IIHF World ChampionshipDiscuss International Tournaments like the WJC, Olympics, and World Cup, as they take place, or discuss past tournaments. performances.
Ovy vs Crosby is not Canada vs Russia or Penguins vs Capitals. So far, Canada is way better than Russia and Pens are better than Caps. By all individual statistics, Ovy is slightly better than Syd. Considering how incredibly great both are, holding a great love for one while hating the other is a bit insane.
I can say I love the one, while hate the other but those emotions are due to the team I cheer for. I do however have a great respect for Ovechkin for how good he really is at the game, but do believe that Crosby is better.
Crosby is a great player, but he will be possibly forever considered the savior of Canada for that goal. He was a vital piece of that puzzle, but he wasn't the only one to have a solid tournament on that team.
I would rather people look at the trophies he has won, the fact he captained a young team to a Stanley Cup (against arguably the best team of the past two decades), the fact he is lined up to be hacked and whacked by the other team's best defensive players, and the things he does on the ice instead of this one goal.
That's my point.
I think most people will remember him for that. I don't think anyone will look back and say "Crosby really dominated the tournament". But he did have the most important goal in the most important game, and that is worthy of being remembered.
Ovy vs Crosby is not Canada vs Russia or Penguins vs Capitals. So far, Canada is way better than Russia and Pens are better than Caps. By all individual statistics, Ovy is slightly better than Syd. Considering how incredibly great both are, holding a great love for one while hating the other is a bit insane.
I will also say amen to that. Sadly the atmosphere on this site tends to take a hockey fan and make them into a dogmatic fanboy about these kinds of things
Crosby is a great player, but he will be possibly forever considered the savior of Canada for that goal. He was a vital piece of that puzzle, but he wasn't the only one to have a solid tournament on that team.
I would rather people look at the trophies he has won, the fact he captained a young team to a Stanley Cup (against arguably the best team of the past two decades), the fact he is lined up to be hacked and whacked by the other team's best defensive players, and the things he does on the ice instead of this one goal.
That's my point. The fans are fickle, and will get on Crosby for not getting 3 goals a game, but will turn around and consider him the most clutch athlete to play when he scores an overtime winner the next.
Yeah, fans are "what have you done for me lately", but it's going to be the most memorable thing of the tournament. He didn't dominate the tournament, no one did. But the goal will go down in Canadian hockey folklore with that of Paul Henderson's goal in '72. It was a clutch goal, and not many people could have wrote a better ending.
Fleury redeemed himself with the save he made on Lidstrom.
Once again you don't get it.
Fleury's own goal in the World Juniors+Own goal in the Stanley Cup Finals=not clutch goaltender who cracks under pressure
Desperation save on Lidstrom in the last couple seconds in the Stanley Cup Finals=one of the most clutch goaltenders
BlackAces: remembering I understand (like McCarty's game winner in the 1997 finals, Staal's shorthanded goal in the 2009 finals, Kariya's OT winner after getting hit by Stevens in the 2003 finals, Arnott's OT goal in the 2000 finals) but I just don't think some should get carried away with it (such as those few who have stated how "clutch" Crosby is from this goal.
Crosby did well, and earned his medal with flying colors. That's for damn sure.
I think what we need to acknowledge here is that 20 years from now, when this goal gets shown during Sid's Hall of Fame induction, is that no one will remember Ryan Getzlaf had a great game, and that Sid played just okay.
Is that fair? Probably not, but that is sports. It comes down to winning, and Crosby delivered the winning goal. Getzlaf could have, but didn't. It was Crosby.
Special players make special contributions. I don't know why it works out that way, it just does. Instead of worrying about how good or how average he was for some of the tournament, acknowledge that he scored arguably the biggest goal for Canadian hockey in almost 25 years. Maybe more.
That's a pretty awesome accomplishment, considering Canadian hockey has more than its share of heroes.
BlackAces: remembering I understand (like McCarty's game winner in the 1997 finals, Staal's shorthanded goal in the 2009 finals, Kariya's OT winner after getting hit by Stevens in the 2003 finals, Arnott's OT goal in the 2000 finals) but I just don't think some should get carried away with it (such as those few who have stated how "clutch" Crosby is from this goal.
Crosby did well, and earned his medal with flying colors. That's for damn sure.
