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'
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.
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.
Quote: (02-22-2014 06:49 PM)Laner Wrote:
Where you watching the game Mikey?
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?