Olympic PGT - CAN 3 - SUI 2 SO

[Jimdon]

When you have Crosby and Iginla leading the team in points and goals coming in to the game, and neither of them touches the ice for the first three and a half minutes of the second when you have two power plays and sustained pressure you have to question the decision making behind the bench.

I fully understand going back the the San Jose line for the power play on the second attempt after they had success the first time, but following up with Perry and Getzlaf over and over when Crosby/Iginla/Nash haven't even seen the ice yet is borderline stupidity IMO.

Crosby is the best player on this team, and to have success your best players need to be relied upon as your best players, not an afterthought.

[yads]

Come on guys, you're all acting like Canada just lost to the Italians or something. The Swiss are ranked #7 ahead of Slovakia at #10 who just knocked off the #1 Russians. There is a lot of parity in international hockey these days. Teams with solid goaltending can do a lot of damage in such a short tournament. We still won and are ranked #2 overall with a chance for first place. Go Canada Go!

[I_H8_Crawford]

Just another side - perhaps Babcock isn't stupid, saw the chemistry that Crosby-Iginla-Nash had and decided that in a virtually meaningless game played them less so he could get the chemistry going for the SJ line, and get the other players more into it as well??

Then try different people in different places to see what he has??

I really doubt Babcock is an idiot like some people are apparently claiming... I would bet those same people would have been creaming their pants if it had somehow been announced that Babcock would be the next HC of the Flames during this past offseason...

[valo403]

Originally Posted by CGY12

Heatley, Marleau and Thornton. I thought everybody else was average and has another level to their game.

And your credibility is officially gone.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by I_H8_Crawford

I really doubt Babcock is an idiot like some people are apparently claiming... I would bet those same people would have been creaming their pants if it had somehow been announced that Babcock would be the next HC of the Flames during this past offseason...

Based on his performance this season, Babcock seems to be the Cito Gaston of hockey coaching: He looked good in the past because he's usually had a team of superstars.

This season has led me to wonder if he can coach his way out of a wet paper bag.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Based on his performance this season, Babcock seems to be the Cito Gaston of hockey coaching: He looked good in the past because he's usually had a team of superstars.

This season has led me to wonder if he can coach his way out of a wet paper bag.

What about the ANA team he took to the finals?

[Art Vandelay]

Originally Posted by yads

Come on guys, you're all acting like Canada just lost to the Italians or something. The Swiss are ranked #7 ahead of Slovakia at #10 who just knocked off the #1 Russians. There is a lot of parity in international hockey these days. Teams with solid goaltending can do a lot of damage in such a short tournament. We still won and are ranked #2 overall with a chance for first place. Go Canada Go!

Exactly my thoughts. The Swiss were playing like our 04 Flames. Stifling defence, very agressive on the puck backed with an outstanding goaltender. They capitalized on their few chances. You have to give credit to them. I'm not willing to lynch Babcock just yet. Id like to see how we respond to the US.

[Locke]

If Babcock had been part of the selection process Dan Cleary would have been on the team.

Overall, I thought they played poorly, and some of the coaching selection were questionable, but I guess we'll see what happens when they play a better caliber of team.

Also, GO FINLAND!

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

What about the ANA team he took to the finals?

You mean the Anaheim team that Giguere's oversized pads took to the finals?

[I_H8_Crawford]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Based on his performance this season, Babcock seems to be the Cito Gaston of hockey coaching: He looked good in the past because he's usually had a team of superstars.

This season has led me to wonder if he can coach his way out of a wet paper bag.

Yet little Hitler (Lewis) wasn't even able to get his all-star team past the 2nd round, and with a better goaltender than Babcock had.

Babcock also took a very ordinary looking Ducks team to game 7 of the SCF... I can think of another coach who did that who is viewed as pretty much God around here...

Fact is Babcock is one of the best coaches in the game, period. And I highly doubt that he has lost his marbles for this one game/tournament.

What I find funny is I wonder how many of the posters saying Babcock is garbage also said that Sutter knows more hockey than anyone on a message board, so the Phaneuf trade wasn't so bad.

And here I am saying "give Babcock time" when I wanted Sutter out on his ass for the Phaneuf trade, LOL.

