As the series’ first game draws to a close, it’s important to assess the strengths and weaknesses of Team USA. Team USA dominated the first period, but its stalemate did not last long. Both teams played with a lot of aggression and intensity. While high-profile games can often be conservative, Russia was far from average, allowing a goal to score in the second period. Let’s look at the key factors that helped Team USA win the series.
Clearly, a direct conflict with Russia will not be good for the United States, but vice president Joe Biden has been speaking in favor of Ukraine and helping it move in a more Western direction. However, it’s difficult to imagine President Biden flipping from all that to go against his country’s interests. However, it’s important to understand that Washington is not the only nation with strong feelings towards Russia. The U.S. cannot just turn on its allies.
Despite the obvious differences in force structure, the United States and Russia have a lot in common. For one, both countries have large air and naval fleets. The United States is a global superpower, while Russia has a comparatively limited fleet of aircraft carriers. On the other hand, Russia has an expanding fleet of nuclear-armed submarines. The Russians are also far more sophisticated than their U.S. counterparts in air defense, electronic warfare, and submarines.