U.S. Wins the Goal War

This should have been about a gesture of strength.

It was, instead, about a gesture of obscenity.

This should have been about newfound character.

It was, instead, about alleged cheating.

This should have been a hockey game, darn it.

It was, instead, was another reason why last week’s decision by the International Olympic Committee has made some games here impossible.

The news Friday, you would think, was that the United States men’s hockey team rushed to a 3-0 lead and then braced itself during a furious third-period comeback to win a 3-2 decision over Russia in the Olympic semifinals.

Twenty-two years to the day after the legendary U.S. “Miracle on Ice” victory over the Soviet Union, the two teams played another game that ended in dancing and collapsing.

All of which set up what may be the most watched hockey game in history, Sunday afternoon, a gold-medal brawl between Canada and the U.S., a match between the game’s inventors and the neighbor kids who are trying to steal it.

That should have been the news Friday.

But, of course, it wasn’t.

Because these are still the Winter Olympics. And the losers were again the Russians.

And for the remaining few days of these Olympics, everything Russia touches will turn to controversy.

This was the country that was steamrollered last week when the IOC bowed to public pressure and unsubstantiated allegations, awarding a second gold medal in the pairs figure skating to a Canadian couple while forcing a Russian couple to share the podium.

This is the country that has not gotten over that slight and has been trying to exact revenge ever since.

Russian officials have pounded on desks, threatening boycotts, asking for double gold medals in cross-country skiing and figure skating, begging for public apologies, hoping to be embraced by public opinion.

But until Friday, it was all nothing more than noise.

Then the game started, and it became apparent that the flames of the controversy had turned inward, engulfing athletes and their attitudes.

A pretty good hockey team became an unwitting group of political pawns.

All those people who thought the IOC did the right thing last week by kowtowing to NBC and the North American media should have been here.

The game was contested in what is formally called The E Center.

But in reality, it was played in the mouth of Pandora’s Box.

Everyone remaining in this Olympics feels now that the squeaky wheel will get the (greasy) medal.

Here’s what happens when that wheel eventually falls off.

The slow Russian start, in which they were outshot, 11-1, at the beginning of the game and 35-11 after two periods despite dominating the Americans in last week’s tie?

It was blamed on distraction from threatened boycott.

“It was kind of disruptive,” Coach Slava Fetisov said.

The quick Russian finish, in which they scored two quick goals and forced goalie Mike Richter to hang on by the skin of scarred knees?

It was overshadowed by anger at the referees.

“It was designed to be a Canada-U.S. final,” Fetisov said. “These are NHL referees.”

And this was a mess.

The Russians thought Sergei Samsonov’s shot across the front of the goal midway through the third period should have been reviewed--even though replays showed it was no goal. They banged their sticks on the boards and Fetisov screamed.

“What I was trying to do was to gain some time and give the referees a chance to review it,” Fetisov said.

The Russians also thought Chris Chelios should have been assessed a penalty for hitting Samsonov above the shoulders, much like Darius Kasparaitis was penalized in the second period for a similar hit. That penalty led to the second U.S. goal.

“[That was] a deliberate hit in the head and supposed to be penalized,” Fetisov said.

When the game finally ended, after Jeremy Roenick had won two big face-offs and Richter had stopped 17 third-period shots, the Russians were the sorest of losers.

Angry, paranoid, and still distracted.

While the U.S. team was skating off the ice, Kasparaitis was skating around the officials, screaming.

Finally, after nearly everyone had left the ice, Kasparaitis grabbed himself in an obscene gesture before departing.

“I know we have a big disagreement with the Olympic committee,” Fetisov said. “They’re professional referees, they live here, they know the players, Americans and Canadians. I know, in crucial situations, it’s human reaction, in those situations they are not going to call it a penalty. There’s not much you can do right now.”

Oh, there is still a human situation here? It didn’t feel much like it Friday.

Maybe it will return Sunday, when the final Olympic event could be its most emotional.

Canada has not won a gold medal in 50 years. It has lost two NHL teams to the United States. Barely half of the NHL players come from Canada.

“I know there’s a lot of pressure on us,” Canada’s Jarome Iginla said. “I remember, when I wasn’t part of the team, I was putting pressure on them too. Everybody in the country is watching us and pulling for us.”

There is, however, also pressure on the U.S., which hasn’t won a medal since 1980 and is still trying to overcome the shame of 1998 and the apartment-trashing in Nagano.

“It’s looking us right in the face,” American Doug Weight said. “We just have to go out and take it on Sunday.”

And a wonderful Sunday it will be.

Or should be.

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Bill Plaschke can be reached at bill.plaschke@latimes.com.