They are by far the best team in the tournament so far (and Miller has not even been close to a factor so far).
What? Miller totally saved the US in a game Canada dominated, and that the US still only won because Brodeur decided to be careless. I'd call that being "close to a factor".
They are not "by far" the best team in the tournament. Canada is probably stronger despite the lost.
The question is, as good as we looked against Russia and assuming (not a given by any means) we move on, can we beat the US the way they are playing? I would hope to bench Pronger the entire game the way they are skating. Almost seems like we would be the underdogs going into the gold medal game (but obviously not publicly). I guess there's no more Sisu left on the ice.
Potentially the same results (hopefully, well not if you care about Halak winning) as the women.
What? Miller totally saved the US in a game Canada dominated, and that the US still only won because Brodeur decided to be careless. I'd call that being "close to a factor".
They are not "by far" the best team in the tournament. Canada is probably stronger despite the lost.
I mean based on the games played and the way the US is playing, like right now re:Miller and it being 6-0, holy crap. Don't get me wrong, I was thoroughly impressed by our last game, but we havn't been as consistent as the Americans. Yes we dominated them, but they won. Obviously it's close, but it's just annoying how Burke tries to play the underdog card. This team is playing amazing. Of course it would be nice to see them in a game that actually put up a fight. They looked beatable in the Swiss game. Now...it will be an insaaane gold medal game IF it's Canada-US.
This is just brutal. In a way I knew that the old tired Finns would not be able to match the US, but I thought it would be a 1 or 2 goal game. This is just absurd. If we do make it to the Gold medal game, we will have to be perfect. They are by far the best team in the tournament so far (and Miller has not even been close to a factor so far). I wouldn't count on this "hurting" their gold medal game plan. If anything they can rest. Also, Finland just plain sucks.
The question is, as good as we looked against Russia and assuming (not a given by any means) we move on, can we beat the US the way they are playing?
Yes?
They were the better team out there in their game everywhere except the pipe and that led to Canada swapping goalies. I think Canada remains the favorite, not a prohibitive one, but still they're most likely to come out of their with gold.
Which is not to say that they assuredly will, just that they have the best chance of any remaining team.
They were the better team out there in their game everywhere except the pipe and that led to Canada swapping goalies. I think Canada remains the favorite, not a prohibitive one, but still they're most likely to come out of their with gold.
Which is not to say that they assuredly will, just that they have the best chance of any remaining team.
That's reassuring to hear that people genreally think that. I'm getting f'in nervous in these one game knockouts that a team can just come out and plain suck balls (we've seen that twice). and we havn't even advanced yet.
The Johnsons on the back end with Rafalski and Kane/Parise/Ryan up front. I guess nothing could be better than beating this team to really claim supremacy.
Halak, then potentially Miller. Wow...Crosby and co. better bring their A++++ games.
Kane really does have that mouthguard dangling from his mouth even on the rush. I would love to see doughty put him into the glass when he's doing that. Actually Toews would be even better.
Once again Burke was right he didnt need Gomez and Gionta
Not sure what is the logic behind this. Would be they be more awful with Gionta? Sweden losing the way they did...does that mean they made a mistake by inviting the Sedin twins and Alfredsson?
Pretty certain Gionta would not have been a problem and would have just be helpful on that team. Pretty sure Gomez would be better than Pavelski.
Hey Russia was badly beaten....they should have went with Kovalev instead of Ovechkin....
You can make assessments like that when you can CLEARLY assess that the Czech were awful defensively and decided that they didn't need Hamrlik. Might not have changed dramatically but it was a mistake.
And then, I'm not too sure why we're discussing it before the gold medal game. If Canada wins, they had the perfect lineup. If they lose and fail to score on the PP, Mike Green would have been needed after all.
By the way, seems to me that the US didn't need Komisarek after all. We never know, he might have cost them more than what his replacement did.....
Have the Americans even trailed in this tournament?