Fact is, Sutter gets his time to show it wasn't a completely moronic trade, and Babcock should get his time to show he isn't a completely moronic coach.

[I_H8_Crawford]

Originally Posted by Locke

If Babcock had been part of the selection process Dan Cleary would have been on the team.

Overall, I thought they played poorly, and some of the coaching selection were questionable, but I guess we'll see what happens when they play a better caliber of team.

Also, GO FINLAND!

I'd have more faith in Babcock helping choose a team than K-Lown.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

You mean the Anaheim team that Giguere's oversized pads took to the finals?

Just like Darryl's final run was all due to Kipper?

[united]

That powerplay looks terrible. Fire Preston.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

I do think one problem might be that Babcock might feel pigeonholed in to certain combos, like the Getzlaf line isn't working. Yet he seems hesitant to split them up.

Or I wouldn't mind seeing Nash with Heatley and Thornton etc.

I think if things don't go well in the 1st period against the US it may be time to break up those team specific combos

They would be great attacking and terrible in their own zone. All are softie floaters with great hands.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

I was frustrated by the coaching decisions--though I completely supported benching Doughty, who looks completely out of his element. I just don't understand why you can't bench Pronger, who looks equally bad.

But I wonder if part of what we're seeing is a coach who isn't yet accustomed to the longer bench. As an NHL coach, he's accustomed to working with four forward lines and three defense pairings. Bench management is simple in that format--just roll four lines, double shift the top one from time to time, and try to get favourable matchups throughout the game.

But in this format, given that every player dresses for every game, the bench has more bodies that have to be rotated into the lineup than Babcock is used to, and it's possible that what we're seeing is just him trying to get every player involved rather than having somebody ride the pine for the whole game. If you think of it that way, a player missing a shift doesn't necessarily reflect them being "benched" as much as it reflects someone else being given a shot on their line for one or two shifts.

Just a thought.

[CGY12]

Originally Posted by valo403

And your credibility is officially gone.

Ya shame on Heatley and Marleau for being the only ones to score and the one line that consistently put pressure on the other team. Your credibility means so much, some people on here are so clueless.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

I was frustrated by the coaching decisions--though I completely supported benching Doughty, who looks completely out of his element. I just don't understand why you can't bench Pronger, who looks equally bad.

Because Seabrook has been the worst of the bunch, and with Niedermayer performing as poorly as expected, Babcock can't bench all of them.

[Henry Fool]

The comments about Babcock overcoaching are interesting, but to me it wasn't really him treating the game as an NHL regular season game but the players playing like it was. It's the Olympics, athletes are going to go all out just like in any other event, and Canada didn't.

Switzerland was focused and prepared and had a higher energy level. The were active and involved, which is the right way to play against Canada. With a passive approach, the game would have been over for them after 30 minutes. That they almost beat a team like Canada just by outworking them tells us a lot about how great a game hockey is.

Wouldn't worry about it yet if I was a Team Canada supporter. A little adversity is usually good in these tournaments, and better to have to face the issues in the preliminary round than when the real games start.

[silentsim]

Originally Posted by I_H8_Crawford

Yet little Hitler (Lewis) wasn't even able to get his all-star team past the 2nd round, and with a better goaltender than Babcock had.

Babcock also took a very ordinary looking Ducks team to game 7 of the SCF... I can think of another coach who did that who is viewed as pretty much God around here...

Fact is Babcock is one of the best coaches in the game, period. And I highly doubt that he has lost his marbles for this one game/tournament.

What I find funny is I wonder how many of the posters saying Babcock is garbage also said that Sutter knows more hockey than anyone on a message board, so the Phaneuf trade wasn't so bad.

And here I am saying "give Babcock time" when I wanted Sutter out on his ass for the Phaneuf trade, LOL.

Fact is, Sutter gets his time to show it wasn't a completely moronic trade, and Babcock should get his time to show he isn't a completely moronic coach.

I agree with you for once ...on the bolded point

[valo403]

Originally Posted by CGY12

Ya shame on Heatley and Marleau for being the only ones to score and the one line that consistently put pressure on the other team. Your credibility means so much, some people on here are so clueless.

I know