Olympic hockey

[nightfighter]

Originally Posted by Mike P

Except for blowing out Austria in the prelims, Canada hasn't exactly been lighting the goal lamp. 2 goals on 57 shots today, against a goalie who hasn't played a single NHL game, and who was the 124th overall pick in last year's draft. Currently playing in the ECHL.

Think we could see that kid in a Tampa Bay sweater pretty soon.... Yzerman had a pretty good view of him in that game. Babcock will probably try to trade for him.

[goosefish]

I like these match ups. The swedes and the fins have got to be rivals--their neighbors. I'm excited to see that game. It should be back-and- forth wide open European style hockey. Go Rask.

If the US plays and puts the puck in the net by all the different players that have scored and if Canada plays the way the have been--then I'm going with USA winning gold.

However, you watch, Canada shows up and plays their best game of the Olympics against us and we go down with a loss.

[nightfighter]

Looking at this tournament strictly from goaltenders, the US has to ride with Quick in goal. It would be crazy not to. And I would rather have him over Price or Luongo..... Now a gold medal game against Rask.... I can't pick one over the other.
But getting past Canada is going to be tough. Very physical game will take a lot out of whoever wins going into the final. I'm not convinced the Americans will look as good vs. Canada as they have leading up to this game. They definitely won't have as much room to operate. The Kane, Kessler, and Oshie line is due to light it up. Let's hope it is against the Canadians.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by nightfighter

Think we could see that kid in a Tampa Bay sweater pretty soon.... Yzerman had a pretty good view of him in that game. Babcock will probably try to trade for him.

Yeah, as Ben Bishop's back-up. You don't dump the best goalie in the East right now for a maybe, based on his Olympic performance. But his trade value probably went up. Jimmy Howard is the US' #3 goalie, but Babcock might have some interest in the Latvian to replace Jonas Gustavsson as the back up---although he is Sweden's #2 goalie in Sochi.

Originally Posted by goosefish

I like these match ups. The swedes and the fins have got to be rivals--their neighbors. I'm excited to see that game. It should be back-and- forth wide open European style hockey. Go Rask.

If the US plays and puts the puck in the net by all the different players that have scored and if Canada plays the way the have been--then I'm going with USA winning gold.

However, you watch, Canada shows up and plays their best game of the Olympics against us and we go down with a loss.

Sweden-Finland is a bigger rivalry than Bs-Habs.

The Finns haven't played the wide-open European game. They've been grinders, like the US D.

[nightfighter]

Things just got real, yo. Let the games begin.

[rphud]

Hey, I heard PJK was actually backchecking in the Latvia game!