PGT: USA 5 - Canada 3

[the_professsor]

I thought Toews was our best player aside from Crosby. Heatley looks slow out there, we can't have him playing serious minutes 5 on 5 against a fast Russian team (asssuming we beat da Germans)...

Congrats to Perry for the assist on Keslers empty netter, wtf was that?

[-TC-]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

Why not Fleury? Of the three he is the only one that has won anything recently (or in Luongo's case, at all)...

This is a better choice. Luongo has never won the big game, Fleury has.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by the_professsor

I thought Toews was our best player aside from Crosby.

Crosby and Nash were both minus 3.

[the_professsor]

Originally Posted by troutman

Crosby and Nash were both minus 3.

Half our chances came with Crosby on the ice, we just need some finish. I'm attributing the minus 3, along with the loss, to Brodeur playing like a rookie

[Resolute 14]

Brodeur playing like a rookie was an issue, but so do were the defensive lapses that led to those goals. All five GAs were a team effort.

[Netskot]

this is all Darryl Sutter's fault

[Netskot]

anyone know where i can see game highlights that's NOT ctv.ca

work pc wont allow to download Silverlight

[Henry Fool]

To me it really just came down to goaltending. Miller didn't completely steal the game but played on his best level, while Brodeur was off.

I fully expect Canada to take the gold if the coaches just stay on top of things, which they didn't at the end of the USA game. We've seen it every time that the preliminaries are meaningless in these tournaments.

Babcock should just stop pretending that finding good linemates for frigging Sidney Crosby is some huge pressing issue and sit back and let them play. "Which superstar should I put with the best forward in the game?" Ridiculous.

[AC]

So to win gold, Canada will have to beat:
1. Germany
2. Russia
3. Sweden or Slovakia -
4. USA or Finland or Czech Republic

Unless some unbelievable upset occurs.

[troutman]

There were more than a few Canucks jerseys in the crowd last night. There's your trouble.

[The Yen Man]

Look on the bright side I guess. If Canada manages to win gold, they would have (in most probability) knocked off the top 3 teams in this tournament. They'll have bragging rights over everyone.

[Machiavelli]

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by Henry Fool

To me it really just came down to goaltending. Miller didn't completely steal the game but played on his best level, while Brodeur was off.

.

Canada has pretty much dominated all of it's three games to date, including last night.

We shouldn't forget that.

This tournament is living up to it's advanced billing, that most of the major contenders have superior goaltending to Canada's. This tournament is really about that one factor versus our superior depth and skill.

And, as everyone knows or should know, in a one-shot knockout, you really, really need to fear superior goaltending. Or, the opposite, inferior goaltending on your own side.

That is why it was mesermizingly frustrating to see Martin Brodeur moving to the front of the que. The key Canadian weakness through many Olympics - some might say Salt Lake as well - has been an ill-advised fondness for honouring the service of the wily veteran well beyond reason. It shouldn't be about the accolades of the past but rather what these players can do today and tomorrow. Fortunately, post-game, Mike Babcock is mouthing the right words about needing "to fix that area of our game."

Russia, with Bryzgalov, might be in the same boat but with less depth.

Canada could still romp through this tourney and probably should . . . . . . but the hot opposition goaltender is something that will be present in most games they play . . . . . . they need at least average goaltending, relative to their opponent, on their side to win it all.

Cowperson

[Galakanokis]

Unfortunately this team is playing about where i thought it would be playing. Poorly with little heart.

Many strange things going on with this team the least of which is goal tending. Any one of our three goalies should be capable of winning.

I think our lack of a tough physical defense is a major concern. One maybe two of Neidimeyer, Boyle, Keith and Doughty would have been enough. We don't need 4 of pretty much the exact same player. If Keith and Seabrook were on the team because they play together than why in blue blazes are they not playing together? Stick with 6 D and the odd man out right now is Neidimeyer.....

Give Staal a bigger role. He is the only reason that line isn't a total embarassment. I am big Getzlaf fan and was excited to see what he could do in this tournament but man he just sucks right now. Drop him. And Thorton.

