The World Cup of Hockey Thread

[RepoMan 0]

I'm hoping the USA comes out in the Ducks jerseys to honor our historic victory over Iceland.

[cue_meanie 0]

Only for the third period, anything else wouldn't be right.

[the max 0]

US drops its second game of the tournament to Russia 3-1.

 

Esche is really the only reason why these games are as close as they are, as the US players have gotten their asses whooped in almost every category. There's a big difference between age and experience. Right now, it's looking like age.

 

And if Keith Tkachuk had injured Sergei Gonchar, I think I would have killed him myself. HE'S BRUINS PROPERTY!!!

[nl5xsk1 0]

I feel like it's "nl5 eye for the TSM guy" saying this after admitting that I dug the Canadian sweaters, but I really liked the US ones a lot.

 

... there, now that the fashion part of my post is finished, I can talk about the actual game ...

 

Man, the US team looks bad. Between the first period vs. Canada and the first period vs Russia, they've been outshot 35-10 combined. That leads me to believe that the coaching staff is dropping the ball. I know that a team would never change coaches mid-tourney, but Wilson has got to go. The laughable part is him saying that he's got "5 sets of fresh legs" to put in vs. the Slovaks. Hmm, the healthy scratches were: Halpern, Langenbrunner, Smolinski, Martin, & Klee ... which of those players is such an improvement over the players that we had in already?!? Plus, he's talking of putting DiPietro in instead of Esche ... sot he one player that has played really well won't be in the game. Great.

 

I can just hope that the US beats the Slovaks, because having to go to Canada and play that powerhouse in the first elimination game would mean a really early end to the US' run.

 

/Max, I agree ... as soon as I saw the hit I turned away. Losing Gonchar would be a huge blow to the Bruins, and would be the icing on the cake to an already horrendous off season.

[the max 0]

US is fucked if they lose to Slovakia, which I see happening. Slovakia has two of the elite wingers in the NHL with combinations of speed and unbelievable ability. Who on the US team is going to cover Hossa and Gaborik? Tkachuk?! BWAHAHAHAHAHA

 

I agree about Esche. He's the only reason that these games are even competitive. If DiPietro starts, US will lose and lose badly.

 

Playing Canada in Canada, might as well pencil the US in for at least a four goal loss.

 

 

 

Agreed about Gonchar. It's been a horrendous off-season for the Bruins and had it been effected by a fucking loser like Tkachuk, I don't think I could be held responsible for my actions.

[the max 0]

http://tsn.ca/world_cup_hockey/news_story.asp?id=97378

 

Hull gets scratched, along with Conroy and Rolston. Langenbrunner, Smolinski and Halpern will get starts in their places. Rick DiPietro will start against Slovakia.

 

Well, looks like it's Canada in the elimination round for the USA.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

Why start DiPietro??? That makes no sense at all. I can understand taking out the aging Hull, but Esche was by far the best American player.

[Red Baron 0]

DiPietro is a good goalie, but he needs defence to help him along.

[Guest Rrrsh]

I am glad that if we win out (Canada) we get the Slovaks over the US. US can be way more dangerous.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

The guy who did the national anthems looked like some kind of crazy serial killer.

 

And who the hell would start yelling during the moment of silence for the people that died in Russia? Losers.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

 

I thought the guy who did the anthems had a great voice, and did a good job. But yes, he did look like a serial killer, or at the very least, some kind of criminal.

 

[Brush with Greatness 0]

HOw awesome was the Sweden-Finland game? I always get pumped for that matchup, my third favourite behind Canada v. Russia and Canada v. US, and it did not fail to deliver today. What a game.

[Guest CurryMan]

The game was awesome I was at a bar and it erupted when Sweden made 4-4, unfortunatly we didn´t get a 5-4 goal in overtime but hey it was a good game.

 

And our goalies is the reason why we don´t stand a chanse of winning it.

[the max 0]

I hate ESPN for not carrying either game.

 

God forbid we miss COLLEGE FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

I want to move to Canada.

