After Team USA’s first two games of the World Cup of Hockey, it looked like team General Manager Larry Pleau had made a grave error in building a roster composed of experienced NHL veterans. Old, tired, and slow, the American team looked awful during consecutive losses to Canada and Russia, and hopes for a repeat of their 1996 triumph looked slim.

Nonetheless, after squeaking by Russia on Tuesday night, the Americans now find themselves preparing for tonight’s semifinal against Finland. Beating the disciplined, defensive minded Finns won’t be easy, but given the Americans’ superb first line of Keith Tkachuk, Mike Modano, and Bill Guerin, and the stellar goaltending of Robert Esche, Team USA’s chances look good.

Interestingly, Esche was Team USA’s one bright spot during those first two games. Thought to be the Americans’ primary weakness going into the tournament, goaltending turned out to be their biggest strength.

In the first game, the Flyers’ netminder gave up just two goals against Team Canada, both on the power play, while turning away 30 other shots. Esche was even better in the second game against Russia, stopping 42 of 45 shots while keeping the Americans close in a game they had no right to win.

In losing those two games, Team USA scored just two goals in total, a performance that led head coach Ron Wilson to bench his most celebrated star. Brett Hull looked thoroughly disinterested, at one point quipping that “he’d rather be playing golf,” and Wilson realized that he had to shake up the team. Hull sulked after being scratched for the third game – a decisive victory over Slovakia – and he left practice early when he discovered that he would once again be a scratch for the quarterfinal against Russia.

When asked if he’d speak with a reporter and give the fans his perspective on the benching, Hull replied “I don’t give a [blank] about the fans anymore.” The maelstrom of controversy that ensued did nothing to enhance Hull’s reputation nor that of the American team, still sullied by the off-ice shenanigans that took place following their elimination from the 1998 Winter Olympics at Nagano.

Nonetheless, the team has looked better without the Golden Brett. Tkachuk, Modano, and Guerin dominated play against the Russians, totaling 11 points in the 5-3 victory. Tkachuk was particularly impressive, crashing the net with reckless abandon and scoring four goals, including the empty-netter that guaranteed victory for the Americans.

Tkachuk and company face a Finnish team that is dealing with some locker-room controversy itself. Islanders defenseman Janne Niinimaa walked out on the team Sunday due to “chemistry problems” with head coach Raimo Summanen. It’s believed that Summanen, whose leadership style has been compared unfavorably to that of “Iron” Mike Keenan, was exceptionally hard on Niinimaa following Saturday’s game against Sweden. Finland had been up 3-1 in the game, but squandered the lead and had to settle for a 4-4 tie.

Without Niinimaa, the Finns will likely tap Avalanche defenseman Ossi Vaananen with the responsibility of taking on Team USA’s top line. The hard-hitting Vaananen is the most physical Finnish defenseman, but even he will have his hands full with Tkachuk and Guerin.

Another Finnish blueliner, Kimmo Timonen of the Predators, has been one of the biggest surprises of the tournament. The quarterback of the Finnish power play, Timonen’s accurate point shot and stellar breakout passes have energized the offense, and he has accumulated an impressive six points in just four games.

As expected, the key for the Finns is their goaltending. Like the Calgary Flames this past spring, the Finns will go only as far as netminder Miikka Kiprusoff takes them. Perhaps the quickest goalie in the world, Kiprusoff could shut down the Americans single-handedly if he gets hot. Though he has struggled at times in this tournament, “Kipper” has also shown flashes of the brilliance that led Calgary to within one game of the Stanley Cup. Look for Kiprusoff to play well tonight, but not well enough to neutralize America’s top line.

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In the other semifinal, Team Canada takes on the Czech Republic in a rematch of their epic battle at the 1998 Olympics. This time, things will be quite different. Offensively, this year’s Czech team is far superior to the one that won gold at Nagano, but one key component is missing: Dominik Hasek.

A number of Czech forwards have joined the league’s elite since 1998 – Milan Hejduk, Patrik Elias, and Martin Havlat, for example – and so their scoring punch is quite impressive. Czech leader Jaromir Jagr, meanwhile, has played an inspired brand of hockey thus far; if he’s able to return from an “upper body” injury suffered in the Czech’s quarterfinal trouncing of heavily favored Sweden, he should have a strong game against the Canadians. Jagr enjoyed his finest hours in Pittsburgh riding shotgun for Team Canada captain Mario Lemieux, and he would like nothing better than to upstage his mentor.

However, when the Czechs won the gold medal, it was on the strength of Hasek’s spectacular goaltending and the stifling defense played in front of him. In Hasek’s place is the solid but inferior Tomas Vokoun, and the Czech defense has appeared porous at times: Team Canada’s relentless forwards will likely have their way in the offensive zone.

The Canadian team has been the best of the tournament to date, outscoring opponents 15-3, and they have no visible weaknesses. Playing without three top defensemen – Rob Blake, Chris Pronger, and Ed Jovanovski have all bowed out with injuries – Team Canada has received stellar play from their younger, less heralded replacements.

Not initially expected to play regularly, former Islander Eric Brewer has stepped in quite admirably. Paired with the unflappable Adam Foote, Brewer has delivering crunching hits while also contributing offensively – he assisted on Canada’s first two goals in their 5-0 quarterfinal victory over Slovakia on Wednesday night.

Flames playoff star Robyn Regehr has also impressed alongside the Devils’ Scott Niedermayer, his hard hitting reminding many of a young Scott Stevens. Rounding out the blue line, Team Canada newcomers Jay Bouwmeester and Scott Hannan have formed a conscientious third pair.

Though the Canadians’ depth is what makes them the favorites to win, it is Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur who fills the team with confidence. He has compiled an otherworldly .970 save percentage and a 0.75 goals-against average while giving up just three goals in four games.

When the hottest goaltender plays for the overwhelming favorite, upsets seem unlikely. Look for Canada to advance to Tuesday’s final, where they’ll take on Team USA in an exciting rematch of the 2002 Olympic Gold Medal game.