OT: PyeongChang 2018 Olympics

[rboomercat90]

We haven't stomped the crap out of everyone. We were fortunate during the last 2 Olympics..in the last Olympics.

Huh?
Fortunate to win in Sochi?
They were so good defensively that their games were over as soon as they scored the first goal. Most dominating performances I’ve seen at an Olympics.

 

[MikeGrier99]

I have no idea why best on best hockey is so unpopular on hf boards. In soccer or rugby the international game is deeply respected, it seems half of hockey fans don't care at all. It baffles my mind though, World Jr hockey or Olympic best on best is a million times more entertaining than the NHL regular season.

Would have a long way to go to top the snoozefest that was 2014. It was like watching a python strangle a goat for three hours.

Thoroughly disagree with this. The Canada USA game was one of the tensest hockey games I've ever watched. The 2014 olympics looked a little more like soccer with the bigger ice and very strong rosters.

 

[MoontoScott]

Huh?
Fortunate to win in Sochi?
They were so good defensively that their games were over as soon as they scored the first goal. Most dominating performances I’ve seen at an Olympics.

As I mentioned above, beat Latvia 2-1 in the quarter final. Impressive defence but I remember sitting with people and wondering why we didn't have at least 5 against them.

 

[MoneyGuy]

We haven't stomped the crap out of everyone. We were fortunate during the last 2 Olympics..in the last Olympics.

Did you watch the Sochi games? That team was totally dominant, so much so that once they had a goal they could completely shut the opposition down. I've never seen such a dominant defensive performance.

 

[CycloneSweep]

As I mentioned above, beat Latvia 2-1 in the quarter final. Impressive defence but I remember sitting with people and wondering why we didn't have at least 5 against them.

Do you and the people you were sitting with not understand how amazing of a performance the goalie put on?

Kristers Gudlevskis, Latvia's Goalie, May Have Just Had The Best Hockey Performance Of These Olympics

He stopped 55 of 57 shots.

Hell Carey Price said to the media "That was one of the best goaltending performances I've ever seen in a long time,"

Hell shots were 57-16.

 

[MoontoScott]

Did you watch the Sochi games? That team was totally dominant, so much so that once they had a goal they could completely shut the opposition down. I've never seen such a dominant defensive performance.

Yes I did watch them but as dominant as we were defensively we scored 3 goals in 2 games (against Latvia and the U.S.)

I think that's called effective but not as someone suggested-- totally dominant. In 2010 Sid scores in overtime to secure the Gold Medal game. It was certainly impressive in both Olympic tourneys but the rest of the World is not that far behind us.

At any rate, Mr. Bettman suggested this afternoon that the NHL doesn't necessarily want to go in 2022 either so I guess our run of Olympic dominance is in further jeopardy. Gary is certainly a warm and sensitive guy, I'll give him that. Timing is everything in terms of charm.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Do you and the people you were sitting with not understand how amazing of a performance the goalie put on?

Kristers Gudlevskis, Latvia's Goalie, May Have Just Had The Best Hockey Performance Of These Olympics

He stopped 55 of 57 shots.

Hell Carey Price said to the media "That was one of the best goaltending performances I've ever seen in a long time,"

Hell shots were 57-16.

Just a comment. If Canada played Germany in the WC it wouldn't come down to "the goalie played brilliantly" under any circumstance. Nor should it, or nor should it be used as an excuse.

The reality is shutdown hockey is shutdown hockey. Inferior clubs don't too much mind if its a low scoring defensive oriented game. Its the only one they can win against a superpower.

Plus the vast majority of times a team gets "stoned" by a goalie in hockey its the team not finishing very well and the goalie making stops.

In relatively equally matched play goalies can and do make a difference, often. In a mismatched situation like Latvia vs Canada it shouldn't be the case.

just saying

I'm one of those that felt Canada has been exceedingly good at shutdown hockey in Sidney Crosby/Drew Doughty era Olympics. But they hadn't really dominated the score in several of the knockout games.

 

[MoontoScott]

I have no idea why best on best hockey is so unpopular on hf boards. In soccer or rugby the international game is deeply respected, it seems half of hockey fans don't care at all. It baffles my mind though, World Jr hockey or Olympic best on best is a million times more entertaining than the NHL regular season.



Thoroughly disagree with this. The Canada USA game was one of the tensest hockey games I've ever watched. The 2014 olympics looked a little more like soccer with the bigger ice and very strong rosters.