Crosby, Staal, Toews and Richards down the middle. Maybe a combo of Marleau, Heatley and Iginla with Crosby. problem with Heatley is if he isn't getting scoring chances he is otherwise useless.

Man, in general I am just not happy with the make up of this team.....

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Cowperson

Canada has pretty much dominated all of it's three games to date, including last night.

We shouldn't forget that.

This tournament is living up to it's advanced billing, that most of the major contenders have superior goaltending to Canada's. This tournament is really about that one factor versus our superior depth and skill.

And, as everyone knows or should know, in a one-shot knockout, you really, really need to fear superior goaltending. Or, the opposite, inferior goaltending on your own side.

That is why it was mesermizingly frustrating to see Martin Brodeur moving to the front of the que. The key Canadian weakness through many Olympics - some might say Salt Lake as well - has been an ill-advised fondness for honouring the service of the wily veteran well beyond reason. It shouldn't be about the accolades of the past but rather what these players can do today and tomorrow. Fortunately, post-game, Mike Babcock is mouthing the right words about needing "to fix that area of our game."

Russia, with Bryzgalov, might be in the same boat but with less depth.

Canada could still romp through this tourney and probably should . . . . . . but the hot opposition goaltender is something that will be present in most games they play . . . . . . they need at least average goaltending, relative to their opponent, on their side to win it all.

Cowperson

Absolutely agree.

What you don't mention though is just how baffling the Iginla demotion is in light of this. Team Canada is not going to win this tournament with defence or goaltending. They CLEARLY have trouble scoring goals, and the remedy to that in this tournament has clearly been Iginla.

After last game, there is no denying that iginla has been the offensive catalyst for team Canada.

I am far more frustrated with this incarnation of team canada than I am disappointed. The tools are there (offence) to overwhelm even the stingiest of goaltenders, but for some reason the hockey canada coaching staff are actively refusing to utilize it.

Baffling.

[loob job]

Originally Posted by the_professsor

I thought Toews was our best player aside from Crosby. Heatley looks slow out there, we can't have him playing serious minutes 5 on 5 against a fast Russian team (asssuming we beat da Germans)...

Congrats to Perry for the assist on Keslers empty netter, wtf was that?

I think Toews has been our best player in all three games. Kid works harder than anyone.

[Flames0910]

Why is the old man a captain for a team of kids? Poor choice of captaincy -_-

[JayP]

Originally Posted by AC

So to win gold, Canada will have to beat:
1. Germany
2. Russia
3. Sweden or Slovakia -
4. USA or Finland or Czech Republic

Unless some unbelievable upset occurs.

And if we'd have beat the USA, we'd skip Germany and be faced with something like this:

1. USA/Finland/Slovakia
2. Russia
3. Sweden

Not exactly a big change.

We were going to have to beat Russia and Sweden to win the gold anyways. What's the difference if we have to do it earlier? If we don't beat them we don't deserve the gold anyways.

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

Why not Fleury? Of the three he is the only one that has won anything recently (or in Luongo's case, at all)...

Because Luongo is the better and more predictable goalie. He's been better all of this year, and over the past 2 1/2 months, the disparity in their play in even clearer:

Luongo:

21-8-2
GAA: 2.22
SV%: .925


Fleury:

16-9-4
GAA: 2.77
SV%: .911



As has often been said, if team Canada wanted a goalie who'd "won something" they would have brought Osgood or Giguere. The only reason Fleury's on the team is because there really wasn't anyone else that was even playing decently.

If only other goalies had the luxury of playing behind a team that would allow them to win a Stanley Cup while giving up 3+ goals in half of the games and posting the following stats:

GAA: 2.61
SV%: .908

[Infamous1]

Luongo will lead Canada to glory. He is at home and plays great at GM Place. The fans will annoy all of you with the Louuuuuuuuuuuuuu chants but we will win. We have outplayed the opposition 3 games in a row. The Swiss scored 2 iffy goals....and then States scored 3 softies. Demoralizing but at least they weren't in elimination games.

Luongo should start next game and build momentum before he shuts down the Russians in a MASSIVE game. Russia vs Canada....1/2 ranked in the world, with Russia going home with no medals. Who would have thought?? Can't wait!