Jonathan Quick shows his patriotic side in Team USA hockey mask

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While the U.S. Olympic hockey team will be looking to make a statement against gold medal favorites Russia and Canada, the team’s goalies will be making a patriotic fashion statement in the crease.

Each of the American goalies competing in the Winter Olympics in Vancouver will be wearing new masks specifically designed for the Games.

Jonathan Quick, who’s won his last nine starts in net for the red-hot Kings (a club record), will be wearing an eagle-emblazoned mask that also displays a message of support to the troops fighting overseas. Click here and here to see photos of the mask.

It’ll be interesting to see how much playing time Quick will get with veterans Ryan Miller (here’s his mask) and Tim Thomas (mask) on the U.S. roster. Miller is having a strong season with the Buffalo Sabres, but Thomas’ recent struggles with the Boston Bruins could translate into more playing time for the 24-year-old Quick.

However, Thomas, who won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie last year, has lots of experience playing on Olympic-sized rinks thanks to his forays in the Swedish and Finnish leagues.

FOR THE RECORD: For the first time, ice hockey at the Olympics will be played on the smaller NHL-sized rinks, not Olympic-sized rinks.

-- Austin Knoblauch