2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics

The history of collective sports is shaped by prestigious encounters between the best teams in the world.

Ice hockey is no exception to this rule. Often these matches are fierce encounters, and each team has its own choice rivals.

Swedes, Finns, Czechs, Americans, Slovaks and Swiss are among the big names found at each major competition in the final rounds, where the medals are won and legends are created.

In the world of the puck, two nations have really stood out for fans worldwide: Russia and Canada, lands where ice hockey is king and which have given birth to some of the greatest players of all time.

14 titles in all

Olympic ice hockey was first dominated by the Canadian teams, with six titles from the first eight editions. From the Cortina d'Ampezzo Games in 1956, it was the Soviet newcomers who imposed their style and game on the Olympic rinks, winning seven titles out of nine editions. At the Albertville Games in 1992, the Unified team won in the final against the Canadians.

Stick against stick in the world finals

Though the Russians have not yet taken Olympic gold, they have, on the other hand, won the last two World Championships staged in 2008 and 2009. Each time, Slava Bykov's team have disposed of the Canadians - with a score of 5-4 after extra time in 2008 on Canadian ice, then with a score of 2-1 in 2009. As for the Canadians, they won the 2007 edition staged in Moscow.

The two teams occupy the first two places in the ranking of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).

Crosby - Ovechkin, ones to follow

In Vancouver, the first round games look promising. These will be USA-Canada, Sweden-Finland and Russia against its former Slovak and Czech brothers. The semi-finals could book us a new duel at the top between the Russians and the Canadians, and maybe even a final if they remain unbeaten in their respective groups.

Two squads made up of talented players in the well oiled team game. And each side has two major, albeit young, stars: Sydney Crosby (22) and Alexander Ovechkin (24), a centre and a winger capable of exceptional moves who can change the outcome of the game at any moment.

Having a footballer father and double Olympic basketball champion mother gave Ovechkin the taste for success very early on. From the age of 16, he played for the Russian national teams and already had seven international medals to his name, including two golds won on Canadian soil.

From the age of seven, Sydney Crosby was in the limelight, racking up achievements, records and awards in all the leagues. A junior team captain of Canada and alternate captain in the World Championships, it remains only for him to shine at the Olympic Games.

More than simply opposition on the ice, it is an opposition of style and temperament between these two fantastic players, who symbolise the new face of world hockey and the clash of the two favourite teams in Vancouver.

Canada's national sport, ice hockey, will play a prominent role at the Vancouver Games, with matches spread out over all but one day of the entire programme.

The men's tournament, of which Sweden are the reigning champions, will feature 12 teams battling to advance to the playoff, then medals stages after the opening round robin tournaments.

The women's tournament, of which hosts Canada are the two-time defending champions, has a similar format except only eight teams are involved.

Canadian player Jayna Hefford, who will compete in her fourth Games, says: "Canadians have such a respect for the game, and are so proud of our hockey heritage. I know that our performance matters to Canadians, and that means a lot to me and my teammates."

Shots of 100 km/h

The Olympic rinks in Vancouver are four metres narrower than their international counterparts, the tournaments being played on a North American ice hockey surface.

Held over three 20-minute periods, ice hockey matches usually shape up to be battles of skill, speed, determination and stamina between teams that contain 20 players and three goalkeepers (18 players and three goalkeepers for the women). At any one time only six players from each team are allowed on the ice "five players and one goaltender" as teams battle to get the solid rubber puck into the opposing team's net with slick passing, fast skating and shots which can hit speeds well in excess of 100km/h.

Due to the sport's competitive nature, players can often find themselves in the penalty box serving two-minute penalties for minor infractions such as tripping or hooking with the stick, or for longer for fighting or charging from behind. The loss of one or several players, in theory, gives the advantage to the opposing team, resulting in "power plays" where the numerical advantage often, but not always, leads to goals.

Unique opportunity

US player Zach Parise shares the thrill playing for one's home country:

"Putting on your country's jersey is always exciting. It's not an opportunity that everybody gets so you want to make the best of it. When you have each country's best players playing against each other, there's bound to be some great hockey and it's that much better when you have your whole country watching and supporting you."

In the tracks of the Vancouver Canucks

Matches will be spread over two venues: Canada Hockey Place and the University of British Columbia Thunderbird Arena (UBC). Canada Hockey Place needs no introduction to locals, fans of the game, or to the millions of patrons who have graced the venue over the past 14 years. As well as being the home of local NHL team the Vancouver Canucks, the facility is one of the most active entertainment venues in North America, and has welcomed a host of top names since its opening in 1995. The capacity of Canada Hockey Place is 18,630 and it regularly hosts 100 events each year.

The capacity at UBC, which is located on a large ocean-side campus on Vancouver's west side, is 7,200. Following the 2010 Games, the UBC venue will serve as a recreational and high-performance multi-sport legacy facility.

Vancouver Olympics Hockey

The Vancouver Olympics hockey tournament was held as part of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The tournament included 12 men's teams and 8 women's teams, with both tournaments being played on Olympic-sized ice rinks.

In the men's tournament, Canada won the gold medal by defeating the United States 3-2 in the championship game. The game was a thrilling back-and-forth affair that saw the Americans tie the game with just 24.4 seconds left in regulation, only to have Canada win the game in overtime on a goal by Sidney Crosby. The win was Canada's 8th Olympic gold medal in men's ice hockey and sparked celebrations across the country.

In the women's tournament, Canada also won the gold medal by defeating the United States 2-0 in the championship game. The win was Canada's third straight Olympic gold medal in women's ice hockey and solidified their status as the dominant team in the sport.

The Vancouver Olympics hockey tournament was widely regarded as one of the most exciting and competitive in Olympic history, with many of the games being decided by just one or two goals. The tournament showcased the best players in the world and provided fans with unforgettable moments and memories.

 

2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games
Canada - Russia: Duel of the Hockey Giants