If you love the USA

[Pothier]

USA reeked of jet lag and tiredness in general today.

I think you could say the same thing about Team Canada. If it wasn't for Jet Lag and the strong play of Jason Muzzati, I have absolutely no doubts in my mind that Canada would've hit double digits in that game.

 

[Hockeyfan02]

Also, I have another question: Where did the perception of John Grahame as Laviolette's "Golden Boy," as suggested by sabersrat, come from? Has Laviolette even coached Grahame before?

Grahame was on an AHL team that Laviolette coached. We all know Miller should be on the team.

If the US can only score 3 goals against Latvia and gives up several odd-man rushes to Latvia, then they have bigger problems than goaltending the rest of the tournament.

 

[Randall Graves*]

USA wins today with Miller.

 

[DaMick]

USA wins today with Miller.

Miller plays D now?

Moot point



besides Irbe made 39 saves which isnt shabby by any NHL standards

 

[Big Daddy]

While Team USA needs to back away from the buffet table and are a little long in the tooth I wouldn't write them off just yet. They were jet laggin for sure and they also ran into a hot goalie. Irbe had 39 saves and was big in the third which the US pretty much dominated. No excuses really, Canada won when they had to and the US couldn't finish, plain and simple.
I watched the Canada game and it was a great game until after the 5 minute mark of the 2nd period. Even the commentators repeatedly said the Italy team was well coached and played as a unit. After that Canada never looked back.

 

[Snap Wilson]

Ah, the babies are in full cry.

A disappointing tie, but not necessarily indicative of anything. The U.S. played well enough to win by four goals. Bad bounces, a few sloppy miscues, and none of it was Grahame's fault. Sh-- happens. The U.S. needs to put this behind them and handle their business against Kazakhstan.

 

[Skroob*]

USA goaltending will not be a problem....





In future games when Montoya is the #1.

 

[swflyers8*]

Wow. You sure about that?

A) Miller neever hurt his wrist.

B) Miller's 2-0 against Philly.

1st win a shootout win, not really a big achievement there. Nothing really says he is god's gift to American hockey, sorry.

The States will be lucky to finish Top 5 this year, I said it before and you can quote me on it.

That's if anyone cares about what you said.

 

[shawn_kemp*]

If you love the USA, just keep faith at least until the end of the round robin.

It ain't over till it's over.

 

[Myllz]

1st win a shootout win, not really a big achievement there. Nothing really says he is god's gift to American hockey, sorry.

That wasn't the point of the post. The point was to show that Miller played the game in Philadelphia.

 

[MLH]

1st win a shootout win, not really a big achievement there. Nothing really says he is god's gift to American hockey, sorry.

You don't think it's a big achivemnent to make 33/34 saves, win the shootout, and be named the game's first star all in a game where you're "out indefinetaly" and "not even dressed"?

That was one of numerous outstanding performances he's had this year, but my point wasn't that that game should put him on the team or that he's "god's gift to American hockey".

It's just showing that GKJ continues to make factually incorrect statements as to why Miller was left off the team.

It's not because of an injury, it's because of politics.

 

[DevilsFan38]

I am SO SICK of all this Ryan Miller talk. Has he played better than the 3 goalies currently on the team? Absolutely, I don't think you'd find anyone to disagree with that. However, at the time of the team selection, he was just getting over an injury, and the US committee wasn't sure how he would come back from it. Also, he's got less experience than any of the goalies currently named. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe he is just a rookie, while all 3 of the current US goalies have been in the league for a few years, and DiPietro and Esche have both represented the US in international competition.

You know who else would be better than either Grahame, DiPietro, or Esche? Tim Thomas, who has been unbelievable for Boston. But I don't hear anyone whining about him not being selected. Maybe it's because he's in the same situation - no one knew that these goalies would be playing so well when they had to select the team. Hindsight is 20/20.

"If you love the USA" - why don't you cheer for the guys over there? There have been months to debate about who should or shouldn't be there, it's been beaten to death, how about we focus on the games?

 

[nomorekids]

Yeah, you are right. But Miller was projected to return WELL before the Olympics and had been playing very well before the injury. Esche has a nagging groin injury that still has not gone away.

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/columnists/13865219.htm

I'd be curious to see how many of your near 130 posts are in some involving Ryan Miller, and the lack of respect he gets from the NHL, fans, HFboards, Don Waddell, the clergy, etc....

 

[sabresrat]

I'd be curious to see how many of your near 130 posts are in some involving Ryan Miller, and the lack of respect he gets from the NHL, fans, HFboards, Don Waddell, the clergy, etc....

There is a search posts by user feature if you'd like to use it.

I'm sure you knew that already though.

Is it normal for moderators to make personal statements off the topic of the thread?

 

[GKJ]

I am SO SICK of all this Ryan Miller talk. Has he played better than the 3 goalies currently on the team? Absolutely, I don't think you'd find anyone to disagree with that. However, at the time of the team selection, he was just getting over an injury, and the US committee wasn't sure how he would come back from it. Also, he's got less experience than any of the goalies currently named. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe he is just a rookie, while all 3 of the current US goalies have been in the league for a few years, and DiPietro and Esche have both represented the US in international competition.

