NHL/Sochi - February 2014

[Fat Spanish Waiter 2,639]

Blatant dive IMO. Typical Canadians.

[Freudian_Slap 10]

For what it's worth, the Ref told Duggan in the third period that if there anymore late slashes to the goalie she was going to call it, the next one was in OT, she did what she said.

[elizium 1,705]

Thoughts on the semis? I'm picking Sweden and the US (sorry, fellow Canucks, but Canada has just smelled off all tournament). They've been the two most consistent teams, I think that carries through to the finals.

[Charlie M. 1,849]

I'll stick with my thought that the US won't trap and Canada will suddenly look awesome when they're not being trapped against. 

 

I'll go with Sweden on the other side, 1-0, in a shootout.

[Hooker 239]

I know Americans don't understand hockey, but the percentages on a breakaway turning into a goal are far, far higher than a powerplay or even a penalty shot.  Nobody dives on a breakaway and ice skates are not as easy to stay standing up on as they are bare feet on earth, which becomes compounded when a 35-year-old that people thought was too old to go to the Olympics and was clearly skating as hard as she possibly could is being chased down by a 24-year-old in the prime of her career.

 

Now a disclaimer: I don't think it was a penalty.  Hayley lost an edge.  But it's also not a dive.

 

EDIT: Also, the US women dove like crazy throughout this game, so the moaning about the Canadians being shameless divers is great.  The stick-sailing-through-the-air-hands-waving-wildly dive by Meghan Duggan in the first period was Ryan Kesler-levels of obscene.

[Dewar 2,182]

I think Canada will look a lot better tomorrow playing against a team that plays actual hockey, and not the nap inducing trap style. Not sure they are going to win, but I think they will look a lot better.

[elizium 1,705]

Blatantly stolen from twitter, mostly just putting this here for posterity (or until the next boardplosion)

 

Canada's MVP, Inanimate Carbon Rod Goal Post!

 

[odessasteps 11,639]

Earlier, someone said Goal Post could be mayor and i said

"Post > inanimate carbon rod > Rob Ford"

[Niners Fan in CT 13,299]

Using twitter search

 

There's your first mistake. When I'm searching for sound analysis, I am not running to Twitter. Can't say I will be reading YouTube comments either. With that said, I believe the loss is on the U.S. women. The refs didn't help but they needed to put that away and didn't..

[sabremike 2,382]

In other news, the IOC and team Canada have announced plans to compensate the Islanders and have money reimbursed to season ticket holders. Nah, just kidding, we are fucked! If these aren't the last olympics with NHL players I'll be shocked.

[Fat Spanish Waiter 2,639]

Earlier, someone said Goal Post could be mayor and i said

"Post > inanimate carbon rod > Rob Ford"

HAW HAW HAW EVERYONE THIS GUY IS HILARIOUS DONTCHA AGREE

[Death From Above 3,868]

 

Using twitter search

 

There's your first mistake. When I'm searching for sound analysis, I am not running to Twitter. Can't say I will be reading YouTube comments either. With that said, I believe the loss is on the U.S. women. The refs didn't help but they needed to put that away and didn't..

 

 

Twitter is a bizarre animal. It has some of the worst trolling you can possibly imagine, but it's shockingly useful as a news service, and for all sorts of info I'd never be exposed to any other way. Like I follow about 20 different NASA sub-accounts, pretty much all of it covering stuff you'd never knew existed watching the TV news.

 

I've also found it hugely useful for finding other Alberta-based sports fans with similar interests, and really 99% are pretty decent people.

 

That other 1% is really something else though.

[Fat Spanish Waiter 2,639]

Stakes have been raised:

 

[Critts 41]

Well the silver lining to the injury to Tavares might mean that we'll actually get the World Cup of Hockey back. Not that anyone wanted to see Tavares or any other NHL player get hurt in the Olympics but you have to think that this is what the owners and the league were waiting for to help their case for keeping NHL players out of the Olympics.

[Freudian_Slap 10]

Yeah someone reimburse Charles Wang! quick!

[Death From Above 3,868]

NHL owners giving up the couple hundred million in free publicity the Olympics gives them because no one is paying *them* would be the single most NHL thing ever.

[Critts 41]

I really have to question how the NHL benefits from having it's players at the Olympics. Are people going to all of a sudden start going to games in Florida? Are more people going to start watching games on TV? Perhaps if the US wins gold it might help for a bit. I know any publicity is good but there's no way any other professional league in North America would shut down mid season to let their best players go to drum up some good will for their league.

[Death From Above 3,868]

They already shut down for 4 or 5 days for an all star break that is laughably horrible.

 

One extra week is a huge problem? Quit playing a ridiculous 9 preseason games. Players get injured in those all the time too.

[Critts 41]

I do agree with you that the league has way too many pre-season games. Yes, the all-star game is a joke but it at least financially helps those teams and their city who host the game. A team like the Columbus Blue Jackets are really going to benefit by hosting that game next year.

 

Trust me, I've been enjoying the hockey but I can definitely understand why the league and the teams are against players participating in the Olympics.

[Charlie M. 1,849]

The NBA would probably shut down if the Olympics happened during their season.

[Hooker 239]

Well the silver lining to the injury to Tavares might mean that we'll actually get the World Cup of Hockey back. Not that anyone wanted to see Tavares or any other NHL player get hurt in the Olympics but you have to think that this is what the owners and the league were waiting for to help their case for keeping NHL players out of the Olympics.

I don't think the NHL ever had any interest in preventing the players going to the Olympics.  That's unbelievably great advertising for them.  I think they were just talking that up so they had something to trade for something else they wanted in the CBA negotiations.  You never hear NHL owner complain about the Olympics outside of lockouts.

[Critts 41]

 

Well the silver lining to the injury to Tavares might mean that we'll actually get the World Cup of Hockey back. Not that anyone wanted to see Tavares or any other NHL player get hurt in the Olympics but you have to think that this is what the owners and the league were waiting for to help their case for keeping NHL players out of the Olympics.

I don't think the NHL ever had any interest in preventing the players going to the Olympics.  That's unbelievably great advertising for them.  I think they were just talking that up so they had something to trade for something else they wanted in the CBA negotiations.  You never hear NHL owner complain about the Olympics outside of lockouts.

 

Ed Snider was complaining about the NHL's involvement a few weeks ago. http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/2014/02/06/philadelphia_flyers_chairman_ed_snider_rips_nhl_involvement_in_winter_olympics.html

 

Although that's Ed Snider and he complains about everything. But still, I'm guessing most owners feel the same way but just aren't out in the media complaining about it.

[Death From Above 3,868]

So nervous for this one.

 

Either way, a great team is going to win today.

[Ryan 5,139]

The Last-Minute Hater's Guide To Canada

[Niners Fan in CT 13,299]

Here come the ticky-tack calls..