The 2014 Sochi Olympics are in Russia this year, a country that lives and breathes hockey. Russian hockey players are like rock stars in the small towns of the great icy northern country they call home, and this year they'll have to face off against the strong Team USA and Canadian teams for either Olympic gold or utter defeat. The Russian Sochi Olympics hockey team is ever mindful of the pressure on their home ice.
The US Sochi hockey team pulverized Slovakia yesterday 7-1, while the Russians made quick work of the Slovenian Olympics hockey team. The two teams will face off against each other on Saturday and with Canada and Sweden boasting strong teams it will be interesting to see which force can claim Sochi Olympic hockey gold.
Ever since the Olympics began allowing NHL players to participate in the games, it's been a test to see which team can harness their star power to create a strong united team. Though the US team has strong players like Ryan Kesler, David Backes, Phil Kessel and Dustin Brown, the Canadians are touted as being the most intimidating team by far.
For the Russian's Sochi hockey team, the stand out celebrity is Alexander Ovechkin. The Washington Capitals player is the hottest star in Sochi with his face is plastered on every Coca-Cola billboard and ad in the busy Olympic town of Sochi.
For how seriously Russia takes hockey, the 1980 Olympic upset immortalized in the movie Miracle is never far from their breath and with US, Canada and Sweden all in the running for gold it would be a crushing blow for the Russians to lose on their home ice.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
