51.   The ice surface is bigger.

52.   The portable dehumidifiers, which were an expensive addition for the playoffs, have since been returned and humid weather in North Texas has created a soft ice surface.

53.   The wider ice surface might favor the Europeans, who learned their craft in such dimensions.

54.   The U.S. team was lost on the large ice surface used in international play, and the Canadians were embarrassingly neutralized.

55.   The U.S. team, which embarrassed itself four years ago at the Olympics in Nagano, Japan, was not intimidated by the larger Olympic ice surface.

56.   While training on the wider ice surfaces of Europe, the Russians sharpened their passing and skating.

57.   Parrish, who also played one year in Canadian juniors before advancing to the NHL, felt the bigger ice surfaces at many college rinks help develop offensive skills.

58.   Both Selanne and Kurri were outstanding on the larger European ice surfaces when they returned to Finland and played for Jokerit Helsinki during the NHL lockout.

59.   Chicago, generating more scoring chances on a larger ice surface, has now scored nine goals in its first two games at the United Center.

60.   European teen-agers, often guided by agents, come to Canada to learn English and adapt to the more physical ice hockey on the smaller ice surface.