The Real Miracle Is U.S. Team’s Classy Attitude

WEST VALLEY CITY, UT â€”  WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah--You want a miracle? This was a miracle.

The U.S men’s hockey team played the Russians on Saturday night for the first time on home ice since the 1980 Lake Placid upset.

And it was the warmest war in town.

The cozy E Center arena rocked with the “USA� chant that first became popular during that shocker of 22 years ago.

Echoed by chants of “Rus-si-ya, Rus-si-ya.�

One moment, home fans were singing the name of American goalie Mike Richter.

The next moment, different voices were singing about the equally melodic-sounding Valeri Bure.

There were wild cheers and flag waving from the careful start to the smoldering finish of a 2-2 tie forged by Brett Hull’s goal at 15:30 of the third period.

More impressive, though, was what was missing.

The boos.

There were virtually no boos.

Nobody booed the Russians. Nobody booed when they were outshooting the Americans, 17-4, in the second period. Nobody booed when Sergei Fedorov gave the Russians the lead early in the third period.

“All the extra-curricular stuff was not a factor,� said Mike Modano, who assisted on Hull’s chip shot from the left side. “This was just a good hockey game against two teams that respect each other.�

The game was the usual style between these longtime brawlers; physical, flying-into-the-boards, falling-over-the-net hockey.

Blessedly, it was only about that hockey.

It was not about a country, or a curtain, or an empire.

It was “All good,� said Alexey Mishin, legendary Russian figure skating coach who was in the stands.

Mishin said he felt so comfortable, it was actually like just another hockey game.

“Tonight is more like sports, not like enemy,� he said. “Before, we were shooting at each other. Now, we’re taking shot glasses and drinking to each other.�

Part of the hospitality was certainly due to the changes in the world politics over the last two decades.

“Iron curtain, lifted, nobody afraid anymore,� Mishin said.

Part of it was also due to perhaps a bit of guilt felt by fans who may have pushed for Friday’s scandal-driven awarding of a second gold medal in pairs figure skating to a Canadian couple. This forced the winning Russian couple to share the podium despite a lack of hard evidence.

“I’m not saying anything about that,� said Mishin.

Of course, there is also that fun little fact that there were four different groups of NHL teammates playing against each other. It must be hard to hate a guy who may later help you win a Stanley Cup.

“We’re all professionals out there,� Brian Leetch said. “That is certainly a difference.�

But most of the attitude, one suspects, is due to the U.S. hockey team itself.

This year America doesn’t need a Miracle on Ice. It would be thrilled with Character on Ice.

Or, maybe, Class on Ice.

Saturday was about the same thing that will follow the U.S. team throughout the next week.

The need to not to dominate, but just show up and play hard and act like men.

Trailing 23-10 in shots entering the third period, trailing by a goal until the final six minutes of the game, the U.S. did just that.

Richter had 33 saves, while Hull scored the only full-strength goal of the game for the tie.

The wild finish continued a wild streak, as the American men have not lost an Olympic hockey game in this country in 70 years, a span of 21 games.

“Desperate times require desperate measures,� Modano said. “In the end, we did what we had to do.�

And, for once, they did it with brains, using careful puck-handling and position to counter a Russian team that played bigger and faster.

“Four years ago, we didn’t have a system, but now we do,� Hull said. “We’re more careful out there.�

Hopefully, they’ll be more careful everywhere.

The last time they got together, in the first NHL-inclusive Olympics in 1998 in Nagano, the U.S. team reacted to a disappointing sixth-place finish like children.

The night after their final defeat, a 4-1 loss to eventual champion Czech Republic, three members of the team trashed three rooms in the Olympic Village.

You remember now, right? Real class stuff.

Ten chairs were broken, including six that were thrown off a five-story balcony. Two fire extinguishers were discharged, and another was thrown into a courtyard.

They caused $3,000 worth of damage, but harmed far worse was their collective character.

Because they never gave up the name of the culprits.

Chris Chelios, the captain, weakly waited nearly a month before sending Japanese officials a check and an apology. But no names.

Four years later, still no names.

Earlier this week, I asked forward Bill Guerin if one of the three culprits was him. He wouldn’t say either way.

“Nagano was four years ago,� he said. “We can put that behind us. We can put that to bed.�

Earlier this week, assistant coach Lou Vairo showed that some of that foolishness still exists.

“I wasn’t there, I don’t know first-hand what happened,� he said of Nagano. “Whatever it was that happened, really it was a minor detail.�

Say what?

“These are good kids, they broke a few chairs,� he said. “I bet half you (media) guys in this room busted a couple of chairs when your wife shows you the credit card bill at the end of the week.�

At that comment, one women reporter openly gasped at the implication, and Vairo smiled.

“The same goes for women when their husbands bring home the credit card bill,� he said.

Between the second and third periods, the video scoreboard showed--what else?--an interview with Mike Eruzione.

“This is a great opportunity to show how far we’ve come,� he said.

He was talking about hockey. But by the end of Saturday night, he could have been talking about everything.

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Bill Plaschke can be reached at [email protected]