Olympic Semifinals: Vroom-vroom party-crashers [game thread]
by Dominik on Feb 26, 2010 2:30 PM EST
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PrintThree of the four NHL-era Olympic gold medal winners are out. Three hockey "little brothers" remain among the final four. Finland, USA and Slovakia are the party-crashers whose presence, while not shocking, is still hardly playing to script. This is why international-style group play before the knock-out stages is so cool. (It's also an example of what a more logical points system can create.) When group play upsets happen, it mixes up the bracket in delightful ways.
USA (4-0-0) vs. Finland (3-0-0-1) | 3 p.m. EST, NBC/CTV/V
Canada (4-0-0-1) vs. Slovakia (3-1-0-1) | 9:30 p.m. EST, CNBC/CTV/V
Personally I'd prefer tourney favorite Canada lose today or Sunday, in my naiive hope for a reality check for the vocal jingoist set who take this hockey birthright thing waaay too seriously and in turn suck the life out of the game. Seems like that crowd could use seeing this as a beautiful game again, and not as just a heavy-burden expectation mechanism whose only joy lies in staving off defeat. (I do realize so many of you Canadians are far more grounded about it; but you know, it's the squeakiest wheel that irks the writer.) Regardless, if Canada does fall short, I hope the prevailing response is to admire a great game and awe at how "their game" has spread wide enough to make losing on home ice possible.
Remarkably, 26 NHL teams still have players in the medal rounds yet Washington has none. Vancouver is guaranteed a representative winning each medal, while Anaheim, Chicago and Los Angeles are among several who are guaranteed to have winners of at least two different medals.
No game analysis from me; I'm just going to sit back and enjoy. Consider this our semifinals game thread. For me, go Slovakia, go USA -- little brothers of the world unite! But root on whomever you wish here, and relish the most exciting top-flight hockey we should see for at least a couple of months, if not far longer.
Prediction: Fiinlaand feeatuures lots of doubled vowels. Canada checks Slovakians up, down, left and right.
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Would love to witness Canada going home empty handed just once in my life!
by Iron Islander 77 on Feb 26, 2010 2:35 PM EST reply actions
You weren’t around for Turin? Canada finished 7th.
Hating on NBC since 2010
by David Hanssen on Feb 26, 2010 3:04 PM EST up reply actions
Kiiiii-perrr! I’m probably running off to find a TV…
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
okay, I don’t remember, whats the deal with Parise and the Islanders?
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
Sure, but I usually don’t hold it against a team when its that late in the round. The devils have a bunch of guys they picked at like 25th-30th that became good and a lot of teams passed over.
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
I guess. I mean, the Isles did draft 15th, so it’s not like it was late round. There was really no reason not to take Parise at that spot.
The passing over a very talented son of a former Islander is what gives it that extra karmic kick to the gut.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
Very likable player … in a totally platonic way.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
WHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
4-0!
Bye bye Kipper! :D
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
4 goals on 7 shots, I dont think he wanted to play another minute.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 26, 2010 3:24 PM EST up reply actions
The Finns must’ve used Russia’s leftover water.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
HA! I said something similar before and didnt even see your comment. :)
You know, it could be that every Canadian they talked to- the media, etc- told them they were gonna win this game. They really did pull a Russia.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 26, 2010 5:29 PM EST up reply actions
Waited too long?
Its not all on Kiprusoff, the last goal there were 3 Fin defenders who ignored Brown, and Brown proceeded to push around Kip.
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
Less than 15 minutes in and we’ve already scored as many goals as the US women scored against the Finnish women
Insane. Obviously, men’s hockey is not competitive enough and should be dropped from the Olympics.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
I just hope the Finns don’t start going all Ruutu on ’em.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
MIller
Any thoughts on pulling him if this gets too far out of hand? Worried about him getting hurt.
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
I say leave him in. Gotta keep him rolling, focused, zen-like. Be the ball, Danny.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
They're bored in the Booth
Talking about Wood Sticks and Composites already… groan….
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
Wood sticks FTW.
Or at least composite with a wood blade.
