Canada didn't even look like they hit third gear. After that third goal you could see the wind go right out of Sweden's sails.
'Logic Over Emotion Since 2013'
Olympic Hockey
I think the tourney would've been different if Sweden had Zetterberg, Franzen, Henrik Sedin, and of course Backstrom for the whole tourney. Same for Finland who was missing 4 key forwards notably at the center position. Credit to Canada for being relentless every game.
Quote: (02-23-2014 09:28 AM)Nonpareil Wrote:
Overall an underwhelming tournament; Canada had an easy walk to the QF, Russia choked, USA stopped giving a fuck when they couldn't get gold and both Finland and Sweden were depleted. The 7 AM and 12 PM starts helped nothing, I couldn't catch all the games I wanted, but what can be done about it?
Nonpareil's top 5 performers:
1) Drew Doughty (CAN) [difference maker in every game]
2) Erik Karlsson (SWE) [Doughty wins because I heard Karlsson's name maybe twice against Canada]
3) Phil Kessel (USA) [leading scorer, good even in the last two games]
4) Carey Price (CAN) [had help, but you can't knock the numbers]
5) Olli Määttä (FIN) [even if he was 27 he would be up there, but he's 19!]
HM: Shea Weber (CAN), Alexander Radulov (RUS), Mikael Granlund (FIN), TJ Oshie (USA), Jonathan Toews (CAN), Henrik Lundqvist (SWE), Michael Grabner (SUI), Jamie Benn (CAN), Daniel Sedin (SWE)
Nonpareil's goats:
1) Alex Ovechkin (RUS) [habitual big-game vanisher, dragged Malkin down with him]
2) Patrick Kane (USA) [more focus on winning, less on partying and smashing pussy]
3) Zach Parise (USA) [captain invisible]
4) Nicklas Backstrom (SWE) [it was Pesudoephedrine from allergy meds, but still...this is why you ask someone who knows the rules before taking pills]
5) Jaroslav Halak (SVK) [shit the bed]
DHM: Evgeni Malkin (RUS), Dustin Brown (USA), Nino Neiderreiter (SUI), Semyon Varlamov (RUS), Chris Kunitz (CAN), Gabriel Landeskog (SWE)
Extremely close to putting Crosby into the goats...but he was out for blood in the gold medal game, best player on the ice by far, creating chances every time he was on the ice and came away with a goal. Not enough to bump him up into the top echelon (though I think he had an okay tournament - better linemates would have helped), but enough to keep him out of the dog house.
Nice post you pretty much nailed it. Crosby sure looked solid in the final. Kane was a real let down for the US generally too just couldn't find his rhythm. Ovechkin was yet again a disappointment on the big stage.
The way the US went from 'hero to zero' in just 2 games was a bit of a bummer....not really sure how to judge Bylsma as the coach but at the end of the day they didn't get it done and he's to blame. As for the Russians they simply don't play like a team and I think you really gotta wonder if they will in the near future at the highest level. Their defense sure was suspect at times as was their overpassing style. Part of that has to be coaching but it's more than that. More like overconfidence and blind faith that one certain style or plan of attack will work (when it clearly has not been working). Pride re the KHL players came into play too (why so many? They didn't do sh*t the last couple Olympics).
I have to think that some of these big time Russian players get spoiled too and just do not go all out for the team like the Canadians/Finns/Swedes do - happened with the Russian football team in the European championships as well. I mean in the Finland game Radulov seemed like the only guy hell bent for leather chasing down every puck while Ovechkin and a few others got discouraged and didn't seem like they were giving 100% at times.
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I was initially very condemning of Bäckström when the first news about the doping charge came. I come from the same town as him in Swe. An insignificant shit hole with a great Hockey Team. I've meet him and shook his hand on several occasions. If it turned out that he had somehow been taking performance enhancing drugs in conjunction with the sport he would have been dead to me and the entire nation. Doping is something Sweden has always railed against.
Now, as more details are available I'm on the opposite side. The IOC seems to have made this call as some sort of powerplay. The drug he was taking was somehting his doctor had openly divulged. The result came after 4 days (even 20 years ago it took 1 day getting a result) and was announced right before the final. Sweden was thus playing the final without its most important remaining center. The guy who wins you the tenth of seconds in the mid-zone that matters. The team had to adjust and skate on to the Ice in a game against a team were opposition and officials were all Candian.
WITH THAT SAID, the Canadian officials did a good job. They were fair and did not make or omit any calls that would have really influenced the game. Would Bäckström have been on the ice and playing, Canada would still have won in the end (although the final score might likely have been more dignified).
The situation that occurred should just not have happened. There shouldn't have been several officials of the same nationality as one of the fielding teams, let alone in an Olympic final. The doping charge on Bäckström is even more incomprehensible.
Canada is worth the gold for being the best team on ice this tournament. I would have wished them a win without these questionable distractions.
