Sylvester Flis needed an act of Congress to compete in the Paralympics four years ago.
But as the Stalda Wola, Poland, native found out after making the 1998 U.S. sled hockey team, American government moves slower than a wobbly first-time ice skater. A bill that would have granted him U.S. citizenship passed the Senate, then stalled in the House. Unable to travel with his teammates to Japan, Flis followed the tournament on the Internet.
"It was a really bitter feeling," he said.
But everything is sweet now. Flis, 27, became a citizen a year ago April.
On Friday, the offense-minded defenseman scored a late goal to put the game away for Team USA in a 3-0 win over Japan. He also skated away with player-of-the-game honors.
"He's one of the best players in the world," said U.S. coach Rick Middleton, adding Flis is capable of playing even better than he did in the 2002 Paralympics opener for both teams.
Japan keyed on him throughout the game. Middleton expects other teams to do the same. The U.S. faces gold-medal favorite Canada tonight at the E Center.
The Canadians allowed opposing teams to get off fewer than 10 shots a game en route to the 2000 world championship.
"If we're going to be effective against Canada, we're going to have to get in there, get on their defensemen fast and generate some shots ? a lot more shots than we got today," Middleton said.
Born with spina bifida, Flis, known as "Sly" to teammates, immigrated to Chicago in 1994, knowing little English and even less about sled hockey. A friend introduced him to the sport after he struggled with wheelchair basketball.
"The first day, the first time I got on the ice I knew it was something I was going to stick with," he said.
Flis almost immediately outskated some of the veterans, though he didn't understand the rules of the game. He didn't know icing from offsides. "But I knew I had to put the black thing in the net."
And he does that often now. He was the leading point scorer and most valuable player the past two years on his club team, the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Blackhawks.
Flis had a difficult time describing his long-waited Paralympic experience so far.
"I was amazed at the opening ceremonies. I really had mixed emotions. I didn't know whether to cry or smile or laugh," he said.
One thing he does know, though, is that playing sled hockey in the Paralympics suits him.
"That's all I've been waiting for," he said. "I'm a game guy."
USA 3, Japan 0
A sluggish Team USA sleepwalked through two scoreless periods before waking up in the third.
Chris Manns put the U.S. on the board with left-handed wrist shot after teammate Matt Coppens left the puck on the doorstep in front of Japan goalie Mits Nagase. Sylvester Flis and Jack Sanders scored a few minutes later to seal the win. Manns assisted on both goals.
"It's indescribable how it feels," said Manns, who was on the bubble as far as dressing for the game. (Only 12 of 15 players on the roster are allowed to suit up.) "It was like the whole world jumped off my back."
Goalie Manuel Guerra Jr. earned the shutout, stopping 14 shots.
Sweden 4, Estonia 1
Jens Kask had hat trick as the Swedes beat a feisty Estonian team.
Kask, a veteran of three Paralympic Winter Games, scored a goal in each period. He also assisted on Marcus Holm's long slapshot goal in the second period.
Goalie Kenth Jonsson turned away 16 of 17 shots. Juri Tammleht had Estonia's lone score.
Canada, Norway
(game ends at 9 p.m.)
E-mail: romboy@desnews.com