The World Cup of Hockey concluded Saturday night with the
U.S. beating Canada in Game Three in Montreal. The result was
met with disbelief throughout North America and seen as a
significant boost to U.S. hockey. Here's a sampling: Header of
Sunday's MONTREAL GAZETTE: "Damn Yankees" on page one with "Woe
Canada" leading the sports section (MONTREAL GAZETTE, 9/15). In
Toronto, Bill Lankhof: "[NHL Commissioner Gary] Bettman got what
he most wanted; a U.S. victory that will sell the game to
corporate America. Big deal. Nobody has to sell the game to
Canadians" (TORONTO SUN, 9/16). The GLOBE & MAIL's Stephen
Brunt: "For Canadians, there really hasn't been a morning after
quite like this before, a funk that's going to last more than a
few hours, a few days, a few weeks" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 9/16).
In Edmonton, Cam Cole: "Hockey Night in Canada might never be the
same after Team USA took Canada's best shot ... and fired its
right back at their heads -- right in the cradle of hockey no
less" (EDMONTON JOURNAL, 9/15). In Vancouver, Tony Gallagher:
"The crown signifying the sport's king ... is now adorned with
stars and stripes" (VANCOUVER PROVINCE, 9/15). In Ottawa, Earl
McRae: "Hockey is not Canada's game, as it once was, it is
America's game, as it will be ever more so -- get used to it"
(OTTAWA CITIZEN, 9/15). In Ottawa, Don Wilcox compares the U.S.
to Canada's previous rival, the former Soviet Union: "Our new
enemy is much more sinister because the USA will only get more
powerful as more of its teeming masses are turned on to our game"
(OTTAWA SUN, 9/15). In Toronto, Scott Morrison: "As a nation, we
are secure in the knowledge that Canada still has the best team
in the world. It is our relay team, of course, but it is still
the best ... Our hockey team is now second best" (TORONTO SUN,
9/15). In New York, Joe LaPointe: "A remarkable game ... marked a
turning point for this growing sport, at least in North America"
(N.Y. TIMES, 9/16). NEWSDAY's Laura Price: "Hockey will never be
the same in North America" (NEWSDAY, 9/15). On ESPN, Bob Ryan:
"There was nothing fluky about it. It was legitimate, they beat
'em" ("Sports Reporters," ESPN, 9/15). In Washington, Howard
Schneider: "Canada was in mourning ... after watching a piece of
its sometimes tenuous national identity get seized, packaged and
shipped" to the U.S. (WASHINGTON POST, 9/16). Header over N.Y.
POST's Larry Brooks column: "The real winner is hockey" (N.Y.
POST, 9/14). ESPN's Brett Haber: "People are calling it the
biggest USA hockey game since the 'Miracle on Ice' back in 1980"
("SportsCenter," ESPN, 9/15). In Philadelphia, Les Bowen writes,
"It's impossible today to measure the impact of Team USA claiming
world dominance," but he wonders, with no major network TV
coverage, "How much did the lack of attention tarnish the
moment?" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 9/16). On "The Sports
Reporters," Bill Conlin: "I hope the lords of baseball were
watching the interest that an international tournament like that
can create in an offseason" (ESPN, 9/15).
NEXT STEP: Officials from the eight participating countries
will meet with representatives of the NHL, NHLPA and IIHF to
determine plans for the next event, according to Alan Adams of
the TORONTO STAR. The session will review the tournament and
"complaints will be aired." Adams notes no decision will be made
on whether to have World Cup II, which would likely be held in
2000. IIHF President Rene Fasel: "The Europeans are not happy
with some things." Among possible changes: cutting the number of
teams by two to six, a shortening of the event by about a week,
team travel for the Europeans and the timing of the event as to
whether or not to hold it in September. Final financial figures
are not available, but "the rumor mill had the tournament coming
in at C$10M profit." Most of the money goes to the NHL player
pension fund" (TORONTO STAR, 9/16).
