When looking at international hockey, though Canada was the birthplace of hockey, the sport has since crossed over into the United States and Europe. There are many differences in the three regions attitudes, however; the international men's ice hockey world championships are looked forward to in Europe and less so in America because it coincides with the Stanley cup playoffs. Truthfully, many countries have a severe lack of top players, because those who are the best go off to join the NHL and try to win the Stanley cup.
The world championships do not accurately reflect the world's top players; this has not been true since the barring of professionals from playing for the NHL ended and Europeans began playing at an international level. Hockey was an event that's been a part of the Olympic Games since 1924 with Canada winning 6 out of 7 gold medals. Russia won all the gold medals but two between 1956 and 1988, the United States on the gold medal in 1960, and the professional Americans, Swedish, Finnish and Canadian players were all baned from Olympic competition in the late twentieth-century. U.S. Non-pro College students went on to beat the Russians and win the gold medal in 1980 in Lake Placid, New York.
These were the years that the sport began experiencing a revival of popularity; though most Americans weren't paying much attention to the sport at the time. The 1972 and 1974 Summit series had solidified Canada and Russia as hockey rivals. The best players benefited from this, as it gave rise to the Canadian Cup, which only deals with the world's best players. The name of the Canadian Cup was altered to the World Cup of Hockey and following that decision the United States won the match in 1996; Canada won in 2004. Since 1998 NHL professionals have played in the Olympics giving the top players more opportunity to compete and face off with other professional players from different countries. Women have made their mark upon this sport, as well; there have been nine women's competitions and the women's game has been part of the Olympics since 1998.
Women have been able to make a noticeable amount of noise in this sport, as they play their games with the same fierceness of women. On the other hand, there is still a lot that must be accomplished in order for women to truly be on par with men at the domestic or international level. Historically, men have been the players in the game, and women will have a tough fight ahead of them if they want to be considered serious contenders. The millions of people in Canada and the United States who love this sport break attendance records frequently. This sport is seen as the kind of family tradition, an past time that many Americans view the sports of baseball, football, or basketball.
The world of hockey is a world unto itself, and that is true whether it is being played by professionals or amateurs. This sport is viewed as important as the air they breath by many, and people can get very wrapped up in it. Late night game practices are common among fans of the sport, and rinks frequently hold special hours to stay open and accommodate fans who spend 2-3 hours on the ice.
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