Germany completed a shock run to their first men's Olympic hockey final Friday by dethroning two-time defending champion Canada 4-3, the fairytale squad advancing to a Sunday showdown for gold against the Olympic Athletes from Russia. The Russians, seeking their first hockey gold since 1992, blanked the Czech Republic 3-0 to reach Sunday's championship contest, but were overshadowed by an unlkikely German league all-star squad that collected their nation's greatest ever hockey victory.
"It's amazing. I can't believe it. It's like a dream. For us it's like, I don't know, best thing ever," Germany goaltender Danny aus den Birken said. "We have to realize we're playing in the final. I have to come down first to realize it. "Who knows? If we keep fighting like this we have nothing to lose." The Germans, familiar with one another from world championship play, are assured of an Olympic-best result - their only prior medals being bronze in 1932 and as West Germany in 1976.
"We're just a bunch of hard-working guys who sacrifice for each other," said German forward Patrick Hager. "It's hard to believe. It gives you goosebumps." Canada's nightmare defeat added to the misery of a hockey-mad nation a day after the women's team, seeking a fifth consecutive gold, lost the final to the United States in a shootout.
"They came out to play and we didn't," said Canada forward Rob Klinkhammer. "This was one of the biggest games we've ever played and there was no reason not to be ready. We let a big one get away from us." The Russians, with players off the nation's two top clubs, hope to collect their first gold since the Unified Team won 26 years ago at Albertville - just weeks after the breakup of the Soviet Union.
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