OT: NHL Thread

[Eddie26]

Czech's chances for gold just shot down a few notches - jagr is out injured. I'd say it's between Finland - Russia - Canada - and maybe Sweden. Slovakia, of course are Dark Horses, but they do not have the quality that Russia-Canada have IMO.

Is Jagr out? I've looked all over for confirmation that he's out and haven't found any. Only saying he had a cut to the head that required stitches.

[Forza Moskva]

On a Russian site it said he was out, I don't know how reliable they are though - once Ovechkin got injured they made a big deal and said that there was a possibility he'd be out for the Olympics. :(

[Forza Moskva]

Russia up 3-1 against Latvia.

[Forza Moskva]

Not even 1/2way through the 2nd half - Russia 5-1 Latvia, Kovalchuk with a hattrick... How did America tie this team?

[Forza Moskva]

Kovalchuk with a poker.

[yasik19]

9-2, walk in the park. And Canada lost again, this time to Finland 2-0.
Can't wait for Tuesday, US vs. Russia. Should be a cracker.

[phishy]

9-2, walk in the park. And Canada lost again, this time to Finland 2-0.
Can't wait for Tuesday, US vs. Russia. Should be a cracker.
except there are more goals in ilya kovulchuk than the entire usa team.

*sigh*

[Eddie26]

Can't wait for Tuesday, US vs. Russia. Should be a cracker.

Not really I think. Both teams are locked into their spots essentially. Russia as #2 and USA as #4.

[chelsea new yorker]

except there are more goals in ilya kovulchuk than the entire usa team.

*sigh*
If I heard "You couldn"t score in a brothel" directed at the US, I'd just shrug and say "True". This could be ugly...........

[chelsea new yorker]

Not really I think. Both teams are locked into their spots essentially. Russia as #2 and USA as #4.
well, the US could borrow ANOTHER page from 1980, pull a rope-a-dope, as they did at MSG, and get hammered - giving Russia revenge for 2002- and wait to meet again in the medal round - where it'll be the Yanks turn.....

[yasik19]

well, the US could borrow ANOTHER page from 1980, pull a rope-a-dope, as they did at MSG, and get hammered - giving Russia revenge for 2002- and wait to meet again in the medal round - where it'll be the Yanks turn.....

not going to happen. And not b/c it's unlikely, but b/c the team's mentality is a lot different from that 1980 team.

[Eddie26]

well, the US could borrow ANOTHER page from 1980, pull a rope-a-dope, as they did at MSG, and get hammered - giving Russia revenge for 2002- and wait to meet again in the medal round - where it'll be the Yanks turn.....

We can't play Russia in the first medal round. I think we're we're pretty much locked into playing Finland.

[Forza Moskva]

We can't play Russia in the first medal round. I think we're we're pretty much locked into playing Finland.
Yeah, so I'm willing to bet my house that the US won't make it past quarters.

[bestbecks]

Yeah, so I'm willing to bet my house that the US won't make it past quarters.
don't do that, Finland could turn to be like Sweden from 2002. maybe you should bet your car.

[Eddie26]

Yeah, so I'm willing to bet my house that the US won't make it past quarters.

Hell making it out of the group was an achievement.

[chelsea new yorker]

Allow me to thank the powers that be - for having Russia-USA on TODAY, and Chels-Barca TOMORROW. While I'm fairly mult-tasked, that would be asking far too much of me!

[phishy]

Allow me to thank the powers that be - for having Russia-USA on TODAY, and Chels-Barca TOMORROW. While I'm fairly mult-tasked, that would be asking far too much of me!

im kinda in a bind bout it... wont be able to see the russia/usa game as it is against MY champions league tie.. kinda sucks, but ya know...

so eddie, question.

does that finnish goalie play much for philly? he has been a freak in net this tournament! that canada match was just incredible.

[chelsea new yorker]

just saw a feature on the NBC affiliate here, WNBC. Covered Ovechkin, and had him in the Olympic Village paling around with his Caps teammate,Olaf Kolzig. Besides being GOOD hockey player, was very articulate - his English is quite good... he wears his mother's number - then again, how many guys have mothers with 2 gold medals?

[Eddie26]

so eddie, question.

does that finnish goalie play much for philly? he has been a freak in net this tournament! that canada match was just incredible.

Niitty (as he's known here) has played MORE that Esche this year. When Esche first went down, Nitty stepped in and was INCREDIBLE for about 20 games straight. However, Hitchcock just never would play Jamie Storr (our #3) and Niitty got worn out and got lit up for a bunch of games towards the end until Esche came back. Popular sentiment around here (even before the Olympics) is that Niittymaki will be the #1 next year, if not this year. He led the Phantoms to the Calder Cup last year and you're seeing what he's doing with Finland (even if he only has to face about 25 shots a game).

Go here for Niitty's numbers game by game, look at his numbers from Dec 15 vs Vancouver (when Esche got hurt) to Jan 21 (when Esche came back). For the majority of those games he was great. He played about 17 straight games. By the time Esche came back, he was shot. He's rested now and playing great again.:
http://www.nhl.com/players/gbg/20052006/8467511.html

[yasik19]

pretty close game today. US blew many PP chances and that's what hurt them.