The first men’s ice hockey game of the 2010 Winter Olympics kicked off today and the first match was between the United States and Switzerland. The US was able to jump out to a 1-0 lead in the first, add two in the second and skate to a 3-1 victory. However, the team was sloppy during parts of the game, leading to many odd man runs that the Swiss just didn’t hit the net and couldn’t capitalize on.
The Americans did it with their greats in the scoring department, not the guys you expected to score in Zach Parise, Patrick Kane and Peter Stastny, but literally their greats with Bobby Ryan, Ryan Malone and David Backes applying the goals for the American team. .
Bobby Ryan put the American squad on the board late in the first with a fiery wrist shot that Jonas Hiller navigated, the two are teammates on the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.
The United States took a 1-0 lead in the locker room and put together a good second half. The second period David Backes launched a flurry of speed flying around the Swiss defender and put one past Hiller’s pads that was the highlight of the game. Tampa Bay Lightning power forward Ryan Malone would turn the game 3-0 with a Suter blast from the power play spot.
Although Ryan Miller didn’t have much work facing a total of 15 shots, he did make a couple of key saves, including a great save that led to the run and David Backes’ goal. The only goal he allowed in the third period was his own error that he tried to score, but the puck bounced off his post and rolled onto his bag to put the Swiss on the board and spoil his shutout attempt. Team USA’s last shutout was in 2002 by Mike Richter against Germany.
Team USA only had one full practice together as a team and at times in this game it showed. Luckily for them, they faced the Swiss, who are not one of the dominant teams on paper in the tournament. In the absence of practice and wearing the rojiblanca and azulgrana, the team showed signs of being nervous. The young US defense flipped the puck one too many times, leading to odd man runs. Teams like Canada and Russia will turn those mistakes into goals.
The next game for the USA is Norway on Thursday, another game they should win and as these games go by I think this group will either get tighter and stronger or trouble will lurk further down the line. No Olympic game is automatic as every game will be a test, with Team USA’s biggest test coming Sunday night in the highly anticipated rivalry match against Canada.