2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

[Trillium]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

Tremendous hockey game but SUCH a disappointing finish if you're a U.S. fan! Very weak call at the end on Lamoureux IMO which erased the 4 on 3 advantage for the U.S....

Actually this call was addressed in the CBC commentary twice by Cassie Campbell. Earlier in the game, I believe it was Duggan who slashed at Szababos. At that time, Campbell commented that it was interesting that she was not called for a penalty, and noted that the ref chose to give her a clear warning instead to make sure it was not repeated (which you could clearly see on camera). When Lamoureux did the same thing in OT, Campbell noted that for the repeat of the same infraction as occurred earlier, it was inevitable that the ref would make a penalty call.

 

[Blackbeard]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

First Canadian goal was a bit flukey

That's true, but, unless I didn't see it accurately, I thought that Carpenter's goal was similar in that it hit the shaft of her stick a foot or two above the blade and went in. But like you said...good things happen when you crash the net.

And, to state the obvious...this game could have gone either way. It just came down to Vetter's looking to her left around traffic to try to see the shooter/shot which opened up the net to her right, the shot being a pass and Poulin having a decent sized target.

Both nations should be proud of their players' dedication and sacrifice, as well as of the other's, that allowed them to be able to put on such a phenomenal show.

 

[dave1381]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

All the credit to the U.S. for gaining and holding the 2-0 lead, which is at least progress. Then at times in the third I just felt they were trying to kill a 12-minute penalty -- too long to play like that. And then once Canada got a good bounce from Jenner's effort to make a one-goal game, then it was just a collective failure for the U.S. I don't think Canada was more talented, but I certainly favored them if the game got too close in the end, since Canada had the players who've been there before.

 

[Blackbeard]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

So you are not a Pierre McGuire fan. But they took these games seriously. I suppose you would have enjoyed the broadcast better if Doc asked Pierre a question and his response was "can you repeat that, I was checking on my dinner reservations"?

They took it seriously, they did their pre game homework on players and coaches.

Pierre McGuire is a pro. Really missed him during the Canadian broadcast of the Junior Men's World Championship. He had become a staple for years until NBC made him an offer that I suppose he couldn't refuse. The guy is very into the game and his job.

 

[OnMAA]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

Both nations should be proud of their players' dedication and sacrifice, as well as of the other's, that allowed them to be able to put on such a phenomenal show.

Second that. This type of display will do wonders for selling the game to the grass roots, and to be able tell the IOC to back off on any talk removing the game from the games.

 

[OnMAA]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

Agree. After the US killed that 5 v 3, there was a decided momentum shift.

Momentum shift for sure. When the US scored to go up 2-0 not long after, my thought was that Canada squandered the game due to the poor early game power plays, including that 5-3. How wrong I was. Generally, more often than not, a team surviving a 5-3 kill goes on to win the game.

 

[OnMAA]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

Maybe then there would be more of a push to get better officiating at these games, and not people who call icing every time someone is within two feet of the red line when they dump the puck. It is sad that games come down to key calls like the Wickenheiser/Knight situation. I think the referee made the best call she could in the circumstances, but in that format of play, there is no way she can be in position to make the right call. Cross-check? No. It was either a trip or nothing, because there was no other contact, but it is impossible for her to know that.

Congratulations to Canada on playing a great tournament and taking home gold.

Congratulations to Switzerland, the most improved team at the tourney; I'm glad that they are going home with a medal.

And congratulations to my country women. I'm proud of you. You represented the U.S. very, very well.

Well Said ARM.

Agree. Officiating at the highest levels MUST improve. Some of the officiating in several games was downright horrible. Not being able to keep up with the play and only a 3 ref system. Not that a 4 ref system guarantees better reffing, as I've seen some atrocious officiating in some recent College games as well. The players and teams at the top level deserve better.

 

[AggiesHockey]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

Actually this call was addressed in the CBC commentary twice by Cassie Campbell. Earlier in the game, I believe it was Duggan who slashed at Szababos. At that time, Campbell commented that it was interesting that she was not called for a penalty, and noted that the ref chose to give her a clear warning instead to make sure it was not repeated (which you could clearly see on camera). When Lamoureux did the same thing in OT, Campbell noted that for the repeat of the same infraction as occurred earlier, it was inevitable that the ref would make a penalty call.

Good to have that perspective. I still look at that slashing call as by far the weakest slashing call I've ever witnessed at all levels of hockey. Seemed like she just tapped at the goalie's glove as the whistle blew. No flagrant, overt contact whatsoever. Win or lose, I think that call is a blemish on an otherwise great game.

As for the cross-check, I don't disagree with that call. The Canadian clearly had positional advantage; the US player clearly reached out & gave her a shove from behind, knocking her off balance. Not a trip, and not a vicious cross check, but enough contact from behind to influence the play.

