TORONTO -- In one particular moment and the immediate aftermath that followed, USA Hockey was on top of the world.

In Sochi, during Team USA’s second game of the 2014 winter Olympic tournament, T.J. Oshie's shootout performance for the ages against Russia had just followed up a 7-1 steamrolling of the Slovaks for the Americans.

Team USA not only emerged as the team to beat in that tournament, it appeared that the Americans had arrived as the world’s new hockey power. All the gold medals in world junior tournaments and years of developing players in the National Team Development Program were bubbling up into a moment that captured the imagination of American sports fans across the country.

Even the president took notice, with Barack Obama sending a congratulatory text to Oshie and Team USA that concluded with “Never stop believing in miracles.”

Miracles? Not anymore. These weren’t miracles, this was destiny. This was America finally using its sheer population advantage and developing players from all over the country -- rather than just a few states that begin with the letter M -- to round out its hockey program.