****Official Canada vs United States Gold Medal Hockey thread ****
 

I know there's a Winter Olympics thread, but this is the premiere event of the Olympics, and it's the matchup VANOC hoped they'd get when they spent how many billions of dollars to get the Games. NBC wanted this, and there's a chance that the American viewing audience of this game surpasses the population of Canada. It deserves it's own chuffing thread for ****s sake!:cuss:

To analyze the game some, Ryan Miller could very well be his generation's Mike Richter... the dude plays lights out in big games. Meanwhile, Canada's throwing Roberto Luongo in net who seems more likely to follow Russia's Evgeni Nabokov and Finland's Miikka Kiprusoff as high-profile tenders who have completely shit the bed when it mattered most. Personally, Luongo has been average at best, though better than Fatso Brodeur, which isn't saying much. It boggles my mind that Marc-Andre Fleury, Canada's most prolific big-game goalie of the past 2 years, did not see one second of ice time, as he's probably the best-suited to take on the Americans.

For the US team... there was a lot of shit heaped at the feet of GM Brian Burke after he picked his team... picking Komisarek, Drury, Langenbrunner among others led to his being raked across the coals by many in the hockey world. Injuries prevented Komisarek from making the trip to Vancouver and that was probably a blessing as he likely would've lost America a game or two on his own.

We can debate forward matchups in perpetuity... Canada has a more skilled group, but you can't undersell how well the US forwards have played as a group.

Regardless this should be one for the ages, and hopefully it does a lot for the popularity of hockey in the United States. Though I'm still gonna say 4-3 Canada.

Good luck ladies and gents!

Burke is the best GM in hockey, but I can't see the Americans pulling this one out. Not if Canada comes with the same effort as they have for the last week.

But then again, it's a single hockey game. I wouldn't be surprised by any result with the significant variation and luck involved.

And this game won't do anything for the popularity of hockey in the United States. Just as the one in 2002 didn't.

Isn't Burke the Leafs GM?

**** the ****ing usa. Go Canada

Currently.

:spock:

This. Following it in the olympics is pretty cool, but I don't have an NHL team in my area and don't look to pick one up after this is over unless Seattle/KC gets a team.

The NHL isn't as good as this. Not until it gets in the playoffs, anyway.

You goddamned terrorist

The quality of play in 2002 wasn't nearly as good in the NHL; those were the dark days of the dead puck era; the Olympics in 02 were the best hockey seen since the early nineties.

That may be true, but it doesn't ultimately matter. Some Americans will watch this out of American pride, but they won't watch it for the love of the sport. I live here...people don't care, and won't start caring as a result of an Olympic hockey game (and honestly, I'm not going to watch hockey until the playoffs start either). It's very unrealistic to believe otherwise.

Really, if I was the NHL, I'd try to move as many of these failing teams back to Canada as possible, but Bettman will never do that.

**** YOU, EH!

I was also baiting you, Phury, with the Burke comment. I thought you would respond to that.

Call me when Football or Baseball is in the Olympics. Otherwise. :yawn:

They call that the WBC. Japan kicks American ass in that.

This is tommorrow? What time does it start. Might have to turn this on during my Sunday afternoon nap since there really aren't any sports on tommorrow.

2:15 Central Time.

I have a fantasy baseball keeper league draft tomorrow at 12:45....I wonder if we'll finish in time.

I have not watched 1 minute of the olympics
I think I'll make myself a MS Paint badge

Canada is USA North

This should be epic. I'm wondering if the last 5 minutes of the Slovakia game has any lingering effect on Luongo.

Anyways, I would absolutely love to see the Americans win and basically leave a bad taste in Canada's mouth for the next few decades. No offense, KC Connection.

Bronco and Chiefs fans can unite and cheer for the same team for one day.
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Lol sorry; 'Brian Burke is nothing but a two-bit thug with a law degree. He won a cup with Bryan murray's players and I wouldn't want him leading my team unless it meant a dynasty that put the 80s oilers to shame'



There. Never like to leave anyone wanting haha

Good Point. Since you put it that way, I suppose I'll be pulling for Canada.

And yet he basically just got Dion Phaneuf for Ian White. :)

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Phury you're a *****ing idiot

He somehow manages to get franchise calibre defencemen for NOTHING. That trade is going to haunt the Flame organization for YEARS, my god...

That being said, Hagman and Stajan do give us something resembling a top line, so that's a nice little bonus. Not that you want 'nice little bonuses' when you trade Dion ****ing Phaneuf, but you get my point.

Oh do elaborate... Or feel free to ***** off if you're just going to say something that adds nothing to the discussion.

I hope it's at least as good as the women's gold medal game.

