VOA标准英语2010年-US Men's Ice Hockey Aims to Regain Oly

"I think this is going to be the greatest hockey tournament in the history of the world." - USA Hockey Executive Director David Ogrean

The men's Olympic ice hockey tournament at the 2010 Games in Vancouver is expected to be one of the most competitive ever.  The 12-day tournament will bring together the 12 best national teams in the world with one common goal - bring home the gold medal.  The U.S. team is aiming for its first gold since 1980.

National Hockey League players will again be playing for their countries when the men's hockey competition hits the ice on February 16.  They became eligible¹ for the Winter Games in 1992, but the NHL has allowed its athletes to go to the Olympics only three previous times: in 1998, 2002, and 2006.

David Ogrean, Executive Director of USA Hockey, gives credit to the NHL for interrupting its season so that the best players in the world can compete at the 21st Winter Games.  He says that will make the tournament extremely competitive.

AP/The CANADIAN PRESS
Vancouver Canucks Ryan Kesler, #17, fights for control of the puck with Nashville Predators² goaltender Dan Ellis and Ryan Suter (C) during 2nd period NHL hockey action in Vancouver, British Columbia, 11 Jan 2010

"I think this is going to be the greatest hockey tournament in the history of the world," he said.  "The reason is this - you want to talk about competitive?  First time around [Nagano 1998] we had Russia and the Czechs.  In Salt Lake City [2002] it was U.S. and Canada and in Torino [2006] it was Sweden and Finland.  And we are now going to a country [Canada] that probably rightly considers itself the home of hockey," he said.

That's three different champions and no country has even managed to make the finals twice.  The 12 teams at the Vancouver 2010 tournament are split into three groups: Canada, the United States, Switzerland and Norway in Group A.  Russia, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Latvia in Group B, and Sweden, Finland, Belarus and Germany in Group C.

Where in the past, the U.S. has relied mainly on seasoned veterans, Ogrean says Team USA features a new look in 2010.

"The players are very significantly a new generation.  Terribly dynamic and largely a very young group of players who are going to be competing in the Olympics - most of them for the first time," he added. 

The tough decision of naming the 23-man roster³ was left to a seven-man committee that included USA Hockey Assistant Executive Director Jim Johansson and six general managers from NHL clubs. 

They started evaluating nearly 75 players October 1.  Thirty-four of the players considered came from those invited to a team orientation⁴ camp in Chicago and about 40 others from the National Team Development Program.

Team USA general manager Brian Burke says they were looking for players with the particular skills to meld into a well-balanced style of play.

"We're going to take the 23 best, with specific roles and jobs in mind.  It takes a lot of different tasks to win a hockey tournament like that," he said.

Team USA Associate general manager Dave Poile says only five of the players considered for the team had Olympic experience, and only seven of them were even alive when Team USA won its last hockey gold 1980 in Lake Placid⁵, New York. 

That was the year the underdog U.S. beat gold medal favorite Russia in the semifinals of what became known as "The Miracle on Ice," before topping Finland to win the gold.  Poile hopes the 30th anniversary of that win will inspire the team.

"Our message to the players is this is the time for heroic performance.  Playing in the Olympics is a fulfillment of dreams," said Poile.  "It's reaching a goal and it's an honor to represent our country.  The Canadians took the gold away from us in Salt Lake City in 2002 and I don't think there is any better time for the U.S. to win than in February 2010 in Vancouver," he said.

Ron Wilson of the Toronto Maple⁶ Leafs is the head coach of the 2010 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team.  The American roster includes 20 skaters and three goaltenders, and reflects the youth movement on Team USA.

 

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Chicago Blackhawks' Patrick Kane celebrates after scoring during the 1st period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators in Chicago (File)

Among the leading young players wearing the red, white and blue will be forwards Patrick Kane, Zach Parise and Phil Kessel, defenseman Ryan Suter and goaltender Ryan Miller⁷.

Kane, who turned 21 in November, is in his third season with the Chicago Blackhawks.  The former Rookie of the Year was the first overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, just the sixth American to be taken first overall.  He says playing in the Olympics for his country is an honor.

"It really shows you what a treat it really is and what it really means to the United States of America, and how these athletes get one goal four years around.  We're fortunate enough to play in the NHL, but the Olympics are a really big thing for us and we're really going there to win the gold.  So it should be exciting times," he said.

New Jersey⁸ Devils winger Zach Parise led American players in scoring in the NHL's 2008-09 season with 94 points and was named to the 2009 All-Star team.  He says he expects to meet Canada in a medal match, but promises Team USA won't overlook its other opponents.

"Whether it's Norway, Switzerland, Russia, I mean, you have to approach every game with the same mentality⁹.  It's not as if you are looking at the Canada game as your first game," he said.  "I mean those are [all] important games.  We are going to get there the day before the games start - two days before.  And it's all about building, and getting better every game and that is how the team is going to win. The team that comes together the quickest, learns their system the quickest, is going to give themselves the best advantage," he said.

The U.S. Men's Ice Hockey Team begins its Vancouver Olympics campaign against Switzerland on the opening day of the tournament - February 16.

1 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

2 predators   

n.食肉动物( predator的名词复数 )；奴役他人者（尤指在财务或性关系方面）

参考例句：

• birds and their earthbound predators 鸟和地面上捕食它们的动物
• The eyes of predators are highly sensitive to the slightest movement. 捕食性动物的眼睛能感觉到最细小的动静。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 roster   

n.值勤表，花名册

参考例句：

• The teacher checked the roster to see whom he would teach this year.老师查看花名册，想了解今年要教的学生。
• The next day he put himself first on the new roster for domestic chores.第二天，他把自己排在了新的家务值日表的第一位。

4 orientation   

n.方向，目标；熟悉，适应，情况介绍

参考例句：

• Children need some orientation when they go to school.小孩子上学时需要适应。
• The traveller found his orientation with the aid of a good map.旅行者借助一幅好地图得知自己的方向。

5 placid   

adj.安静的，平和的

参考例句：

• He had been leading a placid life for the past eight years.八年来他一直过着平静的生活。
• You should be in a placid mood and have a heart-to- heart talk with her.你应该心平气和的好好和她谈谈心。

6 maple   

n.槭树，枫树，槭木

参考例句：

• Maple sugar is made from the sap of maple trees.枫糖是由枫树的树液制成的。
• The maple leaves are tinge with autumn red.枫叶染上了秋天的红色。

7 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

8 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

9 mentality   

n.心理，思想，脑力

参考例句：

• He has many years'experience of the criminal mentality.他研究犯罪心理有多年经验。
• Running a business requires a very different mentality from being a salaried employee.经营企业所要求具备的心态和上班族的心态截然不同。