The Canada vs. Czech Republic game was GREAT. Possibly the best game so far, it competed with the Russia vs. USA game. This tourney is only getting better. But now Russia will play the Czechs in the rist round of the elimination series, so one of them can't even medal. Getting interesting.... none of these teams can be counted out (OK, maybe Germany ).
I understand why the most of you think that the games involving Us and Canada has been the best. But as an outsider I have to say that all the games have been f***ing great - never seen anything like it - it's the best hockey i've ever seen. That is only when the "great six" are playing against eachother.
Yesterdays match between Russia and Finland got my vote as the best eventhough it would have been more fair with a tie.
Best og luck to all tke teams. The two most exciting quarterfinals: Russia vs. Tcech, and Canada vs. Finland
Russia vs Czech will be very interesting. Probably the most evenly matched game. Very talented teams.
USA vs Germany will most likely be a landslide.
The Finns are going to try and surprise Canada like the Swedes did. If Canada can build off their game with the Czechs hopefully they will be able to play at a much better level.
Wouldn't bet on Germany getting clobbered...they'll probably succomb to Team USA's talent at some point, but I bet they'll give them a fight. Germany's coach wanted a matchup with team USA (he played in the 80's when Germany got knocked out of the Gold Medal Game by the Americans).
As for all the games thus far, I agree they've been awesome. Finland is playing extremely well now and I wouldn't doubt it if they medaled. Like always, they can play some serious D, and Selanne is playing well to give them a serious offensive threat. Lehtinen is doing all right also.
I think of the games coming up, US - Canada will be hard to beat and as will Finland - Sweden. Big rivalries there, with the neighboring country thing going on. The US and Canadian teams have very similar styles, while the Swedes and Fins are more or less opposites (but both very good skating / passing teams).
This tournament is the best I've ever seen so far. I suspect it will only get better.
I had forgotten we were into the single-elimination rounds already. I didn't see the Belarus - Sweden game but MAN what an upset. Sweden (until today) was playing better than any other team. Just goes to show...one or two bad periods will do you in. Gotta play all 60, every game.
Saw the end of Russia Czech Rep. Kasparaitis popped Jagr in the face when there was a scrum at the net. Sweeeet! Go get em Kaspar! Until of course you meet Team USA tomorrow (hopefully). If you start swingin' at that time, someone is gonna have to put the smack down on yer Rusky ass.
For all the best of seven series we've gotten used to in NA sport, you gotta admitt that there's something great about single elimination formats. Anybody can win. 2 or 3 standout performances and all of a sudden a team with no chance ends up world champ. I love it... as long as Canada wins.
And go ladies! I think the US team will win, but I hope the Canadian girls pull out the upset.
Yah, the single-elimination games make it pretty exciting / nerve-racking. Now that I got the brackets and scheduling straight in my head I'm really looking forward to Friday and Sunday. Should be awesome. Kind of wish Finland had pulled off that last second shot on goal by Lehtinen - barely missed. That would've been brutal on all the Canucks, especially whiner Wayne.
Gotta give it up to Stevie Y though - hard to dislike anything about that guy. Sakic, Nolan, Jovanovski and Smyth as well. All five of those guys kick ass as players and personality wise / attitude wise. Just wish they were on a different team than Fleury, Peca and Niedermeyer, the punk asses. But let's give Michael credit - at least he doesn't wear a turtleneck like Yashin, the big pussy.
(un)Fortunately chances are good it will be Canada vs USA in the gold medal game.
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What? Russia looked awfully good when they plated USA the other day. I thought we were fortunate to get a tie. We were seriously outshot. They'll be tough to get past.
USA/Canada would be a most excellent matchup, at least for the setup at work and on these boards. Though I agree that Russia is a favorite over the US given their play the other day.
Fleury is our secret weapon. They're gonna sprinkle a little coke behind the opposing goal -- no one will be able tostop him from going to the net then!
And Gretzki, just reinforces my belief that great players shouldn't become managers when they retire. Can't do anything but tarnish once you take that route.
USA vs Russia, ala 1980 match, with Herb Brooks on the US bench.
