02-24-2010, 09:02 AM
|
#61
|
#1 Goaltender
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: DC
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Netskot
against Latvia and Norway
|
Quite the accomplishment, scoring so many goals that they award us goals against a team that we didn't even play. I'm impressed.
Really, I am nervous about the game, but optimistic. It is odd, my heart says be prepared to be broken, but my brain says, depth, Russia lost as well, and look at their d, honestly, really!
|
|
|
02-24-2010, 09:12 AM
|
#62
|
Fearmongerer
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Wondering when # became hashtag and not a number sign.
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Netskot
against Latvia and Norway
|
No...Canada never played Latvia.
beyond that, every team in this tournament has faced weaker teams...so what is your point?
|
|
|
02-24-2010, 09:13 AM
|
#63
|
Franchise Player
|
If this game goes to a shoot out, Canada loses. We need to win this in regulation, and to do that we need to score first, and score often. If we let the Ruskies get a couple goal lead, we're done. Babcock will start shuffling lines around and randomly playing players. He'll put Perry out there to take penalties and allow empty net goals. He'll not take time outs at the right time. He'll move Iginla to the fourth line and give him 20 seconds of ice time, despite the fact he's the leading goal scorer.
We can't let Babcock screw this up, which means we need to play with the lead.
|
|
|
02-24-2010, 09:16 AM
|
#64
|
#1 Goaltender
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Sadly not in the Dome.
|
I think Canada really has to up their physical play, especially in the defensive zone. So far Canada's D has been its weakest point and the Russian can definitely take advantage of that.
Big games out of Weber and Keith will really help as well. Limited play for Boyle and pronger would make me happy as well.
|
|
|
02-24-2010, 09:21 AM
|
#65
|
Powerplay Quarterback
|
Obviously the PK and Luongo are going to be important tonight.
I still think the key to beating the Russians is getting in on the forecheck hard preventing the d-men to move the puck efficiently. The big asset of the Russians (other than their skill) is their speed and ability to create off the rush IMO. You need to contain their speed and time in the neutral zone. If you can get on the Russian D before they can move the puck, you should be able to neutralize their attack. Furthermore, I think you'll be able to get the dmen to turnover the puck leading to offensive chances.
Containing the Russians speed is the challenge here IMO. If we can do that, we'll win.
|
|
|
02-24-2010, 09:43 AM
|
#66
|
Appealing my suspension
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Just outside Enemy Lines
|
Something to watch is that the Canadian defence is pretty much Western Conference players with Niedermayer, Weber, Keith, Seabrook, Doughty, and Boyle. Even Pronger before this year had been a Western Conference guy, although Boyle did play out East prior to last year. Point being that a lot of these guys don't match up against the likes of Ovechkin, Kovalchuk, and Malkin very often. A guy like Niedermayer has played Kovalchuk pre lockout but since the lockout maybe played against those guys 3 or 4 times.
__________________
"Some guys like old balls"
Patriots QB Tom Brady
|
|
|
02-24-2010, 09:48 AM
|
#67
|
Fearmongerer
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Wondering when # became hashtag and not a number sign.
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sylvanfan
Something to watch is that the Canadian defence is pretty much Western Conference players with Niedermayer, Weber, Keith, Seabrook, Doughty, and Boyle. Even Pronger before this year had been a Western Conference guy, although Boyle did play out East prior to last year. Point being that a lot of these guys don't match up against the likes of Ovechkin, Kovalchuk, and Malkin very often. A guy like Niedermayer has played Kovalchuk pre lockout but since the lockout maybe played against those guys 3 or 4 times.
|
In fact as far as skaters go, there are only 5 EC if i am counting correctly..
Bergeron, Pronger, Richards, Staal and Crosby.
|
|
|
02-24-2010, 09:50 AM
|
#68
|
Scoring Winger
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Calgary
|
Containing Kovalchuk will be the key. If Canada loses it will be because he kills us.
|
|
|
02-24-2010, 09:55 AM
|
#69
|
First Line Centre
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Sydney, Australia
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by transplant99
In fact as far as skaters go, there are only 5 EC if i am counting correctly..
Bergeron, Pronger, Richards, Staal and Crosby.
|
That's actually pretty surprising considering the high offensive teams in the east, or maybe I haven't been paying attention to SJ and Chi.
Anyways, as I posted in the GDT, I think Canada will take it 4-3. They will have to come out firing on all cylinders and play with the lead or "Mad Mike" Babcock could screw around with the lines and destroy everything.
__________________
|
|
|
02-24-2010, 10:30 AM
|
#70
|
Appealing my suspension
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Just outside Enemy Lines
|
Half the skaters on Canada play for Anaheim, San Jose, or Chicago as those teams have 3, 4, & 3 skaters.
Conversely there are 5 Russians who play in the Western Conference and two of them are goaltenders. Datsyuk, Grebeshkov, and Tyutin are the only skaters who play in the West.
So the players on both sides have a lot of guys on the other team they haven't played against a whole lot previously.
