Hockey the stuff of hard fights and 'miracles' Ice hockey was developed in Canada in the late 1800s and within several decades evolved into an international sport most popular in the cold-weather regions of North America and Europe. It became an Olympic sport at the 1920 Games in Antwerp, Belgium.
U.S. men's hockey going for gold and some respect In 1980, Herb Brooks and his group of young overachievers made the United States and the rest of the hockey world believe in miracles. On top of beating the highly favored and feared Soviet Union, they also won the Olympic gold medal at the Lake Placid Games.
Hockey Dream Teams from around globe Approximately 160 NHL players from 12 different countries will make their way to the Wasatch Front next month to compete in the 2002 Winter Olympics. That's about a third more than Nagano in 1998 when 120 NHLers from nine countries hit the ice.