Russia's TV channels give primacy to the sport. Ice hockey has been the center of attention all along, even though the tournament began in the middle of Week 2 in Sochi. Just before the official opening of the Olympic Games, Russian TV showed a movie about the legendary 16 ice hockey matches between the Soviet Union and Canada. In 1972 and 1974 the matches in question glued the Soviet Union in front of TV sets.

Uproarious cheering in the stands
Up to now, at any of the Olympic venues, you couldn't feel any uproarious support for athletes. You could sense a cheering noise when a host athlete descended or flew over a hill in a matter of seconds. But only a good ice hockey game reveals the true potential that hides in the vocal chords of Russian fans. And when you add the burning passion for the famed red Russian machine, you get one of the pinnacles of the Olympic Games. Without a doubt, the high point for the hosts.

The hockey miracle lives on
Slovenia's ice hockey players had the honour to be the first to try their strength against the »Zbornaja komanda«. They passed the test. Of course they have no proof for that (a sport is usually played to win), but the bearable 5:2 loss did give them something. Most of all it proved and confirmed that winning the qualification tournament in Vojens was no coincidence. The figures that stand behind Slovenia's national team (one ice hockey club, a good one hundred players), speak of a miracle. And the performance displayed by the players of coach Matjaž Kopitar speak of maturity, patience, courage and resoluteness.

The Lynx strike back
Being quickly down 2:0 at your first ever tournament in the elite division is usually a prelude to a cannonade and a loss with at least 6 goals difference. However the Lynx showed that they do have claws, and that they do know how to strike back. They came to realize that their opponents were also humans. Well, to be honest, battle-hardened extraordinary ice hockey players, but such that can also give away a hockey puck under pressure. Superstars that can also concede a goal or two.

Silence in the stands
When Žiga Jeglič tricked Semjon Varlamov for a second time to score a goal, sports journalists in the stands were left speechless. They glanced at each other and started writing in and searching the names of Slovenia's players on their telecommunication devices. For a moment the whole Bolshoy Ice Dome lost its swing, although the arena was full of flags from all corners of Russia. And that silence, from the journalists and fans, is factual evidence that this team's journey and work is for real, and that it deserves to be among the elite. At the end of the match the silence grew into applause, which expressed the respect the team had just gained.

At least three more matches await the lynx
Perhaps Slovenia’s best performance against the big names was at the World Championship in 2006. At the beginning Slovenia was an equal partner to Finland, losing 3:5, and to the Czech Republic, losing 4:5. Slovenia then fell into a lower ranking quality division. In Sochi the Lynx probably won't be fighting it out for a medal, but they will be fighting for their homeland and pride. And if they to do just that in their remaining at least three more matches in both ice arenas in Adler, they will become winners. In the eyes of their fans.