In the past two years, I’ve gone through more sticks than I did in the previous 15 easily. These one-piece things suck ass.
The worst, absolute worst. So absurdly weak. I hate it, my old shaft/blade combination has gotten impossible to find, so I’m dealing with all these light fiber gizmos that fall apart on me and cost twice as much.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
I hear you. Easton UltraLite shaft with a Daniel Tkazcuk blade. Don’t ask why the Tkazcuk blade was so appealing to me, it just worked better than anything I had tried.
Hating on NBC since 2010
by David Hanssen on Feb 26, 2010 3:58 PM EST up reply actions
Truthfully I can’t remember what I played with. I’m almost sure my Soderstrom stick was all wood, it was heavy as hell. My Fichaud stick might have been Carbon or Composite, It was so light I lost it a third of the time I stickpoked. My final stick was a Salo (I Think) and it was just right in between the both weight wise.
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
A friend of mine who was a goalie swore by his Vanbiesbrouck Vic that he had for years until he gave up either 7 or 8 goals in a game when we were seniors in HS and proceeded to whack it over the goal post at the end of the game until he broke it. He still says 9 years later he hasn’t found a stick as good as that one.
Hating on NBC since 2010
by David Hanssen on Feb 26, 2010 4:11 PM EST up reply actions
This is Russia against Canada again
The U.S. is way too fast and skates way too hard to be stopped by this little stick checks like the Finns are trying to do.
They should trap like the Swiss. That would at least limit the damage.
Satire
Comment from Yahoo:
“6-0 is the most dangerous lead in hockey.”
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
First period numbers
Four shots for Finland, six goals for USA?! Unreal, just unreal.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
Hope they don’t use up all their goal scoring in this game! Save some for the Slovaks! (or that pesky underdog team from Canada)!
by Iron Islander 77 on Feb 26, 2010 3:53 PM EST reply actions
We want Slovakia {clap-clap clap-clap-clap}
Pleeeeeaaase!
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
Games on NBC
Is it me or every game that’s been on NBC has been a blowout?
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
I think they had US-Swiss part II, didn’t they? Pretty sure I watched that one in HD.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
Ahhh Bettman
This is NHL Ice… Except its International Size
This is NHL Rules… Except for the International Rules
This is NHL Stars…. I think there’s some KHL’ers
This is NHL Refs… Except for the International Refs
He’s taking a course from Milbury.
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
It is an NHL sized rink, isn’t it? They’ve been making a big deal all tournament about that.
Hating on NBC since 2010
by David Hanssen on Feb 26, 2010 4:41 PM EST up reply actions
really? I thought it was International size? They’ve played some men’s games at the other Rink the Woman’s games were at and that one was International sized?
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
This is an NHL sized rink. They claim that Vancouver got an exception for money, blah blah blah. I think it was just another ploy to give Canada a distinct advantage.
Weird, so the Men played on both NHL sized and International sized? I thought the other Rink was larger.
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
No, all of the mens’ games have been on NHL-sized rinks. Not sure about the women’s tournament, I didn’t watch — but I suspect that was all NHL-sized as well.
Women's have been on NHL ice, too
Actually, I prefer the women on the smaller rink. On the big rink, it just looks like the smaller women are swimming at sea out there.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
The first game I saw was the womens gam and I thught it might be international sized at first. Then they said it wasnt and I realized that they were just tiny compared to NHLers and they literally made the ice look bigger lol.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 26, 2010 5:34 PM EST up reply actions
Bettman
That was like his desperate “if you like this hockey, you casual viewer you, you’ll love watching the Blue Jackets” sales pitch.
I concede a pretty healthy dose of PR-speak obligation from him, but man his lawyer-talk dodging and parsing gets tiring. At least when Medvedev talks KHL B.S., you can hear echos of Kremlin humor there.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
I hated that it was just Bettman and Al Micheals. Would have loved if JR could have peppered him with some real questions. But that would never happen.
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
I was in food court to sample the game (yes, I somehow timed it for the intermission) and I see Bettman from across the way and start to get excited that JR’s going to grill him … only to step closer and realize it was Michaels.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
i don’t think Bettman would agree to it if JR was the interviewer.
