Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: funkedup on February 14, 2002, 08:51:59 PM
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As much as I like to root for a Shark like Selänne...
You guys are going down tomorrow. :)
U-S-A!
U-S-A!
U-S-A!
U-S-A!
U-S-A!... Ad nauseam
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I think Russia might win the tournament. Too much talent. All the big names plus young guys like Kovalchuk and Datsyuk who are ridiculously skilled. Kovalchuk is one of the best goal scorers I have ever seen. Reminds me of Jari Kurri in his prime.
Canada picked too many big slow defensemen IMHO. Big guys like Blake and Pronger can do OK on the narrow NHL rinks but on Olympic ice I think they will be exposed. Their reach and first step quickness make them fast enough for the NHL but I think USA made much smarter decisions to bring some fast defensemen.
It will probably come down to goaltending though. And that's where Canada and the Czechs have the advantage. However if Richter can revert to his World Cup form then USA will go all the way. :)
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I have doubts that the US will win a medal, but thats just me.
newguy
Go Team Canada
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Canada going down tonight!
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oh man...I'm nervous already..and the game doesnt start in like another 15 hours..
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looks like its gonna be a long day at work today...
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Its an hard tournament for sure! I hope Sweden wins the whole thing of course, but i will settle for an medal...
Regards.
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Okay, used to be that Russia would field their "Professional" team, ie, their hockey teams used to consist of older, professional hockey players, where the USA would field young-un's that were not in the pro's. Has this changed? I know it has in regards to our basketball teams.
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Rip,
Its only Pro´s this time, NHL has taken an break during the olympics...
Will be the best vs the best...
Well Russia has an very good team on the paper but they have always had probs workin togheter (not talking about ther 'golden age' in hockey now).
So many good players in all the teams, have been looking forward to this for so long now :)
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Anyone been watching the women's games? Very good stuff, and the USA is favored to win the gold. :cool:
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Sorry man, after we took 1-3 in the halfpipe, I'm boycotting the games.
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I watched highlights from the women's games. It is going to be Canada vs. USA for the gold.
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The US had better win a medal. I don't think there are three teams (even of the six with lots of NHL'ers) that are better than ours.
It just depends on which US team showes up though. The one that wet the bed in Nagano (then set it on fire and threw it out the window) or the one that stuck it to the Canucks twice in a row including the deciding game in Canada to win the World Cup.
"Richter blocks the shot! Chelios takes his man down and Leetch takes the puck in the corner! Leetch passes up ice to Modano who streaks past the defense and centers to Roenick who fires topshelf and scores!!! Roenick scores!!!! USA! USA! USA!!"
:D
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The problem with the US is that too many of their current players played on that world cup team. They have a VERY aged defence, with Chelios leading the way at 40 years old. As well, aside from Finland, the US has the weakest goaltending out of the contenders (Canada, Czech, Sweden, Russia). They are very talented on offence, but so are all the other teams. They will need more than that to get a medal. As a side note, I am extremely upset that Quinn has decided to sit Simon Gange, our fastest player, for todays game against Sweden. He would have a hayday on this ice surface.
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I don't know if I'd call the US goalies the weakest.
Coming off his knee surgeries, Richter has played great all season. His record might not show that, but the Rangers suck in front of him. And remember how well he's always performed in big games. He was the MVP of the World Cup because he stole that third game from Team Canada. Canada would have been up 3-1 going into the third period of game three if not for Mikey. And Cujo was the losing goalie in that game. Cujo is a damn good goalie, but how much championship game experience does he have?
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I disagree that Richter is having a great season, and yes I am looking at his numbers. Early on in the season the Rangers were one of the top teams in the NHL, so you cant say that his team sucks. I have to go to work now so I cant break it down for ya, but just compare him to the other starters:
Hasek is better
Brodeur/Cujo are better
Salo is better
Khabibulin is better
Yep, Richter was the man in the Worlds, but that was 6 years ago. Good luck against the Fins!
newguy
Go Team Canada
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As I already said I seriously doubt Russia will show good playing... That NHL "professional" team got 13th place in a 1999 World Cup in Leningrad... Fans shouted out: "Pack your bags and go back to States!!!" :( The team didn't train together at all...