The real travesty was the slashing call. Whatever warnings were issued earlier in the game, clearly the bar for a legitimate slashing call should be higher than what we observed in OT today.

Edit: And I believe in calling tight games!

 

[chickod]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

I agree that it was not a choke (US was flying along for a good while with 2 goals), but I don't agree that, at least this year, Canada was flat out more skilled.

My point was that we have seen this before. At some point, when the same team CONSISTENTLY wins these big games, you have to say they're more skilled. Part of "skill" is making plays when it counts. When Tiger Woods rolled in a clutch 20 footer to tie on the 18th hole at the Open at Torrey Pines to cause a playoff, how many others would have made THAT putt at THAT time? That's the point. Some players/teams just have that skill. Usually it's because they have put in more time and it is more "natural" for them. The Canadians just let it all hang out and did what their instincts told them to do. They were in the right place at the right time and didn't HESITATE when the chance came to pull the trigger. It just makes me sick that the star in the last two Olympics played at BU. At some point, we have to remember that half of these athletes that win medals come to OUR schools and train with OUR coaches and facilities. Like the snowboarder from Australia who trained in Colorado. Yeah,there's a lot of snow in Australia. In this case, the Canadians have a HUGE advantage - they can go out on frozen ponds and play all winter long. There are few places we can do that here anymore. You can't make up that difference with money. It's in their blood. Accept it. It's their game, just as basketball is our game. Why? Because Americans spend MORE time on the playgrounds playing EVERY DAY and are BETTER at it.

 

[Cali]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

Good to have that perspective. I still look at that slashing call as by far the weakest slashing call I've ever witnessed at all levels of hockey. Seemed like she just tapped at the goalie's glove as the whistle blew. No flagrant, overt contact whatsoever. Win or lose, I think that call is a blemish on an otherwise great game.
The real travesty was the slashing call. Whatever warnings were issued earlier in the game, clearly the bar for a legitimate slashing call should be higher than what we observed in OT today.

Edit: And I believe in calling tight games!

I agree that it was questionable but the prior warning issued gives it a bit of legitimacy. The Cross-checking call against Wick was even more of a head scratcher. It looked to me in both full speed and on replay that Wickenheiser was still clear of Knight and that it should have been a penalty shot. Ironically, all Knight had to do was take two more strides and she would have caught her. Wick was gassed.

 

[dave1381]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

My point was that we have seen this before. At some point, when the same team CONSISTENTLY wins these big games, you have to say they're more skilled. Part of "skill" is making plays when it counts. When Tiger Woods rolled in a clutch 20 footer to tie on the 18th hole at the Open at Torrey Pines to cause a playoff, how many others would have made THAT putt at THAT time? That's the point. Some players/teams just have that skill. Usually it's because they have put in more time and it is more "natural" for them. The Canadians just let it all hang out and did what their instincts told them to do. They were in the right place at the right time and didn't HESITATE when the chance came to pull the trigger. It just makes me sick that the star in the last two Olympics played at BU. At some point, we have to remember that half of these athletes that win medals come to OUR schools and train with OUR coaches and facilities. Like the snowboarder from Australia who trained in Colorado. Yeah,there's a lot of snow in Australia. In this case, the Canadians have a HUGE advantage - they can go out on frozen ponds and play all winter long. There are few places we can do that here anymore. You can't make up that difference with money. It's in their blood. Accept it. It's their game, just as basketball is our game. Why? Because Americans spend MORE time on the playgrounds playing EVERY DAY and are BETTER at it.

Nonsense. When you've won an Olympics, you no longer the face the pressure to win the Olympics, so you're going to be better at winning the Olympics. That doesn't mean you're more talented if you consistently win the Olympics.

If the Canadians were truly winning based on the superior talent, we should see them dominate the World Championships by as much. They don't any more. That's because the U.S. has caught up to them in talent, and broke the Canadian lock on the World Championship in 2005, and there's no longer so much pressure for either side to win a World Championship.

By your logic, Marie Philip-Poulin must be the greatest player in the history of women's hockey because she's scored four goals of Canada's last five goals in the big games. Why don't we see MPP completely dominate college hockey too when she's healthy? Please. She has the talent, but she's not an order of magnitude more talented than various other players in the U.S. But she was put in a position to succeed at young age, and she succeeded given the chance, and now she has the confidence to be very comfortable in continuing to succeed on this particular stage.

 

[hab]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

I agree that it was questionable but the prior warning issued gives it a bit of legitimacy. The Cross-checking call against Wick was even more of a head scratcher. It looked to me in both full speed and on replay that Wickenheiser was still clear of Knight and that it should have been a penalty shot. Ironically, all Knight had to do was take two more strides and she would have caught her. Wick was gassed.