Belarus vs Canada
Anything can happen. Russia played very very well against the Czechs, the US has been solid all series, Belarus is HOT, and Canada is getting it's act together.
I watched the Canada - Finland game last night... sweated through the whole thing! Finland was giving 110% until the very end.
That sequence of 3 drop passes from the Canadians was pure hockey. A hard hitting, hard shooting game.
That shot Selanne put on Pronger at the end of the game was nasty. I was really impressed with his grit; Fins aren't usually known for their toughness. Teemu was everywhere last night.
Someone was asking about Niedermeyer:suffice it to say I lost some respect for him after the Domi incident last year. He faked the extent of his injury to the point he got up and walked to the locker room under his own power once he was in the tunnel. He was even giving interviews afterward, even though he acted like he was dead on the ice. He was trying to draw a suspension, which is lame. Rafalski kicks Niedermeyer's arse in my book.
Also, just so you understand, I don't like Domi at all. He's an asshole, first class. Thank God he's not on team Canada or I wouldn't watch them.
Wow. USA women are being killed right now. Getting beaten to every puck, passing to no one in particular, not nearly aggressive enough, awful powerplay, etc. Canada leading 3-1 and likely to win in the next five minutes. Congrats to our beaver loving (I mean that in the platonic sense) friends upstairs.
A little post game celebratory nastiness from the Canadian star, but the American girls have shown a little bad form too. Interesting, could be that this means more to the ladies than to the guys, since this is basically it for the women. In one week, the guys can go back to being pampered whiny stars.
I didn't think they'd do it. But they were really prepared. Could be the Americans choked a bit under pressure, but overall you have to say the Canadians won it more so than the Americans lost it.
hrrrmmmm... I hate it when reality screws with my pet theories: maybe a lady coaching ladies isn't the cause of their previous bad play? Maybe see was a super strategist, purposely losing the last 8 exhibition games. Well, I still think that there were at least 50 men with more experience than Canada's current women's coach. However, you gotat start building experience somewhere, and Canadian Women's Coaching just got a huge boost.
...and now, Canada-USA men's final! We'll take vengeance on your weak-dollar maple-leafin' curlin'-and-ice-fishin' asses!
That USA-Russia game was either too lopsided or too close, I don't know which. Funny how the Russians got back into it with the ol' North American dump-n-chase. I prefer the games that are TIGHT throughout rather than these big swings in momentum, but it was still a good game.
It's nice to know that unlike 1980, this was just a game , no alterior motives, just passion, sportsmanship, y'konw, guys playing hockey. I think people's perception of hockey (and hopefully its popularity) is getting a big boost from these teams' great spirit.
I'm happy about the result but it really wasn't that great of a game, until the third period that is. Even a team as talented as Russia can't fall behind 3 goals and pull it out in one period.
Well, I was worried about this one and now it's behind us. Go USA! I'm glad the gold medal game will be against Canada. It should be a good one.
Comments
Yesterdays match between Russia and Finland got my vote as the best eventhough it would have been more fair with a tie.
Best og luck to all tke teams. The two most exciting quarterfinals: Russia vs. Tcech, and Canada vs. Finland
Russia vs Czech will be very interesting. Probably the most evenly matched game. Very talented teams.
USA vs Germany will most likely be a landslide.
The Finns are going to try and surprise Canada like the Swedes did. If Canada can build off their game with the Czechs hopefully they will be able to play at a much better level.
As for all the games thus far, I agree they've been awesome. Finland is playing extremely well now and I wouldn't doubt it if they medaled. Like always, they can play some serious D, and Selanne is playing well to give them a serious offensive threat. Lehtinen is doing all right also.
I think of the games coming up, US - Canada will be hard to beat and as will Finland - Sweden. Big rivalries there, with the neighboring country thing going on. The US and Canadian teams have very similar styles, while the Swedes and Fins are more or less opposites (but both very good skating / passing teams).
This tournament is the best I've ever seen so far. I suspect it will only get better.
I really wish I caught both the Sweden/Belarus and Czech/Russian games -- looks like they were both great.