You know who else would be better than either Grahame, DiPietro, or Esche? Tim Thomas, who has been unbelievable for Boston. But I don't hear anyone whining about him not being selected. Maybe it's because he's in the same situation - no one knew that these goalies would be playing so well when they had to select the team. Hindsight is 20/20.

"If you love the USA" - why don't you cheer for the guys over there? There have been months to debate about who should or shouldn't be there, it's been beaten to death, how about we focus on the games?

Quoted and colored for emphasis

 

[sansan]

I am SO SICK of all this Ryan Miller talk. Has he played better than the 3 goalies currently on the team? Absolutely, I don't think you'd find anyone to disagree with that. However, at the time of the team selection, he was just getting over an injury, and the US committee wasn't sure how he would come back from it. Also, he's got less experience than any of the goalies currently named. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe he is just a rookie, while all 3 of the current US goalies have been in the league for a few years, and DiPietro and Esche have both represented the US in international competition.

You know who else would be better than either Grahame, DiPietro, or Esche? Tim Thomas, who has been unbelievable for Boston. But I don't hear anyone whining about him not being selected. Maybe it's because he's in the same situation - no one knew that these goalies would be playing so well when they had to select the team. Hindsight is 20/20.

"If you love the USA" - why don't you cheer for the guys over there? There have been months to debate about who should or shouldn't be there, it's been beaten to death, how about we focus on the games?

Best post ever. GO USA!

 

[Briere03]

I'm tired of the Miller threads.

Of course he deserved to be named, but so did Eric Staal for Canada.

 

[Realm]

Miller plays D now?

Moot point



besides Irbe made 39 saves which isnt shabby by any NHL standards

Yeah, Aaron Miller right?

 

[futurcorerock]

You have to be angry at Don Waddell and Peter Laviolette.

They put politics ahead of pride in their country and put somebody they were familiar with in the starting role instead of the best available player.

Aleksandrs Nizivijs, Atvars Tribuncovs, and Herberts Vasiljevs embarrased our country and Laviolette's golden boy. This is one of the most disgraceful days in the history of USA hockey.

I wanted USA to win in the worst way, regardless of how I felt about Miller's exclusion. I never expected it to be this bad. I hope they turn it around, but one thing is for sure: these two won't be leading the team again.

/god i'm so happy images are enabled again

 

[Drake1588]

You have to be angry at Don Waddell and Peter Laviolette.

They put politics ahead of pride in their country and put somebody they were familiar with in the starting role instead of the best available player.

Aleksandrs Nizivijs, Atvars Tribuncovs, and Herberts Vasiljevs embarrased our country and Laviolette's golden boy. This is one of the most disgraceful days in the history of USA hockey.

I wanted USA to win in the worst way, regardless of how I felt about Miller's exclusion. I never expected it to be this bad. I hope they turn it around, but one thing is for sure: these two won't be leading the team again.

How about they just don't have a very strong team this year? Shrug. It happens. They're likely to improve in the next few games, but even so, they're not pegged to medal in these games.

If you love the USA... I think you can get over the performance of the hockey team. Seriously, man. It's just hockey. We all enjoy watching it... but it's just hockey. Perspective is your friend.

 

[Mr Brownstone]

Miller should be there. Yes. And I made mention of that in the GDT. But, the defense let them down today and looked incredibly slow. Why Hatcher is there, I may never know. He looked terrible. The defense cost them that tie. Oh, and the powerplay going 1 for the century. On an all-star team, you'd expect the PP to capitalize.

Props to Latvia though. They played great positionally and they really suffocated the passing lanes.

 

[blitzkriegs]

I wanted USA to win in the worst way, regardless of how I felt about Miller's exclusion. I never expected it to be this bad. I hope they turn it around, but one thing is for sure: these two won't be leading the team again.

Wow...and the rest of your posts in this thread are ALL about Miller...

One should cheer for the country, not the individual players.

 

[blitzkriegs]

Miller wasn't the goalie everyone knows him for now when they made up this team. Laviolette is the worst coach ever, yes, and this team is missing a few key points that are just as evident as ever in this game. Leetch not being there on defense is the single most discraceful mistake on the part of the these clowns running the team. Average age must be in the 30s and it shows. Grahame shouldn't be starting and Esche better be in net the rest of the way.

Gee...I wonder if this is the anti-Islanders/former Islanders on the US squad and the current or former Rangers left off it post?

 

[Synthetic]

Grahame got scored on by being screened, on a 3 on 1 from a no-call from a check to the back, and an amazing shot that went right over his head, hit the crossbar, and went in.

IMO opinion he couldn't have stopped either of those, and neither could have the other two goalies.

He looked good and made some really good saves, it's moreso our defense that let those in, not Grahame.

 

[misterchainsaw]

Miller was injured with a wrist injury. at the time Esche was not going to miss a lot of time while Miller was out indefinetaly. I know this because I was at the Flyers game vs. Buffalo the night the team was announced and Miller was not even dressed and wasn't in the warm up.

miller's started both games Buffalo's played against Philly this year....the 1st one was his first game back.

Did I misunderstand your statement?