The lack of adversity that the Americans have faced so far could very well be their downfall especially if they start to trail early. On the other hand, Canada has pretty much seen it all in this tournament so I don't expect them to panic no matter how the game unfolds.
Well I guess it's pretty determined that if it's in North America, expect Canada, USA or both in the finals. And if it's international, expect a European team (not Norway, Latvia, Switzerland or Belarus though) to be duking it out for gold. If Canada or USA makes it to the gold medal game in 2014, I'll be very impressed. Anyway that will be Russia's real proving ground to make their countrymen forget about the humbling '10 blowout and the fact they've got a bronze and silver to show for their talent since the end of the USSR (+CIS).
Once again Burke was right he didnt need Gomez and Gionta
Amazing that the same bozos who put the Leafs together could have such a good Olympic squad going, especially that moronic Wilson. But I guess the NA advantage and the skill USA hockey has assembled speaks for itself anyway. The US has the capabilities to be a better hockey nation than Canada, but only because of the fact the country is over 300 million strong and there are plenty of other sports that get more funding attention. Americans only universally embraced hockey for Miracle on Ice, which a US gold medal over Canada wouldn't really equal on the jaw-dropping scale but would still be big news I'd imagine.
Amazing that the same bozos who put the Leafs together could have such a good Olympic squad going, especially that moronic Wilson. But I guess the NA advantage and the skill USA hockey has assembled speaks for itself anyway. The US has the capabilities to be a better hockey nation than Canada, but only because of the fact the country is over 300 million strong and there are plenty of other sports that get more funding attention. Americans only universally embraced hockey for Miracle on Ice, which a US gold medal over Canada wouldn't really equal on the jaw-dropping scale but would still be big news I'd imagine.
With all credit due to Burke, (and I don't know how much due to Wilson who might be getting lucky due to his team actually performing on the ice), aside from maybe the last 3-4 picks, anyone could have built that American team given how much talent they've grown in the last 4-6 years. Whether it's the perfect chemistry, of course is the question, but yeah, the Gold medal game (if it's against Canada) will be the best way to test that. I'd give Burke more credit than Wilson, the way things have turned out, but more for successfully playing the "we don't deserve to be here" card which is pretty weak imo. If you wanna win, don't take the easy way out.
I'm not sure them not being tested will have any impact. We've seen that with some lucky bounces and brainfarts by the other team, the Americans can take advantage and then go the distance. If they play Canada, they'll know not to sit back. It'll be an exchange of chances I'm sure, since they'll rely on Miller over Luongo.
Of course this is just hypothetical. Common Canada, get it done against Slovakia!
This is just brutal. In a way I knew that the old tired Finns would not be able to match the US, but I thought it would be a 1 or 2 goal game. This is just absurd. If we do make it to the Gold medal game, we will have to be perfect. They are by far the best team in the tournament so far (and Miller has not even been close to a factor so far). I wouldn't count on this "hurting" their gold medal game plan. If anything they can rest. Also, Finland just plain sucks.
Our victory over Russia was just as impressive as America's victory over Finland, and Russia > Finland, imo.
And with out Miller's spectacular goaltending, the US doesn't beat us this past Sunday, and would have been stuck with our more difficult road to the finals (if we get there) because of it. Saying that Miller is not even close to a factor... my word, man! Have you seen his stats?! You call that "not close to a factor"?
Saying that the US is "by far" the best team in the tournament so far is a major overstatement. The US and Canada have looked about equally impressive, only in somewhat different areas (the US' goaltending has been much better than Canada's, but Canada thoroughly dominated the play in the one game between the two teams).
Now, I'll actually say that the US might be a slight favorite come this Sunday (unless Canada squashes Slovakia just as impressively as the US squashed Finland), but it's not as clear-cut as you make it seem. And, to the extent that the US is a favorite, Ryan Miller is reason numero uno.
Was that US that better or were the Fin goalies just brutal? I watched the goals and I'm convinced it was the latter. It would have been a much closer game if Kipper didn't brain-freeze. US won 2-0 against the Swiss right? Where the Swiss better than the Finns?
