Men 's Gold Medal Hockey Game

[JR]

Given that probably most of sj will be watching this, I think the game deserves its own thread.

I'm not making any predictions---this sucker is too close to call.

Our biggest decision between now and then is where to watch it: home or at The Goose. The Goose will be absolutely freakin' hoppin.

The Canada/Russia rivalry is officially dead.

Canucks versus the Yanks is the new hockey rivalry.

I can't wait for the puck drop

 

[Blitz]

Who'd we decide the pressure was most on?
I vote for Canada, with its goal-tending issue.
(And not wanting to be out-done by the women's team.)

I think Canada is going to win.

 

[RedHotChiliPrepper]

I can very much see this being a 4-1 or 5-2 type win for Canada. I don't have any solid hockey reasons for that, just a gut feeling.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

I can very much see this being a 4-1 or 5-2 type win for Canada. I don't have any solid hockey reasons for that, just a gut feeling.

I am hardly a hockey fan and certainly no expert, but that's the same kind of feeling i get.

 

[Boom_70]

Given that probably most of sj will be watching this, I think the game deserves its own thread.

I'm not making any predictions---this sucker is too close to call.

Our biggest decision between now and then is where to watch it: home or at The Goose. The Goose will be absolutely freakin' hoppin.

The Canada/Russia rivalry is officially dead.

Canucks versus the Yanks is the new hockey rivalry.

I can't wait for the puck drop

I guess I view a rivalry as 2 teams that don't like each other. Don't see that with USA and Canada. Non the less it's going to be a great game.

 

[Huggy]

Tomorrow will be found money for bar owners up here. Sports bars across the country will be packed.

My team's home game has been changed to noon from 2 p.m. to avoid a conflict. If we'd stayed at the original time we would have had a hard time getting officials to work the game, forget about getting fans to come. I'll be wrapping up as soon as I can to boot it to a little house party friends of ours are having.

Canuckistan 4, USA 2

 

[Michael_ Gee]

I repeat my earlier contention that the U.S. has been the more consistent team overall, and therefore I believe they will win. I haven't seen the U.S. give much away, and I've seen Canada give away plenty.

 

[canucklehead]

While of course hoping for my home country, I believe the Americans are simply the better team with better goaltending. I do not trust Luongo in the big game. Canada beat a Russian team that has been spoiled by money and barely got by a gutsy Slovak squad. The Americans, on the other hand, destroyed the Finns in just a few minutes, then graciously took their foot off the gas.

 

[Piotr Rasputin]

Given that probably most of sj will be watching this.

And that, in a nutshell, is why I have a burr under my saddle on this.

Most of SportsJournalists.com does NOT participate in the NHL thread. Most people in our society need the rules of hockey explained to them . . . oh, but that tharrrr Yoo Ess of Ay is in that tharrr feenal, so yee-haw and whoo-hoo, NOW we're all interested.

Ugh. It's the same crowd that says "I don't like soccer, but now that we won a game in the World Cup, I CARE!!!"

If nationalism annoys me when people say "Support the governent, no matter what!!!" then it annoys me for sports bandwagons.

OK, Rant over.

Canada wins. U.S. goaltending has to break at some point, if only for a period.

 

[mb]

If the U.S. has believed all along that it could win the tournament, they're in great shape. If the team never *really* believed they were a gold-medal contender, and is just now coming to terms with being 60 minutes from gold, then things could get ugly.

 

[Flying Headbutt]

Ryan Miller has been playing great all year. Canada has all that extra pressure on it. Unless the US totally gets overwhelmed by whats at stake, I'm going to say 3-2 USA.

 

[Moderator1]

Given that probably most of sj will be watching this.

And that, in a nutshell, is why I have a burr under my saddle on this.

Most of SportsJournalists.com does NOT participate in the NHL thread. Most people in our society need the rules of hockey explained to them . . . oh, but that tharrrr Yoo Ess of Ay is in that tharrr feenal, so yee-haw and whoo-hoo, NOW we're all interested.

Ugh. It's the same crowd that says "I don't like soccer, but now that we won a game in the World Cup, I CARE!!!"

If nationalism annoys me when people say "Support the governent, no matter what!!!" then it annoys me for sports bandwagons.

OK, Rant over.

Canada wins. U.S. goaltending has to break at some point, if only for a period.

Frankly, sir, I'm a little disappointed with this attitude.
Hockey isn't the only sport that gets "noticed" more during an Olympic year by non-fans. Big deal. Besides, maybe some people who don't follow it regularly will find themselves interested enough to do so after watching what has been an enjoyable tournament. If not, nothing is lost. If so, well, the sport has some new fans.

True fans of any sport should embrace anything that may bring more into their circle.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

Given that probably most of sj will be watching this.

And that, in a nutshell, is why I have a burr under my saddle on this.

Most of SportsJournalists.com does NOT participate in the NHL thread. Most people in our society need the rules of hockey explained to them . . . oh, but that tharrrr Yoo Ess of Ay is in that tharrr feenal, so yee-haw and whoo-hoo, NOW we're all interested.

Ugh. It's the same crowd that says "I don't like soccer, but now that we won a game in the World Cup, I CARE!!!"

If nationalism annoys me when people say "Support the governent, no matter what!!!" then it annoys me for sports bandwagons.

OK, Rant over.

Canada wins. U.S. goaltending has to break at some point, if only for a period.

Why does Ryan Miller have to break now?

They'll need him, now that Team USA woke up the sleeping giant North of the Border.

 

[Mystery Meat II]

Given that probably most of sj will be watching this.

