Olympics: Women tournament

[Lambo]

Yes agreed, women belong in the kitchen and not on the ice. If they did, why are there no female inuit hunters? Besides, physical sports like that might turn them into Lesbians; cant take that risk...

Of course that's not the point! It's about the fact that the tournament has been extremely one-sided for decades. There are 2 outstanding nations and the rest have no chance. That's why it makes so little sense. Do you understand? But of course everyone only wants to understand what they want to understand.

 

[Urbanskog]

Of course that's not the point! It's about the fact that the tournament has been extremely one-sided for decades. There are 2 outstanding nations and the rest have no chance. That's why it makes so little sense. Do you understand? But of course everyone only wants to understand what they want to understand.

So the answer to this problem caused by a skill gap would be to "abolish" the tournament and thus reduce opportunities for lesser teams to face and catch up with the US and Canada?

 

[lawrence]

Is Canada that good or is Finland that bad? This has truly been a slaughter. 11-1 and the score flatters the Fins.

the commentator on CBC colorman (color women) said that this Canada is one of the best female Canadians teams she's ever seen. We will have to see, Cause USA has more size and speed, Canada might have a tiny more bit more skill.

 

[JackSlater]

The level of play from the top teams has been good so far, which makes things a lot better than when Canada and USA smoke everyone despite not even looking that good.

 

[MrazeksVengeance]

The more I think about it.. I'm now souring a little about the format as well. Mostly becasue Tier 3 seems to be a lot tigher than it was (which I think was the point of the format so it is a success).

Tier 1 is Canada US
Tier 2 is Finland
Tier 3, to me, looks like Swiss, Russia, Czechs, Japan

I could be wrong but I think if they had a 4 nations tournament and those 4 countries played a round robin style format.. I think it'd be very 4 very close games and no blowouts. Maybe I'm wrong though.

Also, the Swedish ladies and Chinese ladies probably are not that far behind at all.. one is rebuilding and one is growing nicely!

So 2 pools with Canada and US on top of them would probably be more fair at this point as the game has improved in quality a lot. Which, again, is probably due to the original format.. now time to move on from it IMO. So yes, I've changed my opinion since Page 2 of this thread after reading everyones opinions. I'm just guessing at pools...

US - Finland - Swiss - Czechs- Denmark
Canada - Russia - Japan - Sweden - China

Given Pool A has already had a massive blowout - not sure it's even working anymore. I'm guessing a few more lopsided scores.

If we win the group I think we have a chance to make semis.

 

[Jussi]

They keep talking about the controversy of not bringing Noora Raty. ...Why didn't Finland bring her?

Something happened with her and the now former head coach last summer, due to her refusal to play at the World Championships. But I don't think it would have any difference. Plus the team might still in shock due to the reason why Mustonen left the team. Seems some players were more in-the-know of the situation but the severity of it surprised them.

 

[kaiser matias]

Of course that's not the point! It's about the fact that the tournament has been extremely one-sided for decades. There are 2 outstanding nations and the rest have no chance. That's why it makes so little sense. Do you understand? But of course everyone only wants to understand what they want to understand.

This is exactly the same as the men's side until 1952: Canada had no serious competition for decades, and the one time they didn't win gold (1936), it was to a team that was made up of players who came from Canada (Great Britain).

 

[TheBeastCoast]

the commentator on CBC colorman (color women) said that this Canada is one of the best female Canadians teams she's ever seen. We will have to see, Cause USA has more size and speed, Canada might have a tiny more bit more skill.

I mean Canada did just beat them at the WHC. As usual the two nations are very close.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Something happened with her and the now former head coach last summer, due to her refusal to play at the World Championships. But I don't think it would have any difference. Plus the team might still in shock due to the reason why Mustonen left the team. Seems some players were more in-the-know of the situation but the severity of it surprised them.

What did i miss with the coach of Finland?

 

[Czechboy]

If we win the group I think we have a chance to make semis.

I agree... it was 1-0 and all the replays and stats showed we were definitely very competitive and ran into a very hot Finn goalie last time. So we're close. Finn's are the favs for sure though.

The more I think about.. the more this tournament is like 2 tournaments. The battle for Gold and the battle for Bronze. The battle for Gold seems fair. The battle for Bronze is rough.

For Czech's to bronze they have to go undefeated in pool play, cause an upset against Finland then get slaughtered by US/Canada and then win a bronze game in another upset.

