Men's Ice Hockey : Gold Medal !

[lenny]

Russia for the gold.

Although I will be cheering on our boys as loud as I can.

A lot of people think the Russians will win or are gambling on them,
even though oddsmakers have the home team as a strong favorite.
For example:


"With all due respect to the Canadians, Swedes, Americans, et all, the Russians offer up some huge value and have as good a chance as the Canadians and probably better. For starters, Canada’s selection committee made some questionable choices and left out far too many quality players. They went with some aging vets that are good (I suppose they felt obligated) but are not the best the Canadians have to offer. Chris Pronger and Scott Niedemeyer on defense? Are you kidding me? These two guys are too slow and too old and they’re going to cost the Canadians some goals when Ovechkin, Malkin, Semin, Kovalchuk or somebody else skates circles around them. Any two of Jay Boumeester, Mike Green or Dion Phaneuf would serve better than Pronger or Niedemeyer. Luongo has been average in net and Brodeur could be a complete disaster. He’s been awful the past few games and way below average all season long. This guy has a ton of miles on him and he’s way past his prime. Other questionable choices include Iginla, Mike Richards, Brendan Morrow and Patrick Marleau over guys like LeCavalier, Stamkos, Dustin Penner, Shane Doan and Mike Fisher. Anybody can question these decisions after the games but I’ll do that before the games because it says here the Canadians may not even achieve silver based on some awful choices. Some may question the Russian goaltenders but Ilya Bryzgalov and Nabokov have been brilliant all year and Bryzgalov has a tremendous record in International play. Up front the Russians are loaded and behind the blue-line they have Sergei Gonchar (Pittsburgh), Denis Grebeshkov (Edmonton), Dmitri Kalinin (Salavat Ufa), Konstantin Korneyev (CSKA Moscow), Andrei Markov (Montreal), Ilya Nikulin (Ak Bars Kazan), Fedor Tyutin (Columbus) and Anton Vonchenkov (Ottawa). Sorry Canada, but the Russians are the best team in this tournament and they’re even better when they think they can win it all. If they do make it to the final, which is highly probable, you’ll likely be able to hedge this wager. Play: Russia +2.75 to win Gold (Risking 4 units)."

 

[Big Dog Striker]

I'd love Sweden to win but I'd go for Russia as the strong favorite.

 

[bshte]

A lot of people think the Russians will win or are gambling on them,
even though oddsmakers have the home team as a strong favorite.
For example:


"With all due respect to the Canadians, Swedes, Americans, et all, the Russians offer up some huge value and have as good a chance as the Canadians and probably better. For starters, Canada’s selection committee made some questionable choices and left out far too many quality players. They went with some aging vets that are good (I suppose they felt obligated) but are not the best the Canadians have to offer. Chris Pronger and Scott Niedemeyer on defense? Are you kidding me? These two guys are too slow and too old and they’re going to cost the Canadians some goals when Ovechkin, Malkin, Semin, Kovalchuk or somebody else skates circles around them. Any two of Jay Boumeester, Mike Green or Dion Phaneuf would serve better than Pronger or Niedemeyer. Luongo has been average in net and Brodeur could be a complete disaster. He’s been awful the past few games and way below average all season long. This guy has a ton of miles on him and he’s way past his prime. Other questionable choices include Iginla, Mike Richards, Brendan Morrow and Patrick Marleau over guys like LeCavalier, Stamkos, Dustin Penner, Shane Doan and Mike Fisher. Anybody can question these decisions after the games but I’ll do that before the games because it says here the Canadians may not even achieve silver based on some awful choices. Some may question the Russian goaltenders but Ilya Bryzgalov and Nabokov have been brilliant all year and Bryzgalov has a tremendous record in International play. Up front the Russians are loaded and behind the blue-line they have Sergei Gonchar (Pittsburgh), Denis Grebeshkov (Edmonton), Dmitri Kalinin (Salavat Ufa), Konstantin Korneyev (CSKA Moscow), Andrei Markov (Montreal), Ilya Nikulin (Ak Bars Kazan), Fedor Tyutin (Columbus) and Anton Vonchenkov (Ottawa). Sorry Canada, but the Russians are the best team in this tournament and they’re even better when they think they can win it all. If they do make it to the final, which is highly probable, you’ll likely be able to hedge this wager. Play: Russia +2.75 to win Gold (Risking 4 units)."

The only thing that quote confirms to me is that if Canada was allowed to enter 2 teams they could end up with 2 medals. The Russians are almost always the most talented team on paper but they don't always win!

 

[manni]

just as I suspected…our defensive group has more holes than a swiss cheese.
Pronger is a liability and Doughty isn't all he's cracked up to be fellas.
to win a shootout vs the Swiss is a failure in my books.

give it up for Hiller, the guy stood on his head.
Brodeur doesn't deserve to start vs the US–and don't be surprised
if Canada loses.

i'm still sticking with my prediction of Russia winning GOLD.
lots of heart on that team.

 

[lenny]

just as I suspected…our defensive group has more holes than a swiss cheese.
Pronger is a liability and Doughty isn't all he's cracked up to be fellas.
to win a shootout vs the Swiss is a failure in my books.

give it up for Hiller, the guy stood on his head.
Brodeur doesn't deserve to start vs the US–and don't be surprised
if Canada loses.

i'm still sticking with my prediction of Russia winning GOLD.
lots of heart on that team.

