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BOSTON – USA Hockey and the National Hockey League announced this week that the United States roster for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver would be announced on New Year’s Day as part of NBC’s 2010 Winter Classic coverage.

And that makes sense with the 30th anniversary of the ‘Miracle on Ice’ and with the Winter Classic being in Boston. After all, Boston University product Mike Eruzione scored the game-winning goal against the Soviets and his college teammate Jim Craig stood on his head to preserve the historic victory.

Ask projected U.S. goaltenders Tim Thomas and Ryan Miller about that moment, etched in the history of the sport and they’ll tell you two vastly different things. You see, Thomas was an impressionable five-year old during those games in Lake Placid, his first real hockey memory while Miller was still in his mother’s womb, but the moment’s significance was never lost on him as he grew up on the ice.

“After I was old enough to appreciate hockey and realize what the Olympics are all about, it had a strong impact,” Miller said. “Now definitely as I'm older, the state of the world, what we're coming out of with the economy, our stance with Russia, and all the craziness going on, how much pride and how much joy and excitement a hockey game in Lake Placid caused.”

While both goaltenders would love to talk about the honor and prestige of their potential selection, there is an awful lot of hockey between now and February. Something that hasn’t been lost on Thomas, who got out of the gate slow over the first month of the season, posting a 4-6-1 record, giving up almost 2.5 goals per game.

“It’s a long season,” Thomas told Stephen Harris earlier this week. “It doesn’t really matter what you did in October if you’re lighting it up in January. Part of it is about peaking at the right time, but also if you’ve played consistently well over a period of years. Hopefully they look at that consistency.”

Through the first two months, Miller has been significantly better, perhaps gaining the inside edge on the ‘tap’ on the shoulder when the U.S. opens Olympic play against Switzerland. He is 9-2-1 over the first 12 games. His G.A.A. is an absolutely stellar 1.89 and he’s only allowed more than two goals three times over the course of the young season. He’s the reason why the Buffalo Sabres are the surprising leader of the Northeast Division a little over an eighth into the season.

“We got a few months before the Olympics of intense NHL hockey and I’m looking at this season with a wider angle,” Miller said. “I have my eyes on the gold medal and I want to continue on that into the NHL playoffs and achieve a Stanley Cup.”

“A lot of things have to go my way.”

Call it a dream job, or call it destiny for the East Lansing native. Miller won the Hobey Baker as a junior back in 2001, a rare feat for a goaltender. He is one of ten members of his family to pass through the Michigan State program. Two years later and a year after graduation, he was in the National Hockey League and by the time the 2004-05 lockout ended, he had established himself as one of the league’s best between the pipes. Backstopping the Sabres to an Eastern Conference Final in his first two seasons as the full-time starter.

And to Miller, while there are differences between Olympic Gold and Lord Stanley, but they’re all one in the same.

“A gold medal representing your country would be amazing, linking people from coast to coast, getting behind your team and accomplishing something that a whole nation can be proud of.,” Miller said. “Helping the Buffalo Sabres win the Stanley Cup though would also be amazing. It's a core group of guys I've been with going on eight years now, and it'd be amazing to accomplish something with some of my best friends.”

Thomas didn’t take the direct route to his Olympic journey. A journey, which he describes as his ultimate dream, one that you have from the very first time you put on a hockey jersey. It involved five years of waiting, of busses, passports, international travel and an MVP award in Finland of all places. Then he waited his turn as goaltender after goaltender challenged him for a job in 'The Hub of Hockey.' A job he would capture and never relinquish, even with his predecessor waiting behind the scenes.

Say what you will about the Bruins early season struggles, Thomas has not been the man to blame. He’s given up a total of four goals this month. His save percentage is .916 and his G.A.A. 2.44, both above the league average.  He’s answered every question asked of him and has proven in the past that he can carry a club on its back if needbe.

Still, both goaltenders know what is at stake, not just a spot on the Olympic Team, but the job every American born goaltender covets.

“It’s a five year old’s dream,” Thomas said. “It was one of the first real memories I had in the sport.”

Memories of Jim Craig in Lake Placid, not the Stanley Cup.