So go undefeated (Japan is no joke and could bronze themselves, now that Sweden us lost to both of us)
Pull an upset
Pull a second upset

Bronze is ours... it might be the hardest bronze in history.lol

Happy we took out Sweden in a close game. They are now guaranteed either not advancing or getting Canada/US I think

 

[Jussi]

What did i miss with the coach of Finland?

Olympics: - Women tournament

 

[ORRFForever]

the commentator on CBC colorman (color women) said that this Canada is one of the best female Canadians teams she's ever seen. We will have to see, Cause USA has more size and speed, Canada might have a tiny more bit more skill.

Canada looked unbeatable last night. Having said that, it means nothing if they don't perform up to that standard in the GMG.

 

[Dessloch]

The first question I would like to see answered:

How many domestic womens/girls hockey players are there in the olympic countries?

Sweden has about 6000 licensed players and barely any junior/youth teams at all on the womens side. There are 70 000 licenced mens players. It should mean Team Sweden women has 10 x times less chance of getting a Forsberg, Sundin or Lidstrom player on the womens side.

If you add the fact that the coaches are much worse during all levels of womens hockey in sweden meaning the that girls and women have lower quality practice to develop from it paints a pretty grim picture and probably explains why Sweden is so much better internationally in mens hockey.

 

[Lambo]

So the answer to this problem caused by a skill gap would be to "abolish" the tournament and thus reduce opportunities for lesser teams to face and catch up with the US and Canada?

Well, the last few decades have shown that this has not worked. the gap between NA and Europe continues to be huge. That will not change either. Therefore, the tournament is superfluous!

 

[Czechboy]

The games are at 3:30 so I'm relying on highlight packages... Swedes were good! They had some nice chances and played well. Czechs got a few breakaways and odd numbered chances and their goalie stood tall. From the Czech highlight videos ... it looked very even.

I think shots were 43-27 and a close 3-1 game so it is almost identical to what the Swedish men do to us.

I did get a good laugh on the Swede goal which was as classic a Swedish goal against us as you can see.. shot and tip in. I've seen way too many of those beauty Swede goals over the last 2 decades in at the Jr's, Skoda's and so on.lol

Swede goalie was 93.48... great job from her!

Vanisova seems to be quite good!

 

[adsfan]

I saw the highlights of the US versus the ROC (Russia). The score was 5-0 and the USA outshot them something like 60 to 12. I really thought that the Russian women would be better than that. I wasn't expecting a Canada-like performance, but there are plenty of good hockey coaches in that country.

 

[Albatros]

I saw the highlights of the US versus the ROC (Russia). The score was 5-0 and the USA outshot them something like 60 to 12. I really thought that the Russian women would be better than that. I wasn't expecting a Canada-like performance, but there are plenty of good hockey coaches in that country.

There are 2,141 registered female hockey players in Russia, 84,102 in the United States, and 101,879 in Canada. It takes more than a good coach to be competitive.

 

[adsfan]

Well, the last few decades have shown that this has not worked. the gap between NA and Europe continues to be huge. That will not change either. Therefore, the tournament is superfluous!

Sometimes, it takes a while for other countries to become competitive. In women's hockey, the USA and Canada have won medals all 6 times. The Finns have won three, the Swedes have won two and Switzerland 1 medal. Sweden won a silver. Obviously, those last 3 countries are all from Europe.


The Olympic movement could have just given the USA gold medals for basketball every time. But they actually play the games. The USA lost in Seoul in 1988 to the Soviet Union and in Athens in 2004 to Argentina and got robbed by crooked FIBA officials in Munich in 1972.

Spain won 2 silvers and a bronze in the last 4 Olympics to show that they are a basketball power. I remember one year when their starting five were 4 NBA players and the best player from their domestic league.

On the women's side, the Soviet Union won the first 2 gold medals in basketball and the Unified Team won one to make it 3 out of the first 5 for Russian based teams and 2 for the USA. Brazil, Australia, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and France have won at least 2 medals each. Those are teams from 5 continents in women's basketball.

 

[ORRFForever]

Rachel Homan and John Morris lack the chemistry of Morris and Lawes from 4 years ago and it's reflected in the results. GO CANADA GO !!!!

Edit :

Sweden played amazing - they did not make a mistake until the 6th end. Our "Mean Girl" needs to step up and make up for 2018.

Nightly curling update...

John Morris is a S.O.B. but he's our S.O.B.

