2014 USA Olympic Hockey

[jimmie2dog]

Re: 2014 USA Olympic Hockey

Went back to work after they were up 2-0 because "there is no way Canada can come back from that"

Think Canucks did the same thing last olympics

 

[chickod]

Re: 2014 USA Olympic Hockey

major choke job by the US woman.4 more years for the same old thing.

I absolutely don't agree with that and here's why. It's THEIR game. Just like basketball was ours (except for 1972 when we got screwed by the refs against the Soviet Union). When we sent our best players, we NEVER lost. It was our game. It's hard to explain...the US didn't blow the game. The Canadians RAISED their game because of national pride. They ALWAYS do this. They did it in the 1972 Canada-Russia series when Henderson scored with like a minute left in the final game. They win games like this all the time. The men did it at the last Olympics (and the men will beat the US tomorrow, too). And just think of this. Canada basically did not score an even strength goal the entire game. They scored when they were in all-out, desperation mode, with the goalie pulled and then on a power play in OT.

But that aside, that was one of the BEST HOCKEY games (men, women or anything else) I have ever seen. I just feel bad for the US Women, because they will take this one to their graves.

 

[mnstate0fhockey]

Re: 2014 USA Olympic Hockey

After the roster announcement for Team USA Women's hockey, Katey Stone defended her decision to leave several elite players off her roster by comparing her decisions to Herb Brooks' decisions in 1980. She picked her team, and it was designed to utilize speed and quick transitions. Only problem is she didn't learn from past Olympics where the US women were dominated in puck posession against the Canadians because Canada played physical and took away time and space. Speed doesn't help you and you can't transition quickly when you don't have the puck.

This team had some sandpaper, Hillary Knight and the Lammy twins, but it needed more. Team USA had little net front presence in both games versus Canada. How you can leave a player like Hannah Brandt, who excels in these areas, off the roster is still mind boggling to me. Katey Stone picked her team and lost. She is no Herb Brooks.

I'm incredibly proud of the team for the effort they put in and the commitment they showd (the number of blocked shots speaks volumes to that). Just incredibly disappointed because I think this was our best shot at Gold in quite a while. Hope the players hang their heads high because they certainly left it all on the ice.

 

[mnstate0fhockey]

I absolutely don't agree with that and here's why. It's THEIR game. Just like basketball was ours (except for 1972 when we got screwed by the refs against the Soviet Union). When we sent our best players, we NEVER lost. It was our game. It's hard to explain...the US didn't blow the game. The Canadians RAISED their game because of national pride. They ALWAYS do this. They did it in the 1972 Canada-Russia series when Henderson scored with like a minute left in the final game. They win games like this all the time. The men did it at the last Olympics (and the men will beat the US tomorrow, too). And just think of this. Canada basically did not score an even strength goal the entire game. They scored when they were in all-out, desperation mode, with the goalie pulled and then on a power play in OT.

But that aside, that was one of the BEST HOCKEY games (men, women or anything else) I have ever seen. I just feel bad for the US Women, because they will take this one to their graves.

USA was favored by many coming in. We had a two goal lead late in the 3rd. Let's call it what it was.

 

[GrinCDXX]

Re: 2014 USA Olympic Hockey

I absolutely don't agree with that and here's why. It's THEIR game. Just like basketball was ours (except for 1972 when we got screwed by the refs against the Soviet Union). When we sent our best players, we NEVER lost. It was our game. It's hard to explain...the US didn't blow the game. The Canadians RAISED their game because of national pride. They ALWAYS do this. They did it in the 1972 Canada-Russia series when Henderson scored with like a minute left in the final game. They win games like this all the time. The men did it at the last Olympics (and the men will beat the US tomorrow, too). And just think of this. Canada basically did not score an even strength goal the entire game. They scored when they were in all-out, desperation mode, with the goalie pulled and then on a power play in OT.

But that aside, that was one of the BEST HOCKEY games (men, women or anything else) I have ever seen. I just feel bad for the US Women, because they will take this one to their graves.

They are WHO WE THOUGHT THEY WERE! AND WE LET 'EM OFF THE HOOK!

