If you love the USA

[nomorekids]

I'm glad Miller isn't on Team USA... the team is a joke anyway.....

Who wants our hot goalie getting his confidence shaken having to play behind that team.....

Good, then we're in agreement. You're glad Miller isn't there, and so are we. No more talk about the subject, then?

 

[blueandgold*]

Good, then we're in agreement. You're glad Miller isn't there, and so are we. No more talk about the subject, then?

whatever... i didn't start it.

 

[joshjull]

Which ones?

The one where a rebound went right on the stick of a waiting Latvian, the deflection in front that changed a long shot from the blue line right in front of him, or the laser from inside the circle to the top corner on a 2 on 1?

Irbe is the one who gave up two soft goals.

I have learned in this goalie debate that Miller, Dipietro, Grahame and to a lesser extent Esche all have devoted or blindly supportive fans. Who feel that the goalie they cheer for can do no wrong. I'm not going to try to convince you of what I thought were soft goals, it would be a waste of time. We would end up arguing in circles.
I will say that Ricky's pads were sweet!

USA USA USA USA

 

[sabresrat]

I think DiPietro has earned another start. What do you think?

 

[gobolt7]

I think DiPietro has earned another start. What do you think?

Personally, I think Grahame deserves another shot with a rested awake team in front of him.

 

[sabresrat]

Personally, I think Grahame deserves another shot with a rested awake team in front of him.

Somehow I'm not surprised you think that

I think Team USA deserves a shot at a medal and the best available player should be in the net.

 

[joshjull]

Whoever starts has to wear Ricky's USA flag equipment.

 

[Sotnos]

Somehow I'm not surprised you think that

Somehow I'm not surprised at what you posted either.

 

[gobolt7]

Somehow I'm not surprised you think that

I think Team USA deserves a shot at a medal and the best available player should be in the net.

You are confusing me here, yesterday you were not happy with the goaltending, and wanted someone else, and today, you have settled on a starter based on one game against one of the weaker opponents?

 

[DevilsFan38]

Whoever starts has to wear Ricky's USA flag equipment.

Haha, I agree, he's got some hot pads. I want him in goal just so we get to see them again.

 

[sabresrat]

You are confusing me here, yesterday you were not happy with the goaltending, and wanted someone else, and today, you have settled on a starter based on one game against one of the weaker opponents?

That's exactly right. I was unhappy with 88% of shots stopped against a bad team, and pleased with 92% of shots stopped against a bad team.

 

[dok101]

What's the old saying, you never lose on a second guess? It's real easy to say that Miller or anyone would have done better because they didn't play. The reality is that Miller might have had a shut out or he might have given up a dozen goals in his worst game of the year. We will never know what he would have done.

We do know that Grahame had a good, not outstanding, not awful game. He didn't steal one and he wasn't the reason the USA tied the game. Frankly the USA isn't as strong in goal as many of the other teams in the Olympics with or without Miller.

Team USA goaltending is better than:

Finland
Germany
Italy
Russia
Latvia
Kazakhstan
Slovakia

More than half of the teams I'd say Team USA is better than in goal. And please do not try and say Russia or Germany as a team in goal are better than the US.

 

[Hockeyfan02]

More than half of the teams I'd say Team USA is better than in goal. And please do not try and say Russia or Germany as a team in goal are better than the US.

In a tandem, US is better than Germany, but I'd rather have Kolzig over any of the 3 on the USA squad. He's shown he can be a very good netminder. I would not take USA's goaltending over Russia's. Nabakov is the best of the bunch and I think Bryzgalov is on par with the USA netminders.

 

[Icicle]

Wow. You sure about that?

A) Miller neever hurt his wrist.

B) Miller's 2-0 against Philly

Miller was out during the selection due to a thumb injury. He wasn't playing fro B-lo at the time. Plus, although most B-lo fans were passionate about his kicking *** at the start of the season, he only had a 6-4 record to show for it. A record like that, compared to the other goalies at the time, wasn't enough for the coaches to take the risk to pick somebody who very possibly could have gone down-hill after his injury. It wasn't a bad decision on their part at that time. Their mistake was not changing the roster after Miller broke out after his injury.

As much as the slow giant they had in goal wednesday makes me cringe whenever a puck goes near him, theres other more important matters that the coaches need to be bashed about.

 

[vwg*]

Laviolette is the worst coach ever

I nominate this for most Pejorative Slured post of the year even though there's 10 more months to go in the year.

 

[blitzkriegs]

It wasn't a bad decision on their part at that time. Their mistake was not changing the roster after Miller broke out after his injury.

I would not call it a mistake. Changing the roster after the team was announced and selected would be a mistake. As an organization, you lose credibility and bring on doubt from players about whether, when selected, they actually remain on the roster in favor of another 'hotter' player.

I'm sorry, but that's a bad precedent to set for the future. Guys will not throw their hat in the ring to be selected, for as much as everyone thinks about the desire and honor to play for their home country, only to wonder whether they remain on the roster when selected despite being healthy.

Many people make the same argument about this past years UFA's that signed and were later traded. Many say 'good luck luring UFA's in the future.' Well, the same applies here. No one wants to be try out, be selected, and only be removed because some post-selected player is the hotter commodity.

 

[KH1]

Haha, I agree, he's got some hot pads. I want him in goal just so we get to see them again.

You wanna know what's funny? There was a thread on the Isles board started by a bunch of fans who hate DiPietro because he is a Milbury guy about how stupid DiPietro's pads are.

I think that Isles fans are really the only guys who seem to hate DP.

 

[MLH]

Some poster said that he was at the Philly game and was sure that Miller didn't play that night.

It's a tough concept for people with poor reading comprehension skills, I know, but my post was simply to show that Miller not only played, but made 33/34 saves and was named the game's first star. One would think that it would have been a noticeable performance.

 

[boltsgirl41922]

Said by Gesthar:
"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."

I entirely agree. John Grahame should be given another shot. i know that DiPietro looked good today, but he's just as spotty as Grahame. The only difference is that Grahame can rebound with a good win, while DiPi has been spotty all season and is good one night, horrible the next.

The team played better today, for obvious reasons (less jetlag, more order, etc) and if the Americans want even a shot at any medal at all, they might want to give John Grahame another look.

gobolt7, I agree with you entirely.

 

[snakepliskin]

I nominate this for most Pejorative Slured post of the year even though there's 10 more months to go in the year.

i 2nd that nomination!

 

[btn]

Ryan Miller projected stats if he was in the Olympics through two games:

GAA: 0.00
Save %: 1.100

Goals: 1(SH)
Assists: 5

 

[joshjull]

Ryan Miller projected stats if he was in the Olympics through two games:

GAA: 0.00
Save %: 1.100

Goals: 1(SH)
Assists: 5

I thought mods were the ones who calmed things down and added maturity.

 

[vwg*]

Ryan Miller projected stats if he was in the Olympics through two games:

GAA: 0.00
Save %: 1.100

Goals: 1(SH)
Assists: 5

I thought he would have had a hat trick if he were to play those first two games. He has almost achieved Chuck Norris status.