Hockey showdown reminds me of Mystery, Alaska flick...

The USA-Canada hockey showdown today at the Winter Olympic Games reminds me of the 1999 movie Mystery, Alaska about a fictional small-town that takes on the New York Rangers in a televised exhibition match.

The town goes wild as they get behind their local gang of misfits, who surprisingly give the visiting professional team a run for their money. Led by its coach, Judge Walter Burns, portrayed by Burt Reynolds, and its aging hero on ice, Sheriff John Biebe, portrayed by Russell Crowe, the team of underdogs skate to a dramatic conclusion in front of a small, but highly enthusiastic hometown crowd.

Today's matchup at the Canada Hockey Place will not be a mystery, instead it will be real life as 19,100 screaming fans will takes their seats to witness the young Americans go up against the more-experienced and heavily favored Canada team. If Canada loses today, it will be a lot like the "Miracle on Ice" of 1980 when the U.S. team of "underdogs" upset the powerful Russians at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York.

The Canada team does not want to lose at "home" and the team from the USA is out to show they belong on the same ice as the Canadians. The mystery here is the outcome.

Ice Hockey Update: Unbelieveable! Team USA pulls it off behind goalie Ryan Miller's 42 saves and shock Canada, 5-3. The headlines tomorrow in all the Canadian papers won't be pretty.