And that, in a nutshell, is why I have a burr under my saddle on this.

Most of SportsJournalists.com does NOT participate in the NHL thread. Most people in our society need the rules of hockey explained to them . . . oh, but that tharrrr Yoo Ess of Ay is in that tharrr feenal, so yee-haw and whoo-hoo, NOW we're all interested.

Ugh. It's the same crowd that says "I don't like soccer, but now that we won a game in the World Cup, I CARE!!!"

If nationalism annoys me when people say "Support the governent, no matter what!!!" then it annoys me for sports bandwagons.

OK, Rant over.

Canada wins. U.S. goaltending has to break at some point, if only for a period.

Something like 2/3rds of Canadians watched the last U.S.-Canada game. I'm pretty sure no NHL game has gotten 2/3rds of the nation watching. So it's not just an issue in that tharrrr Yoo Ess of Ay, it happens to our betters, too!

Using that logic, nobody has the right to cheer on anyone in any Olympics event because how often do we watch curling and luge during non-Olympic years?

I swear, for as much grief as Americans get for being nationalistic, I'd be willing to wager that no other country has people who display as much shame over their neighbors' cheering habits as the U.S.

 

[Piotr Rasputin]

Given that probably most of sj will be watching this.

And that, in a nutshell, is why I have a burr under my saddle on this.

Most of SportsJournalists.com does NOT participate in the NHL thread. Most people in our society need the rules of hockey explained to them . . . oh, but that tharrrr Yoo Ess of Ay is in that tharrr feenal, so yee-haw and whoo-hoo, NOW we're all interested.

Ugh. It's the same crowd that says "I don't like soccer, but now that we won a game in the World Cup, I CARE!!!"

If nationalism annoys me when people say "Support the governent, no matter what!!!" then it annoys me for sports bandwagons.

OK, Rant over.

Canada wins. U.S. goaltending has to break at some point, if only for a period.

Frankly, sir, I'm a little disappointed with this attitude.
Hockey isn't the only sport that gets "noticed" more during an Olympic year by non-fans. Big deal. Besides, maybe some people who don't follow it regularly will find themselves interested enough to do so after watching what has been an enjoyable tournament. If not, nothing is lost. If so, well, the sport has some new fans.

True fans of any sport should embrace anything that may bring more into their circle.

Disagree . . . true fans of any sport are there regardless of the on-field, on-ice, or on-court results. "The team in the region I happen to be affiliated with wins at this sport, so now I like it!!!"

What happens when the results no longer allow these "new fans" to run their mouths about their new team's superiority?

It's no different than any other bandwagon. "I USED to be a fan of (fill-in-the-blank), but they kind of suck now . . . "

Mystery Meat II: I enjoy the Olympics because they involve seeing sports you usually don't see. Curling would lose its luster very quickly if it were on more often than every four years. I like to see the United States do well, bit it's not a prerequisite for my enjoyment. I also tire very quickly of the arrogance our sports fans show during every Olympics, winter or summer. It's like we all become Yankee/Lakers/Cowboys/Kentucky basketball fans. But that's another thread.

Sam Mills 51: Law of averages, nothing more. Oh, and the fact that Canada absolutely peppered him in the first game. The chances of standing up to a similar onslaught again?

 

[txsportsscribe]

Given that probably most of sj will be watching this.

And that, in a nutshell, is why I have a burr under my saddle on this.

Most of SportsJournalists.com does NOT participate in the NHL thread. Most people in our society need the rules of hockey explained to them . . . oh, but that tharrrr Yoo Ess of Ay is in that tharrr feenal, so yee-haw and whoo-hoo, NOW we're all interested.

Ugh. It's the same crowd that says "I don't like soccer, but now that we won a game in the World Cup, I CARE!!!"

If nationalism annoys me when people say "Support the governent, no matter what!!!" then it annoys me for sports bandwagons.

OK, Rant over.

Canada wins. U.S. goaltending has to break at some point, if only for a period.

i still wouldn't care about soccer

 

[Precious Roy]

I think Miller has been standing on his head the whole tournament, no use thinking it would be any different now. This is a young squad that understands it takes that dive in front of a shot to win, that's the key to this game.
I just think that if Miller keeps this up when the NHL season returns, look out.

 

[Piotr Rasputin]

Given that probably most of sj will be watching this.

And that, in a nutshell, is why I have a burr under my saddle on this.

Most of SportsJournalists.com does NOT participate in the NHL thread. Most people in our society need the rules of hockey explained to them . . . oh, but that tharrrr Yoo Ess of Ay is in that tharrr feenal, so yee-haw and whoo-hoo, NOW we're all interested.

Ugh. It's the same crowd that says "I don't like soccer, but now that we won a game in the World Cup, I CARE!!!"

If nationalism annoys me when people say "Support the governent, no matter what!!!" then it annoys me for sports bandwagons.

OK, Rant over.

Canada wins. U.S. goaltending has to break at some point, if only for a period.

i still wouldn't care about soccer

And as a soccer wonk, I appreciate it.

 

[Flying Headbutt]

Ryan Miller has been doing it all season. He's not riding an Olympic hot streak. He was the Vezina favorite, in my mind, before the Olympics started.

 

[Precious Roy]

Ryan Miller has been doing it all season. He's not riding an Olympic hot streak. He was the Vezina favorite, in my mind, before the Olympics started.

Exactly, this is the Ryan Miller I watched a couple of years ago when they were close to winning the East and going to the Cup finals but lost to Carolina. I thought then that Miller would be a freaking stud and he's panned out like that.