The Official Olympic Hockey Thread

[XIX]

I know we have a few resident puckheads around these parts, so I figured this thread could get some mileage. With Canada hosting the Olympics and several other countries trying to gun them down for the gold, this could be the best international tournament we've had since they decided to include NHL players. Perhaps the tournament would be more competitive of "pure" if they didn't put the NHLers in there, but they do so that's that I guess.

Pool A: Canada, USA, Switzerland, Norway
Pool B: Russia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Latvia
Pool C: Sweden, Finland, Germany, Belarus

Canada is the big favorite here, but Russia, Sweden, USA, Finland, the Czechs and Slovakia all have a shot at a medal, if not the gold.
Competition starts on the 16th with pool play. The medal playoffs start a week later on the 23rd. It should be interesting to see how all of the seeding shakes out after pool play.

There's also the womens tournament, which will most likely culminate in a gold medal slugfest between USA and Canada. If anybody else does better than bronze, it will be a major upset.

[Nihil Obstat]

Russia is actually the technical favourite. They're considered stronger at the moment because of their wins lately.
Canada is going to win though.


I like how our women's team beat Slovakia 18-0.

[XIX]

Yes, Russia has had some very strong wins. But looking at the rosters, Canada doesn't seem to have any real weaknesses. Canada's top six forwards are sick, they'll have some serious chemistry on the blue line, and solid checking lines. I think it's safe to say that this team is totally different from the ones that lost to Russia.

I'm hoping that USA ends up on the medal stand somewhere.

[XIX]

And yeah, Canada really beat down the Slovaks. lmao. Running up the score a bit, but you can't really blame them since the first tiebreaker is goal differential.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='XIX' date='14 February 2010 - 11:46 PM' timestamp='1266212760' post='2057405']
Yes, Russia has had some very strong wins. But looking at the rosters, Canada doesn't seem to have any real weaknesses. Canada's top six forwards are sick, they'll have some serious chemistry on the blue line, and solid checking lines. I think it's safe to say that this team is totally different from the ones that lost to Russia.

I'm hoping that USA ends up on the medal stand somewhere.
[/quote]
Absolutely. It's a monster team. With or without Getzlaf.
As long as the players are playing like the superstars they are, I have no doubt that we take gold. If they take it lightly though, we're going to have another Turin.

[quote name='XIX' date='14 February 2010 - 11:47 PM' timestamp='1266212858' post='2057408']
And yeah, Canada really beat down the Slovaks. lmao. Running up the score a bit, but you can't really blame them since the first tiebreaker is goal differential.
[/quote]
Did you hear what Slovakia did to Bulgaria though, in Turin? 82-0, I believe was the score.

[ardillacid]

Any canadian who goes to school in america, plays on an american team, then goes back and plays on a canadian olympic team needs to go play for the stupid maple leafs

[aalpha1989]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' date='15 February 2010 - 12:55 AM' timestamp='1266213350' post='2057410']
Did you hear what Slovakia did to Bulgaria though, in Turin? 82-0, I believe was the score.
[/quote]

.... we're still talking hockey, right....? holy coagulated milk muffins.

[Tony]

one of the USA Goalies (Brianne McLaughlin) grew up in the next town over from me. She got to play a little bit yesterday against China

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='aalpha1989' date='15 February 2010 - 01:32 AM' timestamp='1266219137' post='2057427']
.... we're still talking hockey, right....? holy coagulated milk muffins.
[/quote]
Ah, looked it up. It was a pre-Olympic qualifier, which is obviously why Bulgaria wasn't in the tournament.
It was an 82-0 rout. Bulgaria gave up 139 shots.

Once S. Korea beat Thailand 92-0 though, which is the record.

Bulgaria actually didn't get a shot on goal...

[Ash Wednesday]

[img]http://www.slbd.us/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Brooks_Orpik.jpg[/img]

FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE CANDYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I loves mah Candy but I think Canada will win it.
Would love to see USA sneak in and get a medal though.

