Olympic Hockey.. best series ever?
I'm pretty pumped these Olympics. All the major contenders (Russia, Sweden, Canada, USA, Finland, the Czecks) are brimming with talent. Bigger ice makes for a nice change from clutch-and-grab NHL style play.
As always, may the best team win!
And now a personal statement: GO CANADA!
As always, may the best team win!
And now a personal statement: GO CANADA!
Comments
But what is with the lack of contact? Is checking not allowed? It's strange watching a game and not seeing one board check.
BTW, can anyone list the main differences in International rules compared to NHL?
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But what is with the lack of contact? Is checking not allowed? It's strange watching a game and not seeing one board check.
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Uhhh, this ain't pairs figure skating ya know.
"We got our asses kicked in this one."
Sweden 5, Canada 2
Tonight: US vs Finland
Some pretty hockey.
If they continue to play like this, they will likely win the group and possibly make the Gold Medal Game. I think Canada will bounce back; they have a sickening amount of talent on their team and on both sides of the blue line - they're too good not to bounce back at least a little. I just wish certain people weren't out there to be honest - they detract from the team's image IMO.
Mario, for all his belated lip service about "focusing" on the Olympics (and by extension not the Pens) skated like he was on tranquilizers. Unimpressive. Fluery is a bitch; broke his stick over Tommy Salo's back at one point. He's a psych ward case. Were it not for those two clowns, I'd have a hard time rooting against team Canada. Oh and Pat Quinn; he's a dope too. I would've chosen Bob Hartley to coach team Canada in a second over Quinn. Much better attitude, has more respect from the players.
Anyway, I think the best round-robin game coming up other than the obvious (Russia USA) will be Sweden and the Czech Republic. They both have a lot of speed and offensive talent, with Sweden having the better defensive skill (by far) and Czech Rep. having the better goalie (by far, depending on who you ask - Oilers fans might disagree).
This tournament is going to kick ass. I LOVE IT!!!
[ 02-16-2002: Message edited by: Moogs ? ]</p>
[ 02-16-2002: Message edited by: Moogs ? ]</p>
BTW, is it just me or does a version of Sundin "to the power of x show up for international games, but not for Leaf games?
<strong>Anyone been following the US Womens Hockey? Holy carp they are whooping ass. 10-0 Against Germany, and like 12-1 against China. Both games they had more goals, then their opponents had shots.</strong><hr></blockquote>
The women's hockey tournament is extremely lopsided with the US and Canada being the two most powerful teams (by far). I believe russia also has one of the better teams, but it still doesn't compare to the US or Canada.
It pains me to say it, but the US will most likely win, they have beaten Canada time and again, and as i said the US and Canada are far superior to any of the other teams.
with regard to men's hockey, watching the Canada-Sweden game made me sick. The Canadians played like garbage, i really hope that all that talent can come together as a team.
I'm not saying that a woman isn't a proper coach, but with the sport in it's infancy, there is no way you're going to find a woman whose experience and knowledge compares to even the 50th best male coach. Not at this time anyway, maybe in a generation sure, but for now the best hockey coaches are all men, and any team more interested in hockey that politics is going to have a man behind the bench. Sure we ought to promote female coaches, but they have a ways to go, through the regional and college/unversity ranks before they realistically can rise to olympic level. Too bad really, that's a great team that's being let down by 4 years of poor preparation.
[ 02-16-2002: Message edited by: Matsu ]</p>
As for Team Canada, they have no chemistry. The look a lot like the Americans did in 98. What pisses me off is that Mario Lemiuex, after using "Focus on the Olympics" as his excuse for missing so many games when he was "only 90%" in Pittsburgh...missed last night's game "because he was only 90%." Starting to remind me of the old Lemiuex. Whining, diving, etc. He seemed a lot tougher / more hungry last season. Now you know why I didn't really start cheering for the Pens until after he retired...great that he came back from Hodgkins (really was), but beyond that he seems to lack toughness.
Hockey players are not known for sitting it out because they're only 90%...pain and injuries are part of the game, Le Magnifique or not.
Now a trivia question: what's the only thing better than watching Team USA in an Olympic matchup on a Monday afternoon?
Watching team USA on a Monday afternoon, while breaking in a brand new pair of Bauer skates. Waaa Hooooo! These things are SWEET.
5 goals in 3rd period, with the also-smokin line of Guerrin, Deadmarsh and York scoring three of them. Billy G had two, which I think is big - we need him to play well going into the second round.
Team USA wins Group, will face Germany next. Unless of course Russia beats Finland by 11 goals (not).