PGT: USA 5 - Canada 3

[AC]

Originally Posted by JayP

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.

If we had won, wouldn't we be in USA's position instead?

If so our path would be:
1. Switzerland
2. Finland / Czech Republic
3. Russia / Sweden / USA

So it would be a significant difference. We wouldn't be playing back to back to start, and would only have to play one of Russia / Sweden / USA.

From here:
http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic...layoff-dE.html

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by AC

If we had won, wouldn't we be in USA's position instead?

Because of the shootout win, Canada would have been in 2nd with 8 points. That would have put them in Sweden's current position (though other things would have shifted around as well).

[opendoor]

According to truthandrumours.net (fairly reliable blog) Luongo is getting the start against Germany and management wasn't impressed with Babcock:

UPDATE: Luongo starts against Germany. Canada will go with an NHL format from here on, using 12 forwards and shortening its bench early if needed. Management was not happy with Babcock failing to call a timeout late in the game.

http://www.truthandrumours.net/2010/...e-goaltending/

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by AC

If we had won, wouldn't we be in USA's position instead?

If so our path would be:
1. Switzerland
2. Finland / Czech Republic
3. Russia / Sweden / USA

So it would be a significant difference. We wouldn't be playing back to back to start, and would only have to play one of Russia / Sweden / USA.

From here:
http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic...layoff-dE.html

The updated rankings would have been close to this...

1.Sweden
2.Canada
3.Russia
4.USA (Tied with Finns but assume they only lost by one)
5.Finland
6.Czech Republic
7.Slovakia
8.Switzerland
9.Belarus
10.Norway
11.Germany
12.Latvia

So we would have played the winner of Slovakia/Norway and then gone on to face Russia/Czech/Germany for a Sweden/USA/etc. gold final.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by opendoor

According to truthandrumours.net (fairly reliable blog) Luongo is getting the start against Germany and management wasn't impressed with Babcock:



http://www.truthandrumours.net/2010/...e-goaltending/

I wonder if management was pissed that the single most effective offensive weapon on the team was largely benched for the majority of two games now?

[Azure]

Originally Posted by opendoor

According to truthandrumours.net (fairly reliable blog) Luongo is getting the start against Germany and management wasn't impressed with Babcock:



http://www.truthandrumours.net/2010/...e-goaltending/

Not like the media is going to say anything about Babcock's failure at coaching.

But hey, no worries right? Nobody is panicking. Just ask the morons on TSN.

[zamler]

Is there any precedence for firing the head coach during an Olympics? I could have never imagined that Babcock would turn into such a colossal blundering fool. At this level, the coach should not have to do much of anything.

Someone get Babcock the eff out the way before it's too late. Not that we have much chance of Gold now, it would be a serious miracle at this point. I still have faith...barely.

[the_professsor]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

I wonder if management was pissed that the single most effective offensive weapon on the team was largely benched for the majority of two games now?

I'm assuming your referring to Iginla as 'the most effective offensive weapon'...only Marleau, Toews, Crosby and Nash had more ice time than him against the states. I wouldn't call that benched.

Most effective offensive weapon is an overstatement. I think he played very well against the states and should get some more playing time with Crosby. 15 minutes/game is plenty on this squad.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by the_professsor

I'm assuming your referring to Iginla as 'the most effective offensive weapon'...only Marleau, Toews, Crosby and Nash had more ice time than him against the states. I wouldn't call that benched.

Most effective offensive weapon is an overstatement. I think he played very well against the states and should get some more playing time with Crosby. 15 minutes/game is plenty on this squad.

The point is that if other players aren't playing well, like Thornton, Perry, Getzlaf....they should be benched, and players like Heatley, Iginla and Crosby should have their icetime bumped to 20 min.

[Tsawwassen]

No matter what, having Miller and Brodeur play in goal last night made me think that it was the Sabres vs. the Devils regular season game. It could also be a first round playoff matchup.