Olympic ice hockey thread

Apparently some nations want their own people coaching the national team. I suppose that makes sense, too.

 

Yeah, terrible defensive effort all the way around. Team Slovakia had no answer for the Americans' rushes and penetration close to the net. Terry Sawchuk in his prime would have looked like suck playing behind that defense.

 

There are no restrictions. Canadians have been going over and coaching small developing hockey nations at major international events for along time. Ralph Kruger, a Canadian, was on the bench for Switzerland for like 10 years and receives a lot of credit for the development of that program to a second tier hockey program.

Happens in all sports though. I assume all they need is a visa and maybe not even that.

 

I think my old backup Glen "Carrot" Hanlon coached Belarus, IIRC, either at Vancouver or Turin.

What was up with Canada? Just sleep walking? Hot opposition goaltender?

 

I'd say it's just a tad too early and, besides, Forsberg's goal was in Norway.

 

I did not see much of it due to Slovakia/United States playing at the same time, but it sure seemed like Bolshoy Ice Dome was rocking like a concert. Guess we've got to give Team Slovenia credit for not being intimidated out of its game.

 

Seems more Ivan Drago

BTW with all due respect to my friends from the north, A USA / Russian
final would be a great Olympic event. No doubt NBC is hoping for it.

 

Agreed on all counts. Their Group A meeting is Saturday, 7:30 a.m. eastern on NBC-SN. That crowd is going to be jacked up.

 

Maybe my expectations of Canada were too inflated. I kept thinking they were on the verge of blowing the game open and it just never happened. Never thought they were going to lose, but they had beaten Norway 8-0 in Vancouver in 2010 and I was sort of expecting that sort of outcome. Maybe Norway has gotten a lot better.

Most impressive team to me was the US, especially their forwards.

 

It's one game and these games mean jack shit. Take nothing away from theses games.

 

I agree and it doesn't take a genius to state Team USA was the most impressive. Finland was flat, Slovakia flat-out sucked and Canada apparently sleepwalked (I didn't see its game). And to your point, I wouldn't be surprised if Team Slovakia looks like impostors next time out, Rask stands on his head for the Finns, and Canada goes buck-wild nuts on its next opponent (can't remember).

 

Canada plays Austria tomorrow.

The Norwegians spent most of the last two periods playing in their own end. They would collapse around the crease, blocking loads of shots and allowing few real scoring opportunities. Canadians seemed a little tight in the first, clearly still trying to come together as a team.