Olympic ice hockey thread

Russia because I think there will be more home cooking at this tourney than you see at a southern family reunion.

 

First, depth won't be a huge factor then unsure how important the larger ice surface will be. :

 

Looked it up and Team Russia head coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov was, indeed, a defenseman for the Soviet Union at Lake Placid. He was one of the Soviets, along with Vladislav Tretiak and Boris Mikhailov, interviewed by HBO for the "Sports of the 20th Century" documentary on the big upset and eventual goal-medal win by the U.S.

 

Is pulling Tretiak in the conversation for worst in game coaching decision of all time?

 

Has to be at the top of the list.

 

If there was any doubt the womens tournament is a two-horse race, Sweden looks like a bad high school team and still leads Japan 1-0 in the third. The Swedes are constantly tuning the puck over in their own zone, and yet Japan can't cash in. Canada or the US would be leading the Swedes 10-0.

 

Glad to see Tretiak lighting the Olympic cauldron. Anyone else remember the 1972 Summit Series?
Picking the Slovaks. Z gets to lift Olympic gold to go with the Cup he lifted three years ago.

 

Gosh, Sweden looked horrible today.

 

The Summit Series is one of Canada's best known moments--in our history.

Pick the Slovaks for what?

 

I think I'm going to take the U.S. to win. A bunch of hard working, blue-collar players.

 

Heck of a good question and one I'd never thought about in your overall context. Tretiak was considered the greatest goaltender in the world at the time so I'd say Viktor Tikhonov's move is a nominee.

I've never seen/read any criticism of Tikhonov's decision from the players themselves. In the HBO documentary, Tretiak basically said the coach came in the room, told the team Tretiak wasn't playing well and would not play in the second period. Not exactly a scathing critique. Vladimir Myshkin didn't play poorly in the second and Tikhonov stayed with him the rest of the way.

Maybe Tikhonov made a knee-jerk decision in response to Mark Johnson's goal just prior the first-period horn.

 

Does Canada revere the 2010 Hockey Gold and OT win over the USA to the same extent the US reveres 1980?

To the rest of the World the USA is the evil empire