Olympic Gold Medal GDT: Canada vs. USA

Cam98 said:
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That is hilarious, lol! :D
 
Sweden, Slovakia and Finland were all great in the round robin games, heck Slovakia was even great in the playoffs.

I was happy for my 8 year old. He loves Crosby and to have Crosby score the winning goal was so great for him. He is gone off to school this morning with his Crosby Team Canada shirt on with a big smile on his face.

Here is a picture from last year with his Team Canada practise jersey.

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razzamaztaz said:
I'm surprised so many think this was the best tournament ever. Perhaps cause you don't watch many international tournaments? I've watched every Olympics and World Cup the past 27 years, and I actually felt this one was a big disappointment. Perhaps cause of the match-ups, the "wrong" teams met etc, but many teams played plain bad imo. Sweden sucked. Finland sucked. The Czechs failed to deliver. Slovakia was quite boring. Russia was a huge huge disappointment, even if they were still fun, but certainly a big failure.
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GrimUSMC said:
This should be a message to the NHL. Officiate games like that. That was easily the best job of officiating I have ever seen. They let the players decide it on the ice, and unfortunately Canada won. I got a call form my sister after regulation and she told me it was "the greatest hockey game" she ever saw. She is a casual sports fan, and a hard fought low scoring game was considered the greatest game she ever saw.

I still think the US team has alot to be proud of. I want to hate Crosby, I really do, but I just cant for some reason. I also thought ther ovation Miller received when given his medal was classy, very classy.

Congrats Canada, you deserve it. See you in 4 years.

PS: I think we were all spoiled by this great tournament. We will not see hockey of this level for another four years.
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i totally agree, i wonder how i can watch a game between Florida and New York Islanders and be able to stomach it. This was some of the best hockey, all teams seemed to step up their games (except finland vs USA) It also helped that all the games were prime time or close to as opposed to the middle of the night.
 
razzamaztaz said:
I'm surprised so many think this was the best tournament ever. Perhaps cause you don't watch many international tournaments? I've watched every Olympics and World Cup the past 27 years, and I actually felt this one was a big disappointment. Perhaps cause of the match-ups, the "wrong" teams met etc, but many teams played plain bad imo. Sweden sucked. Finland sucked. The Czechs failed to deliver. Slovakia was quite boring. Russia was a huge huge disappointment, even if they were still fun, but certainly a big failure.

Canada and USA was the only ones who played great (apart from Swiss- Norway apparently, but unfortunately I missed that game). Many of the final games were a disappointment. Sweden-Slovakia was a bore. Finland-Czechs even worse. USA-Finland was just a waste. Only Canada-Russia (fantastic game!), and Canada-USA was actually really entertaining. Two games in a whole tournament.

And even if Canada-USA was a real good game, it was definitely not the greatest game I've ever watched, actually disappointed in that one too, a bit too much tight physical lowscoring game for my taste and none of the goals were very pretty either (and bad reffing, I'm surprised none of you Americans scream murder about the crosscheck from Pronger which was 100% penalty, would have given USA 5-3 powerplay and wouldn't have given Canada 2-0, not that I mind as I cheered for Canada but still). Good game, but not super. It doesn't even come close to the World Cup final two years ago between Canada-Russia, that game is probably still the most entertaining hockeygame I've ever watched. Pure hockeypropaganda. Are you all blindfolded or are you that much in love with tight physical play?
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I will be the first person to admit that I am a notorious whiner(SP?) about officiating, BUT I am (or I like to think I am) consistent. I do not want a penalty deciding the outcome of a game where you have two teams giving everything they possibly have to give. I like a tight hard fought game. For the officials to make this a penalty fest would have been an insult to the game, and would have taken away from an intensity level so high, I could feel it in my living room.

I will however say I cant see why you have a 4 on 4 OT, but oh well, thats the rule.
 
razzamaztaz said:
I'm surprised so many think this was the best tournament ever. Perhaps cause you don't watch many international tournaments? I've watched every Olympics and World Cup the past 27 years, and I actually felt this one was a big disappointment. Perhaps cause of the match-ups, the "wrong" teams met etc, but many teams played plain bad imo. Sweden sucked. Finland sucked. The Czechs failed to deliver. Slovakia was quite boring. Russia was a huge huge disappointment, even if they were still fun, but certainly a big failure.

