Bruins' Tim Thomas Finally Realizes Team USA Dream

BOSTON -- The call Tim Thomas waited for a good chunk of his life came when he was in the gym before Friday's Winter Classic.

"I had to keep it quiet, which is good because I was able to control my emotions," the Boston Bruins goalie said after he backstopped a 2-1 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL's Winter Classic at Fenway Park. "I think I would have been a blubbering mess on national television if I would have found out right before (the postgame ceremony)."

Minus an outburst early in the second period that led to the Flyers' only goal, Thomas kept his cool until he teared up a little as he donned a Team USA jersey as part of the Olympic roster announcement at the conclusion of the game.

He came close to making Team USA in 1998 until the path was cleared for NHL players to play in the Winter Olympics, resulting in John Vanbiesbrouck, Mike Richter and Guy Hebert being tapped.

Now, he's part of a trio of goalies -- along with Buffalo's Ryan Miller and Los Angeles' Jonathan Quick --- that Team USA general manager Brian Burke said is "one position the U.S. doesn't have to take a backseat to anybody."

Burke said the final call on who will start in Vancouver will be left to Ron Wilson and the rest of Team USA's coaching staff, but hinted that he expects only one goalie to carry the load.

"Right now, you can argue that Ryan Miller has been the best goaltender in the National Hockey League this season," Burke said. "You can argue as well that Tim Thomas is playing just about as well as anybody. He probably didn't have the start he wanted."

That was true for Friday's game as well. Philadelphia's Scott Hartnell bumped Thomas four minutes into the second period. When Hartnell swung around to the front of the net again a few seconds later, Thomas gave him a nice shove just as Danny Syvret shot the puck into the open net.

"I just happened to be retaliating at the same time someone else was shooting," Thomas said. "Obviously I didn't realize that at the time and that's what happened."

Burke said he was surprised to see that type of reaction from the usually cool-headed Thomas.

"For a player of his maturity level and his experience, that was kind of sophomoric mistake," Burke said. "In my mind he atoned for that and then some. He gave them a chance to win and then won it. It will be a day he won't forget."

Thomas stopped 24 shots Friday, arguably the two best in overtime as he turned away Danny Briere and Braydon Coburn moments before Marco Sturm scored the game-winner.

"You could feel the energy when we tied it up with two minutes left (in regulation)," Thomas said. "At that point I was very grateful to tie the game, because I mean, the goal was basically because I lost my cool and wasn't following the puck. ... When Marco scored the winner, that was one of the most incredible feelings that I can remember."

It's the kind of feeling that Thomas longed for as he took his pro career to Europe after failing to catch the eye of NHL GMs like Burke. Following a stint in the ECHL, Thomas went off to Europe to continue his pro career -- a path he felt may not lead to the NHL, let alone a chance at Olympic glory.

"I think I had pretty much given up on it," Thomas said. "Realistically, if you're playing the rest of your career in Europe, which is what I thought at one point I was going to be doing, then you're probably not going to make the Olympic team."