 

[Jimjamesak]

I absolutely don't agree with that and here's why. It's THEIR game. Just like basketball was ours (except for 1972 when we got screwed by the refs against the Soviet Union). When we sent our best players, we NEVER lost. It was our game. It's hard to explain...the US didn't blow the game. The Canadians RAISED their game because of national pride. They ALWAYS do this. They did it in the 1972 Canada-Russia series when Henderson scored with like a minute left in the final game. They win games like this all the time. The men did it at the last Olympics (and the men will beat the US tomorrow, too). And just think of this. Canada basically did not score an even strength goal the entire game. They scored when they were in all-out, desperation mode, with the goalie pulled and then on a power play in OT.

But that aside, that was one of the BEST HOCKEY games (men, women or anything else) I have ever seen. I just feel bad for the US Women, because they will take this one to their graves.

It's hard to call that a great game with the horrible officiating that went on.

 

[willythekid]

Re: 2014 USA Olympic Hockey

I absolutely don't agree with that and here's why. It's THEIR game. Just like basketball was ours (except for 1972 when we got screwed by the refs against the Soviet Union). When we sent our best players, we NEVER lost. It was our game. It's hard to explain...the US didn't blow the game. The Canadians RAISED their game because of national pride. They ALWAYS do this. They did it in the 1972 Canada-Russia series when Henderson scored with like a minute left in the final game. They win games like this all the time. The men did it at the last Olympics (and the men will beat the US tomorrow, too). And just think of this. Canada basically did not score an even strength goal the entire game. They scored when they were in all-out, desperation mode, with the goalie pulled and then on a power play in OT.

But that aside, that was one of the BEST HOCKEY games (men, women or anything else) I have ever seen. I just feel bad for the US Women, because they will take this one to their graves.

I absolutely disagree with this... this was THE definition of a choke job. Went into a defensive shell in the final minutes and this is what happens. They should have stopped the game after the Canucks tied it up, it was basically over then.

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: 2014 USA Olympic Hockey

I absolutely don't agree with that and here's why. It's THEIR game. Just like basketball was ours (except for 1972 when we got screwed by the refs against the Soviet Union). When we sent our best players, we NEVER lost. It was our game. It's hard to explain...the US didn't blow the game.

No offense but... this is ridiculous and makes absolutely no sense.

 

[chickod]

Re: 2014 USA Olympic Hockey

USA was favored by many coming in. We had a two goal lead late in the 3rd. Let's call it what it was.

But you just said that she didn't do a great job of picking the team. So how can it be a choke when the other team is clearly more talented? You can't have it both ways...either the US was better and they choked or they weren't and lost to a better team. The first Canada goal was a lucky bounce off the defenseman who had her back turned and then there was a horrible "slash" make-up call when she basically did nothing.

Bottom line is the team that HAD to make the plays made them. That's different then handing the game away. Personally, I think they should allow full contact. The skill-level has evolved to the point where there should not be any issue. As you said, what good is speed if when you get in on the forecheck you can't touch the person so they can just maneuver away and maintain possession? The US was in on them several times and couldn't prevent them from exiting the zone, largely because if they had run them it would have been called a penalty.

 

[chickod]

Re: 2014 USA Olympic Hockey

It's hard to call that a great game with the horrible officiating that went on.

It's not the officials' fault that there is still only one referee. You can't see what you can't get in position to see. Of course, that last phantom slash was a clear make-up call, and it negated a power play, but I don't think we would have scored anyway.

 

[chickod]

Re: 2014 USA Olympic Hockey

No offense but... this is ridiculous and makes absolutely no sense.

Not ridiculous when they haven't lost an Olympic game in 16 years...or does everybody just choke when they play Canada?

 

[mnstate0fhockey]

But you just said that she didn't do a great job of picking the team. So how can it be a choke when the other team is clearly more talented? You can't have it both ways...either the US was better and they choked or they weren't and lost to a better team. The first Canada goal was a lucky bounce off the defenseman who had her back turned and then there was a horrible "slash" make-up call when she basically did nothing.

Bottom line is the team that HAD to make the plays made them. That's different then handing the game away. Personally, I think they should allow full contact. The skill-level has evolved to the point where there should not be any issue. As you said, what good is speed if when you get in on the forecheck you can't touch the person so they can just maneuver away and maintain possession? The US was in on them several times and couldn't prevent them from exiting the zone, largely because if they had run them it would have been called a penalty.