__________________
"Some guys like old balls"
Patriots QB Tom Brady
|
|
|
02-24-2010, 10:34 AM
|
#71
|
Scoring Winger
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: The Back Alley
|
Canada needs to play a physical game, I haven't seen many hits other than Morrow, Richards and Weber. Guys like Marleau, Nash, Getzlaf have to start crushing some russians, that'll slow them down and throw them off their game
|
|
|
02-24-2010, 10:44 AM
|
#72
|
Franchise Player
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eubee
Containing Kovalchuk will be the key. If Canada loses it will be because he kills us.
|
Kovalchuk will almost certainly be a no-show. Ovechkin is the key for them. He hasn't exactly been on fire yet.
Anyway, if goaltending holds, Canada is the clear favourite. Best of luck.
|
|
|
02-24-2010, 11:31 AM
|
#73
|
AltaGuy has a magnetic personality and exudes positive energy, which is infectious to those around him. He has an unparalleled ability to communicate with people, whether he is speaking to a room of three or an arena of 30,000.
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: At le pub...
|
I think Canada has to do a great job blocking passing lanes. I'm pretty confident in Big 'Ole Bingo Bango's ability to shut the door against Russia's shooters if given the ability to challenge them and square up.
The Russians won't be looking for garbage, and won't be crashing the crease, so blocking the passing lanes and letting Luongo square up is the key to me.
I think there's a quote out there where Luongo discusses his confidence against Ovechkin by saying that he just always squares up and plays him as if he will shoot. Those Giant Pads work wonders against even the best shooters. Stop the pretty passing plays, and I feel pretty confident Luongo will stop the initial shots.
|
|
|
The Following User Says Thank You to AltaGuy For This Useful Post:
|
|
02-24-2010, 11:44 AM
|
#74
|
Franchise Player
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Netskot
against Latvia and Norway
|
Make that Germany and Norway.. and Russia is hardly better than those 2 teams when it comes to defending their own zone... if the scores show otherwise, it's because of their goaltending.
__________________
|
|
|
02-24-2010, 11:48 AM
|
#75
|
In the Sin Bin
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Section 202 IGGY 2 SID GOLD!
|
Keep the forward line up the same as it was from lastnights game.
Staal Crosby Iginla have to remain together.
All 4 lines have to forecheck the hell out of the Russians defence and force turnovers. There are quite a few mismatchs that favor Canada over the Russians defensive pairs.
More Doughty less Pronger = massive improvement speed, crisper breakouts and smarter overall decisions.
|
|
|
The Following User Says Thank You to Smell My Finger For This Useful Post:
|
|
02-24-2010, 11:52 AM
|
#76
|
In the Sin Bin
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: SW Ontario
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Henry Fool
Kovalchuk will almost certainly be a no-show. Ovechkin is the key for them. He hasn't exactly been on fire yet.
Anyway, if goaltending holds, Canada is the clear favourite. Best of luck.
|
Besides those two Canada also has to key up on Semin, if they don't cover him well he will light us up like a christmas tree.
|
|
|
02-24-2010, 11:57 AM
|
#77
|
Franchise Player
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Calgary
|
If we play physical against the Russians we will be fine. There is a reason they are successful in the East. They are soft.
__________________
Pylon on the Edmonton Oilers:
"I am actually more excited for the Oilers game tomorrow than the Flames game. I am praying for multiple jersey tosses. The Oilers are my new favourite team for all the wrong reasons. I hate them so much I love them."
|
|
|
02-24-2010, 12:00 PM
|
#78
|
Lifetime Suspension
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Enil Angus
|
Their softness is overstated. I think come up hitting is the wrong strategy. Best is to play them really tight and close down lanes. Stifle them Neidermayer style throughout the first half and rely on a counterattack game. The idea is to get them to abandon the team game and get them to play like a bunch of individuals. If they start doing that then they're toast.
|
|
|
02-24-2010, 12:03 PM
|
#79
|
Franchise Player
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: South of Calgary North of 'Merica
|
Ovechkin, Malkin, Kovalchuk...meh. We have Crosby, Iginla, Heatley, Marleau, Nash, etc. all capable players able to light the lamp.
I'm not so much worried about Kovalchuk, Malkin and Ovechkin as much as Radulov. He's a guy that can sneak under the radar and pot some huge goals while the Canadians concentrate on the big 3 for Russia.
__________________
Thanks to Halifax Drunk for the sweet Avatar
|
|
|
02-24-2010, 12:06 PM
|
#80
|
Franchise Player
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Calgary
|
I think the Neidermeyer of Norris winning form is the way to play against the Russians. Stifle them, play smart physically, and catch them when they make a mistake.
Kovalchuk will be a no show, Malkin will coast, Richards will Booth Ovechkin.
__________________
Pylon on the Edmonton Oilers:
"I am actually more excited for the Oilers game tomorrow than the Flames game. I am praying for multiple jersey tosses. The Oilers are my new favourite team for all the wrong reasons. I hate them so much I love them."
|
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:18 PM.
|
|