Canada and USA was the only ones who played great (apart from Swiss- Norway apparently, but unfortunately I missed that game). Many of the final games were a disappointment. Sweden-Slovakia was a bore. Finland-Czechs even worse. USA-Finland was just a waste. Only Canada-Russia (fantastic game!), and Canada-USA was actually really entertaining. Two games in a whole tournament.

And even if Canada-USA was a real good game, it was definitely not the greatest game I've ever watched, actually disappointed in that one too, a bit too much tight physical lowscoring game for my taste and none of the goals were very pretty either (and bad reffing, I'm surprised none of you Americans scream murder about the crosscheck from Pronger which was 100% penalty, would have given USA 5-3 powerplay and wouldn't have given Canada 2-0, not that I mind as I cheered for Canada but still). Good game, but not super. It doesn't even come close to the World Cup final two years ago between Canada-Russia, that game is probably still the most entertaining hockeygame I've ever watched. Pure hockeypropaganda. Are you all blindfolded or are you that much in love with tight physical play?
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Sour grapes much?
 
I really hate when people say that or make that argument. The *lack* of a penalty decide equally much!!!! "Let the boys play" argument is old, unmodern and should never be said. In this game it was pretty ok if I disregard the Pronger situation, it never got out of hand. But I've seen so many games where it has gone out of hands cause the refs don't use the whistle. What are they there for, decoration? If the refs put down a level in the first period, the players know they can't do this or that and adjust, and then the play moves along fine without further penalties. And having one ref book for the Canada team and another for the USA team is plain bias. I wouldn't say anything in this game if the Americans got away equally much.

Anyhow, ok, compared to hockey in general perhaps Sweden, Slovakia etc didn't suck, but compared to the high level that I did expect, they sucked. Playing good against Belarus etc don't count, it always looks great when a good team beats a bad team. Maybe I've been spoiled the past two years with Junior WC and the regular WC.
 
"sour grapes anyone?"

Ehum, if you noticed I cheered for Canada, they were hands down the best team and the most entertaining too. But I'm disappointed and annoyed at the tournament as a whole, not at Sweden btw, I knew long before Olympics they wouldn't have a chance. And I actually wanted Russia-Canada in the finals rather than Sweden, I'm a hockeyfan first and a Swede second.
 
I have been watching hockey for 30+years including all the international tournaments. Every tournament there have been 3-4 strong teams, a few so so teams and then a few extremely weak teams, that has not changed. Just look at how much teams like Germany, The Swiss etc... have improved over the years. It will only get better.

I love having all the professional players play in these international tournaments, let the best play.
 
razzamaztaz said:
I really hate when people say that or make that argument. The *lack* of a penalty decide equally much!!!! "Let the boys play" argument is old, unmodern and should never be said. In this game it was pretty ok if I disregard the Pronger situation, it never got out of hand. But I've seen so many games where it has gone out of hands cause the refs don't use the whistle. What are they there for, decoration? If the refs put down a level in the first period, the players know they can't do this or that and adjust, and then the play moves along fine without further penalties. And having one ref book for the Canada team and another for the USA team is plain bias. I wouldn't say anything in this game if the Americans got away equally much.

Anyhow, ok, compared to hockey in general perhaps Sweden, Slovakia etc didn't suck, but compared to the high level that I did expect, they sucked. Playing good against Belarus etc don't count, it always looks great when a good team beats a bad team. Maybe I've been spoiled the past two years with Junior WC and the regular WC.
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I see what your saying, I just completely disagree. There are necessary calls, but there are also completely unnecessary calls made in games that just deflate the intensity level, and lead to a less physical game. I do not enjoy that. This was some of the best hockey I have seen in a long time, and the intensity level and the hitting was just ridiculous. It was just great to watch and overall highly entertaining.

To see what Im saying, imagine how different the game would have been if they called the game as the NHL does. The players would not have been hitting as much and there would have been about 8 PP per team. Thats not hockey at its finest, today's game was hockey at its finest and the officials deserve to be told they did a phenomenal job. I just pray someday the NHL sees the light.
 
Congrats to the USA - great come-back. Great energy and GREAT GOALTENDING.

When you think of it, Miller is likely the only player on the team who is the best player on his NHL team (Parise a close 2nd to kovalchuk) and this group of players gelled together and played extremely well, not losing a single game in regulation.

I tip my hat.

Miller was clearly the best goalie. Luongo played well but could not control rebounds or catch when the going got tough.