Agree on both counts: when a ref warns a team about slashing a goalie who has the puck in her mitt, she needs to call it the next time or lose all credibility; and Wick should have had a penalty shot as she was a step ahead of Knight. On replay, it didn't look like a cross-check 'though: I think both players were gassed and Knight stumbled onto the back skate of Wickenheiser. Accidental tripping, perhaps, but it still has to be called.

 

[defense11]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

I agree that it was questionable but the prior warning issued gives it a bit of legitimacy. The Cross-checking call against Wick was even more of a head scratcher. It looked to me in both full speed and on replay that Wickenheiser was still clear of Knight and that it should have been a penalty shot. Ironically, all Knight had to do was take two more strides and she would have caught her. Wick was gassed.

If Wickenheiser would have had possession of the puck, then a penalty shot would have been an easy call to make.

 

[hab]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

I watched mostly the CBC broadcast and just a few minutes here and there on NBC. CBC was excellent, except for the time wasted between periods when Don Cherry was trying to pretend he knew something about women's hockey. With so many people around who know the game and the players on both teams why do they give the mike to that egocentric windbag?

 

[FredsDeadFriend]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

My point was that we have seen this before. At some point, when the same team CONSISTENTLY wins these big games, you have to say they're more skilled. Part of "skill" is making plays when it counts. When Tiger Woods rolled in a clutch 20 footer to tie on the 18th hole at the Open at Torrey Pines to cause a playoff, how many others would have made THAT putt at THAT time? That's the point. Some players/teams just have that skill. Usually it's because they have put in more time and it is more "natural" for them. The Canadians just let it all hang out and did what their instincts told them to do. They were in the right place at the right time and didn't HESITATE when the chance came to pull the trigger. It just makes me sick that the star in the last two Olympics played at BU. At some point, we have to remember that half of these athletes that win medals come to OUR schools and train with OUR coaches and facilities. Like the snowboarder from Australia who trained in Colorado. Yeah,there's a lot of snow in Australia. In this case, the Canadians have a HUGE advantage - they can go out on frozen ponds and play all winter long. There are few places we can do that here anymore. You can't make up that difference with money. It's in their blood. Accept it. It's their game, just as basketball is our game. Why? Because Americans spend MORE time on the playgrounds playing EVERY DAY and are BETTER at it.

Someone else already mentioned it, but it deserves being mentioned again with more specifics.

World Championships GOLD medal winners

2008 - USA
2009 - USA
2010 - did not have one.
2011 - USA
2013 - USA


Yeah, that's 4 of the last 5 World Championships held, were won by the USA.


Granted if you count the Olympics as a World Championship then it becomes 4 of the last 7, but that still shows the USA with more than Canada. And my guess is that the #s of US players is growing at a higher rate than the #s for Canada. It's simple, the US has caught up to Canada at the top, and are catching up overall.

 

[Eeyore]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

So you are not a Pierre McGuire fan. But they took these games seriously. I suppose you would have enjoyed the broadcast better if Doc asked Pierre a question and his response was "can you repeat that, I was checking on my dinner reservations"?

They took it seriously, they did their pre game homework on players and coaches.

Yeah, see, I don't consider going on an extended discussion of a former NHL player's hometown and his choices in underwear to be taking today's game seriously.

 

[myStuff]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

I watched mostly the CBC broadcast and just a few minutes here and there on NBC. CBC was excellent, except for the time wasted between periods when Don Cherry was trying to pretend he knew something about women's hockey. With so many people around who know the game and the players on both teams why do they give the mike to that egocentric windbag?

Because Don Cherry rules!!!! He is a brilliant man when it comes to hockey and a multitude of hockey people worship his opinion

 

[OnMAA]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

Because Don Cherry rules!!!! He is a brilliant man when it comes to hockey and a multitude of hockey people worship his opinion

I hope you are not serious. Only kids who don't know any better think he is great. Sure the man knows hockey, but some of his drivel is "entertaining" to the less educated in the game. Give me McGuire anytime over Cherry.

 

[myStuff]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

I hope you are not serious. Only kids who don't know any better think he is great. Sure the man knows hockey, but some of his drivel is "entertaining" to the less educated in the game. Give me McGuire anytime over Cherry.

Nope...Love Him!!

 

[SeymoreHockey]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

OMG...and their Olympic record is....???
And Three /Four Nations Cup record is...???

Come on...it was GREAT game contested by two VERY evenly matched teams. A bounce here or there and the result is totally different. Give credit where credit is due.

Someone else already mentioned it, but it deserves being mentioned again with more specifics.

World Championships GOLD medal winners

2008 - USA
2009 - USA
2010 - did not have one.
2011 - USA
2013 - USA


Yeah, that's 4 of the last 5 World Championships held, were won by the USA.


Granted if you count the Olympics as a World Championship then it becomes 4 of the last 7, but that still shows the USA with more than Canada. And my guess is that the #s of US players is growing at a higher rate than the #s for Canada. It's simple, the US has caught up to Canada at the top, and are catching up overall.