Flamboyant skier Bode Miller and rock-steady ice hockey goaltender Ryan Miller allowed the United States to seize control of Super Sunday at the Winter Olympics.
American dominance of the pistes continued with Bode Miller surging to the men's super-combined gold before the US stunned hosts Canada 5-3 to clinch a first win over their neighbours in Olympics ice hockey for 50 years. Related Article: US stun Canada to rewrite history book
On the Whistler slopes, Miller came home ahead of Croatian Ivica Kostelic and Silvan Zurbriggen of Switzerland in a combined total over a downhill and slalom of 2min 44.92sec for America's eighth medal out of a possible 18 from six alpine disciplines so far.
"I can't ask for anything more," said Miller, the reformed bad boy of skiing, who last week won super-G silver and downhill bronze. Related Article: Canada's red sea of passion hits low tide
Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal, the reigning world super-combined champion, led after the downhill portion but skied out of the slalom in sight of the finish line, while American reigning Olympic champion Ted Ligety came fifth.
But it is hockey that gets Canadians excited, with big crowds in party mood swarming downtown Vancouver.
They were brought down to earth when the USA shocked Canada's team of NHL superstars 5-3 in a qualifying game, with Brian Rafalski scoring two goals and Ryan Miller making an incredible 42 saves.
It was the Americans' first win over their neighbours in an Olympic clash since the 1960 Squaw Valley Games.
"We had chances in the game, some hard chances. In the third period we had a lot of powerplays but we just ran out of time," said Canada's Pittsburgh Penguins playmaker Sidney Crosby.
"Sometimes you run into a hot goalie but we had some bad luck sometimes."
Earlier, Russia beat the Czech Republic 4-2 as Evgeni Malkin scored two goals and Alex Ovechkin had two assists and a bone-crushing hit on Jaromir Jagr early in the third period that forced a turnover at centre ice.
It helped set up Malkin's second goal to lead Russia to victory.
"Of course it is a big win," Malkin said. "It was a great hit and that was a great moment for the Olympic Games."
Later Sunday, Sweden beat Finland 3-0 but both sides reached the quarter-finals.
Olympic figure skaters, meanwhile, rallied around Canadian champion Joannie Rochette after her mother died just two days before she is just due to compete.
Many learnt the news of 55-year-old Therese Rochette's death from a heart attack after leaving their practise session on the rink at the Pacific Coliseum.
"I just hope that she can get through this quickly and get back into competition," said South Korean star Kim Yu-Na, the gold medal favourite and world champion.
In the women's 12.5km mass start biathlon, German pin-up Magdalena Neuner won for her third medal of the Games to go with the gold she captured in the pursuit and silver in the sprint.
"It is a surprise for me (to have three medals), but I know what I can do and I believe in myself, I have three now and it is unbelievable for me," she said.
An unbelieving Evgeny Ustyugov realised a long held dream by winning gold for Russia in the men's 15km spirnt.
The exciting sport of ski cross made its Olympic bow with Switzerland's Michael Schmid landing the inaugural gold in an event that pits four racers against each other down a motocross-style course.
At Richmond Oval, Dutchwoman Ireen Wust took the women's 1500m speedskating honours ahead of Canada's Kristina Groves and Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic.
Germany 1 pilot Andre Lange won his fourth Olympic bobsleigh gold after seeing off Germany 2 and Russia 1 in the two-man event at Whistler Sliding Centre.
Lange and brakeman Kevin Kuske dominated proceedings, timing a total 3min 26.65sec over their four runs.
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