Olympics: Women tournament

[FiLe]

Except for China.

Ah, right. Good catch. Good for the hosts.

 

[offkilter]

Watching the team Japan players break down in tears you can really see how much this run ment for them. For several of them this is the end of their Olympic/international careers.

Love the respect shown from the Finnish players post game.

 

[Kyndig]

Lol. After two wasted attempts by Tapani to go for a highlight reel goal, she just says "eff it," and buries it.

And so winds Japan's "historic" run towards its end. Beat all seeds below them in the rankings, then run into a wall when they actually end up facing a team above them.

Just goes to show how much Japan has risen in the last 8 years, but they still got a ways to go. When people think hockey they still think any EU country would crush Japan, but they're not ranked 6th for nothing.

Japan said they were aiming for 4th, but 5th is far more realistic with the skill gaps among countries. Coming in 4th requires beating USA/CAN or Finland with this format and that was pretty much never going to happen.

 

[FiLe]

Coming in 4th requires beating USA/CAN or Finland with this format and that was pretty much never going to happen.

Frankly, though, I think SUI/RUS/JPN/CZE are all pretty close to each other - and could definitely beat Finland on a good day. Today just wasn't such a day. On the contrary, it seemed to be a worse day than expected - I thought it would be a closer game.

This being said, I'm all for changing the tournament format. It's very unfair for those Group B teams presently. Make it to Group A, and you're guaranteed to avoid the Big Two in the game of death, and the three teams that make it out of Group B have to try and get past the top-3 in the world. At least one or two of them should be given the shot to play Switzerland or Russia instead.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Just goes to show how much Japan has risen in the last 8 years, but they still got a ways to go. When people think hockey they still think any EU country would crush Japan, but they're not ranked 6th for nothing.

Japan said they were aiming for 4th, but 5th is far more realistic with the skill gaps among countries. Coming in 4th requires beating USA/CAN or Finland with this format and that was pretty much never going to happen.

lets not forget that japan is not even top 20 in men. we see no progress there.

 

[Rob]

I don’t follow women’s hockey but was surprised to see that Sweden is so bad.

 

[Kyndig]

lets not forget that japan is not even top 20 in men. we see no progress there.

They probably saw that their women's team had a chance of being competitive far sooner than their men's team, so that's where they focused their budget in recent years. We should just be happy that someone is focusing on the women's side of hockey given its sad state. Also, this is the "Women tournament thread," so idky you keep bringing up the men's team.

 

[ORRFForever]

I can no longer watch...

Who am I kidding?

Nightly Curling Update:

Make or break game for Canada against the Swiss, tomorrow.

Did you hurt your ankle, Jennifer? Oh, that's a shame.
What will Canada ever do without you?...

Answer : WIN !!!!!!

 

[offkilter]

Who am I kidding?

Nightly Curling Update:

Make or break game for Canada against the Swiss, tomorrow.

Did you hurt your ankle, Jennifer? Oh, that's a shame.
What will Canada ever do without you?...

Answer : WIN !!!!!!

I'm still kinda shocked and pleasantly surprised by this Japanese team. I fell asleep about half way through this morning and they were down 4-2 against Russia when I woke up and saw the results they won 10-5!

 

[jonas2244]

This being said, I'm all for changing the tournament format. It's very unfair for those Group B teams presently. Make it to Group A, and you're guaranteed to avoid the Big Two in the game of death, and the three teams that make it out of Group B have to try and get past the top-3 in the world. At least one or two of them should be given the shot to play Switzerland or Russia instead.

Would you go for two equal groups? With USA and Canada each topping one group?

Beside the fact that teams like JPN and the CZE are having a hard time getting a chance to get into that Top-group it's just boring. Switzerland always face Canada, USA, RUS and FIN. Always the same opponents.

 

[ORRFForever]

Nightly Curling Update: (* One more.*)

When Kaitlyn Lawes braids her hair, they usually win.

3-3 after 5.

Come on...

Edit : Steal of 1 after 6. 4-3 Canada.

Edit 2: The Swiss forced to take one. Good.

Edit 3: Jones whiffed on BOTH her shots in the 8th. A steal of 2 for the Swiss. (facepalm)

Edit 4: Canada gives up a steal of 2 in the 9th. (facepalm x 2)

 

[FiLe]

Would you go for two equal groups? With USA and Canada each topping one group?

This would likely make things the most fair, yes. You'd have the top dog in each group, then the six teams that make the middle tier - FIN/SUI/RUS/CZE/JPN/SWE (I'm being gracious and counting Finland amongst them and trusting that Sweden will claw its way back to the elite division before long) - and then the two elevator teams.

From the parity perspective, the only real "benefit" of the present format is that USA and CAN get an extra game against each other - one that is, however, largely meaningless. In fact, the biggest problem of the present format is that the entire group stage for all teams in Group A is pretty freakin' meaningless. All of them are guaranteed with a QF opponent that it at least on their own level or weaker - even if they completely mail in - making the whole ordeal pretty much a bunch of preliminaries. Whereas in Group B the fight for a medal starts from Game 1, and even a single stumble can raise an insurmountable wall before them.

Of course, surprises can happen and sometimes even USA/CAN could stumble in QF or SF and not make it to the final, which might land them in the same group for the next year - but the odds are this would course correct for the following tournament.

