Official 2010 Olympic Hockey Thread

[JCShutout]

Can't hang your head about that one. Great job to both teams. Two impressive silver medals for USA hockey.

Tip your hat to Canada.

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

I would be so much happier if this was Russia, Finland, Sweden or any other team besides Canada. I mean WTF, it's like this is the happiest moment in their lives.

This is how I look at it. When America wins gold in basketball at the Olympics, it's expected and mostly as a country we have class and dignity. Canadians are out in the [expletive] streets waving flags and carrying on like cities do after winning a championship. Only it's just impromptu groups randomly strewn about in groups of roughly 30. And it annoys the everliving [expletive] out of me.

Congratulations, you're 1-1 with a negative goal differential against America in your nation's most important and revered game. Even the premier of BC was talking [expletive] n NBC last night.

\moving to rants

That was a great and wildly entertaining game!

[JCShutout]

I would be so much happier if this was Russia, Finland, Sweden or any other team besides Canada. I mean WTF, it's like this is the happiest moment in their lives.

This is how I look at it. When America wins gold in basketball at the Olympics, it's expected and mostly as a country we have class and dignity. Canadians are out in the [expletive] streets waving flags and carrying on like cities do after winning a championship. Only it's just impromptu groups randomly strewn about in groups of roughly 30. And it annoys the everliving [expletive] out of me.

Congratulations, you're 1-1 with a negative goal differential against America in your nation's most important and revered game. Even the premier of BC was talking [expletive] n NBC last night.

\moving to rants

That was a great and wildly entertaining game!

Its different than basketball in the US. Canada has always been better than us in hockey, but Russia/USSR (at the time) has dominated olympic gold.

The last two times Canada won the gold before this year were 2002 and 1952. This was in Canada. This is their national sport. Between 1952 and 2002, the gold was won by the USSR/Russia/CIS 8 times, the USA 2 times, while Sweeden and the Czech Republic each won it once.

Now sure, before 1998, NHL players did not participate, so while the USSR had ALL of their best competing against Canada's 2nd tier, the USSR pretty much dominated the times they played the NHL All-Stars (aside from the incredible 1972 Summit Series-but the USSR won gold that year), but still, national pride is an important thing. Let them enjoy. This is a big victory for them. They demolished gold favorite Russia, and outplayed the US in the game they lost to them. It doesn't matter if you win 3-2 or 8-0. A win is a win.

men's hockey medal winners: (per http://proicehockey.about.com/od/olympi ... medals.htm)

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

You make good points, but regarding the gold medal count....that pretty much gets thrown out the window because NHL players didn't participate in the Olympics. So, yes, it is like the dream team....they're just not as dominant

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

I don't know much about hockey, but is it required to play man to man when it's 4 on 4? Why not go into the power play defense mode?

[Tambourine Man]

At least we can rely on Shatner to make an ass of himself.

[cardsfansince82]

This is a big victory for them. They demolished gold favorite Russia, and outplayed the US in the game they lost to them.

Everything I've read had Canada as the overwhelming favorite for gold.

Anyway, it was an enjoyable game to watch, even for this non-hockey fan. Seeing them tie it with 24 seconds left made it all worth it. Nothing to be ashamed of.

<hockey novice>
Even though it seemed like the US should have had all of the momentum and none of the pressure, I didn't think they had any chance of winning in OT other than a lucky goal or mistake by Luongo. I was hoping for a shootout. Once it went to 4 on 4 the individual skills of the Canadians became way more apparent. The US strategy of dumping it in and hustling wasn't going to work 4v4 and they already spent a ton of energy getting back in the game. I knew it was just a matter of time before someone on Canada got loose and finally beat Miller. As an aside, (I could be completely wrong here since all the other players get more publicity) but I thought Rick Nash was the most dangerous player on the ice.
</hockey novice>

[JCShutout]

You make good points, but regarding the gold medal count....that pretty much gets thrown out the window because NHL players didn't participate in the Olympics. So, yes, it is like the dream team....they're just not as dominant

Except that I said that the USSR dominated they majority of the time they played NHL teams and All-star teams.

per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Seri ... _and_Games

In 98 games, USSR and teams in the USSR played NHL teams 98 times from 1976-1991.

The Soviets had a record of 55 wins, 33 losses and 10 ties. (.612 win%)

The Red Army team, the best team, was 24-8-2 against NHL teams in that time period. .735 win%)

per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Uni ... ockey_team

In the two Summit Series, which was the USSR vs. NHL All Stars (Canadians and nonCanadians), the USSR and Canada each won one series, with the USSR's overall record of 7W-4L-4T

The 1979 Challance cup against NHL All Stars, the USSR won 2 games to 1, outscoring the NHL 13-8.

The 1987 series was a two game split between the NHL and USSR.

Not to mention the USSR won the world championship in 1954, 1963-1971, 1973-1975, 1978-1983, 1986, 1989-1990, and placed 2nd 7 times in that span, with 4 third place showings.

Canada had much to proove and has much to celebrate. The international stage has been all USSR/CIS/Russia, not Canada.

Essentially, at best, the NHL All stars, including non Canadians, were about even with the USSR, while the USSR wiped the floor with your average NHL team.

So I for one would be damn proud.

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

1. I never said don't be proud. I more or less said don't act like [expletive] retards.

2. Who would you pick to win a game the week before the Superbowl, the New Orleans Saints or the AFC Pro Bowl team? I'd take the Saints, hands down.

The USSR team played together every day all day 24/7-365. That's a big advantage.

Canada was heavily favored and won. Congratulations. That doesn't give anyone the right to act retarded.

[TimeForGuinness]

I would rather have an own goal in OT than Crosby scoring it. I can't stand the anointed one...and now we'll have to hear about his heroics in the 2010 Gold Medal game against the US for the rest of time.

I hope he gets his bell rung the first game back this week.