Coming into this tournament, Ryan Miller was the lone edge the US had over other competitors. And it's certainly not a big edge, but he's been the best goaltender in the NHL this year, save for a slump right before the Olympics. Any game plan necessarily HAS to count on him being the best player on the ice.
I would think NBC execs are kicking themselves right now. The biggest story of the Olympics so far, and they buried it on their secondary network so they could broadcast ice dancing (it was ice dancing, right?). That's right up there with the "Heidi" game in the list of brilliant sports broadcasting decisions. The only saving grace is that they broadcast with limited commercial interruptions. I have to assume they were only able to do that because it was on MSNBC and not NBC. Oh, yeah, and Brodeur needs the hook, now. If Luongo isn't in net for the next game, Steve Yzerman should fire Mike Babcock on the spot.
That's what I was wondering. WTF were they thinking? The game was hyped up all day, and then they don't air it on NBC? Crazy stupid decision IMO. And, then they didn't even promote it being on MSNBC (unless they did I just missed it). I dunno man. But, like I said last night...just glad I got to see it. Great, great game. And, I disagree that Team USA got lucky or whatever. IMO, we got better (and more confident) as the game went on. And, I think the carry over from this is now we know we can play with (and beat) anyone. So, all I have to say is bring it on baby! And, I would absolutely love a rematch. We may not win, but I guarantee you this...they will know they were in a war before it's all said and done.
Don't understand this....maybe I'm wrong but I believe most people would have agreed going into this tourney the top 3 teams would be Sweden, Russia and Canada...because of Canada'a loss all 3 teams are on the same side....The other side has Finland, USA ,Czech....after we beat Germany we will beat Russia for sure.....I am not too optomistic about taking out sweden though.....I hope I'm wrong but I see a USA-Sweden final right now
First, great game yesterday... USA!! woot... now, NBC.. Their coverage for us West coasters has been terrible... everything is tape delayed and then they don't even show the hockey game. EVen MSNBCs coverage was bad as they missed a couple of moments while trying to get their commercials in.
What is there not to understand? it was a great game to watch, good ol fashioned hockey, and US wanted it more. Unlike most folks, Im not hooked on Russia vs Canada final, quite frankly, i don't give a damn. Yes, that would be great for the sport, but overall...it doesn't matter. Just win, baby. We are going to score only 17 points? Is Plax going to play defense? Okay. Of course you do. Time will show.
We will see....Canada-Russia will be for great television....Does anyone know the game times for Wednesday's quarters?
How can you honestly say the US wanted it more? Canada out shot the USA. Canada out hit the USA. Canada out skated the USA. I'm getting annoyed with people who think Canada didn't play with heart, or the USA played with more heart. All over here in Toronto and at work that is what people are saying. Canada simply ran into a hot goalie, one thats been hot for several years mind you - and didn't have an answer in their own crease. I'm not taking anything away from the USA, they played a heck of a game, but so did Canada and they don't deserve the negative views so many are quick to jump on board with. Brodeur better not start another game for Canada is all I have to say! I would have pulled him the instant he thought he was Barry freaking Bonds. If we beat Germany, Canada vs Russia will be an epic game. And no, we aren't going to score 17 points. More like 13 or so.
Tuesday, February 23 (Day 12) 12:00 Men's Playoff Qualifier #1 16:30 Men's Playoff Qualifier #2 19:00 Men's Playoff Qualifier #3 21:00 Men's Playoff Qualifier #4
It's kind of hard, given the disparity in talent, to say the US didn't outplay Canada. They looked like the more physical team. Canada made A LOT of mistakes in that game. A few were on Brodeur (such as the middle-ice clear) but there were numerous giveaways in their own zone that really hurt them. And that empty net goal by Kessler was a perfect example of "wanting it more". The US just won more individual battles.
The Kessler goal was all heart and a great play for that matter but you can't use one example and make conclusions for the entire game. The US did play with heart but I don't think you can say they wanted it more just because Canada lost. Canada played a heck of a game with some mistakes but the only scoring chances that were resultant of a mistake are the ones that came off of a Brodeur mistake. All tournament I've been saying Canada's defense has been having trouble moving the puck out of their own deep zone and that was evident in last nights game as well, but the times they did make those mistakes they really did recover from them. Then you have beautiful 4-5 pass breakout plays that make you wonder what this team could do with some more practice time. But, that is an issue all teams have to deal with anyway. Either way, heck of a game and worthy of all they hype. Hopefully we meet again.
MSNBC had no commercials during the period, not even during the 30+ seconds after a play ends and before a faceoff begins. I recall numerous occasions when they were broadcasting and we'd miss the faceoff and first couple seconds of play because they were getting the ad in. That didn't happen last night; they only had ads during intermission. Hence my observation. Not that it matters; they'll relegate the medal round to a split screen on MSNBC and have Keith Olbermann giving us commentary in between incoherent rants.