Saw the end of Russia Czech Rep. Kasparaitis popped Jagr in the face when there was a scrum at the net. Sweeeet! Go get em Kaspar! Until of course you meet Team USA tomorrow (hopefully). If you start swingin' at that time, someone is gonna have to put the smack down on yer Rusky ass.
[ 02-20-2002: Message edited by: Moogs ? ]</p>
And go ladies! I think the US team will win, but I hope the Canadian girls pull out the upset.
Gotta give it up to Stevie Y though - hard to dislike anything about that guy. Sakic, Nolan, Jovanovski and Smyth as well. All five of those guys kick ass as players and personality wise / attitude wise. Just wish they were on a different team than Fleury, Peca and Niedermeyer, the punk asses. But let's give Michael credit - at least he doesn't wear a turtleneck like Yashin, the big pussy.
(un)Fortunately chances are good it will be Canada vs USA in the gold medal game.
I was really hoping Sweden or Finland would get in just to have some european flavor in it ya know
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(un)Fortunately chances are good it will be Canada vs USA in the gold medal game.
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What? Russia looked awfully good when they plated USA the other day. I thought we were fortunate to get a tie. We were seriously outshot. They'll be tough to get past.
USA/Canada would be a most excellent matchup, at least for the setup at work and on these boards.
Fleury is our secret weapon. They're gonna sprinkle a little coke behind the opposing goal -- no one will be able tostop him from going to the net then!
And Gretzki, just reinforces my belief that great players shouldn't become managers when they retire. Can't do anything but tarnish once you take that route.
USA vs Russia, ala 1980 match, with Herb Brooks on the US bench.
Belarus vs Canada
Anything can happen. Russia played very very well against the Czechs, the US has been solid all series, Belarus is HOT, and Canada is getting it's act together.
I watched the Canada - Finland game last night... sweated through the whole thing! Finland was giving 110% until the very end.
That sequence of 3 drop passes from the Canadians was pure hockey. A hard hitting, hard shooting game.
Man what a game.
Someone was asking about Niedermeyer:suffice it to say I lost some respect for him after the Domi incident last year. He faked the extent of his injury to the point he got up and walked to the locker room under his own power once he was in the tunnel. He was even giving interviews afterward, even though he acted like he was dead on the ice. He was trying to draw a suspension, which is lame. Rafalski kicks Niedermeyer's arse in my book.
Also, just so you understand, I don't like Domi at all. He's an asshole, first class. Thank God he's not on team Canada or I wouldn't watch them.
<img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />
CANADA WINS! WOO-HOO!
A little post game celebratory nastiness from the Canadian star, but the American girls have shown a little bad form too. Interesting, could be that this means more to the ladies than to the guys, since this is basically it for the women. In one week, the guys can go back to being pampered whiny stars.
I didn't think they'd do it. But they were really prepared. Could be the Americans choked a bit under pressure, but overall you have to say the Canadians won it more so than the Americans lost it.
hrrrmmmm... I hate it when reality screws with my pet theories: maybe a lady coaching ladies isn't the cause of their previous bad play? Maybe see was a super strategist, purposely losing the last 8 exhibition games. Well, I still think that there were at least 50 men with more experience than Canada's current women's coach. However, you gotat start building experience somewhere, and Canadian Women's Coaching just got a huge boost.
That USA-Russia game was either too lopsided or too close, I don't know which. Funny how the Russians got back into it with the ol' North American dump-n-chase. I prefer the games that are TIGHT throughout rather than these big swings in momentum, but it was still a good game.
It's nice to know that unlike 1980, this was just a game , no alterior motives, just passion, sportsmanship, y'konw, guys playing hockey. I think people's perception of hockey (and hopefully its popularity) is getting a big boost from these teams' great spirit.
Well, I was worried about this one and now it's behind us. Go USA! I'm glad the gold medal game will be against Canada. It should be a good one.
"Shortly after the game ended, Canada captain Mario Lemieux hugged Brooks, a scout for the Lemieux-owned Pittsburgh Penguins.
"It probably was a good time to ask for a raise," Brooks said".