EHM The Blue Line

jesterx7769 wrote:Wow big surprise. I liked Finland as an "underdog" (weren't they ranked 5th?)

Ranked 5th where? Official IIHF ranking Finland is second after Sweden.

XenHL wrote:The idiot North American hockey media is going to have a field day with saying it's because they had too many KHL players etc etc... except that's rubbish. It's like, the KHL players were the only ones actually playing and trying, whereas the vaunted NHL stars - with the exception of Datsyuk ( <3 ) - didn't give a darn. IMO Russia lost not because they had too many KHL players but because they had too many NHL stars who couldn't mesh and didn't care.

There is a big problem in the Russian NT and in Russian hockey but that problem is not the KHL.

Kovalchuk/Radulov were good. Datsyuk was the best NHL player. The bad ones were Ovechkin, Malkin.

jhcjobpb wrote:

jesterx7769 wrote:Wow big surprise. I liked Finland as an "underdog" (weren't they ranked 5th?)

Ranked 5th where? Official IIHF ranking Finland is second after Sweden.

XenHL wrote:The idiot North American hockey media is going to have a field day with saying it's because they had too many KHL players etc etc... except that's rubbish. It's like, the KHL players were the only ones actually playing and trying, whereas the vaunted NHL stars - with the exception of Datsyuk ( <3 ) - didn't give a darn. IMO Russia lost not because they had too many KHL players but because they had too many NHL stars who couldn't mesh and didn't care.

There is a big problem in the Russian NT and in Russian hockey but that problem is not the KHL.

Kovalchuk/Radulov were good. Datsyuk was the best NHL player. The bad ones were Ovechkin, Malkin.

My point exactly. The big NHL stars were nowhere to be seen... of course Bilyaletdinov will play Kovalchuk and Radulov today, when they've played well through the tournament, and not play Malkin and Ovechkin who have been basically zeroes through the whole Oly.

Now here's hoping for a CAN-FIN final!

Latvia looks great honestly. Hard working guys. 1-1 after the first.

philou21 wrote:Latvia looks great honestly. Hard working guys. 1-1 after the first.

Yeah, it's great. Not the slightest bit intimidated. Superb goal by Darzins. Gudlevskis does OK, but he has a hard time controlling the pucks after saves, that's a bit dangerous. Hopefully that was only nervosity and he'll do better in the 2nd, now that the team has seen that it can compete...

Heck, I'll even risk this: go Latvia!

Second period's over and darn they're holding on! That's a fun game to watch! Canada leads in shot but they lack so much in creativity IMO. Barely keeping the puck in the offensive zone and always do shots from afar. Not gonna score that way.

I wish YLE (the Finnish broadcaster) would be showing that game, instead of USA-CZE. Czechs have been out of steam thru out the game. It's been a dull game. I've been wondering off to my thoughts every now and then, then waking up to notice I'd not been watching the game at all. Not sure what happened to Pavelec. He pretty much lost the game for CZE.

XenHL wrote:The idiot North American hockey media is going to have a field day with saying it's because they had too many KHL players etc etc... except that's rubbish. It's like, the KHL players were the only ones actually playing and trying, whereas the vaunted NHL stars - with the exception of Datsyuk ( <3 ) - didn't give a darn. IMO Russia lost not because they had too many KHL players but because they had too many NHL stars who couldn't mesh and didn't care.

I've not heard any such talk so far...I have heard talk questioning Czech/Russian coaching decisions (goaltender choice, ice time distribution) but I think these are natural when the teams in question underperform/lose

When I've watched the KHL I've noticed it's slow paced, with little defense/contact and lots of individual play (i.e the opposite of NHL/Olympic hockey)...but I don't think that was Russia's "problem" at all. IMO Russia's problem was what it's frequently been before, a team of individuals that can't/won't play as a team

I really like how Jim Huston (The CBC announcer) referred to Team Canada as the Canucks.

I suppose that if he is using slang to describe Canadians he is correct. I think really he just got confused seeing Hamuis on the ice.

That win wasn't convincing at all. They're lucking to have won that game I think but that Latvia goalie, good job.

coombs14 wrote:I really like how Jim Huston (The CBC announcer) referred to Team Canada as the Canucks.

I suppose that if he is using slang to describe Canadians he is correct. I think really he just got confused seeing Hamuis on the ice.

HEh, in this tournament seeing Hamhuis on the ice is confusing...

Oh and BTW...


Phew. What a performance that goalie put on. Tampa guy too. Yzerman must be smiling a bit inside.

