A World Cup win to savour before a long, bitter winter
199403
It was passed from hand to hand like the Holy Grail, this rather odd-looking piece of crystal representing the World Cup of Hockey championship.
724941
One final horn-honking, flag-waving frenzy for the fans. One last, glorious opportunity for 40 of the world&#39;s best players to pull on their nation&#39;s colours and leave them wanting more in what should be a tremendous World Cup final.
151511
Finland takes on Canada in the finals of the World Cup of Ice Hockey Tuesday in Toronto, Canada, and it might be the only ice hockey fans see for several months.
563296
Here&#39;s how Canada and Finland match up in the World Cup final tonight: GOALTENDING: Miikka Kiprusoff will be the busier of the two, but that&#39;s something he&#39;s used to from both the NHL season and the World Cup.
373424
Ireland&#39;s fine start to the World Cup qualification endures. Four points from two matches provide strong foundations, though the performance here might have yielded less.
301905
The World Cup is soccer&#039;s greatest spectacle. It&#039;s also a monthlong grind, and the fatigue is starting to show.
401524
The next World Cup will break with tradition when hosts Germany play the opening match in Munich on June 9, 2006. The defending champions normally play the opening game of the tournament.
292272
The slender nature of the score will give broad satisfaction. Even if England were pegged back to 1-1 for a while in this World Cup qualifier, the mental stamina lacking since Euro 2004 was recovered in Chorzow
282628
Bode Miller won the grueling Stelvio downhill yesterday in Bormio, Italy, for his first World Cup victory since breaking away from the U.S. Ski Team.
425964
Andy Robinson, currently the caretaker of England&#39;s only World Cup holding major sports team, is the future, barring a particularly bleak autumn.
286100
October 11, 2004. The latest round of World Cup qualifiers in South America have produced some interesting results at nearly the half-way mark.
336891
Italy&#039;s focus during this World Cup has been unrivaled, perhaps a necessity for players who don&#039;t know what&#039;s coming next.
487202
Internal rows and personal bickering  remain an entertaining sideshow but with just over 17 months to  go before the 2006 World Cup in Germany there is barely a hint  of trouble on the organizational front.
411298
The World Cup returned to Canada after 13 long years. How long hockey will be gone is anyone's guess.
117810
The game certainly is a must-win affair if the Scots are to have any chance of qualifying for the 2006 World Cup finals. With just one point from home games with Slovenia and Norway, they are already trailing in Group Five.
757659
The pre-World Cup of Hockey scouting report on Finland went something like this: If the Miikka Kiprusoff of last season shows up for this tournament, the Finns have at least a fighting chance.
718583
England fans flock to see team attempt unprecedented World Cup feat.