European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 10, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday february 10, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 21 Winter olympic Canada nips Spunky French 3-2 by Pat Calabria new Day Meribel France a from the first seconds of the first game of the first event of the Xvi Winter olympics Frances Little hockey team nearly wrote a storybook tale in the midst of this fairyland Village. Given the improbable plot a boisterous and enchanted crowd did not even think to require a Happy ending. But by the Middle of the first period it was evident the Host French team a a vast underdog to mighty Canada a had made believers out of the 7,000 spectators who expected the Hometown squad to absorb a drubbing. So they cheered and Sang and stomped their feet and it almost worked. No the French did not pull off a stunning upset saturday in the cramped rink designed to look like a Large chalet. But they pressed Canada a medal favorite to the final moments before the canadians survived with a suspenseful 3-2 decision. And when it was Over the fans Sang once More. The sparse Arena a with no hanging scoreboard and barely the size of a neighbourhood rink a trembled when Phillippe Bozon stole the puck in front of the Canadian net following the opening face off and fired a blistering shot at goalie Sean Burke Only 12 seconds into the game. Burke stabbed the puck but the tone of the afternoon was set despite the Best efforts of the canadians to bully the pint sized French. In fact Canadian coach Dave King had warned 6-foot-6, 220-Pound Star Eric Lindros during the teams 12-0 demolition of France in a pre olympic tournament a if you hit them saturday s hockey you la kill  and yet while Lindros bowled Over two French players with one Check to set up Dave Archibald a goal and a 2-1 Lead 50 seconds into the second period France kept up its bouncy inspired performance. Even after Canada extended the Lead to 3-1 on Kent Mandr Villez a goal nearly two minutes later the French diligently climbed Uphill the Little engine that could. A the canadians overestimated themselves Quot said Center Benoit Laporte. A that is their nature. They Are no. 1 in the world. We Are 11th. They gave a Check and they did not expect us to give one  but the French did respond even sending Lindros to the Bench with a ringing in his ears after being slammed into the boards. Then 59 seconds into the third period Stephane Barin scored to trim Canadas Lead to the tender margin of one. They stormed the Canadien net a a Buzz bombs assistant Canadian coach Terry Crisp called them a and compiled a shocking 29-19 Edge in shots on goal by the end of the game. A Canada was very Lucky today a said the swedish bom coach of France Kjell Larsson. A this was a Little bit of history for us to be Able to play right with them. For us to be within five or six goals is Good. This is  in other games saturday Czechoslovakia 10, Norway 1 sixth seeded Czechoslovakia had a 38-14 shooting advantage Over loth seeded Norway. The score was 4-0games on to Central european time today Ard German first program a 9 45 n.m.-5 25 . Nordic skiing menus 30 pm menus luge menus Alpine combination downhill 12 05 . Hockey Cis Norway Speed skating women a 500. 8 15-9 . And 11-11 45 . Days highlights. Bbc1 �?11 05  1 50-3 . 11 . Recap of Days events. Bbc2�?6 . Recap of Days events. Euro sports nearly continuous around the clock coverage starting at 6 . Earl tuesday an seb�?2 ., general coverage. After the first period and 9-1 after the second. Petr Rosol led Czechoslovakia with three  team 8, Switzerland 1 the country with the richest olympic hockey history the soviet Union no longer exists. It won seven of the last nine Gold medals. The squad that stayed together while its country fell apart came to the games As a co favorite with Sweden. Goalie Mikhail stale nov had a shutout for 50 08 when he was replaced by Andrei Tref Ilov who allowed Samuel Balmert a goal that made the score 8-1 with 7 41 left. Eight players scored for the third seeded unified team. The Swiss Are seeded  Koch decides against dip of old glory Stilt walkers with balloon hats and fantasy suits entertain during opening ceremonies. By Larry pcs Diane Albertville France a after much discussion and soul searching Bill Koch decided old glory would Fly right. Koch carrying the american Flag in front of the . Team in saturdays opening ceremonies of the Winter olympics hoped to break with the past by lowering the stars and stripes As he passed the reviewing stand a a gesture of respect to the Host nation. The american Flag Holder has never done the dip a pre new world order tradition which seemed More important in the Days of monarchy the cold War and the evil Empire. A a in a like to do it. Its not really my personal decision. Its up to my teammates a Koch said outside the olympic Park shortly before he entered. A i done to understand it but i respect the  a pair of team representatives discussed the Issue with Koch. A their belief was the majority would not want me to do it a said the Cross country skier who was selected As Flag Holder by his teammates earlier this week. Koch 36, a four time olympian had hoped to Start a new tradition. But his teammates won out Koch walked solemnly past French president Francois Mitterrand and Ioc head Juan Antonio Sam ranch without a flinch. A my feelings Are that the olympics arc a world event. Maybe it is not an appropriate place for excessive nationalism. It s great to be proud. But its also a time to come together As one world a said Koch. A a in la try to offend As few million people As  the dips were few and far Between As the 64 teams marched past. Only Croatia Bermuda Canada Ana Monaco made noticeable dips while other teams tipped their hats or waved to the reviewing stand. The opening ceremonies entertained a opening ceremony estimated 2 billion people watching worldwide and another 33,000 in the stadium. They marked the return of the Winter games to France after 24 years and Mitt Rand welcomed More than 2,000 athletes from 64 countries. The Star of the 1968 Grenoble games Jean Claude Killy was greeted warmly by the crowd. Killy one of the prime movers behind bringing the games to the Savoy Region captured three skiing golds the last time the olympics were in his Homeland. The . Team which annoyed some people with is antics at the Seoul games behaved admirably saturday As it orderly walked into the stadium. The americans waved at vice president Dan Quayle and his wife Marilyn. The second couple later joined the French crowd in doing the wave. American skater Kristi Yamaguchi said the olympic experience has been great so far for the . Squad. A a we re just relaxing and enjoying everything a she said. A now when the Competition comes around it May be  the olympic flame was carried into the stadium by French National soccer team manager Michel Platini who handed off to 8-year-old Francois Cyrille Grange. The local Schoolboy sent a fireball sailing up a thin Cable to the olympic bowl completing its trip from Greece. That marked the Start of the actual ceremonies a spectacle created by 30-Ycar-old choreographer Philippe Decoufle. Musicians dangled above the stadium and Doz ens of gymnasts swung overhead on elastic bands during the performance. The teams were introduced by Short poems featuring stilted rhymes playing off the nations name and read in English and French