I think the clutch thing comes from more than just this one goal. It seems whenever the Penguins need a big goal, Crosby is in on it. He has earned a rep as a clutch player that goes beyond this one goal IMO.
how many 22 yr olds have achieved what Crosby has achieved so far?
you put Crosby and even Ovechkin in the game that was played in the same era as the all time legends like Gretzky, Messier, and Lemieux, and they would rack up the same if not greater amount of points.
Crosby is a legend already, and will reach demi-god status in the world of hockey by the time he retires, surpassing Gretzky and Lemieux.
I think what we need to acknowledge here is that 20 years from now, when this goal gets shown during Sid's Hall of Fame induction, is that no one will remember Ryan Getzlaf had a great game, and that Sid played just okay.
Is that fair? Probably not, but that is sports. It comes down to winning, and Crosby delivered the winning goal. Getzlaf could have, but didn't. It was Crosby.
Special players make special contributions. I don't know why it works out that way, it just does. Instead of worrying about how good or how average he was for some of the tournament, acknowledge that he scored arguably the biggest goal for Canadian hockey in almost 25 years. Maybe more.
That's a pretty awesome accomplishment, considering Canadian hockey has more than its share of heroes.
After reading this tread I can't imagine the hate that would be thrown around here if the US had won.
The guy wins the Gold Medal on an amazing individual effort (with a little help from Iggy) and many here are acting like he was standing on his opponents blue line watching them score goal after goal (like some other superstar that we all know and love).
I think what we need to acknowledge here is that 20 years from now, when this goal gets shown during Sid's Hall of Fame induction, is that no one will remember Ryan Getzlaf had a great game, and that Sid played just okay.
Is that fair? Probably not, but that is sports. It comes down to winning, and Crosby delivered the winning goal. Getzlaf could have, but didn't. It was Crosby.
Special players make special contributions. I don't know why it works out that way, it just does. Instead of worrying about how good or how average he was for some of the tournament, acknowledge that he scored arguably the biggest goal for Canadian hockey in almost 25 years. Maybe more.
That's a pretty awesome accomplishment, considering Canadian hockey has more than its share of heroes.
Well said. Short and to the point. Exactly how I feel.
As a Crosby fan, I must admit ... Paul Henderson scored the GWG goals in games 6, 7, and 8 of the 1972 series. Myself, I would put Crosby's goal 2nd behind Henderson's goal in 1972 but just ahead of Lemieux's goal in 1987.
Crosby scored two game winning goals in the 2010 Olympics. Not to shabby either
Absolutely, he is just a passenger, he has never been a reason any of those teams had success.
Clearly. I mean I was born in Canada, and I have won all those same things.
man if my parents got me reebok skates instead of my bauers I could have easily done that, I mean any forward could have gotten that goal, they just waited for him to do it first
he was a main contributor for all 3 yes... rewatch all, and then come back
see you in 3 days
Watched all 3, he didn't win them by himself. Crosby had the benefit of playing on some great teams and he was a great player himself. Though, I don't believe he was one of Canada's best players in these Olympics and I didn't see him in Game 7 last year with Pittsburgh.
I totally agree. Crosby is a winner. This does not mean I think Ovechkin can not win. Nor does it mean that I think Crosby is the greatest player that laced on skates. But Crosby has two straight NHL finals and a gold medal. And despite any post-series analysis he was the focal point of both the Wings in both series and the USA in the Olympics and his teams won. (at least in the second Cup finals).
You know what? He is not A LOT better than everyone else. Like Gretzky and Mario were. But he is a little bit better than everyone. And he proved it in scoring the winning goal (and setting it up). Crosby is great. He is the best of the era along with Ovechkin. I am sure eventually, maybe even this year the Caps might go to the final. AO is great. He is a winner. He has not totally shown it yet but I feel and think he is a gamer, a winner for all-time. It will happen. Crosby has already done it.
All true. Won't ever find this fan dwelling in insufferable comparisons between the two. Both are supremely skilled and supremely hungry hockey players. And yet disimilar in other ways. What more can you ask for?
Just sitting back, watching it play out for the 10-15 years....And appreciating greatness in our midst.
As for these two contemporaries not being as dominating as #99 and #66: well, with that latter duo you are talking about arguably two of the top three players of all-time, so that's understandable.