[XIX]

[img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IlXCwZYwnlk/SzqbC_NzA4I/AAAAAAAAATQ/5nHr1EV3hc8/s400/Ryan+Miller+Psycho.jpg[/img]

[Ash Wednesday]

Getzlaf looked like he was going to be OK... either way, LOL @ Crosby celebrating with Richards, Pronger and Carter.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Ash Wednesday' date='15 February 2010 - 10:14 AM' timestamp='1266250477' post='2057541']
[img]http://www.slbd.us/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Brooks_Orpik.jpg[/img]

FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE CANDYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I loves mah Candy but I think Canada will win it.
Would love to see USA sneak in and get a medal though.
[/quote]
I've got no problem with the US getting silver or bronze.

In fact I'd love them to come out ahead of Russia.

[Tony]

Here's some footage of the 82-0 game http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGh6-CzKT-A&feature=related (parts 2 and 3 are on the right)

[aalpha1989]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' date='15 February 2010 - 02:53 AM' timestamp='1266220418' post='2057437']
Ah, looked it up. It was a pre-Olympic qualifier, which is obviously why Bulgaria wasn't in the tournament. [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/lol.gif[/img]
It was an 82-0 rout. Bulgaria gave up 139 shots.

Once S. Korea beat Thailand 92-0 though, which is the record.

Bulgaria actually didn't get a shot on goal... [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/P.gif[/img]
[/quote]


[quote name='Tony' date='15 February 2010 - 04:12 PM' timestamp='1266268348' post='2057620']
Here's some footage of the 82-0 game [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGh6-CzKT-A&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.c...feature=related[/url] (parts 2 and 3 are on the right)
[/quote]


But that's so [i]painful[/i] to watch. Why would you do that to someone? [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/weep.gif[/img]

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='aalpha1989' date='15 February 2010 - 03:36 PM' timestamp='1266269782' post='2057639']
But that's so [i]painful[/i] to watch. Why would you do that to someone? [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/weep.gif[/img]
[/quote]
I think my brother's 14-15 year old division 3 team could beat the Bulgarian national team.

[aalpha1989]

So just for the record, to win 92-0 you have to score on average 1.53 goals per minute. Classy. Ok, it's painful but it's hilarious.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='aalpha1989' date='15 February 2010 - 03:49 PM' timestamp='1266270579' post='2057648']
So just for the record, to win 92-0 you have to score on average 1.53 goals per minute. Classy. Ok, it's painful but it's hilarious.
[/quote]
I don't think I can fault a team for running the score that high. Some people say it's poor sportsmanship, and I understand why you'd say that... but there's another aspect to it. High level athletes are at such a high level because they always give it everything they've got. This becomes more true at even higher levels. To tell them to not run the score up is the same as telling them to not try their best. It's entirely the opposite of everything they work towards.
The fault is with the organizers, not the team, IMO. Someone should have looked at the matchup and realized that Bulgaria isn't even near the same league. The players, if they're truly international level players, would bring their very best game, no matter who they're playing. I would never ask them do to differently.
I suppose that the coach could give them specific things to do that wouldn't necessarily result in goals... but really, isn't that pretty condescending? In another sense, but not letting up on Bulgaria they showed that they at least respect that team enough to play their best, rather than babying them.

[southern california guy]

Boy Canadian womens team is totally outplaying everybody. I don't know about the mens but I think that the Canadian womens team is going to take the gold. However some people are arguing that the American women are going to beat them. It should be a good game.

[img]http://www.ctvolympics.ca/mm/photo/sports/ctvo/86/27/8627_m15.jpg[/img]

Edited February 16, 2010 by southern california guy

[XIX]

Canada 2-0
Sweden 2-0
Switzerland 0-2
Slovakia 0-2

So Canada and Sweden have already advanced to the semifinals of the women's hockey pool. I'm fairly certain that Finland and USA are expected to do the same tomorrow.