This Time, U.S. and Russia Evenly Matched

Twenty-two years ago, the Herb Brooks-coached U.S. men’s hockey team beat Germany in the quarterfinals, then upset the Soviet Union in the semifinals en route to a gold medal at Lake Placid. On Wednesday, the Herb Brooks-coached U.S. men’s hockey team beat Germany in the quarterfinals and will play Russia today in the semifinals. Miracle on Ice Redux?

Not quite. In 1980, the United States was playing primarily with young, inexperienced players. The Soviet Union had a veteran, professional team that was considered the best in the world.

This time, the U.S. and Russian teams are both filled with NHL veterans. They are almost equal in talent, at least if the 2-2 tie they played to in the first round is an indication.

In the other semifinal, Canada meets Belarus. If Belarus wins, there’s your new miracle on ice.