Hating on NBC since 2010
by David Hanssen on Feb 26, 2010 5:29 PM EST up reply actions
I think its AWESOME that they gave Tim Thomas some olympic time. It was the opportunity of a lifetime for him, he looked good, that goal was not weak at all, AND there is the psychological bonus of Miller not being the one to give it up. ;)
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 26, 2010 5:27 PM EST up reply actions
Phew
Finally taking off Miller. I was so worried he was going to get hurt.
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
I had the same feeling, was waiting for him to Bash Palffy.
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
C’mon Slovakia. Do it for the kids!
Hating on NBC since 2010
by David Hanssen on Feb 26, 2010 5:29 PM EST up reply actions
Yes! Canada should fold tonight just for that benefit alone.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
Go Ziggy! Go Miro! Go Big Z! Go Zednik lol!
Tonight I am Slovakian. :D
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
Don't tell my family, but
:whispers: tonight I am, too.
Viva land-locked states of Central Europe!
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
Now that we’re in the Semi’s I thought I’d take a look at my predictions from my previews and where I was lucky and where I failed miserably:
Group A
Prediction: Swiss 3rd, Norway 4th
Actual: Swiss 3rd, Norway 4th; Swiss beat Belarus, lost to USA in Quaters. Norway eliminated by Slovakia
Not too hard to predict, Norway’s first time on the Olympic stage since 94 and Mark Streit leading an underrated Swiss team. Two teams (hopefully) on the up and up.
Group B
Prediction: Latvia 4th
Actual: Latvia 4th, eliminated by some Central European country, Hungary I think? Maybe it was Austria. Dom, do you know?
A deaf, blind man could have made this prediction.
Group C
Prediction: Germany 2nd, Belarus 4th
Actual: Belarus 3rd, Germany 4th. Belarus eliminated by the Flying Streits, Germany eliminated by Canukistan.
Boy did I screw up on Germany. I thought they would not only finish ahead of both Belarus and Sweden. I thought the Swedes were too old and would fall on their faces and Germany would step up. Belarus played a lot better then I thought they would too. I wasn’t expecting them to do much with all their injuries.
Hating on NBC since 2010
off topic
REPORT: THASHERS’ KOZLOV REQUESTS TRADE
http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=311613
Get out of the sticks, Charles, move to Queens!!
Well, there ain’t much left in Atlanta for Slava… I wouldn’t be surprised if Waddell starts a fire sale and trades his pending UFA’s. He’s got a ton with Slava, Armstrong, Afinogenov, Slater, Kubina, Schubert and Hedberg.
Hating on NBC since 2010
by David Hanssen on Feb 26, 2010 8:41 PM EST up reply actions
While we’re on NHL transactions, the Rags called up Miika Wiikman. Wiikman is an interesting story, he was born and raised in Sweden to Finnish parents and has represented both countries internationally (Sweden at the u-20 and U-18 levels, Finland at the Senior level), former playoff MVP in the SM-Liiga and played well his first two years in the AHL. This year he wound up in the ECHL, finding himself behind Chad Johnson, Valiquette and Zaba, in his brief stint in the AHL hasn’t played well and now finds himself as Lundqvist’s backup… it’s an odd move that he’s been called up.
Hating on NBC since 2010
by David Hanssen on Feb 26, 2010 8:48 PM EST up reply actions
I thought Valiquette was Lundi’s backup? I mean he’s pretty old.
Maybe the Rangers have a prospect, but they’d rather not get him started in the NHL yet.
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
Valiquette was waived 2 months ago, he’s been playing in Hartford. The Rags had been rotating Zaba and Johnson as The Queen’s backups until Wiikman got called up. Maybe he needs someone around to speak Swedish to after 2 weeks with his countrymen.
Hating on NBC since 2010
by David Hanssen on Feb 26, 2010 9:19 PM EST up reply actions
With 20 Games left and them battling for a playoff spot, I wouldn’t expect The Queen to miss more then 1 or 2 games at most. Plus if he gets hurt, they know they are screwed anyway.
And ignore me missing personnel moves, I’m pretty good at keeping track of starting goalies but not backups.
