LILLEHAMMER: ’94 WINTER OLYMPICS : Hockey Team Tries Again for Victory : Hockey: Sweden’s puck-possession game and strong defense present a stiffer challenge than U.S. has faced in three ties.

Having perfected the art of tying games, the U.S. Olympic hockey team felt no need to practice Friday.

In truth, Coach Tim Taylor gave his players a day off to spend with friends and families. With a game today against Sweden, the tournament’s second-seeded team and Group B co-leader at 2-0-1, Friday figured to be their last chance to relax for a while.

Good fortune, favorable calls and desperation on the power play allowed them to rally for ties in their first three games against France, Slovakia and Canada. They will need all those factors and more against Sweden, which blends playmaking and intelligent defense in a high-paced, dynamic style.

The United States was 0-1-2 in pre-Olympic play against Sweden, including a 3-3 tie in their last meeting, Feb. 9 at Goteborg, Sweden. Their most recent Olympic encounter was a 3-3 tie at Albertville in 1992. No American team has beaten Sweden in the Olympics since a 6-3 victory in 1960 at Squaw Valley. Sweden holds a 3-0-2 edge since then.

“They play a puck-possession game and they also, when they don’t have the puck, clog up the neutral zone very well and play a strong defensive system that all the players are committed to,” Taylor said. “You go into this knowing, No. 1, offensively you’re not going to have the puck a lot and, No. 2, when you do have the puck, you’re going to be facing a formidable defensive system. . . .

“You try, obviously, to be very good defensively. You go into the game knowing Sweden is probably going to have the puck more than we are. We have to have a good game plan against their neutral-zone trap. France was actually doing something similar to what I think we’ll see from Sweden.”

Following Taylor’s preordained plan, goaltender Mike Dunham, who started the tournament-opening 4-4 tie with France but backed up Garth Snow in the next two games, will be back in goal today.

It seems a curious decision, made by calculation rather than reacting to circumstances. Snow, who has five games of NHL experience, played exceptionally well against Canada, stopping a penalty shot and blunting a dangerous two-on-one chance in the waning minutes. Snow also has been a calming presence for the young American team in the last two games, with 59 saves in 65 shots.

Taylor had said before the Games that he might stick with one goalie instead of alternating if one became hot, and it’s difficult to be hotter than Snow was Thursday.

By contrast, Dunham, who at 21 is three years younger than Snow and lacks his teammate’s NHL experience, acknowledged he was nervous against France and might have played better.

Taylor became defensive when questioned about his choice and said the change was not a condemnation of Snow’s play, but an expression of confidence in both goalies. He cited Dunham’s strong past play against Sweden. Dunham saved 64 of 68 shots in the last two games, a loss to Sweden’s B team and the 2-2 tie with a squad that will strongly resemble today’s.

“I think Mike is a very capable and confident goaltender and I don’t think he plays defensively. . . ,” Taylor said. “I told you all along we have two goalies who are very capable of starting each game.”