Croatian Canadian Joe Sakic winns gold for Canada. Two goals two assists.
By LARRY McSHANE, Associated Press Writer
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – Silver to start, silver to finish.
The U.S. men’s hockey team settled for a silver medal to close out
America’s most successful Winter Games, with Canada ending a 50-year gold
medal drought in its national sport with a 5-2 victory over its southern
neighbors.
The Sunday loss provided the U.S. Winter Olympians with silver bookends:
two silvers on the first day of competition, one on the last. There was
plenty of gold in between, along with more silver and bronze, as the
United States finished with a record 34 medals.
While the two U.S. medals back on Feb. 9 were cause for celebration, the
hockey medal was cause for mixed emotions. Even the return of coach Herb
Brooks, head of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team, couldn’t produce a gold
medal for the home team.
“We don’t have anything to feel bad about,” said U.S. defenseman Phil
Housley, who scored what turned out to be the winning goal in the 3-2
semifinal victory over Russia. “These memories are something I will carry
with me for a long time.”
It was the first Olympic loss ever with Brooks behind the bench, ending a
12-game unbeaten string. And it was the first U.S. Olympic loss on home
ice in 70 years.
While the Americans and Canadians were winning medals, the biggest doping
scandal of the games saw cross-country skiers Johann Muehlegg of Spain and
Larissa Lazutina of Russia stripped of their most recent gold medals after
drug positives.
“Technically, they are Olympic champions,” said IOC president Jacques
Rogge, announcing the pair will keep their other Salt Lake City medals.
“Morally, it is a totally different issue.”
Both gold medalists, along with a third cross-country skier, were thrown
out of the games — more a symbolic gesture than anything just hours before
the closing ceremony. Between them, Lazutina and Muehlegg had won a
half-dozen Salt Lake City medals.
In the much-hyped hockey final, Joe Sakic and Jarome Ignila scored twice
each for the Canadians, who fell behind 1-0 before bouncing back to
dominate play. Canadian goalie Martin Brodeur now has an Olympic gold
medal to go with his two Stanley Cup titles.
“We felt all along the expectations of all the people in Canada,” Brodeur
said. “It’s always fun to be part of a great team.”
Brodeur’s New Jersey Devils teammate, Brian Rafalski, had one of the two
U.S. goals; Tony Amonte had the other.
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