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
Understandable. I’m an AHL nerd, so stupid shit like that interests me.
Hating on NBC since 2010
by David Hanssen on Feb 26, 2010 9:24 PM EST up reply actions
I’m awful beyond belief when it comes to the AHL. This I know, BP is horrible, but Goaltending and Defense is keeping them in it. Me predicting anything out of Andy Mac earlier in the season was just dumb luck from looking at BP’s Stats for their best Dman.
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
Since I don’t need the agita from listening to NBC’s broadcast team tonight, putting the TV on mute and cranking the music.
Hating on NBC since 2010
by David Hanssen on Feb 26, 2010 9:31 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
The Amazing thing is
NBC struggles with Commentators for all its sports. The one time they had 2 football games in a weekend their secondary crew was one of the worst crews ever put together.
They seem to like getting named commentators and analysts without really caring how they do their job.
Although I think tonight might be Kenny Albert who I do like.
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
Ohhh, and lets not forget they Hired Millen as an Analyst only weeks after he was finally fired with good reason.
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
Matt Millen, the Mike Milbury of Football.
But yeah, I hate to bring this up again BUT you have Al Michaels on your network and he is the daytime MC? The man should be in the booth and not lobbing softballs at Garry Bettman.
Hating on NBC since 2010
by David Hanssen on Feb 26, 2010 9:37 PM EST up reply actions
And I too don’t mind Albert, I just can’t deal with any more of Olczyk’s insanity or a Pierre-gasm.
Hating on NBC since 2010
by David Hanssen on Feb 26, 2010 9:38 PM EST up reply actions
Slovakia
If they can play the same game they did against Sweden, strong defensively and pick their offensive chances I think they could have an outside shot.
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
If Your Slovakia
You have to be happy. There’s really nothing that could be done about the tipped pucks. You just know you can’t make any sort of Mistake. Maybe Slovakia can score 3 goals against Canada but I’d be hard pressed to believe they could score more then that.
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
This makes me feel dirty, but they need to unleash the Gaborik.
Hating on NBC since 2010
by David Hanssen on Feb 26, 2010 10:15 PM EST up reply actions
Are the Slovaks playing half speed here? How many one man rushes does it take before someone realizes they can’t score that way?
Get out of the sticks, Charles, move to Queens!!
Did I just hear the Slovak coach ask “what time is the game for Bronze?”
Get out of the sticks, Charles, move to Queens!!
the way Slovakia has played…they couldv’e started the B team and said F*ck It….
Get out of the sticks, Charles, move to Queens!!
Nah, it was the same strategy they had against the Swedes. Defend your zone well, Counter Punch. But you can’t do anything about those redirects. Not only that, but the players who redirected pucks had Slovaks on them. Its how I would have played the game.
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
Its a strangely coached game. I noticed early on that the Slovaks would get the face off in their own zone, change players, But after the face off, a Slovak player would go offensive and be all alone, cause the guys behind him were changing again.
Ok, so say they put out guys for a defensive face off and want a change….But every time? This game hasn’t been about the Canadians being that good, or the Slov’s that bad, its been coached badly.
Get out of the sticks, Charles, move to Queens!!
But they were only down by 3 with 8 minutes left, as compared to being down by 5-6 after the first.
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
SO close
I cant believe how close they came to tying this game up. This game was honestly much closer than I thought it would be. Two deflected goals early, winds up being a 1G game with only a few mins to go, and at the end it was Slovakia with all the good chances. The Canadian team didnt put this game away, they just… hung on.
I am really proud of the Slovakian team. Look at Miro go lol! :) I REALLY want them to win the bronze… they showed a helluva lot more heart today than the Finnish team did!
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
Does this one give us (USA) confidence?
The one sequence where the Slovaks turned it on, they actually got Canada running around. And two more “meh” goals on Luongo. Hmmm…
I got to watch this one in a bar, sans NBC commentary, with just hockey friends. God it was glorious — particularly in the final 5 minutes, when our table was going crazy, and the rest of the meat market prowlers on a Friday night just stared at us with puzzled looks.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
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