[GDT] FEB 20: Canada vs. USA Women's Hockey Gold Medal Game 10am

[Turner]

To those criticizing / poking fun at women's hockey / Team Canada ladies: while you play in your beer league and dream at what could have been, these ladies are now champions with gold medals. You should pipe down.

[Turner]

Also always amusing to see the class of some Americans after losing. Keep living up to the American stereotype, idiots.

[browna]

Late back to this, but watching the replay, the ref pointed originally after a delay to center ice, and the quickly made a cross checking motion.

I truly think she didn't have the guts to call a penalty shot in OT.

Also, the line change by the US to allow Wickenheiser to have a breakaway was brutal. But it was a lot of ice out there for just a few players.

[Azure]

Wasn't a penalty nor was it a penalty shot. She might have been in the clear at one point, but the American player could have skated by her and come back around to stop her.

But, the Americans had lots of PPs plus the 2-0 lead with 5 min left in the 3rd. No excuse for not winning.

[Yamer]

Originally Posted by Azure

Wasn't a penalty nor was it a penalty shot. She might have been in the clear at one point, but the American player could have skated by her and come back around to stop her.

But, the Americans had lots of PPs plus the 2-0 lead with 5 min left in the 3rd. No excuse for not winning.

How do you figure?

[puffnstuff]

I think she actually pointed to the player getting the penalty, not to centre ice (for a PS) but there was a pause, some indecision, before making the xcheck signal.

[Northendzone]

So what if the ladies lost games to midget aaa teams, they are the Olympic women's hockey champions, and it was an epic win.....no need to compare it to anything.....

[trackercowe]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

And don't forget how badly progressive countries like Canada, USA, Britain, and Australia have dominated women's sports in general for the last few decades. It is simply more acceptable for girls to take up sports in these nations and they have more opportunities to do so, but that's finally starting to change

Hell the men's game has actually seemed to regress over the last decade. For 3 of the last 4 Olympics we're going to see one of Canada or the US in the gold medal game, and it's only because of silly pool selections that's preventing them from both getting there again. Countries like Russia and the Czech Republic are shadows of what they once were, so really it's a 3 horse race when you put Sweden in with Finland as a dark horse

Some of that is true, but the gap is closer than you might think. Just because the USA and Canada are able to win in elimination situations does not mean they're truly that dominate (neither are the other "elite" nations). I mean we're just coming off a game where Canada barely been the Latvians. Now I know the Swiss played Canada tough on the women's side, but that really was just a freak occurrence. There is definitely a pattern of actual competitive balance in the men's game, mostly because of the better structure and planning that go into each countries programs. We've seen pretty much every country pull off a major upset, or at least come close to one. The Swiss have become a formidable opposition, Slovenia beat the Czech's this year, and even Latvia (who beat the US a few years back) played Canada tough. Part of that is because they have a guy like Ted Nolan behind the bench, just like Canada and the US has real coaches for their women teams.

There is a vast difference between the men's and women's games, just because Canada and the US find ways to pull through in eliminations games does not mean the gap is that big. The competitive balance on one side is just fine, meanwhile on the other side it's just not there, nor is the landscape changing.

[Maccalus]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

Can you name another event where one or two countries have been that far ahead of the competition for so long?

Germany - Luge http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luge_at...inter_Olympics

China - Table Tennis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_t...ummer_Olympics

US - Basketball http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basketb...ummer_Olympics

China/South Korea/Indonesia - Badminton http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badmint...ummer_Olympics

There are lots of sports where one or 2 countries dominate them. At least with women's hockey there are 2 competitive teams. That can't be said for alot of the other sports.

[Turner]

Originally Posted by fotze

Its one poster but I know you think most of Calgary is doing it, particularly LRT riders.

Fotze responded to one of my posts. Life is now complete.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by puffnstuff

I think she actually pointed to the player getting the penalty, not to centre ice (for a PS) but there was a pause, some indecision, before making the xcheck signal.

The IIHF signal for a penalty shot is crossed arms above the ref's head, not the point to centre ice that they use in the NHL.

[GirlySports]

Ron MacLean just made a good point on Primetime that I had totally forgotten about. Inept reffing is part of women's sports. Why? Because they're amateurs too, not pro.