You are right, it was a thrilling game by the World's 2 best teams with so many gifted stars. The best of the best at the Olympics.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Just a comment. If Canada played Germany in the WC it wouldn't come down to "the goalie played brilliantly" under any circumstance. Nor should it, or nor should it be used as an excuse.

The reality is shutdown hockey is shutdown hockey. Inferior clubs don't too much mind if its a low scoring defensive oriented game. Its the only one they can win against a superpower.

Plus the vast majority of times a team gets "stoned" by a goalie in hockey its the team not finishing very well and the goalie making stops.

In relatively equally matched play goalies can and do make a difference, often. In a mismatched situation like Latvia vs Canada it shouldn't be the case.

just saying

I'm one of those that felt Canada has been exceedingly good at shutdown hockey in Sidney Crosby/Drew Doughty era Olympics. But they hadn't really dominated the score in several of the knockout games.

I am sorry in no world is allowing 57 shots against shutdown hockey.

Go rewatch that game. It wasn't like they were getting tons of chances and missing the net. The goalie was outstanding and making incredible saves left right and center. A normal performance by that goalie and its 5-8 goals instead of 2. Sometimes goalies just have those kinds of games. Latvia was absolutely dominated.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Yes I did watch them but as dominant as we were defensively we scored 3 goals in 2 games (against Latvia and the U.S.)

I think that's called effective but not as someone suggested-- totally dominant. In 2010 Sid scores in overtime to secure the Gold Medal game. It was certainly impressive in both Olympic tourneys but the rest of the World is not that far behind us.

At any rate, Mr. Bettman suggested this afternoon that the NHL doesn't necessarily want to go in 2022 either so I guess our run of Olympic dominance is in further jeopardy. Gary is certainly a warm and sensitive guy, I'll give him that. Timing is everything in terms of charm.

This is of course true, and has been for awhile. As far back as the 70's, 80's even topflight Canadian NHL talent was barely winning. Even in Canada Cups Russia, Sweden, Finland, could hang with us and then Later the US as well. This resulted in pretty much of a panic in Canada to revamp our game, tweak it, make it better, make systems better, match training of athletes, basically did a lot deeper. This to me resulted in Canada getting ahead again but I do feel that the next time we are caught, and I believe it is happening already in Junior Hockey, Canada won't be able to separate anymore.

Finally, the fall of the Iron Curtain has certainly diminished Russian opposition. This has been good news for Canada for decades. We might not have had as much success against a trained Red Army Machine practicing together all the time and going to the Olympics. Russian players and teams are at a severe disadvantage of course (as are most other hockey nations except Canada/US) because a large proportion of their star players are playing here, or elsewhere.

In NA we don't have as much of that problem. This is the NHL benefit to Canada, and the US, IF they actually went to the Olympics.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I am sorry in no world is allowing 57 shots against shutdown hockey.

Go rewatch that game. It wasn't like they were getting tons of chances and missing the net. The goalie was outstanding and making incredible saves left right and center. A normal performance by that goalie and its 5-8 goals instead of 2. Sometimes goalies just have those kinds of games. Latvia was absolutely dominated.

Shutdown maybe not the right word for it. How about numbers back. Just keeping bodies between puck and goal. Obviously Latvia is not going to shutdown the skill or puck possession of Canada. That would be impossible for them. But they could try to make it difficult for them to score. Albeit my memory is Canada blowing a lot of chances and not being very sharp offensively in the game.

 

[MoontoScott]

This is of course true, and has been for awhile. As far back as the 70's, 80's even topflight Canadian NHL talent was barely winning. Even in Canada Cups Russia, Sweden, Finland, could hang with us and then Later the US as well. This resulted in pretty much of a panic in Canada to revamp our game, tweak it, make it better, make systems better, match training of athletes, basically did a lot deeper. This to me resulted in Canada getting ahead again but I do feel that the next time we are caught, and I believe it is happening already in Junior Hockey, Canada won't be able to separate anymore.

Finally, the fall of the Iron Curtain has certainly diminished Russian opposition. This has been good news for Canada for decades. We might not have had as much success against a trained Red Army Machine practicing together all the time and going to the Olympics. Russian players and teams are at a severe disadvantage of course (as are most other hockey nations except Canada/US) because a large proportion of their star players are playing here, or elsewhere.

In NA we don't have as much of that problem. This is the NHL benefit to Canada, and the US, IF they actually went to the Olympics.

