Originally published on IIHF.com in 2002 By Lucas Aykroyd In one of the most stunning upsets in Olympic hockey history, Belarus defeated Sweden 4-3 Wednesday in quarter-finals action. Vladimir Kopat scored the winner on a freaky shot with 2:24 remaining in the third period. Coming down the right wing, the Belarus forward slapped a high […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2002 By Lucas Aykroyd Everyone has a comfort zone. In Team Belarus’s case, this appears to involve playing hockey against other former Eastern Bloc countries. The Belorussians may have tumbled down to Division I of the World Championships, but they can still take a bite out of their neighbors. Just […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd For Finland, winning the 2006 Olympic gold medal in hockey would be the equivalent of Canada’s 1972 triumph over the Soviet Union in the Summit Series or the USA’s 1980 “Miracle on Ice” win over the Russians. It would be a unique, defining moment in the […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd With about 200 journalists and photographers jammed into the Palasport Olympico press conference room on the evening of February 14, Wayne Gretzky, Team Canada Head Coach Pat Quinn, and the Hockey Canada Olympic executive staff of Steve Tambellini, Kevin Lowe, and Bob Nicholson sat down amid […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd Before each Olympic tournament, there’s lots of talk about how Canada’s depth could hypothetically enable it to ice two separate teams. But how would other countries fare if given the same mandate? Let’s investigate, using the Czech Republic and Russia as examples. Obviously, when creating rosters […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd Women’s hockey is full of great personalities, many of whom aren’t afraid to speak their minds more candidly than their male counterparts. However, for the general public, it’s often tough to catch more than a glimpse of those personalities beyond the quadrennial Olympics and the semi-annual […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd After a sumptuous media brunch organized at the IIHF House of Hockey adjacent to the Palasport Olympico, IIHF President René Fasel, NHL Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer Bill Daly, and NHLPA Executive Director Ted Saskin sat down in front of a packed press conference […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2002 By Lucas Aykroyd In international men’s hockey, there’s an ongoing debate about where the balance of power lies between North America and Europe. But on the women’s side, there’s no question. The economic equivalent would be something like General Motors and Ford versus the Bicyclemaker’s Guild of San Marino. […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd Feeling nostalgic about the 2002 Olympic hockey tournament? Visit the special exhibit on the second floor of the Joe Quinney Winter Sports Center at the Utah Olympic Park, four miles north of Park City. This modern, 29,000-square-foot facility still feels brand new, almost as if the […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd With just 2 million citizens and just over 1000 hockey players, Latvia is thrilled every time one of its native sons cracks the big time. And defenseman Karlis Skrastins of the Colorado Avalanche is one of the best contemporary examples. Of course, there are others. Helmut […]