Players Enjoyed Time at Olympics

Mighty Duck defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky brought a bronze medal home from the Winter Olympics.

Teammate Ruslan Salei brought home a cold--and good memories.

Tverdovsky helped Russia to a third-place finish, but Salei helped make Belarus a country of hockey fanatics after the Belarussians upset Sweden and reached the semifinals.

“They are going to name streets after us,” Salei joked Tuesday. “That’s the new rumor. Then they will probably print us on money. I don’t know which one would be the bigger thing.

“The team arrived yesterday and, talking to my family, there was a huge crowd at the airport. There was a huge concert for the team, a huge celebration. It was like when [the Czech Republic] won the gold medal [in 1998]. The reaction in Belarus was amazing. People were walking the streets, screaming ‘Belarus.’ We made people pay attention to hockey in Belarus.”

People in Russia are certainly aware of hockey, which is why winning the bronze was nice, but losing to the United States in the semifinals didn’t take the team to the heights of the old days, when the Soviet Union dominated the sport in international play. Still, there was some of that old-time feeling for the players.

“It was hockey we were raised with,” Tverdovsky said. “That is how they taught us in Russia. A lot of skating and a lot of passing. It was a lot of fun.”

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Tverdovsky said that the controversy surrounding the officiating and the threats by Russian officials to pull out of the Games had no effect on the team.

“There was no talking among coaches or players, we didn’t think about it,” Tverdovsky said. “We thought about going and playing the game. It was a big game.

“I was little bit surprised [that they used NHL officials]. I think it should have been a European ref. But I think he did a pretty good job. I can’t say he was doing something bad to us. There were a few questionable calls, but that’s everywhere. It’s like that in NHL sometimes too.”

The NHL officials were as familiar with Russia’s players as they were with the United States’ players, since almost all played in the NHL. But the Olympics are different, Tverdovsky said.

“In the back of their minds we’re Russians and they’re North Americans,” he said. “But I thought they did a fair job.”

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The Ducks will hold a ceremony before tonight’s game to honor their three Olympians, including Paul Kariya, who helped Canada to its first gold medal in 50 years. Kariya will rejoin the Ducks today.

The medals won by Kariya and Tverdovsky will be on display in the arena, as will jerseys worn by Tverdovsky and Salei during the Games.

TONIGHT

vs. Minnesota, 7:30

Fox Sports Net 2

Site--Arrowhead Pond.

Radio--XTRA (690).

Records--Ducks 21-31-6-3, Wild 18-27-10-5.

Record vs. Wild--2-1-0-0.

Update--The Ducks and Wild begin the post-Olympic stretch tied for 14th place in the Western Conference with 51 points.