The Official Olympic Hockey Thread

[columbia]

Sweden has given up...

They need to fire their coach.

Really. They are playing so passively. I can't believe they hired such a complete idiot to coach that team.

In German TV the announcers remarked, that Sweden used a wrong strategy from the beginning. In all their previous games they played their game, vs. Canada they started line matching and never found their success. They let Canada dictate the game speed.

So line matching is a good strategy unless it is not?

Pretty much.

[superconan]

TSN just showed a picture of a church service in Eastern Canada....they had the game on a projection screen and everyone watching, seated in the pews.

As a Canadian, that even surprises me.

They stopped my son's grade two class to show women winning gold in curling.

[columbia]

That's my kind of church.

[tfrizz]

TSN just showed a picture of a church service in Eastern Canada....they had the game on a projection screen and everyone watching, seated in the pews.

As a Canadian, that even surprises me.

Why? Hockey is religion here.

[murphydump55]

TSN just showed a picture of a church service in Eastern Canada....they had the game on a projection screen and everyone watching, seated in the pews.

As a Canadian, that even surprises me.

Why? Hockey is religion here.

True, I just didn't think it would go that far. It's pretty awesome.

This was a great victory, granted not nearly as exciting as the OT win in Vancouver, but great none the less. It really is amazing how our country stops for this crazy game.

[Tico Rick]

Congratulations to all Canadians on a well-deserved victory. Except for my friend Ian in Winnipeg who's a sore winner.

[tfrizz]

TSN just showed a picture of a church service in Eastern Canada....they had the game on a projection screen and everyone watching, seated in the pews.

As a Canadian, that even surprises me.

Why? Hockey is religion here.

True, I just didn't think it would go that far. It's pretty awesome.

This was a great victory, granted not nearly as exciting as the OT win in Vancouver, but great none the less. It really is amazing how our country stops for this crazy game.

We literally had provinces/cities making exceptions to their by-laws to allow bars to open and serve liquor as early as 4am for the game. I think that says it all.

[penny lane]

Put the CCCP on the maple leaf jersey; new red army of hockey. Just wave after wave of players. Sure if Sweden had a healthy and full team; might have made it a game. Sweden came out and at less put some pressure on and around the net. USA couldn't even get to the net. Canandian players from youth up focus on winning, not the individual first. winning first.

The best I got from today's game was hearing about Coach Babcock showing the team the photo of Alfredsson hitting somebody in a previous game... then said he won't even do that for the wings. To stress what Sweden players do for the win.

Rick Nash killing penalties in the gold medal game...

[murphydump55]

TSN just showed a picture of a church service in Eastern Canada....they had the game on a projection screen and everyone watching, seated in the pews.

As a Canadian, that even surprises me.

Why? Hockey is religion here.

True, I just didn't think it would go that far. It's pretty awesome.

This was a great victory, granted not nearly as exciting as the OT win in Vancouver, but great none the less. It really is amazing how our country stops for this crazy game.

We literally had provinces/cities making exceptions to their by-laws to allow bars to open and serve liquor as early as 4am for the game. I think that says it all.

Agreed. Waking up at 6am, heading to Tim Hortons to buy a Take 10 so that we could all have Baileys and Coffee with our breakfast, while watching hockey is pretty much Canadiana. Seeing the lineups at 6am at Tim Horton's was pretty funny as we knew what everyone was doing and where they were going.

The passion is awesome.

[Shakes]

Backstrom tested positive for banned substance??

Allergy medicine.

Chris Johnston ‏@reporterchris 3m
Wow. Nicklas Backstrom was tested on Wednesday and only told about the fail two hours before today's game.

[Dan H]

Some US fans haven't exactly been the most gracious losers.
It's ok to admit it, when better teams win.

Yes, that's true even when the-better-team-tonight earns a victory over the-better-team-usually. Or when the-luckier-team-tonight squeaks one out over the-better-team-usually-who-failed-to-put-them-away.

