This time, it could be Mike Richter, rather than Jim Craig, draping himself in the flag. John LeClair, rather than Mike Eruzione, scoring the winning goal. Jeremy Roenick, rather than Mark Johnson, who generates half his team's offense.
But it will be no miracle.
And certainly no Miracle.
That's because, with all proper respect to what those ice-veined college kids achieved in 1980, the greatest American hockey team in history is the one you are about to watch in Salt Lake City. There is little its collective members have not accomplished at the highest level of their profession, and there is no team in these Olympics they would have to topple to beat.
Our top 10 reasons to believe:
10. Leetch. By the time he hangs up his blue shirt, he will be viewed as the greatest U.S. hockey player ever. He is 34 and at the pinnacle of his game. He might even be the NHL's best at his position, although that's difficult to discern given his supporting cast in New York.
9. Speed on defense. Leetch is not the only burner on the blue line. Craig Patrick placed emphasis on mobility for his defense, perhaps more than any team save Finland. With the rinks 15 feet wider, there is so much ice to cover that speed is far more relevant than size. Only Chris Chelios looks slow in a group which also includes Phil Housley, Aaron Miller, Tom Poti, Brian Rafalski and Gary Suter.
8. The top line. Herb Brooks hasn't revealed his forward trios, but there is little doubt he will link old friends Doug Weight, Tony Amonte and Bill Guerin. And if he does, the speed and skill of that line will rival any in the tournament.
7. Familiarity. Those three won't be the only ones with a healthy knowledge of their teammates. Unlike Canada, which panicked and almost completely revised its roster from Nagano, Patrick stayed the course. With few key exceptions, such as Rafalski, Miller, Michael York and Chris Drury, the roster is filled with players who have had years of experience together on various national teams. This could be huge early on.
6. Aggressive strategy. As he did in Pittsburgh, Brooks plans to let the boys skate. He will not tie his players to some conservative system, as the Czechs and Swedes apparently plan to do, nor will he attempt to cram Xs-and-Os lessons given the event's brief length. This will keep spirits high and allow the players to use maximum emotion.
5. Shooters. Remember when the term "American hands" was applied to a player who could do everything but finish? Brett Hull, Mike Modano, Keith Tkachuk, LeClair and Roenick all have NHL 50-goal seasons on their resumes. Any of these guys gets a chance, you've got to like his chances.
4. Experience. Sure, Chelios is 40, Hull and Suter are 37, Housley is 36 and Richter is 35. And yes, that's a lot of ice to roam with the aid of a cane. But as any youth hockey coach will tell you, the puck moves faster than you can skate. The players' experience should pay off with intelligent passes that make them look nimbler than they are.
3. The competition. Canada looks potently deep, Russia has the most speed and the Czechs have that goaltender who wins these things by himself. But no opponent is so overwhelming that the United States should have cause to treat any victory as an upset.
2. Home ice. Here are the facts: Three Olympics have been played on U.S. ice. In 1932 at Lake Placid, the Americans took silver. In 1960 at Squaw Valley, they took gold. And you know what happened in 1980. The crowds in Salt Lake figure to be nothing less than supercharged.
1. Richter. Almost invariably, the team that wins such a rapid-fire event also has the best goaltender. Remember Richter's role when the U.S. beat pretty much the same field for the 1996 World Cup? When he is on, he is the best in the game.
Do you believe?
Dejan Kovacevic can be reached at dkovacevic@ post-gazette.com.
Inside the NHL: No miracle necessary for Americans to pull off gold this time 
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