That was one of the best played games I've ever seen.

were gonna win that 14th gold!! PBJ PBJ PBJ

You lost all credibility when you said Fleury should see playing time...umm..ok mr Yzerman..and that Luongo will follow Kipper and the Russian goalie in the "shitting-the-sheets" category.:rolleyes:

I'd love nothing more than to see our boys, who most didn't even expect to see the medal round, beat the Canadians at their game, on their soil.

But I won't be disappointed if they don't. Silver is an outstanding achievement for this young crew.

Agreed. I just want it to be a competitive game. The worst-case scenario to me would be for it to be a 3+ differential game going into the 3rd.

Really?

Who has played in and WON more big games in the past two years? Marc-Andre Fleury has 30 playoff wins, a Stanley Cup, and has won seven playoff rounds. Brodeur and Luongo in that span have combined to win.... ONE.

In the the two biggest elimination games of his career, Luongo was absolutely demolished by the Blackhawks, and prior to that allowed an awful long-range softie against the Ducks in OT to lose that series. Don't even bother bringing Marty into the convo, what with his choketacular performances against the Hurricanes last year... How many games did he allow a tying or winning goal with under ten seconds left? If it happens more than once, I question his ability to win under pressure at this stage of his career.

In addition to all that, Luongo has looked ordinary at best against Slovakia, Russia and Germany. There have been no games where he came out and stole the show. And based on two other big-ticket goalies crapping the bed, seeing as how this guy has a history of buckling under pressure, yes, it worries me. It should worry you.

Finally, if you can explain to me why the best big-game goalie of the past two seasons, the current Stanley Cup champion, didn't deserve at least a look in the preliminary round, please do. I'm not suggesting they throw the guy in cold, but they should've given him a fairer shot to win the job, because he probably gives them the best chance to win.

Enjoy the game, and if you could actually attempt to make a compelling argument next post, that'd be cool.

This game looks like a win-win afternoon of enjoyment for me. The only way this would kind of suck is if one team collapses and gets blown out halfway through.

As long as it is close, if USA wins, then cool. http://fi.somethingawful.com/images/...s/emot-911.gif

If Canada wins, that would be cool too. This is their holy sport, in the olympics, on their ice. They would basically fall into a long dark depression if they lose, but if they won I imagine they would be so incredibly happy without being a bunch of obnoxious jerks about it.

USA! USA! USA!

http://www.ideachampions.com/weblogs...an-flag-2a.jpg

Beat those toothless, slow, french speaking, coattail riding, 3 down football, Molson drinking Canucks to a bloody pulp, eh.

Perfect.

And who does the play by play?

http://rlv.zcache.com/do_you_believe...06t59f_400.jpg

Sweet..Al Michaels is calling the game! WIN!!

HOLY ****!

That Canadian commentator dressed like Satan is the best thing to EVER happen to sports!
ROFL

Go USA.....**** Canada!

No shit WTF was that? ROFL

So how many times will we hear "1980" today???

Enough with the damn commercials. Drop the black thing and lets play some soccer on ice.

Anywhere to watch online?

Lot of dump and chase by the US so far.

Luongo is on point so far.

Rick Nash is a ****ing douchebag.

Nice.

The old "early line change."

so is the game tape delayed??? YGTBFKM...

God, that would have been a ****ing awful sequence of events.

Go team USA

Thankfully Canada didn't get a cheapy off a broken stick.

I really want someone to put a Claude Lemieux-style hit on Nash.

I ****ing hate that guy.

Wow you are on delay I'll keep quiet.

That should have never been whistled dead.

It was sitting on the goal line.

I'd also like to see someone take out that murderer Heatley.

Orpik tried earlier.

****

God ****.

Why would dump the puck right in front of your ****ing goalie?

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

http://i496.photobucket.com/albums/r.../facepalm1.jpg

That pass was horrible, first lesson of hockey. Never pass infront of your own goal. Nobody else to blame really.

It's like watching the ****ing Chiefs.

Defense is good, puck handling is good, we're moving and pressuring, and then w-........GHAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Horseshit

Oh, BULL****!!

That was a bit of home-cookin'.

Good kill

If I'm Obama, I have all the B2s at Whiteman heading for Montreal for a decapitation strike after that call.

I think the tempo is in team US favor. Those big backs of canada wont be able to keep up.

Come on Crosby. Canada is going to stomp the usa

Orpik owns.

Johnson really ****ed us there. Iced the puck then ****ed up on the clear, leading to the goal :facepalm: for Blues fans.

I love Orpik. He is going straight at Canadas pride. Putting up some big hits.

Summation of first period:

Play of USA: Dancing...fluid, on target passing, looking like tiny dancers.

Leafheads: fighting. Playing sloppy but driven.

We're getting our asses kicked by bald guys with french names on ****ing ice skates.

This $#it will NOT stand...:cuss:

It would be sweet with a goal to end the period.

40+ years or so...:shake:

Luongo is on thin ****ing ice.

**** these Canuck one who sucks the peniss.