OT: XXII Olympic Winter Games - Sochi 2014

[MBTendy]

Beauty goal by Val. Looks like he's playing with Datsyuk now

 

[Elysian]

Dat Nuke goal

 

[Starsfan24]

Good win for the USA and a beauty of a goal from Val.

 

[Primetimey*]

Nuke is much better on the bigger ice, he has that little extra space that he needs to use his speed or control the puck.

 

[CorwiN]

You can bet we'll be in for thousands of garbage trade proposals for Nichushkin if he has a really good Olympics.

Should be fun.

 

[jhr1986]

He's a scratch

I can't be too disappointed though, it seems his conditioning isn't *quite* up to a full nhl season yet (and that's not a knock on the kid, he's only 18 and doing extremely well for a rookie in my estimation) so a little rest could be good for him. Just being able to practice with the likes of Datsyuk, Malkin, Ovie should be good for him; and I'm sure it's also nice for a foreign rookie to be able to visit "home" during the middle of the season.

Apparently I was very wrong, could have sworn I read that. Just saw his goal in the highlights after the USA game - I would have watched live if I had known he was playing. Good for Val, I'll have to go back and watch it now.

 

[geoo9]

Dat Nuke goal

So now he youngest russian who scores at olimpics

 

[BigG44]

Apparently I was very wrong, could have sworn I read that. Just saw his goal in the highlights after the USA game - I would have watched live if I had known he was playing. Good for Val, I'll have to go back and watch it now.

You were correct yesterday. This was a last second change for some reason.

 

[BigG44]

So now he youngest russian who scores at olimpics

I wonder who is younger overall in history?

 

[glovesave_35]

I didn't realize the Olympics were played across an entire continent for 6 to 8 months. I mean seriously ... you're going to argue 3 or 4 additional refs is cost prohibitive? That seems like a reasonable argument to you? We're talking about 2 weeks here ... at a central location ... that happens once every 4 years. Even the AHL tries to use two refs when they can and money would be a reasonable argument where they are concerned.

There were fewer refs than is usual for a men's game. What better explanation can you give?

 

[geoo9]

I wonder who is younger overall in history?

only Kovy was 1 month younger he earned 3 points at 2002 OG
so nuke must take 4+points

 

[BigG44]

There were fewer refs than is usual for a men's game. What better explanation can you give?

I would say poor decisions on someones part. According to this website, the best league in the world, the NHL, pays their top refs about $255,000 a year or $2,682 per game. The average ref makes much less at about $1,402 per game.

If you're telling me that one of the most popular sports in the Olympics (at least the men's version) can't afford likely significantly less than that per game so that the most important hockey games in the world outside of league championships can get called fairly and accurately, that's BS. They're making more than enough at the door to cover that cost for the men and the women. There is no reasonable explanation to not have two refs ... that's the point. First and foremost money.

 

[Alistar]

Well if he can stick on that line with Datsyuk he'll have a good shot.

**in reference to Nuke needing to pass Kovalchuk's 18 year old olympic performance

 

[Stars99Lobo37]

So now he youngest russian who scores at olimpics

)))))))))))

 

[Stars99Lobo37]

You can bet we'll be in for thousands of garbage trade proposals for Nichushkin if he has a really good Olympics.

Should be fun.

Will take those (knowing the possibility is at 0%) over the attendance threads over the past 4/5 years.

 

[glovesave_35]

I would say poor decisions on someones part. According to this website, the best league in the world, the NHL, pays their top refs about $255,000 a year or $2,682 per game. The average ref makes much less at about $1,402 per game.

If you're telling me that one of the most popular sports in the Olympics (at least the men's version) can't afford likely significantly less than that per game so that the most important hockey games in the world outside of league championships can get called fairly and accurately, that's BS. They're making more than enough at the door to cover that cost for the men and the women. There is no reasonable explanation to not have two refs ... that's the point. First and foremost money.

I don't know what we're arguing about at this point. Women's hockey is less important than men's hockey and thus has fewer refs. You can dissect it any way you want but the fact is nobody really watches women's hockey on TV and few attend the games.

I could also say, Russia. But would that be the imperialist American in me? A lot of things about these Olympics have been a joke, including the accommodations for journalists and visitors. All of that eventually comes down to money. Everything always comes down to money. Where else would you look for answers?

 

[BigG44]

I don't know what we're arguing about at this point. Women's hockey is less important than men's hockey and thus has fewer refs. You can dissect it any way you want but the fact is nobody really watches women's hockey on TV and few attend the games.

I could also say, Russia. But would that be the imperialist American in me? A lot of things about these Olympics have been a joke, including the accommodations for journalists and visitors. All of that eventually comes down to money. Everything always comes down to money. Where else would you look for answers?

I don't put this on the Russians though. In fact it would be a major conflict of interest if they had any say in who reffed and how many. That's entirely on the Olympic committee. I don't think we're debating anything though as much as I'm just trying to say there's zero excuses for doing your best to fairly and accurately judge every contest at the Olympics. Any hockey fan, especially if you watch the AHL where one night could be two and a different night just a single ref, can see it's obvious one ref games are often poorly officiated. That's not their fault, it's just too hard to catch everything. A short two week tournament has zero excuse. My previous point was that argument is fine for some women's league in the NCAA or somewhere else in the world where you're talking multiple teams in multiple cities over a large mass of land. That's not what's going on in Sochi.

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect better planning in order to secure a handful of extra refs at most.

 

[geoo9]

 

[geoo9]

http://vk.com/video-485344_167576342?hd=3&t=4s
Nukes goal
can you watch it ?

 

[BigG44]

http://vk.com/video-485344_167576342?hd=3&t=4s
can you watch it ?

Cool to see that extended look, and see Ovechkin and Radulov's reaction.

 

[piqued]

So that's pretty interesting, Russia still went with 8 D as was reported. So Val played over 2 forwards. That goal can't hurt his chances to stay in there either.

 

[Anhero]

Dat picture. I noticed it on the Sochi website and had to do a double take

http://vk.com/video-485344_167576342?hd=3&t=4s
Nukes goal
can you watch it ?

What a goal. On the broadcast angle I couldnt tell how it went in. That was awesome seeing Ovie give Val hugs.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Saw Nuke's goal as I streamed the game at work off CBC's website.

I hope he continues to impress!

....And they wanted to scratch him.

 

[Starry Knight]

Nooooooooooooch

 

[Anhero]

Already took Jamie Benn off the Tavares line. I'm guessing it won't last long considering he is awesome.