U-S-A! U-S-A! Top of the Olympic table

Russia over Canada, without a doubt. Canada will most likely play Luongo. This alone gives the Russians the edge.
  If you go to various websites like I do for reactions, the Canadian one is many. Should not have started Martin. Should’ve had younger guys on the team. Pronger is so fat, he can’t move. And the best of all, We, (Canada) out played the USA and should not see this as an example of how our team plays.
   Canada said their motto this year was “own the podium”. They aren’t close. And their precious hockey team is about to meet the Big Red Machine. If Ovie hits Cindy Crosby like he did Jagr, we will never hear them stop crying.

The (wildly inaccurate) brackets:
Swiss 3-1
Czech 6-0
Slovakia 5-4
Canada 8-0

US 4-1
Czech 4-2
Sweden 5-2
Canada 5-3

Will Germany score against Canada?

haha, loaded question, who’s starting for Canada?

We’d feel great ;-)

I surely wouldn’t predict the Germans to score a lot, but I think 7-1 Canada is a pretty gutsy call. The Germans might not have the same depth as the Swiss, but they definitely have a better shutdown line. Of course, that might not be everything it takes to beat Canada, but it’s at least something. I actually liked parts of their performances against Sweden and Finland. 5-on-5, they didn’t allow a lot, but struggled quite a bit on the PK. Canada’s PP still seems to struggle, too, though. And even strength it won’t be any easier for them to create chances than against the Swiss. Moreover, the approach could not be perfect. Of course, they know they have to win it and should come out hard indeed, but they also might think of this game as a good chance to work on their game.

I still predict Canada to win of course, but they’d better be ready for another close game.

The more we talk about, the more I’d love to see this game. Agree that the US have the “better” offense overall – more ways to get their goals from. But it’s very hard to compare them indeed, just so different styles. And just to be clear, I’d root for Scott Gordon’s offense anyway ;-) But they’ve overachieved a bit in terms of scoring, I’d say. The Swiss played two bad periods in their own zone, including Weber’s non-existent defense on Backes… The Norwegians mainly cracked towards the end with a goalie who might not exactly have been as sharp as in other games and Canada were not convincing defensively in any way.

I just think we should not expect them to get nearly as much help as in any of their first three games. But I like the offense, I like the way they play and any medal would be a nice success. But the games will only get tighter and the opponents stronger defensively moreover. That’s when you can’t afford your scoring guys not clicking. Right now, I don’t think the US have found a line who could create a good amount of chances against the best defensive teams.

on The PP for Sweden, one of the US women blocked a shot and was down hurt making it a 5-3. To top it off the Swede apparently plays Rob Schremp hockey, she batted the puck out of midair into the net.

actually I misheard it, she was 15 for the 2001 Word Cup Championship

They are ridiculously nice. I have friends from there and some family currently relocated there, and their opposing perspectives on it is always fun to provoke. But oh my, yes coming from the East it’s going to be quite an eye-opener. You’ll probably also find yourself occasionally wishing a fellow driver/pedestrian/person in line would “just go and stop with the politeness already.”

Was it Pronger with Perry and Getzlaf? Ducks of a feather flocking together? (Sorry.)

They also blew the whistle on a play where Brodeur went down to cover a puck and missed. There did not appear to be a eminent US goal but they were scrambling for the puck.

I can see the whistle blowing for potential injury on that 3 way play but the uncovered puck was absolutely silly. I think that the puck might have been out of sight for a fraction of a second. However, mistakes are made and I can see them writing that one off. If something like that happens again to only Canada I will begin got suspect something.

Personally I think a failure to gold is going to mark it as a disaster.

Miller won it for them, with a bit of help from Brodeur’s sloppy play and allowaing of weak goals.

I simply do not believe that all the goals Marty let in were weak. And its not like the Canadians were ahead the whole game and the Americans mustered up a puny little win. the Canadians did not have a lead for even one second of that game. That is not a result of only the goalies, that is a result of the TEAMS.