The Official Olympic Hockey Thread

[Rocco]

WHO HATES CANADA?

[columbia]

Tavares done for the Olympics (and at least part of the NHL season) with a knee injury.

Time for the Islanders to start unloading their players.

I'm hoping that Sather vastly overpays for Vanek, who promptly leaves for MIN in the offseason.

[Kovy27]

Tavares done for the Olympics (and at least part of the NHL season) with a knee injury.

Time for the Islanders to start unloading their players.

I'm hoping that Sather vastly overpays for Vanek, who promptly leaves for MIN in the offseason.

I can't wait for the Caps to overpay for Ryan Miller and lose in the first round to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

[penny lane]

Why do some people want the game tomorrow? I would rather the teams be as rested as possible.

Also, you think they're gonna put the Gold medal game at 7:30 or 12?

Bronze Medal Game is at 10 AM on Saturday.
Gold Medal Game is at 7 AM on Sunday.

7AM ? on regular NBC?

I hope Tavares' injury is minor in nature.

[brwi]

Latvia was totally over-matched but gave everything they had possible. They truly left it all on the ice.

[Pruezy11881]

USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA

You must have had a Light Brite as a kid.

[Humperdink]

For Geno, every cloud has a silver lining, he should be well rested for the stretch run. Make that a bronze lining ..... check that, no lining at all, sorry.

[iWonTheCup87]

Im glad the Russians are out, we need Geno rested and not injured.

[Kovy27]

Why do some people want the game tomorrow? I would rather the teams be as rested as possible.

Also, you think they're gonna put the Gold medal game at 7:30 or 12?

Bronze Medal Game is at 10 AM on Saturday.
Gold Medal Game is at 7 AM on Sunday.

7AM ? on regular NBC?

I hope Tavares' injury is minor in nature.

Yes, on NBC.

[SubtropicalPenguin]

I'm really looking forward the USA vs. Canada game. Should be an outstanding match-up. Too bad it isn't for a gold medal; I think these are the two best teams.

Also, everyone should make sure to savor these games. I have a sinking suspicion this will be the last time we see NHLers in the olympics for a while. With players like Tavares and Zetterberg facing injuries this year, the owners will be even more likely to pull the plug on this whole concept.

I hope Tavares isn't hurt too badly. He is an electric player.

[columbia]

I scammed my way out of a Friday at 8:30 meeting and will be taking the whole day off.

woo.jpg

[DelPen]

I scammed my way out of a Friday at 8:30 meeting and will be taking the whole day off.

woo.jpg

I'm spoiled, worked from home all last week because of the snow and doing M, W, F this week

[penny lane]

I scammed my way out of a Friday at 8:30 meeting and will be taking the whole day off.

woo.jpg

off for friday instead of 2/17 president's day

[superconan]

Also, everyone should make sure to savor these games. I have a sinking suspicion this will be the last time we see NHLers in the olympics for a while. With players like Tavares and Zetterberg facing injuries this year, the owners will be even more likely to pull the plug on this whole concept.

Isn't there talk of a World Cup in 2016?

[GDR]

Bob McKenzie ‏@TSNBobMcKenzie 45s
Extent of John Tavares' Olympic-ending knee injury won't be known til MRI/re-evaluation on Thursday but sense out of Sochi is it's not good.

[sniper]

Just watched the Russia game replay. Holy awful. The whole team was bad, but watching Ovechkin..I just don't get how he thinks he played hard at all. The man seriously doesn't skate at all. I mean not even at half pace unless he has the puck or knows he can get it and immediately shoot afterward. He makes zero effort at all to get the puck off the other team or even get in position for a pass or chase a dump in. It's like having a pylon for a winger. A pylon with a great shot, but still a pylon. I feel bad for Malkin. He didn't play great by any means, but at least he tried. You could see effort. Ovechkin and Semin were horrid. I actually thought that Popov or whatever his name was looked like the best fit with Malkin. That guy actually tried to cycle and worked to get the puck.

The Russians biggest issue besides lack of effort from some of their supposed stars was that their D just sucks. Their is no offense in their game at all and on both 2 on 1's the Fins had in that game they were able to make the pass to the other forward. They made it look easy too. Russia had plenty of depth up front. Guys like Anisimov, Tarasenko, and Nichuskin are quality NHL players. This team shouldn't have struggled to score with a proper plan and effort. They weren't one of the best teams in the tournament, but they were certainly better than what they showed. That was pathetic.

[penny lane]

Arthur Staple ‏@StapeNewsday 9m
Echoing @TSNBobMcKenzie, heard that initial news on Tavares is not good. Could be multiple ligament damage. Exam tomorrow will tell. #Isles

[Idoit40fans]

If NHL players don't go anymore, do the Russians compete for a medal next olympics?

[Rocco]

Finally home and able to watch the US game. The Czech goalie was not good at all. Canada's better both in the net and on defense so it likely won't be as easy for the US to work the puck down low. US needs Kane to treat the Canadian defense like they're cabbies or Chicago sorority girls.

Either the cameras cut away too quickly, but Orpik may have actually accepted the fact he committed a penalty without screaming at the ref for the first time ever today.

[PghSkins]

Also problematic is that the 2018 games are in Korea, without a contingent of NHL players who will fight to bring the tournament home.

[Rocco]

Not gonna lie, it's weird to hear Icona Pop during an Olympic hockey game in Russia.

[columbia]

That penalty call against Latvia was pretty weak.

I'm getting super pumped about the game on Friday. Maybe just maybe, DB's boys can grind this one out.

[shmenguin]

It was weak but they just missed the penalty shot right before. Decent makeup call.

Though Latvia probably would have rather faced 1 breakaway than the dozen scoring chances over the 2 minute pp.

[tfrizz]

That penalty call against Latvia was pretty weak.

I'm getting super pumped about the game on Friday. Maybe just maybe, DB's boys can grind this one out.

It was, but not many people are complaining about it. Saw this on hfboards:

It is kind of odd, though, how few powerplays Canada has received in the tournament.

I'm not saying it's due to bias, but more so it seems like the refs decide to let everything go in Canada games. I've watched other games where refs were calling every little infraction, then when I watch Canada, those same infractions go ignored constantly.

Canada has had 7 PP opportunities in 4 games this tournament. Compare that to Sweden (17), USA (11), Russia (19), Finland (12), and Czech (18), for example. That's kind of a strange discrepancy, especially considering how much Canada has had puck possession (which usually is the cause for the other team to take a lot of penalties).

Just seems like the refs put away their whistles when it comes to games involving Canada.

The totals are available through the IIHF website.

It seems a bit strange that Canada has had the fewest PPs of any team at the Olympics despite completely controlling 3 of their 4 games.

[tifosi77]

I have a sinking suspicion this will be the last time we see NHLers in the olympics for a while.

Good riddance. Professionals have no place in Olympic hockey. I'm all for an international pro-level tournament, like the Canada Cup or the World Cup of Hockey - those were great, and I miss them very much. But they were in the summer, before training camps, and the League didn't have to shutter for 2 1/2 weeks to accommodate them. And, let's face it; roughly 8 out of 10 NHLers are from North America, and I'd wager as hockey players they probably place a higher value on the Stanley Cup than an Olympic medal. I just don't think the net gains (if there even are any) are worth the hassle.

If NHL players don't go anymore, do the Russians compete for a medal next olympics?

I'd go from expecting a one-and-done in the medal round to expecting a medal. I've opined a lot the last week on why, but the NHLers (and KHLers to a degree) are poison to the Russian roster.