling 4-2 while Germany also gave Sweden some trouble before the Swedes managed to squeak out a 2-0 win. That all world offensively powerful Russian team? Well they lost to the one-time ignored Slovaks 2-1.

In Switzerland and Slovakia’s case, they boast top tier NHL netminders in Jonas Hiller and Jaroslav Halak, respectively, that in a short tournament, can be the difference between winning and losing all by themselves. The Germans feature a sprinkling of solid NHL talent and are very well coached by former NHL defenseman Uwe Krupp. Ditto for the Belarusians that feature a handful of decent NHLers.

It’s shaping up to be the best Olympics Hockey Tournament yet. The women’s side could only dream of this kind of competition. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.