Anyone who reads this board knows that many Pens fans have difficulty handling even regular season losses that will be meaningless and forgotten in a few years. The USA-Canada game yesterday was neither; it'll sting for years just like the 2010 and 2002 games. One reason for the agony is that the 2014 USA team is one of the best hockey teams ever assembled. But the 2014 Canada team was even better. Hopefully at least people, including sore winners and sore losers on either side of the border, can appreciate what they just got to watch. If the NHL pulls their players from the Olympics going forward, we might never get to see another team as strong as these.

[BleuLineLady]

2 of the goal scorers in today's game...Crosby and Toews, were also goal scorers in the 2010 gold medal game. The best players/leaders showing up when it matters most.

[Shakes]

the 2014 USA team is one of the best hockey teams ever assembled. But the 2014 Canada team was even better. Hopefully at least people, including sore winners and sore losers on either side of the border, can appreciate what they just got to watch. If the NHL pulls their players from the Olympics going forward, we might never get to see another team as strong as these.

That's what I'll remember from these Olympics - how good this Canadanian team was, especially defensively. Price played well but didn't have to make many great saves in recording 2 SOs in the semis and finals. Maybe the best defenisve team ever.

If this is the last NHL Olympics, it's a shame Stamkos wasn't part of this group.

[Faubert5]

In my personal experience, Canadians are sore winners. They don't know how to win graciously.

It's somewhat understandable. It's kind of like beating your big brother to win something and they wrap a great deal of their identity in it. They are otherwise generally very gracious and polite.

[MRandall25]

Anyone have video/gifs of the Canadian goals from this game?

[Faubert5]

Millions of fans of other NHL teams don't believe their team's players are celebrating with Cindy Crysby right now.

Reporter: Sid, what is best in life?

Sid: The greatest pleasure is to vanquish your enemies and chase them before you, to rob them of their wealth and see those dear to them bathed in tears, to ride their horses and clasp to your bosom their wives and daughters.

or if you prefer:

[youtube][/youtube]

[tfrizz]

2 of the goal scorers in today's game...Crosby and Toews, were also goal scorers in the 2010 gold medal game. The best players/leaders showing up when it matters most.

We may see Crosby get an assist on the Kunitz goal, after the fact. He caused the turnover that Kunitz picked up.

[Tomas]

Anyone have video/gifs of the Canadian goals from this game?

All 3 goal gifs are here:

http://www.onlajny.com/match/index/date ... 3/id/95554" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

switch the button from "Posl. 20" (last 20) to "Vsechno" (all)

[Tomas]

All-star team (voted by media):

Brankář: Henrik Lundqvist (Švédsko)
Obránci: Erik Karlsson (Švédsko), Drew Doughty (Kanada)
Útočníci: Teemu Selänne, Mikael Granlund (oba Finsko), Phil Kessel (USA)

Best position players (voted by the tournament directors):

Brankář: Carey Price (Kanada)
Obránce: Erik Karlsson (Švédsko)
Útočník: Phil Kessel (USA)

Tournament MVP:

Teemu Selänne (Finsko)

[Idoit40fans]

Yeah, Phil Kessel was the only forward for the US that seemed to be engaged consistently. I begrudgingly would say he was their best skater.

[Shakes]

I'd go for Suter. Kessel def their best forward.

[sniper]

Babcock asked about Jonathan Toews..."I thought Sidney Crosby was so dominant."

[Tico Rick]

In my personal experience, Canadians are sore winners. They don't know how to win graciously.

It's somewhat understandable. It's kind of like beating your big brother to win something and they wrap a great deal of their identity in it. They are otherwise generally very gracious and polite.

I think that's exactly it.

[Pavel Bure]

Where were there people heckling the losing team? I must've missed it.

All I heard was some "Oles" and then the "na na na hey hey hey goodbye" chant towards the end. No big deal and certainly nothing classless.

Unless I missed something?

That's what I was talking about. No need for the goodbye chant in international play. It's not like a long playoff series and it's not a bad blood thing. It rubbed me the wrong way which only means I'm getting old.

[pcm]

I really enjoyed watching Granlund play. I wonder if this will be his coming out party.... as he hasn't quite lived up to his billing in Minnesota to date.