It’s U.S. kids vs. Russian pros ... again

GANGNEUNG, South Korea — Ilya Kovalchuk and Pavel Datsyuk were dominating the NHL before Ryan Donato, Troy Terry and Jordan Greenway even started playing organized hockey.

“I think I dreamed about playing against those guys one day,” Donato said.

Dream becomes reality Saturday when Donato, Terry, Greenway and the United States face Kovalchuk, Datsyuk and the Russians in a much-anticipated game that could determine who wins the group and advances di- rectly the Olympic quarterfinals. With three players in their early 20s leading the way, the Americans are young and inexperienced, but say they aren’t intimidated by the team of Russian athletes that blew out the same team from Slovenia to which the Americans lost in overtime.

“It’s exciting as opposed to the fear of, ‘Oh my gosh, we’re on the ice with these guys,’“coach Tony Granato said after the U.S. beat Slovakia. “They’ve been in the big situations before.”

Terry, 20, conceded he has to get over the fact he’s facing Datysuk, who at 39 is old enough to be his father. Terry has already figured out how he can succeed at the Olympics — using his young legs to generate the speed that not a lot of older players possess — to gain an upper hand.

Facing the favored Russians is another mental obstacle.

“Just realize that I belong here and I can make a difference,” Terry said. “I think the more that we just kind of settle in and not make too big a deal out of the game and just know it’s another hockey game is the biggest thing for us.”

It is kind of a big deal. The U.S. leads Group B with four points, followed by the Russians and Slovakia with three each and Slovenia with two, and would avoid the qualification round with a regulation victory.

Granato and captain Brian Gionta, the only U.S. player with previous Olympic experience, told players they have an opportunity in front of them. The Russians’ opening loss to Slovakia created as many questions as the U.S. losing to Slovenia, but there’s no way anyone underestimates them after winning a game 8-2.

“We know they’ll be at their best,” Granato said.