Olympic ice hockey thread

The last two games are as dominating, clinical performance you will ever see. A little puck luck and the scores would have been much more reflective of this.

 

AP: Backstrom popped for doping.

 

Even you could have played goal in that one.

Proud of my boy Duchene, who embraced whatever role he got and played his ass off on every shift. Injuries kept him from making the 2009 junior team (last one to win god for Canuckistan) and I know how disappointed he was sicne he never got another chance at that, this more than makes up for that. Great player, greater kid.

 

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olympics-fourth-place-medal/nicklas-backstrom-misses-gold-medal-game-over-use-of-banned-substance--source-135620293.html

NHLPA source: Claritin (or something to that effect).

 

Three goals against in six games, and did it without trapping. The best defensive hockey team ever created? This guy says yes.

Canada just obliterated the perception that it would not be able to win on international ice. Also puts us back in front in the Olympic hockey gold race, 9-8 over the Soviet Union/Unified Team/Russia (which, in truth, has never won Olympic gold as Russia).

 

Really liked the doc NBC did on the KHL Lokamotiv team on Saturday. Worth checking out online.

 

Yes. Very good. I was watching that and the thought came "this could just as easily play out in Canada or the US".

(The Lokamotiv team was the one that had most team members killed in a plane crash in 2011.)

 

Return to what? We were never not awesome.

 

Darn, sorry I missed it. When did it air? Thanks for the head's up. Could be wrong but I think "Real Sports" is airing a segment on the same subject this month.

 

Here's a great column on how Canada won.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/olympics/canada-finally-learns-how-to-win-on-a-big-international-rink/article17060925/#dashboard/follows/


The jerseys were red, the maple leaf was prominent, but it was a hockey team that no one recognized: not their fans, not their rivals, not even themselves.

It required every player to check their ego at the door. And they did. Unbelievable. It's like they were playing the game in another dimension.

 

During Sunday's game, my mind started wandering to an all-tournament team. Here's what came to mind without looking up any stats, just watching a heck of a lot of the games.

Forwards: Selanne, Hagelin, Kessel or Carter. Datsyuk in the distance.
Defense: Doughty and Karlsson, though Weber was a consideration.
Goal: Price.

Thoughts?