If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.
That’s the mentality Buffalo Sabres and Team USA goalie Ryan Miller is using for his mask design for the 2014 Winter Olympics, which are set to get underway in less than two weeks in Sochi. Miller was the star of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, when he won tournament MVP honors after leading the U.S. to a silver medal, and his goalie helmet was just as big a hit.
The mask featured a screaming bald eagle on one side, a jacked-up Uncle Sam on the other and assorted red and blue stars. Miller apparently is a fan of the design, too, as he’ll be sporting a nearly identical mask in Sochi — albeit with a bit of a darker color scheme.
The only real change is to the back plate, which — in a nod to this year’s host nation — will feature Russian nesting doll versions of Miller, his wife and his dog. It remains to be seen, though, whether Miller will be showing off his new headgear from the crease or the bench. Goaltenders Jonathan Quick and Jimmy Howard also were named to the Team USA roster, and head coach Dan Bylsma has not yet named his starter.
@Sochi2014 mask is finished. Complete with Russian nesting dolls of @noureendewulf and our dog Puck on the back pic.twitter.com/CksdNl7YhN
— Ryan Miller (@RyanMiller3039) January 28, 2014
Other side of the mask painted by @BishopDesigns pic.twitter.com/VqvP8ax6Iy
— Ryan Miller (@RyanMiller3039) January 28, 2014
