Germany's strategy angers U.S. coach

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published February 19, 2002

Brooks

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah -- U.S. men's coach Herb Brooks drew a line in the sand Monday, and it was deep.

Told Germany coach Hans Zach said his team was comfortable finishing last in its pool so it could play a top seed in the quarterfinals, Brooks took exception to the apparent slap at the United States.

"Yeah, well, huh," Brooks said after the United States' 8-1 victory against Belarus at the E Center insured the matchup with Germany. "Maybe that's why they lost the second world war, guys. So, there, I'll draw a line in the sand. Now you can take that and write that."

Zach spoke through an interpreter Sunday night after Germany's 3-2 loss to Canada in which he refused to pull goaltender Marc Seliger until four seconds remained. The loss assured the Germans a fourth-place finish.

The United States hadn't clinched the top seed in its pool at the time but was the overwhelming favorite.

Germany's Jochen Hecht said, "We'll probably play the U.S."

Of his refusal to pull his goalie, Zach said, "To give up a goal at 3-2, that would have been bad for our self-confidence. That is why I took that decision."

Of his decision to play for last place, U.S. forward Adam Deadmarsh said, "I don't know about that strategy."

Brooks said the United States will have to be careful against Germany.

"They are very patient," he said. "They are a counter-punching type of team and their system is to do that and that's their philosophy."

Said Hecht: "We are not quite as talented (as the United States), but if we play the way we did in the third period (against Canada), and we really go man-to-man, we have a chance of making it."

Sounds like Germany was drawing a line in the sand of its own.

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