I thought both teams played extremely hard. I would not question Canada's heart or effort for a second. The difference was that Canada got sucked into the USA's grind-it-out game. Canada has worlds more talent, but they were playing the USA's game, not their own. If this were fire-wagon, open-ice hockey, Canada would have won about 6-2. There were numerous points where Canada's superior speed and skill were on display, but not enough of them. Couple that with the fact that Miller was stellar and Brodeur was below-average (I don't think he was Vesa Toskala bad or anything, but he definitely didn't have his A game), and you have the recipe for a USA upset. What I can't get over is the fact that the USA avoids Sweden, Russia or a rematch with Canada until the gold medal game. I mean...wow. Talk about a lucky break. Any reasonable hockey fan would have had Canada, Russia and Sweden as the three medalists (in some order), and suddenly, the US is a prohibitive favorite to make the gold medal game, while at least one of the three favorites definitely will not medal, and one other will be stuck playing for bronze. Unbelievable.
I knew that...I'm wondering if they decided when each team plays....I know canada plays at 16:30 tomm....If/When they win and play Russia do we know when they or any other team play....I start night shift Tuesday night so i am hoping all the Canada games happen at 16:30 (Pacific time)
Yeah, I'm not taking anything away from Team Canada. I thought both teams played a hard fought game. And, both teams obviously wanted to win. If anything, I think Team USA may have fed off that "nobody's giving us a chance" vibe (to maybe spark them a little more than Team Canada). That, and the pressure to win on their home ice may have been a little too much for Team Canada to handle. Dunno. All I know is it was a great game from start to finish.
Recap of Hockey...this is funny... http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/bi...needles-Canada-s-Morneau-over-?urn=mlb,221402
I was thinking this to be a good opportunity to take Canada to win the tourny outright since they have an extra game to play and a tough road, but as of now it is still only +170. That is a lot of faith for a struggling Canadian team. For me, the value simply isn't there to take Canada at this point, or at any point in the tourny for that matter if these are the lines, they will only decrease for Canada. Canada +170 Russia +300 USA +350 Sweden +525 Czech Rep +1000 Finland +1000 Slovakia +3300 Switzerland +15000 Germany +100000 Belarus +100000 Latvia +500000 Norway +500000
USA or Finland will be in the Gold medal game so either of those look decent On Wednesday (assuming Canada win today) USA plays at 12:00 PT and Canada plays at 16:30 PT
Another Gold....this time in SkiCross 1-0 after the first period versus Germany....We played great but could not score
U - S - A! U - S - A! U - S - A! Spoiler 2-0 over Switzerland. The game just ended a few minutes ago. Only saw the last 4+ minutes. Switzerland actually looked to be controlling the tempo of the game, but pulled their goalie with almost two minutes remaining, already down 0-1. At which point Team USA fought to get possession, and ultimately scored an empty netter with about 27 seconds remaining to seal the victory. I recorded the game, but couldn't resist watching the last few minutes live. Moving on to the winner of Czech Rep./Finland later today, and into medal contention. Woo-hoo!
Today's game seems to be more hyped than any game I can ever remember. This should be a classic and hopefully Canada prevails
Team Canada looks to be playing seriously pissed off since losing to Team USA. Man, a rematch is looking really epic right about now.
ONMONMONMOm That is me eating all my crow ladies in gentlemen, let me have it, and I will eat all of it. First off, Congratulations to team Canada. Epic preformance by the team, flying around, out hitting, out shooting out scoring, whatever we did (which wasn't much) Canada did ALOT better. Russia played lazy, and uninspired and deservedly got their butts handed to them. Congratulations team Canada.
What a beatdown. They've come together and Babcock has finally stopped messing with the lines and the pairings. I want the USA rematch more than anything.
Great day for Canada yesterday 1 Gold 2 Silver 1 Bronze We are 1 gold medal behind Germany for the Gold medal race
Can not remember the last time I was so pumped for a game....I just want the Gold medal.....I don't care if it is Finland or USA...I really wanted the Russia-Canada final
Coming up...USA (women's hockey) vs. Canada for the gold medal. Should be a good one. Get your popcorn ready...
Oh dear ! Canada have scored twice already. Are they that much better than the USA ? A bit like England and Scotland at football me thinks
Yes, they're typically that much better because of the popularity and support of the sport in Canada. Check out the NHL rosters for Americans...players NOT from Canada or Eastern Europe are few and far between. Hey, WD, with all the Curling on 24/7, I wanted to understand the sport. I was disappointed in the choke by the GB team yesterday, after researching that the sport originated in Scotland
Hey nice to hear from you Lisa LOL at the Scots jibe The Highlanders keep telling us English we are no good at winter sports, and rightly so. But they dont seem to be any better at it than us !! A bit like us at inventing footy and then letting the South Americans beat us at our own game. Come to think of it, letting anybody beat us at our own game, especially the Germans. Perhaps that is what World War 2 was about. Just them beating us at soccer
Okay, so I look forward to you and your Shags creating a Curling Olympic team OT Btw, my niece is studying in London this semester, and she is so taken by England in general that we wonder if she'll return home (and that's okay if that's what she wants. We don't mind visiting.)
I understand that why your niece will want to stay here. Nearly every immigrant in the world wants to As for the Curling team, I am already enlisted to Boomers Pub Crawl olympic team, so am not sure if i can win Gold in two separate events [our British team is called Point to Point without the "O"s]. Will have to check that out