The Swiss and the Americans

Sometimes and usually there's a time when a teammate is no longer a teammate. Instead, he's pulled a different jersey over his head. Usually this is when a player is traded to a different team or when he undoubtedly signs with a different team as a free agent.

This year is different, there's going to be teammates playing against each other. This is different though. It's the Winter Olympics, where hockey is the main event. Teammates will dress for their respective country, and take the ice against their teammates or with their teammates.

Tuesday is the first Men's hockey game at 3pm Eastern Time and 12pm Pacific time. Tuesday February 15,2010 Switzerland and the USA will compete in the round-robin game on NBC. This brings two players on Team USA whocurrently Ducks fan favorite  Bobby Ryan born in Chery Hill, New Jersey on March 17,1987 and the every so debated Ryan Whitney. Whitney was not originally listed on the roster; he was named to Team USA in replacement to the injured Paul Martin. Whitney was born in Boston, Massachusetts on February 19, 1983.

Potentially, there is four players against each other. but if you're only considering players on Anaheim's curren NHL roster than, yes, it's three. Jonas Hiller will most likely be the goalie for Switzerland. Hiller was born in Felben Wellhausen,Switzerland on February 12, 1982. As for the fourth player it's Luca Sbisa who was acquired  in the Chris Pronger trade with the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for a couple first rounders in the NHL entry draft(s) and reuniting Joffrey Lupul with Anaheim, who was ironically in 2006 was traded for Pronger to the Edmonton Oilers. Sbisa was born in Ozieri, Italy but he was raised in Switzerland and his decided to play for the Swiss.

Hiller  will be facing mainly shots from teammate Bobby Ryan; there is also a high possiblity of Bobby scoring on him throughout the game. Whitney will also have shots against his teammate in Anaheim. The Olympics brings competition against a teammate it also brings the same unity as with Ryan and Whitney, even though they play different positions. It brings some sort of unity with the same team's crest on their chest.

Hiller is going to be completely focused on his game, while the only place he's stopped shots against his teammates was mainly in practice he'll be attempting to stop pucks against his teammates in actual playing games. Though, he has stopped possible shots against Whitney in actual playing games, but never Bobby.

Switzerland is a team that will be overlooked but not necessarily more overlooked than a different team, such as Germany. The Swiss do not have a strong NHL presence and Hiller is the only goalie, who is currently playing in the NHL. Hiller can steal games. He can steal them, he can rob shooters, even the best. Sometimes he makes vital mistakes and lets in made goals." He's only human" May sound so cliche, but it's true. He, as a goalie isn't fully capable of scoring goals to win games. He can only stop them, however, goalies have scored goalies before. This is true though, he's only human and he is. He's not a well oiled machine, who the only thing you have to do is put  Penzol Oil in and he'll perform perfectly. Being human, he's going to make mistakes, as a goalie. He's going to put every little detail in the spotlight. The slightest mistake can lead to a goal and  red flashing light with a celebrating opposing team is going to magnify the mistake even more.

He will also need help from the team in front of him. Where a skater can go hide on the bench after a mistake he made, a goalie, Hiller will not be able to see this. There's also the result of being pulled, where the entire game is stopped and every pair of eyes lays on the goalie who by his coaches standards let in too many goals. While his backup replaces him. The pulling of a goaltender  will always make it's way into every media outlet reporting the sport. Fans will always go into depth why a goalie was pulled mainly being critical of that particular goalie.

While everyone else has skating jobs on the Ducks roster who are in the Winter Games, they're going to have to score have to defend. Hiller has the hardest job on the lucky Duck Olympians, as mentioned above, he is under that amount of pressure but Hiller most likely will not let any of this get to him.He'll be mentally focused and he'll steal games for a country who isn't even expected to make it very far. He'll be lighted up by Ducks' teammates and he'll rob them all the same, too.Hiller's job is tough but for those outside of hockey this job is definitely overlooked as they say goalies do nothing but stand there making their job sound unworthy to his team. This as you all know is not true.    

Hiller has the toughest job going into the Olympics among all 9 players and that's a fact. And judging by Hiller's past successes to even failure, he will not let all this pressure press down on  his shoulders. He's one tough kid both physically and mentally and nothing is going to ruin that. Hiller must and will remain focused no matter how many goals against is up on the board.

Also get a prime sneak peek and look at Hiller's new Olympic mask. The Goalie Guild has their sources, and official resources with Alan Vingualt of Airxess, the company who has made Hiller's mask. Including his mask he is currently wearing with the Ducks. Airxess has never failed to impress with their airbrush painted masks, and surely, this mask does not absolutely not fail to impress. The mask goes back to Hiller's tradition on his mask.

and the (Men's Hockey) Games begin tomorrow; Switzerland vs. USA.