Toews, Nash and Richards were Canada's best line (IMO), keeping the USA's top line in check most of the game and popping 1 in themselves.

Crosby missing that break-away was the TSN turning point - and the USA responded.

As for the goal - Crosby admitted he did not even look - he just shot and it found it's way in. Miller expected him to carry it out and went for the poke-check. It's fitting Crosby scored the goal - he is afterall, the best player but I would have been just as happy to see Toews or Heatley score - they played well the entire tournament.

After watching this olympics - has it changed anyone's minds about the capabilities of NHL teams now?

It has for me. Chicago (Toews, Kane, Seabrook, Keith, Hossa) players all looked great.
 
It wasn't the best game I ever saw in my 38 years on this planet, but it's over and Crosby scored the winning goal to bring home the gold medal. Like Scotty's little boy my guy is gleaming. Crosby is the face of the NHL and kids all over the world love him. Great finish.

You can't beat a Russia vs Canada finish.

Too bad they didn't have a better tourney.

1987 will always be my favourite. (Just like guys in their 50-60 say that that 72 was their favourite, and just like kids 10 years from now will say this tourney was their favourite)
 
How hung over is Canada today?

On a sidenote, how long is Crosby going to haunt Ryan Miller. He burned him in the Winter Classic and for the gold medal.

Here is the cover of the Philly Daily News for the Pens/Canadians:
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Ultimately, this will probably turn into an iconic moment, one of those "Where were you when....." memories.

But, I agree with Razmatazz....this wasn't neccessarily, "great" hockey. Don't get me wrong, it was exciting hockey, but all in all, the overall quality of the hockey in this tourney was disappointing. It almost felt like one of those scripted reality shows. I'm extremely proud of all of our Canadian athletes, including the guys on the men's hockey team, but I'm not sure if there was a team who was more frustrating to watch than Team Canada in the whole tournament. They had moments of sheer poetry on ice, coupled with moments of looking like a bunch of 6 year old timbit players. The only truly consistent team in the tourney was Team USA, and while the boys in red and white ultimately got 'er done, it wasn't really pretty. If nothing else, this tourney showed that in a "One and Done" tournament, anything can happen and that the balance of power is starting to even out.

Surprisingly, I still find the Gold medal game between Canada and Sweden at the 94 Lillehammer Olympic's much more memorable, and I am probably one of the few who wish we would go back to amateurs playing in the Olympics. That being said, I'll bask in the current glow of our national pride and patriotism, grateful that our athletes gave it their all, regardless of their podium finish, and settle back and enjoy the memories of a fantastic two weeks.
 
I see what razz is saying, and agree for the most part. The gold medal game was good, aside from that, the tourney was a let down in terms of Olympics.

Too many blowouts, too many good teams that simply didnt show up.

When I watch playoff hockey, I half expect the 8 team to give the 1 seed a run for their money. In our "new" NHL, anyone has a chance because of the style of play. I did not feel like all teams had an equal chance this time.

Between the US scoring 6 goals in 10 minutes vs Finland, and Canada running up the score on Russia.....Games that were supposed to be good games, actually werent (I know some people here will say they were awesome games, but imagine that it was Belarus, not Russia. I hardly believe anyone would have called it a good game.)

I will say this again though, Kane is amazing, and Jagr still knows how to play. ;)
 
Canada vs USA: Who would YOU root for if you were me?

I was in an interesting predicament yesterday. I am an avid hockey fan (as all of you might know), born and raised in the Boston area and have lived hockey for a half a century. But here's what I was anxious about.

Thanks to my dad, he helped get the game into my blood. He began taking me to hockey games in the early 50's at the old Boston Garden. He loved hockey. Of course he did... he was born in Canada (Red Bay, Labrador)!

So, sitting in my living room watching the Gold Medal hockey game between the two countries routing for the USA was the obvious choice. But if Canada won the gold (I thought), that is my heritage and I should be happy.

But if the US won the gold, I am an American and will be very excited. The obvious choice?

My wife was beside herself when I applauded Crosby's overtime effort. It was a beautiful goal and one poor MVP Miller has little time to prepare for. How could one not applaud that effort?

So, in the end, I was happy. We (USA) had the silver medal and my dad's country had the gold. It was truly one of the finest hockey games I had ever seen. I was at the 1970 Stanley Cup game when Orr scored the winning goal. :bruins: But, other than that experience, I would say yesterday's game would rank as a solid #2 experience!
 

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