True enough, the '72 series is legendary with endless tributes but nobody talks about when we got thumped by the Russians 8-1 in the Canada Cup Final. I wonder where Mike Liut is these days?

 

[CycloneSweep]

Shutdown maybe not the right word for it. How about numbers back. Just keeping bodies between puck and goal. Obviously Latvia is not going to shutdown the skill or puck possession of Canada. That would be impossible for them. But they could try to make it difficult for them to score. Albeit my memory is Canada blowing a lot of chances and not being very sharp offensively in the game.

Lots of stoned chances and a couple bad luck posts.

My point is the guy was saying that Canada was lucky to win in 2014 when it wasn't even close to true.

 

[Drivesaitl]

True enough, the '72 series is legendary with endless tributes but nobody talks about when we got thumped by the Russians 8-1 in the Canada Cup Final. I wonder where Mike Liut is these days?

Yeah, in Canada we're guilty of remembering the by a hair victories and completely the international blowouts as if they didn't exist. I remember the 72 series well, also the 74 WHA series. The WHA lost but gave a good account of themselves. Red Army was a real power. Even when the 80's Oilers faced top Russian team they lost.

To me Habs vs Red Army, NYE, that was the two best clubs in the world.



Fitting 3-3 tie with teams actually playing hockey.

The Flyers game was a travesty.

 

[MoontoScott]

Yeah, in Canada we're guilty of remembering the by a hair victories and completely the international blowouts as if they didn't exist. I remember the 72 series well, also the 74 WHA series. The WHA lost but gave a good account of themselves. Red Army was a real power. Even when the 80's Oilers faced top Russian team they lost.

To me Habs vs Red Army, NYE, that was the two best clubs in the world.



Fitting 3-3 tie with teams actually playing hockey.

The Flyers game was a travesty.

Yes, fully agree, if I had to select one game that was perhaps the most memorable of all time (well, my time at least) I would pick that Red Army-Canadiens New Year's Eve game. The Canadiens were dominant but Dryden was shaky at best.

You notice that no video packages of the WHA versus Russia series has ever seen on the shelves (LOL). Wasn't Gordie Howe in that one?

 

[Drivesaitl]

^The WHA team, including Hull and Howe, and pretty much an allstar cast was pretty talented as well.



There was a later DVD release in 2006. Hard to find. Some games used to be on YouTube but they clean up copyright material so that all I see is hilites.


ps People forget that Paul Henderson played in both series!

 

[MoontoScott]

Yes, I remember that the WHA team had a lot of legendary names too but there was no miracle finish that time. I was totally unaware that Henderson also played in that tourney.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

Did you watch the Sochi games? That team was totally dominant, so much so that once they had a goal they could completely shut the opposition down. I've never seen such a dominant defensive performance.

I never seen anything like that either. It was impressive. It was like layers of defense against the opposition's puck carrier. An opposing forward would get through one layer but not the next. Hard to describe.

 

[syz]

Shots aren't a great metric to go by in international hockey. Shots increase but realistic scoring areas remain the same size (and just get harder to get to.)

 

[Soundwave]

Brule should still be in the NHL IMO. He's not a star player or anything, but he should be able to play for someone. But man is he ever dumb sometimes too, lol.

 

[MoontoScott]

Brule should still be in the NHL IMO. He's not a star player or anything, but he should be able to play for someone. But man is he ever dumb sometimes too, lol.

To be sure, it was an absolute bone head play. You charge a guy taking 3 steps and give him an elbow in the mouth (full throttle) right in front of the zebra. How can you win with that kind of discipline? I don't think we'll see him back in the NHL unless its driving the Zamboni machine.

 

[MikeGrier99]

For everyone that thought the 2014 olympics was boring, how can you watch 82 games of the NHL regular season? Players get drunk the night before games, phone it in, collect their pay cheque. It's a joke, the NHL regular season tends to be a snooze fest more so than elite tournaments.

 

[PatrikOverAuston]

Over/under on Chris Kelly joining the Oilers now? I wish I was kidding.

 

[nabob]

Do you and the people you were sitting with not understand how amazing of a performance the goalie put on?

Kristers Gudlevskis, Latvia's Goalie, May Have Just Had The Best Hockey Performance Of These Olympics

He stopped 55 of 57 shots.

Hell Carey Price said to the media "That was one of the best goaltending performances I've ever seen in a long time,"

Hell shots were 57-16.

That's a paddlin'

 

[nabob]

Over/under on Chris Kelly joining the Oilers now? I wish I was kidding.

Then trade him in a day for a pick!