[blueandwhite]

Blahhh. 5-0.
IIHF site says both teams were visibly grouchy after not having made it to finals. I like that.
canada hasn't fallen out of the medals since 2002.
Auld was the losing goalie. lots of penalities, and, obviously, more taken by the Canucks.
Poor end to what started out exciting.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by blueandwhite

Blahhh. 5-0.
IIHF site says both teams were visibly grouchy after not having made it to finals. I like that.
canada hasn't fallen out of the medals since 2002.
Auld was the losing goalie. lots of penalities, and, obviously, more taken by the Canucks.
Poor end to what started out exciting.

Gee...5-0?...at least Denis wasn't involved.

Still 5-0?...that sucks...

So, what's wrong with Canadian hockey?...Besides the fact that they play these bloody things at Stanley Cup time and the A-team is not in there.

Come on now, give me a top ten ways to return to the medal stand.

[blueandwhite]

Okay, I am not some educated and learned person.
First off, though, I don't think there is anything wrong with canadian hockey.
Okay, ten ways to get to podium - can i give you the top three?
1-too many penalties called. it's a different game over there, or in the world arena. The penalties I saw called were silly. I think the canadians found whenever they tried to be aggressive, it backfired.
2-world arena play is high high calibre. Get rid of the Fins and the swedes first off. Mostly because, these guys play together all the time. same with the czechs, the russians. Our guys, just like the Americans, come together in a matter of days and are supposed to mesh. Impossible. So it's easy for kaberle to ease himself in. these are his teammates. Shanahan and Crosby? Um, never?
3-so would more great players being added to the roster help? In some ways, especially goalies. Would they have done better with brodeur? Ward? Gigeure? probably.
But then, Swedes and Finns didn't have lundqvist, or Niittymaki(for the most part), respectively . And they did just fine.

I think North American players are and always will be trained on a more "athletic" (see 'physical') level of play then the Finns or the Swedes will ever play. If they could come over and play our game once in a while - oh hang on they do.
Odd too, we had the top point getter in the tournament and came in 4th. or maybe not so odd - I suppose the Rangers, the Capitals and the penguins had the same thought about a month ago when they didn't get in or get very far into the playoffs.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by blueandwhite

Okay, I am not some educated and learned person.

Huh?...I thought you were?...don't worry, I won't tell if you don't tell...

Originally Posted by blueandwhite

First off, though, I don't think there is anything wrong with canadian hockey.

Hmmm...I thought if they fail to medal its like a national tragedy, so there must be something wrong...no?

Originally Posted by blueandwhite

Okay, ten ways to get to podium - can i give you the top three?

Only if they are really good

Originally Posted by blueandwhite

1-too many penalties called. it's a different game over there, or in the world arena. The penalties I saw called were silly. I think the canadians found whenever they tried to be aggressive, it backfired.

Perhaps true...the rest of the world plays a rather sissy version of the sport...

Originally Posted by blueandwhite

2-world arena play is high high calibre. Get rid of the Fins and the swedes first off. Mostly because, these guys play together all the time. same with the czechs, the russians. Our guys, just like the Americans, come together in a matter of days and are supposed to mesh. Impossible. So it's easy for kaberle to ease himself in. these are his teammates. Shanahan and Crosby? Um, never?

Yeah, but didn't the Swedes leave most of the big guns home? But there is no substitute for playing together...

Originally Posted by blueandwhite

3-so would more great players being added to the roster help? In some ways, especially goalies. Would they have done better with brodeur? Ward? Gigeure? probably.

What about the fact that the game is at the end of the hockey season?...

Would the Canadians do better if say they have a core team like Toronto play inthe tournament and then fill in the gaps with best available players liek Crosby?...There you would have a core that has played together...and a supplement of great individuals...what do you think?

[blueandwhite]

The loss is disappointing, but not up to not getting into the stanley cup/olympics defeat disappointment. maybe we get lazy come warmer weather.
I think sending an NHL team would be interesting. It would be a team that failed to make it into the playoffs, so lesser calibre, but it would be a team that has developed and grown as a team, so that's its advantage. They'll never do that, but it would be interesting. It's been a tough year, watching team canada lose so bad and now this too, but it's got to say something good about the european system and its consistency. Sweden played amazing hockey. by the way, they won BIG, defeating the Czechs 4-0.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by blueandwhite

The loss is disappointing, but not up to not getting into the stanley cup/olympics defeat disappointment. maybe we get lazy come warmer weather.
I think sending an NHL team would be interesting. It would be a team that failed to make it into the playoffs, so lesser calibre, but it would be a team that has developed and grown as a team, so that's its advantage. They'll never do that, but it would be interesting. It's been a tough year, watching team canada lose so bad and now this too, but it's got to say something good about the european system and its consistency. Sweden played amazing hockey. by the way, they won BIG, defeating the Czechs 4-0.

Perhaps Sweden is the new Canada.

[blueandwhite]

bite your tongue, masked man.