Now, as more details are available I'm on the opposite side. The IOC seems to have made this call as some sort of powerplay. The drug he was taking was somehting his doctor had openly divulged. The result came after 4 days (even 20 years ago it took 1 day getting a result) and was announced right before the final. Sweden was thus playing the final without its most important remaining center. The guy who wins you the tenth of seconds in the mid-zone that matters. The team had to adjust and skate on to the Ice in a game against a team were opposition and officials were all Candian.
WITH THAT SAID, the Canadian officials did a good job. They were fair and did not make or omit any calls that would have really influenced the game. Would Bäckström have been on the ice and playing, Canada would still have won in the end (although the final score might likely have been more dignified).
The situation that occurred should just not have happened. There shouldn't have been several officials of the same nationality as one of the fielding teams, let alone in an Olympic final. The doping charge on Bäckström is even more incomprehensible.
Canada is worth the gold for being the best team on ice this tournament. I would have wished them a win without these questionable distractions.
Not sure if this will be funny outside America, but I pissed myself laughing
Quote: (02-23-2014 04:00 PM)Vicious Wrote:
I was initially very condemning of Bäckström when the first news about the doping charge came. I come from the same town as him in Swe. An insignificant shit hole with a great Hockey Team. I've meet him and shook his hand on several occasions. If it turned out that he had somehow been taking performance enhancing drugs in conjunction with the sport he would have been dead to me and the entire nation. Doping is something Sweden has always railed against.
Now, as more details are available I'm on the opposite side. The IOC seems to have made this call as some sort of powerplay. The drug he was taking was somehting his doctor had openly divulged. The result came after 4 days (even 20 years ago it took 1 day getting a result) and was announced right before the final. Sweden was thus playing the final without its most important remaining center. The guy who wins you the tenth of seconds in the mid-zone that matters. The team had to adjust and skate on to the Ice in a game against a team were opposition and officials were all Candian.
WITH THAT SAID, the Canadian officials did a good job. They were fair and did not make or omit any calls that would have really influenced the game. Would Bäckström have been on the ice and playing, Canada would still have won in the end (although the final score might likely have been more dignified).
The situation that occurred should just not have happened. There shouldn't have been several officials of the same nationality as one of the fielding teams, let alone in an Olympic final. The doping charge on Bäckström is even more incomprehensible.
Canada is worth the gold for being the best team on ice this tournament. I would have wished them a win without these questionable distractions.
ESPN is saying it is allergy medicine that was approved by his doctor and by the Swedish national team. If true, I think it's very unfair and that Sweden was cheated from having one of their best players there.
http://m.espn.go.com/extra/olympics/stor...rc=desktop
Quote: (02-22-2014 06:49 PM)Laner Wrote:
Where you watching the game Mikey?
sorry Laner, didn't get on till now but just watched it at home, was supposed to watch it with a bunch of friends and they all still got together but I had been battling a minor flu all week and it just came to a head, took my pre game nap woke up at 2 pumped but couldn't get my ass up to make the drive so just me, my dog and a girl I'm seeing. Did you get somewhere good?
The Backstrom details just keep seeping out but just unfortunate for the undermanned Swedes that, that is how it had to go down. They could've used him as the Sedin line became just non existent without him there to center it and really eliminated any forward push they could generate. Not that it would've mattered ultimately as I think this game just showed how air tight that Canada team was and just how sickeningly deep they were but with Sweden injuries coming into this one this was just too much to overcome no matter how much heart you got. That Canadian squad might be one of the best olympic squads ever assembled and that with injured Tavares and Stamkos, just scary good. I hope to hell the nhl players get to play in 2018 cause there is going to be some major lessons learned. Russians might finally invest in proper coaching. Finns will have some young talent that will be very fun to watch by 2018. Swedes are gonna be a question mark as they don't seem to have a lot of young talent on the way up but their defensive depth with Karlson, OEL and Edler (who surprised the hell out of me today, playing consistently well) is going to be in their prime so they should be able to put together a respectable squad still. US is on the edge of breaking through but still some depth away especially on the backend but the Fowlers Jones should be more olympic ready by then and I imagine Suter would still be around as would Quick. Good tourney everyone and lots of fun hashing it out with you guys! Proud of the Canadian men and women, did the country proud.
Quote: (02-23-2014 06:31 PM)mikeymike Wrote:
Quote: (02-22-2014 06:49 PM)Laner Wrote:
Where you watching the game Mikey?
sorry Laner, didn't get on till now but just watched it at home, was supposed to watch it with a bunch of friends and they all still got together but I had been battling a minor flu all week and it just came to a head, took my pre game nap woke up at 2 pumped but couldn't get my ass up to make the drive so just me, my dog and a girl I'm seeing. Did you get somewhere good?
I wanted to drink a few beers with the game so I just went over to a friends house. There was a good group of us and a few of had been playing hockey together since were three.
I live in Gastown and it was a nightmare getting people to leave the bars and then monitor the ones coming back in. Lots of really drunk people before the game even started. Not exactly the people I wanted to watch a game with. The Blarney Stone had the best set up I found.
It was good to see the closing ceremonies and suck back a few bottles of champagne as well!
Congrats Russia! It was a great Olympics!
I'm the King of Beijing!
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