[iggymcfly 0]

I have to say ESPN is perfectly justified in carrying whatever they want over the pool games, because they're all exhibitions. I hate, hate, hate that format where they play a bunch of meaningless pool games and then only get one loss that actually matters. It's keeping me from watching the early games, and it really trivializes any tournament it's used for.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

I have to say ESPN is perfectly justified in carrying whatever they want over the pool games, because they're all exhibitions. I hate, hate, hate that format where they play a bunch of meaningless pool games and then only get one loss that actually matters. It's keeping me from watching the early games, and it really trivializes any tournament it's used for.

I kind of agree. I'd like to see five teams in each division, with the fifth place team being eliminated. Whatever scrub countries enter will probably lose, but at least those games will mean something.

[the max 0]

Still, it lets me see the action so that I can have a better idea of what's going on in the tournament.

[Red Baron 0]

Wow, who thought Germany was going to upset Finland in today's elimination game.

 

A great all-around game by Germany.

[nl5xsk1 0]

I hate ESPN for not carrying either game.

 

God forbid we miss COLLEGE FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

I want to move to Canada.

I can understand why certain things take priority over hockey, because as little as we like to admit it we really are in the minority here in the States, and most Americans would prefer college football or MLB baseball to anything hockey related.

 

But having said all that, why didn't ESPN show yesterday's European game? The baseball game that they wanted to show got hurricane'd out, so they could have easily re-directed a satellite and taken the TSN feed and piped that out instead of playing 3 hours of poker re-runs.

[the max 0]

You have a point, sadly.

 

I'm moving to Canada.

[Guest Rrrsh]

I hate ESPN for not carrying either game.

 

God forbid we miss COLLEGE FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

I want to move to Canada.

Wo would defiantly accept any true hockey fan.

[Guest Rrrsh]

A lot of poeple up here were saying how great Russia is and much the US has fallin. There are way to many proud guys on that team to go down without a fight. I think the Fins will beat the Americans, but it will be one hell of a game.

[iggymcfly 0]

Yeah, I did watch that US/Russia game today. That was fucking tight. Since when does Keith Tkachuk score 4 goals in an NHL game, let alone in the quarters for the World Cup of Hockey. The US started playing really good hockey in the second period, and the way they're going, and they were just a joy to watch the rest of the way.

 

Again, since the opening games don't matter, I'd say that the US has a good of a chance to win it as anyone.

[nl5xsk1 0]

If the US can stay hot offensively, they have a good chance of getting to the final game - even if it is just the trio of Tkachuk, Modano & Guerin. Esche looked pretty good against the Russians, and historicaly a team with at least one hot line and a hot goalie can beat a better team at any given time ... but having said all that, beating Canada in the finals will be difficult.

 

The main thing that I thought last night while watching the US-Russia game was how good the Russian team really is. They're already pretty stacked, and are playing without a ton of superstars. Imagine if all the players (e.g. Federov) had decided to play? And if they had an NHL-caliber netminder? They'd have beaten the Amerks with ease last night. Plus, with Datsyuk & Kovalchuk they have young talent to build around for the future. The Russians should be good for a long time.

[the max 0]

I don't think anyone can beat Canada.

[Guest Rrrsh]

I don't think anyone can beat Canada.

I would concur, but the US has a better chance than the Czecks or Fins

[Red Baron 0]

I really don't think the States can defeat Finland in the next round. After playing against Canada, USA hasn't faced a solid NHL goalie, which can frustrate the US players

[CanadianChris 0]

That was scary, how dominating Canada looked in the second half of that game. It looked effortless. The Lemieux-Sakic-Iginla line was fearsome.

 

No team currently in the tournament has a goaltender that can take out that lineup.

[treble 0]

I'll FINALLY get to watch more than the last 6 or 7 minutes of one of Canada's games on Saturday. There's nothing worse than standing around, doing nothing, 99% sure that they're winning and having that 1% putting that little fear in your head ('well, they might not be').

[treble 0]

Oh, and I'm kind of upset that Sweden's gone, since seeing if they won, it would have been cool/strange to see Sundin skate around the ACC ice with a Cup or some sorts in his hands.

 

And I think it's fitting that a Slovakia team featuring Marion Hossa and Zdeno Chara lost a big game in Toronto. At least those 2 guys are used to it.