Back in Soviet times there were three main advantages for our team: most of the players were from CSCA, only 1 five from Dynamo and 1 five from Spartak or Wingies, then - the team trained together 9 month a year, and, finaly - we had Tretyak. ;)
Player's motivation was extremely high, people who didn't show enough effort were out of the team immediately, forever. Vyacheslav Tikhonov was a great trainer, but he is a tyrant...
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Newguy, being a rabid Ranger fan (along with the Phx Coyotes) I could squeak about them and Coach Ron bLow all day ;)
However, I just think that it must be an amazing feeling to play with your countrymen. To put on your nation's sweater, be able to speak your own language on the ice and play, even though most of these guys you fight against every night in the NHL....
I'm watching the Russain-Belarus (sp?) game right now. I think it's amazing to watch all the familiar NHL names on the same team. I can't wait to see the first USA game.
USA! USA! USA!
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US guys don't like "Big ice"...be interesting to see how they do on it with good competition, no?
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Actually Rip the NHL has a lot of rough and ready guys who benefit from the narrow NHL rinks, but those guys don't get chosen for Olympic teams. Except for Canada's slothlike defense. :)
I think Fetisov might make the difference with the Russian team. Even if they lose it is always fun to watch that team pass the puck.
If USA chokes then I am rooting for Finland.
Yeah Dune I remember the Cup in '96. I watched every game. :)
Newguy has a good point about the US team's age. Of course the same is largely true for the Canadian team.
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Ah.. I almost forgot that game... thank you for info! :D
Finns kicks your bellybutton tonight!!! ROFL:D
I think Sami Kapanen scores the first goal... :D
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Hmmm a hat trick for big John LeClair. :)
USA looked pretty good tonight. Certainly better than a certain other North American team.
Finland played hard though, and it was a closer game than the score would make you think. Dunham made some big saves. I hope Finland wins their other games.
Also on the CNBC broadcast they talked about Saku Koivu and they said he is making a good recovery from his cancer. WTG Saku. :)
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U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!
USA 6 - Finland 0! LaClair HAT TRICK!!! (Tosses hat into the rink!)
KILLER bellybutton GAME! Even if Finland didn't score a goal it was one HELL of a game! FINLAN! DAMN, was on the edge of my seat the whole time. If the rest of the games are like this I may not make it through the rest of the finals! LOL!
IMO it is going to come down to USA vs. either Russia or Sweden for the gold.
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:( :(
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Sweden Won over Canada :D
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S!
Hehe, hold your horses, finnish people are always slow to warm up, but once we get started, nothing can stop us! You'll see :)
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LOL, Finns got penalties because US players ran into them. Finnish captain asked about the way the penalties were given and NHL-referee basically said (or what he meant) : "shut up, this is US' game, one more word and it's more penalties for your team..."
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....not saying that Finland would have won the match if the penalty giving would have been any where reasonable.....6-nothing tells a tale...but those referees sure left a bad taste in my mouth about it....
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Beautiful goal by Tkachuk, old-time Soviet style ;) and a stupid "kick-it-in" goal while Finns played 3 vs 5...
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Wmaker, they called 5 penalties on USA and 5 penalties on Finland. I don't see the problem.
Boroda, I'm glad that Ukrainian boy plays for USA. :)
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Funked, I'm talking about the penalties USA did't get. If the other side can cross-check all they want it will wear out the other team sooner or later.
But I'm sounding too sour here...USA won the game and that's it.
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Finland almost made up for it their second game :)
That was a pure slaughter and the funniest Hockey game I've seen in my life, laughed like hell when the Fin decided to give the russian (not sure of country name in English so will just call him russian, call it white russia in swedish) a little push as he was otw to change, looked SOO fun, right infront of the judges too! :D