SOCHI, RUSSIA -- Team USA men's hockey coach Dan Bylsma announced Wednesday that Jonathan Quick, not Ryan Miller, will be the starting goaltender for the Olympic opener against Slovakia on Thursday.
"We're dealing with a position of strength when it comes to the goaltender decision," Bylsma said. "We've looked at the past body of work, good games, and he's won a championship and his team won a Stanley Cup. Certainly, Ryan this year has played very well for his team as well, so we're dealing from a position where we have two very good guys to be in net, and Jonathan will be getting the nod."
The move is a little surprising because Miller was the 2010 Olympic MVP in Vancouver and has played well for a bad Buffalo team this season. Quick has appeared in only 32 games for the Los Angeles Kings this season because of injuries, but Bylsma gave him the first shot in goal.
"Given the year, with Jonathan being injured, coming back from that injury, and playing 12 games really was a key for him to get back in that net," Bylsma said. "He's played real well since that time period, and has some good numbers, goals-against (average) a shade above two in that time period. Either guy going in that cage is going to give us a real good guy in net."