Canada had no business winning the match against the Czechs but they pulled it out - I'm not sure their final regulation shot should have counted and, based on their reaction, Team Canada wasn't sure either.

I can think of a half dozen players I would have chosen before Homan but you can't argue with winning.

 

[Vancouver_2010]

China vs japan (woman's hockey) is surprising pretty entertaining so far

 

[lawrence]

An pretty good game between China and Japan. Probably the best so for out of all the matches played because it’s the most evenly matched even though Japan has power plays and China has zero. Overall a good game . Was expecting a USA Canada type game.

 

[lawrence]

wow 4:17 left, Japan looks gassed.

1-1 tie after 60:00. Japan looks gassed like hell.

so far, Japan plays a better cycle game.

that said China had better scoring chances.

however the last 12 minutes literally 85% china, 15% Japan, great game.

 

[lawrence]

wow amazing 3 on 3. Miller of China used her ass to score a goal, but of course disallowed, (had to use replay to see), goal was disallowed. Breakaway for Japan, but the Vancouver Born Chinese goalie stopped it, entertaining game. these officials did a good job tonight.

china wins in a shootout. Very very evenly matched game. Very good sportsman ship, maybe it's not in asian blood for those physical confrontation. Overall one of the cleanest games, entertaining game I have ever seen. Japan had the right idea of strong puck possession, speed, covering blocking lanes, and they did a good job trying to block shots. however it seemed they ran out of gas at the 12 Minute mark of the 3rd. the down low game China has very strong puck possession game, Japan had a very good cycle game great game.

 

[Luolis]

Shame to see Chinas mercenary team win. Atleast Japan can still win the group by winning vs Czech.

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

The first question I would like to see answered:

How many domestic womens/girls hockey players are there in the olympic countries?
Sweden has about 6000 licensed players and barely any junior/youth teams at all on the womens side. There are 70 000 licenced mens players. It should mean Team Sweden women has 10 x times less chance of getting a Forsberg, Sundin or Lidstrom player on the womens side.

If you add the fact that the coaches are much worse during all levels of womens hockey in sweden meaning the that girls and women have lower quality practice to develop from it paints a pretty grim picture and probably explains why Sweden is so much better internationally in mens hockey.

I think that things are moving in a promising direction for women’s hockey in Sweden, though. Luleå HF in the SHL started a movement to improve the opportunities for women and the quality of the SDHL when they “adopted” the SDHL team MSSK and invested in having the most professional women’s team in Sweden, by bringing on some of the best players such as Jenni Hiirikoski, Michelle Karvinen, Petra Nieminen, Ronja Savolainen and Emma Nordin, effectively building perhaps the best women’s club team in the world. They’ve won four of the last five Swedish championships but the ice tilt has been reduced for each season with other SHL teams like HV71 and Brynäs catching up. HV71 were looking like they would take home the 2020 finals before it was abruptly canceled due to the pandemic, and Brynäs were competitive if a bit top-heavy in the 2021 finals however have the better record this year and might finally bring Luleå/MSSK down from the throne.

Luleå/MSSK averaged 831 visitors for their regular season home games in 2018/19, and 2375 for the playoff games, so the locals have been supportive and proud of their women’s team even if those numbers have dwindled a bit since, not simply on account of covid restrictions: for me personally it was pretty hard watching Luleå completely overpower all competition the first few years, so it’s been very welcome seeing that other SHL teams have followed Luleå’s lead and catching up in terms of making the on-ice product more attractive. The best players are very good and I think the later rounds of the playoffs will be recommended to watch.

But besides making the SDHL a higher quality product, the increased investments into and awareness of women’s hockey thanks to SHL teams’ efforts and their fans is due to bring more girls to the game, give them role models as well as the opportunity to play when just recently they were very few and far between. Hopefully, many girls that would have quit the game in key years of their development due to not having a local girl’s team, the boys on their team outgrowing them, the costs and sacrifice that used to be associated with playing senior women’s hockey (and still is for the vast majority of SDHL players despite the positive trend), and so on, will have goals to set their sights on and feel they can continue to commit to the game.

So my point is, I think that we’re yet to experience the results of the increased investments, opportunities and awareness of women’s hockey in Sweden. It’s only been about six years since Luleå started their involvement in women’s hockey and spearheaded this trend among SHL teams, but I’m hopeful that we’ll be seeing some great Swedish talent coming out of this movement in the future.