SOCHI — In the greatest heist in Olympic hockey history, the U.S. men skated off with a 3-2 shootout victory Saturday, stealing a game that made all of Russia, including President Vladimir Putin, see red.

The sound you hear is of America laughing last. Hey, Russia, remember the final play of the 1972 gold medal basketball game the referees let you keep doing over until Alexander Belov finally scored the winning shot?

Well, karma never forgets. And it bites. Hard.

What will be remembered is a hockey game that brought Cold War passion back from the dead. What will be cherished is how forward T.J. Oshie gave the most stunning performance in a shootout by an American since the O.K. Corral. What will be celebrated is the way Team USA overcame the most intimidating home-turf advantage since Rocky Balboa knocked out Ivan Drago.

But what will linger from this game is a sneaking suspicion the U.S. might have bent the rules, not to mention a peg that attaches the goal frame to the ice, in beating Russia.

Was it cheating? Well, that depends on your point of view.

The United States won in an epic, eight-round shootout at the end of regulation and a tense, five-minute overtime period, with Oshie scoring an incredible four times against Russian goalie Sergei Bobrovski on penalty shots, including the game-winner that sent his U.S. teammates skating to bro hugs at center ice in a stunned arena where at least 95 percent of the fans in attendance, including Putin, had cheered nonstop in support of Russia.

"I was glad it ended when it did. I was running out of moves," a delighted Oshie said.

American David Backes, who is Oshie's roommate in Sochi and a teammate on the St. Louis Blues, joked about his buddy: "He's got a fast heartbeat. Somebody asked me what kind of dog he would be if he was a dog, and I said Jack Russell terrier. He needs his attention directed or else he gets into a little mischief. But (this game) it was all functioned and funneled, and he did some amazing things."

USA vs Russia men&#8217;s ice hockey
T.J. Oshiet of the U.S.A. makes the game-winning shot on Sergei Bobrovski of the Russia during the U.S.A.'s shootout-win at Bolshoy arena. (AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)

Oshie was the hero. This classic match between Russian precision and U.S. grit, however, turned on a controversial play when a goal that appeared to break a 2-2 tie in the favor of Russia with only 4 minutes, 40 seconds remaining in the third period was wiped off the scoreboard.

The "score" came on a blast from the blue line by defenseman Fyodor Tyutin on a highlight-reel-worthy shot of jaw-dropping power and accuracy. But, after video review, the officiating crew ruled the net of U.S. goalie Jonathan Quick had been dislodged slightly off its mooring.

Confusion reigned on both team's benches and throughout the arena. No goal? Yes. No goal. Putin did not appear to be happy, to put it mildly.

"I don't know what happened, but it was definitely a goal," Russian star Alex Ovechkin said. "Nobody (from Russia) touched the net. Their goalie touched the net, so that the net moved. The referee has to see it and at least give him two minutes (in penalty), you know?"

Was it an underhanded, Quick sleight of hand? I asked the American goalie if he was aware the frame had been dislodged.

"Nope, not till after (the goal). I looked at it, and you could see it," Quick insisted, as a pack of reporters leaned forward to hear his answer in the crowded mix zone, where Olympic interviews are conducted amid barely controlled chaos.

You ask me, if there were any justice, the goal would have counted for Russia.

Yes, rules are rules. But some rules are dumber than others.

The American smiles were as sweet as roses. The Russians all looked as if they needed a case of vodka to kill the pain.

"What can I do? What can I do in this situation?" Russian coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov said. "If this is a mistake of the judges, there are people that will find it. The referees made a mistake, yes, but we need to prepare for the next match."

By all accounts, the goal would have counted in an NHL game.

By any reasonable interpretation of international rules, however, a goal scored when the net is dislodged should be waved off.

In addition to questions about who caused the goal frame to come off its peg, however, a Russian sitting next to me in the press tribune screamed bloody murder that the four-man officiating crew for the game included two Canadians, a Swede and one American, Brad Meier. Through an interpreter, Bilyaletdinov said it would have be preferable to have the on-ice crew be men from neutral countries, but added the judging was not bad.

The game was played on Russian ice. But nearly all the music played in the arena sounded like the playlist of an American classic-rock radio station.

Shortly before the puck dropped, the metal thrash of a Scorpions tune was turned up to 11, with the singer screaming: "Here I am! Rock you like a hurricane!" The song's message isn't exactly romantic. The lyrics are an anthem to walking in a joint, getting what you want and leaving without remorse.

Team USA left with a feeling of satisfaction — and without an ounce of guilt about the controversial, disallowed goal.

"I'm still looking for an explanation. I don't know if it was a high stick, bent off the mooring or God went in there and stopped it," said U.S. defenseman Backes, barely suppressing a grin.

And Russia? Russia got rocked. Like a hurricane.

Mark Kiszla: or