|
 |
Canadian going for medal in hockey — like his dad in '56
By Tim Buckley and Jody Genessy
Deseret News Olympic specialists
WEST VALLEY CITY — Denis Brodeur won his Olympic medal at the 1956 Winter Games.
It was bronze.
On Sunday, the son of Team Canada's goalie in Cortina d'Ampezzo goes for gold. And Denis, who later became the longtime team photographer for the NHL's Montreal Canadiens, is with him for every step.
"He's here," 2002 Team Canada goalie Martin Brodeur said after a 7-1 semifinal win over Belarus that lifted the Canadians into Sunday's title game. "I talk to him every day."
One person Martin Brodeur has not spoken with since the Salt Lake Games began, however, is goalie Patrick Roy, the man Martin Brodeur backed up at Nagano in 1998.
Roy could have been playing this year, too, but when Canadian officials declined to either name him to the team right away or define what his role would be, the Colorado Avalanche star withdrew from consideration, citing desire to spend time with his family.
"I'm sure he's enjoying himself — having a little two-week vacation," said Martin Brodeur, who never did get into a game for fourth-place Canada in Nagano, of Roy, whom he got to know well when St. Patrick was playing for the Canadiens and Pops was taking pictures.
Asked if he'd like to be hanging out like Roy instead of facing the pressure of trying to win Canada's first men's hockey gold in 50 years, Martin Brodeur scoffed.
"Oh, this is relaxing for me," he said. "This is unbelievable. I wouldn't trade this life experience for anything. . . . I'm so happy to experience what my father went through in '56."
WORD UP: As Russia mounted its furious third-period comeback Friday, USA coach Herb Brooks called a timeout — usually reserved for the end of games — to calm his team.
Asked how, Brooks said he used a "word-association thing" to help his team remember to react. Brooks introduced various individual words during an orientation camp last September that he now repeats to help simplify things in tight situations.
So what was the word?
"I forgot," Brooks said.
GOOD STUFF: Team Canada coach Pat Quinn was sharing an anecdote during a news conference Friday when a reporter shouted what might be the line of the Games. Quinn was saying how he was in the Olympic Village, sitting in a bench, smoking a cigar, when a disappointed snowboard athlete dropped by to chat.
Reporter: "What was the snowboarder smoking?"
THRILL IS GONE: With only one NHLer on Belarus' roster, many of its players were facing Canada's superstars for the first time Friday. A thrilling moment, playing against guys like Mario Lemieux, right?
"No," Igor Matushkin said. "Not today."
E-MAIL: tbuckley@desnews.com ; jody@desnews.com
|
|
February 23, 2002
|