Babcock apparently said Tavares hurt his leg and is out for the rest of the tourney.

Yeah knee injury. Not a big loss really...4th line and had not done much. Only big problems would be Weber/Doughty when you consider what the team has done. Although I LOVED the way Toews played in period 3, and Getz/Perry.

Carey Price said Latvian goalie was the best he had ever seen a goalie perform. Ted Nolan said he would take that guy over Miller or Enroth right now...well I believe a fake Ted Nolan Twitter account did.

That was a completely dominant performance by Team Canada, yet every time Latvia got a shot it appeared to be a golden scoring chance. Price scares me.

If I am Babcock I turn the boys loose on Friday and go for the 9-8 win.

batdad wrote:yet every time Latvia got a shot it appeared to be a golden scoring chance. Price scares me.

I noticed that too. The kid most be nervous as hell. Makes a change from when he plays for MTL, he is nonchalant usually. Though it doesn't look like the "good nervous" type. He seems so in a hurry to cover the puck that I fear he might drop it or push it into the net.

Agree about Price. As I said after game 1 he seems shocked and nervous when the puck comes to him not wanting to make a mistake. If he is in goal for US and they can bombard him (35+) I would be nervous.

On a similar note, this is just me but does it seem like a lot of the goalies for all teams are giving up a BUNCH of rebounds? Just feels like more than usual as I watch.

I don't know but the fact he's not getting alot of shots per game probably doesn't help him to build some confidence, plus the attack doesn't produce that much. I'm still nervous against the US because it's not the time to gain confidence, he needs to have it.

(S)Carey Price will be fine.

Given how few shots he faced it must be very difficult for him to get into the game. Especially when its clear that your team can't score and one mistake and its going to overtime (a la the Finland game).

Or I'm just telling myself that to make me feel better...

Slovenian national team already return back home and many fans came to airport and welcomed them...same as half of other athletes and medals they won. Most successful games so far for Slovenia with 7 medals on 2million nation and we still somehow have chaces for one or two till the end of the games.

Anyway was watching a bit Lativa yesterday...that goalie is a future NHL. Wish him the best!

Russia lost was a big shock...and as i had a feeling USA will have a huge tournament as they always have in Olympics!

coombs14 wrote:Given how few shots he faced it must be very difficult for him to get into the game. Especially when its clear that your team can't score and one mistake and its going to overtime (a la the Finland game).

That's almost exactly what I said but what scares me is that he did not had a good test so far to "warm up". Now it's not the time do to so.

Latvian goalie has odds stacked against him. There have been other goalies who were amazing in 1 or 2 games in Olympics. Look at Germany...and then nothing after that.

Canada women. Bloody WOW.....outplayed all day til last 3 minutes. WOW. just wow

Absolutely unreal. MP Poulin with the game tying goal and game winner. Two straight Olympics she scores 2 in the Gold Medal game vs USA to beat them. OUTSTANDING.

And boy do these girls hate each other.

Oh and there are some real hotties on the Swiss team. Not so much Canada and USA/

Boooooo holy OT penalties

I'm mad to have missed that game. At work we got the score from time to time when people were coming back from break. 1-0, 2-0, 2-0 in third, whoa 2-2, OT now and boom 3-2.

All of them were deserved. Plus...had to make up for almost giving away the Yanks the gold by a ref running over a d-woman. That was brutal.

No game won or lost on officiating.

Plus recall the time the Americans went like 0-13 on the PP in a gold medal game? And Canada 1-1 and winning?
That is proof positive refs do not matter.

Quite frankly, for most of that game the Americans were better. Then their coach went into 1-2-2 trap, and boom....Canada makes things happen, steals all the mo, and gets the job done.

The Americans stopped doing the things that got them the 2-0 lead, and Canada took advantage.

The only questionable penalty was the one at the very end on Wickenhesier breakaway. But really...no ref in the world would have the guts NOT to call at least a penalty there. Honestly...it was two girls who tripped over each other's feet.

But...there were tons of hooks, hits, holds, slashes and cross checks that were not called both ways.

The Canadian-American women's hockey rivalry is one of the best sports rivalries in the world. It is war between those teams.

They HATE each other.

Just such great excitement and stories whenever they play. Love watching it, even though the hockey is not top quality. The passion is unreal.

I watched the game. I didn't care who would win. It was 2-0, and I thought to myself that it would be much more "intense" if it would go to OT. And it did.

But I didn't really get the referee... I do not watch women play hockey, so I might be wrong (only Olympic Games).