The United States defeated Canada 4-2 in Men's Hockey at the Winter Games in Vancouver on Feb. 21.

Over the weekend, the United States men's hockey team beat Team Canada on their home ice in Vancouver, British Colombia. The final game of the preliminary round for the U.S. shocked the Canadians and gave the Americans the No. 1 seed in the medal tournament and a first-round bye.

The U.S. will now be in a division in which the final game before the medals are at stake will probably come down to Finland or Czech Republic, and the U.S. can only face one of those teams.

While the win against Canada could very well mean nothing, and the U.S. could still finish without a medal and Canada can still take the gold, it is nonetheless an important win for USA hockey and the future of hockey in America.

The win over Canada in the Olympics, as well the win over Canada in the World Junior Championships last month, were not "miracles" or anomalies or even shocking. Yes, the Canadians were shocked, but the rest of the hockey world was not.

The U.S. was an underdog in both games, but it was not a case where they had no chance of winning, it was a situation where they were legitimate contenders for the gold medal.

This sends an important message to the world, that the U.S. is ready to be among the Czechs, Russians, Swedes and Finns as the best coming into any given tournament. We are no longer a second-tier team, no longer a steep underdog. We are sending hockey teams now, not hopes and dreams.

USA hockey also has some of the best players in the game to hang their hat on now. Tim Thomas, the Vezina winner for outstanding goaltending last season, is the backup to starting goalie Ryan Miller, a heavy favorite for the award this time around. Zach Parise is a legitimate Hart Trophy candidate for the NHL MVP, and may soon be in the neighborhood of Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby as the best forward in the game if he continues to improve as he has in his first five seasons.

The outlook is bright for the future of hockey in the United States, as they finally break out as a medal contender in every tournament they play. Wins will no longer be miracles, and losses will not be expected any longer.

No longer a second-tier program, no longer Canada's little brother when it comes to the ice, the United States hockey program has cemented itself as one of the best in the world.

Photo by Chase N.

By Doug Sears Jr.