THE OLYMPICS / WINTER GAMES AT ALBERTVILLE : NOTES : Eruzione Follows Golden Rule

Although comparisons are inevitable, Mike Eruzione, captain of the gold-medal-winning 1980 U.S. hockey team, said it’s difficult to measure his squad against the current Olympians.

But if asked, he’ll declare the 1980 team’s feats more impressive.

“I want to make sure I’m not downgrading this team and its accomplishments, but I think the Czechs in 1980 with the Stastny brothers were a pretty good hockey team, and the Soviet team was better then,” said Eruzione, who is an analyst on CBS’ Olympic hockey telecasts.

“The Finnish team maybe is a hair better--Jari Kurri was playing for them--and they didn’t have the experience they do now. When I look back at Sweden, I don’t think the Swedes were as good as they are now, but their goaltender was Pelle Lindbergh (who later played for the Philadelphia Flyers).

“The big thing with us in ’80 was (the Soviets) were enemies. The political arena was so much different than it is now. Winning a gold medal is a great (achievement) in any sport, but what put ours in a different light is the political climate, with the hostages in Iran and everything. . . . I’m not taking anything away from this team. What they’re doing is great for these kids, and you can see the enjoyment on their faces. That’s why I’m having fun, I see the enjoyment they’re having.”

After the Games, Eruzione would like to see the 1980 U.S. Olympians face off against the 1992 team--for bragging rights and for a good cause.

“If this team wins a gold medal, we will challenge them to a goodwill tour for charity,” he said. “All of us from 1980, we’ve gotten together twice, once in Dallas and once in Boston, last year for the USO when our troops were overseas. If these guys win, we can take ‘em.

“The only thing is, I might have to coach this time. I don’t know if I can do Herbies (punishing skating drills devised by coach Herb Brooks) anymore. Or Herb can cut me this time. In any case, I think I’m younger than Moe Mantha, right?”

Eruzione, 37, said that even if the two teams don’t meet on the ice, he will claim superiority for the 1980 squad.

“If the ’92 team wins the gold medal, I’m still not going to say they’re better than us,” he said. “Comparing the teams is a silly thing to do. We did it, it’s over, it’s on tape at home. If they win, it’ll be great, but I’ll sit with Clark Donatelli and say Ken Morrow was better than Moe Mantha and Jim Craig was better than whoever.”

NHL general managers and scouts hoping to sign players from the Unified Team after the Olympic tournament probably will have a difficult time, according to New York Islander General Manager Bill Torrey.

After conversations with hockey officials in the Commonwealth of Independent States, Torrey has the impression national pride will compel them to keep players home, instead of allowing them to go to the NHL or European leagues.

“I think the Russians are going to stiffen up and make it tougher to get players out,” said Torrey, whose club chose defenseman Vladimir Malakhov 191st overall in the 1989 draft. “They’ve found they haven’t been able to replace the players they’ve been losing. Tournaments like the world championships and Olympics mean a lot to them, and they want to hold onto their players so they can win those tournaments.

“Teams like Moscow Dynamo might sell off some players, but teams like Red Army won’t. It’s going to be tough getting players from Red Army.”

Unified Team defenseman Alexei Zhitnik, the Kings’ third-round pick and 81st overall last June, plays for Red Army.

Viktor Tikhonov, coach of the Unified Team, is an admirer of Canadian center Eric Lindros. Tikhonov also knows Lindros has refused to join the Quebec Nordiques, who picked him first in last June’s NHL draft, and he offered Lindros an alternative. “If he won’t go to Quebec, maybe he’ll go to Moscow,” Tikhonov joked.

Don Adam of Westminster, Colo., and John Malinosky of Stafford Springs, Conn., are the only two Americans officiating in the Olympic hockey tournament.

Malinosky, who’s working in his first Olympics, is a linesman in the American Hockey League and a referee in East Coast Athletic Conference Hockey games. Adam, also in his first Olympics, officiates in the International Hockey League and is in the NHL’s referee trainee program. Officials are selected based on their performances in previous international tournaments.

“North American refs and linesmen are the most respected in the world because of the North American style of play,” Malinosky said.