Russia just lost to the Slovaks who lost the day before to the Czechs.
And the Slovaks looked every bit as good as their two opponents,
unlike the Swiss vs Canada.

I'd say there are 7 teams with about an equal chance of winning gold.

1.) Canada
2.) United States
3.) Czech Republic
4.) Russian Federstion
5.) Slovakia
6.) Finland
7.) Sweden

The Swiss have an outside shot as a cinderella team if their goalie
stands on his head several times and wins the tournament MVP.

 

[bcneil]

Great tournament so far. Certainly nobody is looking that great.
The 3-2-1-0 scoring system sure makes things interesting.
Canada needs some luck to get number 1 seed now, basically sweden/finland to go to OT, and russia must beat the czechs.
I guess running up the score against Norway could come into play.

The swiss did really well on the penalty kill, so aggressive.
Canada did play a lot better than people are giving them credit for.

If the 3-2-1-0 scoring system was used in the NHL the western conference would look like this..

Team/games played/current points/3210 points.

San 62/89/122
Chi 61/87/117
Van 61/76/108
Pho 63/79/104
Lak 61/78/105
Col 61/76/105
Nas 61/71/96
Cal 62/69/94

 

[manni]

Russia just lost to the Slovaks who lost the day before to the Czechs.
And the Slovaks looked every bit as good as their two opponents,
unlike the Swiss vs Canada.

I'd say there are 7 teams with about an equal chance of winning gold.

1.) Canada
2.) United States
3.) Czech Republic
4.) Russian Federstion
5.) Slovakia
6.) Finland
7.) Sweden

The Swiss have an outside shot as a cinderella team if their goalie
stands on his head several times and wins the tournament MVP.

Niedermayer and Prongo–
fuckers caused TC the tourney.

Russia will win GOLD! OV is in a class of his own–
but then again, that whole team has speed, skill, size and most important–
HEART. team Canada doesn't have it (heart), sorry mate.

 

[manni]

manni have you been drinking this evening?????

just water…beer on occasion ; )
Canada's D unraveled pretty quick didn't u think? Brodeur starting? get serious.
some weak ass goals he gave up. Luuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!

I'm still sticking to my original statement that Canada's Dmen are highly overrated.
take away the two escargots – Prongo and Nied – and we were basically down to the
other four mediocre Dmen.

TC is missing a lot of HEART…what the "experts" call intangibles.

 

[HubbaHubba]

Niedermayer and Prongo–
fuckers caused TC the tourney.

Russia will win GOLD! OV is in a class of his own–
but then again, that whole team has speed, skill, size and most important–
HEART. team Canada doesn't have it (heart), sorry mate.

Give it a rest Mate, check the shots on goal. There was some lucky bouces big deal. Didn't know you were the authority on who has heart and who doesn't Mate.

 

[manni]

Give it a rest Mate, check the shots on goal. There was some lucky bouces big deal. Didn't know you were the authority on who has heart and who doesn't Mate.

i'm not the authority Hubba…just stating the obvious. i'll give it a rest now.
my condolences.

 

[HubbaHubba]

i'm not the authority Hubba…just stating the obvious. i'll give it a rest now.
my condolences.

I don't think you're stating the obvious, you are stating your opinion (which you are entitled to) Those guys are all giving it their all and questioning their HEART is offside in my books. The fact they ran into a hot goalie who out played ours and a couple lucky bounces, has nothing to do with HEART. These guys are fully aware of what this means to people like you in Canada. They are Canadian too and have dreamed of this moment....if they lose it won't be from a lack of HEART.

 

[hunsperger]

everybody relax...

my sense is they will probably run the table from here with Luongo...

none of the teams in this tourney have looked that impressive...

so I still think Canada should win it all...

and than we can go back to being smug...

 

[bcneil]

Looking really good so far against Russia tonight.

As a fan I think going through Germany then Russia is much more exciting, that if we just had to replay the Swiss.

I think Slovakia could give Sweden a nasty time tonight.

 

[sonoman]

Russia

I don't like that Luongo's being beaten on clean shots.

 

[August West]

I don't like that Luongo's being beaten on clean shots.

I'd say he was screened on two of them
The other was a good goal
Lou played a good game

 

[kidstone]

The way things have worked out, it was probably good for everyone that Canada lost to the US in the prelims.

1. It made for one of the highest rated hockey games in the US.
2. One of the highest rated hockey games in Canada.
3. Increased attendance at the games.
4. Increased viewership for all games.
5. A chance for Canada to develop its game and warm up Luongo.

Now if the final is between Canada and the US, it will likely be one of the highest rated hockey games in the U.S. (if NBC doesn't screw up the broadcast) and it will be the most watched game in Canada.

 

[exuberanttoki]

It will be exciting to see US vs. Canada in the final for sure. I am sure it will be impossible to find a ticket for that game.

 

[mercyshooter]

If I remember correctly, then those who say Russia will win gold will now need to pay us all for the rest of the year for our pooning habits!

 

[chilli]

Canada ROCKS!

(too bad Russia... hahahahaha)

 

[Sith-Lord]

3 -2 Overtime !!!

14 Gold Medals !
Woman's Gold Hockey
Men's Gold Hockey

# 87 wins it for Canada !!!

We Believed !!!