2010 Winter Olympics thread...

[Grace]

Do you believe in miracles - YES!!

[Puckstop31]

Far as I can figure, Sid the Kid was on the ice for 3 of the USA goals. And Brian Rafalski's 4 consecutive goals, on 6 shots, equals this season's production for the Wings. And he is the oldest player on the US team

The final stats have Crosby at a net -3 for the game. Seeing that he scored a goal means he was on the ice for 4 of the US goals. Rather un-"Crosby-ish", eh?

[Puckstop31]

Wow - that hockey game was just amazing. Talk about exciting!



I agree with you about the goalies - Miller just Wow. Brodeur was a disappointment...don't know if he was just trying to get too fancy or what but it wasn't working for him. And what was with the 'USA' on the end of his stick? Did they figure that one out, does anyone know?

Yeah, that baseball bat swing at the puck right before the 2nd US goal was nuts. What the heck was he thinking? The only place it could go was back in the slot, which was crowded with people at the time. Little good can come from that. Actually, both goalies took a lot of silly chances with the poke check... 2 of the US goals were a result of a bad poke check attempt.

So says the armchair goalie... LOL Seeing that puck handling is by far the weakest part of my personal game, I guess that was easy for me to say.

___

The commentators mentioned something about the USA on his stick. Something to do with the sticks being keepsakes someday or something... He wanted to know what stick was used in what game. OR, it could be he might have been thinking about taking a shot on goal if the US had to pull their goalie late. With the (silly, IMO) trapezoid gone, he was free to roam and he IS one of the best puck handling goalies in the game.

That said... I bet it was burned last night. LOL

[Lady's Human]

Great comment from Del Bosco:

" I don't know, third is alright for some people. But I wanted to give 100 percent...I left it all out there, I mean, that's what I came to do... I think I would've been pretty upset with second."


All or nothing, kid skied his heart out and left it all on the course.

[Grace]

Yeah, that baseball bat swing at the puck right before the 2nd US goal was nuts. What the heck was he thinking? The only place it could go was back in the slot, which was crowded with people at the time. Little good can come from that. Actually, both goalies took a lot of silly chances with the poke check... 2 of the US goals were a result of a bad poke check attempt.

Regarding that swing of the bat - from the NY Times - keeping in mind that Rafalski once played for the Devils.

Team Canada goalie Martin Brodeur was heavily faulted for mistakes against the Americans. Brodeur stopped only 18 of 22 shots Sunday. On the Americans’ second goal, he tried to clear the puck up the middle of the ice, gifting Brian Rafalski an opportunity he converted.

“I’ve seen Marty do that before where he bats it out of mid air and he wanted to try to go up the middle so I just jumped there early,” said Rafalski after the game. Brodeur was also partly to blame on the Americans’ third goal.

[Grace]

The final stats have Crosby at a net -3 for the game. Seeing that he scored a goal means he was on the ice for 4 of the US goals. Rather un-"Crosby-ish", eh?

Another piece from the NY Times -

You cannot help noticing that Crosby looks diminished at these Olympics. He does not have his Penguins teammate Evgeni Malkin with him, either on the same line or waiting on the bench to provide the second half of that club’s one-two punch.

Malkin looks powerful and dangerous for Russia, where he is paired with Ovechkin. But with Canada, Crosby seems to be alone, and manageable.

[RICHARD]

All or nothing, kid skied his heart out and left it all on the course.

I hope no one ran it over in the end...

[JenBKR]

I'm not really sure what's going on with Crosby, he looked pretty good in the first game, ok in the second, but in the last game, not so good except for his redirect. Maybe the pressure's getting to him? He is expected to deliver the gold medal on a platter for Canada, might be a bit much for a 22 year old. Hopefully he can pick it up in the next game. I seriously doubt that not having Malkin there has anything to do with it...they are rarely on the same line, and when Malkin was out with an injury earlier this season Crosby excelled. Geno has also had some pretty bad slumps ('08 playoffs anyone?) and Crosby has done extremely well.

Speaking of which, Malkin has been amazing in the Olympics so far. Can't wait to see where that goes - up until the last month or two he was having a bad season (well, a bad season for him...) but it seemed like all of a sudden he was back. I don't know what team to cheer for - would be nice if all of my favorites could win!

[Queen of Poop]

Wanted to show off my Olympic nails. Themed for Canada, of course. Also wanted to note that the Canadian Women's hockey team is leading Finland 4-0 with 14 minutes left in the third.


Toes


Fingers

[RICHARD]

Wanted to show off my Olympic nails. Themed for Canada, of course. Also wanted to note that the Canadian Women's hockey team is leading Finland 4-0 with 14 minutes left in the third.


Toes


Fingers

LOL,

Have you had your toes "curl"?

--------------

The "Crosby Effect"?


I have noticed that the game of hockey has always lent itself to more 'pairing' than any other sport.

Seems like all the great ones have another player that they depend on while there on the ice.

[Queen of Poop]

My toes have been curling before!

5-0 for Canada

Gold medal game vs the USA on Thursday.

[Puckstop31]

Another piece from the NY Times -

You cannot help noticing that Crosby looks diminished at these Olympics. He does not have his Penguins teammate Evgeni Malkin with him, either on the same line or waiting on the bench to provide the second half of that club’s one-two punch.

Malkin looks powerful and dangerous for Russia, where he is paired with Ovechkin. But with Canada, Crosby seems to be alone, and manageable.

If this is really the case... It's Babcocks fault. He has the 22 other best players in the world to choose from to play with him.

This kind of thing is not uncommon in sports. You get a team, totally stacked with superstars... They, often, have a problem playing together. Especially when the chips are down.

That being said.... Assuming Canada beats Germany tomorrow, they play Russia on Thursday. THAT will be a interesting game. Because I think both teams are in the same kind of boat.

And honestly, I think Russia wins that game now.... Runs away with it even.

[Puckstop31]

My toes have been curling before!

5-0 for Canada

Gold medal game vs the USA on Thursday.

How about that Finnish goalie eh? She is only 20 too...

The Finns are gonna be good in Soshi.

[Puckstop31]

Speaking of which, Malkin has been amazing in the Olympics so far.

When they have played to his strength, totally. He is a big dude. Its not "normal" for European teams to play a dump/chase/crash kind of game. Granted, most of the "European" teams are mostly NHL players....

Malkin on the wing with Ovechkin and.... Fedorov.... That has not happened yet. (I think) But THAT would be a line. That line gets 3 goals and Fedorov gets 3 helpers.

[Grace]

If this is really the case... It's Babcocks fault. He has the 22 other best players in the world to choose from to play with him.

This kind of thing is not uncommon in sports. You get a team, totally stacked with superstars... They, often, have a problem playing together. Especially when the chips are down.

That being said.... Assuming Canada beats Germany tomorrow, they play Russia on Thursday. THAT will be a interesting game. Because I think both teams are in the same kind of boat.

And honestly, I think Russia wins that game now.... Runs away with it even.

And then there is the U.S. team - a group of young players whose average birth year is 1983.

The victory, although not for a medal, partially validates a controversial approach taken by the team's general manager, Brian Burke, who opted to recruit young, physical and talented NHL stars with built-in chemistry from years of playing in the country's national development program in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Team Canada, in contrast, is made up of some of the most decorated veterans in the NHL, including the league's most recognizable superstar, Sidney Crosby.

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