Ice hockey's big two bow to Europeans

Published on Friday 24 February 2006 00:39

THE United States and Canada, traditionally superpowers when it comes to men's ice hockey, were yesterday trying to pinpoint why their Winter Olympic hopes failed this time round.

The sport was turned on its head on Wednesday night when Russia, Finland, the Czech Republic and Sweden qualified for today's semi-finals - a European battleground, with the US and Canada notable by their absence.

A decade ago the US were on top of the hockey world, having won the World Cup in 1996, beating arch-rivals Canada in the final. That victory rivalled the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" Olympic gold medal and propelled the sport in the US to new heights.

In 2002, the US were still a dominant nation, grabbing a silver medal in Salt Lake City after losing a thrilling final to Canada. But in Turin, just four years later, the Americans don't even get a medal, limping out of the event in the quarter-finals after losing 4-3 to Finland.

After compiling a miserable record of one win, one tie and four defeats, US defenceman Jordan Leopold says the team now need an urgent shake-up.

"A lot of the guys who played in Turin will leave," he explained. "It's time for new blood to come in. But the guys who are leaving have given a lot to this programme and can be proud, no matter what happened here."

Canada, the reigning Olympic champions, lost their quarter-final tie against Russia 2-0, and the legendary Wayne Gretzky yesterday admitted he was reassessing his future with the team. "I take full responsibility," said Gretzky, who as Canada's executive director had hand-picked the team. "I feel tremendously responsible that we didn't win. There will be accountability over the next couple of years."

Gretzky, in the spotlight before these games because of an illegal betting scandal swirling around his family, was a player when Canada last failed to return home with a medal in 1998. "The devastation is the same, the responsibility aspect is different. You feel more like a parent, like you have let your kids down."

In today's semis, Russia face unbeaten Finland, while the Czech Republic, 1998 Olympic champions, take on Sweden.