He reminded us the of Canadian soccer team getting screwed by the refs in the London against those dirty Americans (Wambach intimidating the ref) in the semfinals so all is fair.

[browna]

Originally Posted by puffnstuff

I think she actually pointed to the player getting the penalty, not to centre ice (for a PS) but there was a pause, some indecision, before making the xcheck signal.

Yeah watched it just again, and after the point to center, the ref hesitates, then puts her arm down, as if she's going to call a tripping call....but then realizes she can't call a tripping call as it should then be a penalty shot, so changes it to cross checking.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by browna

Late back to this, but watching the replay, the ref pointed originally after a delay to center ice, and the quickly made a cross checking motion.

I truly think she didn't have the guts to call a penalty shot in OT.

Also, the line change by the US to allow Wickenheiser to have a breakaway was brutal. But it was a lot of ice out there for just a few players.

All I could think about when watching the broadcast team saying how it should be a penalty shot is shut up, I'd take a 4-on-3 power play any day over a penalty shot. The odds of scoring are way higher in that situation

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

Some of that is true, but the gap is closer than you might think. Just because the USA and Canada are able to win in elimination situations does not mean they're truly that dominate (neither are the other "elite" nations). I mean we're just coming off a game where Canada barely been the Latvians. Now I know the Swiss played Canada tough on the women's side, but that really was just a freak occurrence. There is definitely a pattern of actual competitive balance in the men's game, mostly because of the better structure and planning that go into each countries programs. We've seen pretty much every country pull off a major upset, or at least come close to one. The Swiss have become a formidable opposition, Slovenia beat the Czech's this year, and even Latvia (who beat the US a few years back) played Canada tough. Part of that is because they have a guy like Ted Nolan behind the bench, just like Canada and the US has real coaches for their women teams.

There is a vast difference between the men's and women's games, just because Canada and the US find ways to pull through in eliminations games does not mean the gap is that big. The competitive balance on one side is just fine, meanwhile on the other side it's just not there, nor is the landscape changing.

If you want to get rid of women's hockey from the Olympics due to lack of competition, then basketball should be gone from the summer games. At least in women's hockey there's 2 teams with a shot at gold, but in men's basketball it's been pretty much USA all the way aside from the odd couple of years

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._in_basketball

[Biff]

Also, in Europe, or at least in Great Britain, the authority and "presence" of a Ref is considerably higher than in North American sport. In Soccer, or Rugby, failing to properly respect an official or an official's instruction often has in-game consequence. Getting marched back over and over in Rugby for penalties while chirping at the Ref was an eye-opener to lots of Canadian high-schoolers. I think not listening to the earlier instruction to stop slashing at the goaltender after the whistle came back to bite the Americans. If a Brit ref says it, they mean it.

[WCW Nitro]

I think this link makes it clear that it was actually the Canadian player's skate that tripped the American player.

http://d3j5vwomefv46c.cloudfront.net...gif?1392927884

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by WCW Nitro

I think this link makes it clear that it was actually the Canadian player's skate that tripped the American player.

http://d3j5vwomefv46c.cloudfront.net...gif?1392927884

Too bad the refs can't use instant replay for penalties. A player on a breakaway getting taken down by a player from behind (accidental or not) is a penalty/penalty shot in any league, at full speed without being able to see every detail of course the ref is going to call it

[Tyler]

That ref was the most chickencrap ref ever. It was painfully obvious she didn't want to have any say in how the game ended (penalties on both sides) but ultimately she did.

By the way, who gets a woman from GREAT BRITAIN of all places to ref your gold medal game?!!

[trackercowe]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

If you want to get rid of women's hockey from the Olympics due to lack of competition, then basketball should be gone from the summer games. At least in women's hockey there's 2 teams with a shot at gold, but in men's basketball it's been pretty much USA all the way aside from the odd couple of years

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._in_basketball

I agree, but like I said in a previous post basketball is a huge money money at the Olympics, and the IOC is not about to put an end to that. Plus basketball is truly a worldwide sport where people all over the world play it. It deserves to be an Olympic sport, but the US is obviously a huge favorite with the pro's coming over each time. At least there are more than two nations that actually put an effort to winning as well, they unfortunately aren't doing that in women's hockey.