 

[swissdude]

Nightly Curling Update: (* One more.*)

Come on... Beating the Swiss should NOT be this difficult.

I suspect, given the results of the world championships over the last 10 years, that this is sarcasm, or are you talkling about the hockey SF, then I agree lol

 

[ORRFForever]

I suspect, given the results of the world championships over the last 10 years, that this is sarcasm, or are you talkling about the hockey SF, then I agree lol

TBH, I am talking women's curling. You are about to take us out of any playoff possibility.

 

[swissdude]

TBH, I am talking women's curling. You are about to take us out of any playoff possibility.

I see and fully understand that the expectation is to reach the playoffs, I was only referring to the "NOT that difficult part", all I wanted to say is that if Canda misses the playoff it's certainly not due to a potental loss to the swiss who won 5 of the last 7 WC

 

[ORRFForever]

I see and fully understand that the expectation is to reach the playoffs, I was only referring to the "NOT that difficult part", all I wanted to say is that if Canda misses the playoff it's certainly not due to a potental loss to the swiss who won 5 of the last 7 WC

I'll take it out. I'm just frustrated.

 

[swissdude]

My bad.

The situation worsend drastically, sorry I feel for you Canada should reach the playoffs but now that's unlikely, didn't follow the previous canda games, did they just underperform I guess it's one of the better teams in canada after all and you are supposed to reach the playoffs and they did not make an irresistible impression on me today

 

[ORRFForever]

The situation worsend drastically, sorry I feel for you Canada should reach the playoffs but now that's unlikely, didn't follow the previous canda games, did they just underperform I guess it's one of the better teams in canada after all and you are supposed to reach the playoffs and they did not make an irresistible impression on me today

I knew they would not win Gold but I was hoping for a playoff appearance and a miracle.

Team Canada's skip is WELL past her prime. Unfortunately, the team is painfully loyal to her. If the skip were to leave, Canada would have a very strong team.

Canada embarrassed themselves in 2018 in terms of play and etiquette. This year, it's just in terms of play.

Oh well... I am done... and so is Team Canada.

 

[swissdude]

I'll take it out. I'm just frustrated.

that's how I feel in terms of mens hockey but at least there we got still hope as the round robin is meaningless but I fear that I'll end with the same sentiment there as you do in womens curling, well probably the coming double digit win in the women hockey SF will comfort you a little

 

[ORRFForever]

that's how I feel in terms of mens hockey but at least there we got still hope as the round robin is meaningless but I fear that I'll end with the same sentiment there as you do in womens curling, well probably the coming double digit win in the women hockey SF will comfort you a little

I appreciate your positivity.

Thanks for the give and take. I am off to bed. Cheers.

 

[Kyndig]

So I guess they're not having games to decide 5th-8th (10th this year)? This format blows. The top seeds of group B never get a chance to play the bottom seeds of group A.

 

[Czechboy]

So I guess they're not having games to decide 5th-8th (10th this year)? This format blows. The top seeds of group B never get a chance to play the bottom seeds of group A.

I liked the format when there was more disparity. It worked! Time to for 2 pools. They are ditching some very good games in favor of an extra (and meaningless) US/Canada game in a round robin.

I get Canada/US are miles ahead right now but 3 to 9 is full of potential exciting games!

I actually came here to Congratuate the Swiss ladies on making Semi's.

Curious how Finland does in their Semi as well.. hoping for a close game.

 

[WarriorofTime]

7.5 goal spread for a semifinal game is absolutely brutal. Women's Ice Hockey is basically non-existent in most of the men's hockey playing nations.

 

[Kyndig]

I liked the format when there was more disparity. It worked! Time to for 2 pools. They are ditching some very good games in favor of an extra (and meaningless) US/Canada game in a round robin.

I get Canada/US are miles ahead right now but 3 to 9 is full of potential exciting games!

I actually came here to Congratuate the Swiss ladies on making Semi's.

Curious how Finland does in their Semi as well.. hoping for a close game.

I did enjoy the group B games more than group A because of how closely they were matched, but I feel like some of those teams are right there with ROC/SUI now. I couldn't be bothered to watch USA/CAN blow everyone out, it gets old after a while.

Finland has it in them to pull off an upset once in a while, but that was usually with Raty in net. They pretty much won the 2019 worlds knocking off Canada and the US.

 

[Czechboy]

I did enjoy the group B games more than group A because of how closely they were matched, but I feel like some of those teams are right there with ROC/SUI now. I couldn't be bothered to watch USA/CAN blow everyone out, it gets old after a while.

Finland has it in them to pull off an upset once in a while, but that was usually with Raty in net. They pretty much won the 2019 worlds knocking off Canada and the US.

I'm still mad about that one! So exxcited for the Finn's and their miracle on ice. Robbed IMO.

Watching 1 Canada/US game and then them beat Swiss, Finns and Russia routinely is getting dull. It also doens't give the other nations a chance to see how far away they are. An asskicking can help a nation. Just cause you don't see it between the 2nd and 3rd intermission doesn't mean it's not happening. It takes a generation and it's not sudden. But, if the point, was to eliminate blowouts.. Pool A was dull and full of blowouts.

Mind you, I'm the guy that, in the mens, loves watching the relegation playoff at Jr's and SLovakia vs Latvia and matches like that. Compelling hockey.