The players played hard. That doesn't mean she chose the right combo of players. I'd play hard if I made the men's roster....

We had very little net front presence. Have to score dirty goals when there isn't the time and space to score pretty ones off transition. We didn't adapt, and part of that is personal. Not saying any of our players aren't talented players, but we were a tad too one-dimensional. Really showed against Canada. They were able to dictate the style of play because we weren't able to match their physicality. We needed a balance of speed and grit. We had speed in abundance, but outside of Knight and the Lammys, we had little grit amonst our forwards.

 

[DoubleA]

Re: 2014 USA Olympic Hockey

It's hard to explain...the US didn't blow the game. The Canadians RAISED their game because of national pride. They ALWAYS do this. They did it in the 1972 Canada-Russia series when Henderson scored with like a minute left in the final game. They win games like this all the time.
But that aside, that was one of the BEST HOCKEY games (men, women or anything else) I have ever seen. I just feel bad for the US Women, because they will take this one to their graves.

Your lack of insight and view of reality is startling. US women have a 2-0 lead with 3:30 left. Canada can't get anything past Vetter for 56.5 minutes of a Gold Medal game. Yes, Canada raised their game. Yes, clear as a bell, the U.S.team went into a defensive shell with just over 7 minutes left to play and gassed it. Ahh, Girls...the game is 60 minutes long, not 53!! The U.S. offensive attack ceased to exist. Non-hockey people watching the game next to me in a bar were openly commenting about it. This was one of the great choke jobs ever, Men, Women, Chimpanzees, Aliens, whatever. Total and inexcusable mismanagement of a 2-0 lead with 3:30 left to play. No, it's not hard to explain. The U.S. women, players and coaches, blew the game. How about the U.S. gets a sniff of Gold with 3:30ish left to play and raises THEIR game as well? Ever think of that possibility?

The OT was a joke. The Canadian cross check penalty was obvious. The slashing call against U.S. seconds into our own power play was laughable. So now you have a Gold Medal game in OT skating 3 on 3 on a sheet of ice the size of a small country. Really? Sorry Fans, U.S. blew it big time.

 

[BCeagle]

Re: 2014 USA Olympic Hockey

The players played hard. That doesn't mean she chose the right combo of players. I'd play hard if I made the men's roster....

We had very little net front presence. Have to score dirty goals when there isn't the time and space to score pretty ones off transition. We didn't adapt, and part of that is personal. Not saying any of our players aren't talented players, but we were a tad too one-dimensional. Really showed against Canada. They were able to dictate the style of play because we weren't able to match their physicality. We needed a balance of speed and grit. We had speed in abundance, but outside of Knight and the Lammys, we had little grit amonst our forwards.

Besides the defensive shell strategy at the end, the US looked gassed. Did they double shift too many players ? The players just had no jump to their skates to keep up.

 

[DoubleA]

Re: 2014 USA Olympic Hockey

It's not the officials' fault that there is still only one referee.

Wrong again, at least according to the Box Score. It lists two Referees (Tottman and Novotna) and one Linesman (Svobodova).

 

[JF_Gophers]

Re: 2014 USA Olympic Hockey

Its a known fact that US hockey teams in the Olympics are destined to fail most of the time, so why is it a surprise each time they do?

 

[Red Cows]

Re: 2014 USA Olympic Hockey

It's hard to call that a great game with the horrible officiating that went on.

I agree that the officiating was bad. The referees basically swallowed their whistles at the 6 or 8 minute mark or so in regulation. I saw numerous things that should have been called.

That said, coughing up a 2 goal lead with 3 minutes or so left is inexcusable, bad officiating or not.

 

[BCeagle]

Re: 2014 USA Olympic Hockey

I agree that the officiating was bad. The referees basically swallowed their whistles at the 6 or 8 minute mark or so in regulation. I saw numerous things that should have been called.

That said, coughing up a 2 goal lead with 3 minutes or so left is inexcusable, bad officiating or not.

There was no use of timeout to settle everyone down or even to rest people with a TO. Stone just did not coach the game properly at crunch time or last 4 minutes of regulation.

 

[billb]

Re: 2014 USA Olympic Hockey

First congrats to both teams. But I agree USA choked and I agree Canada turned their game up a notch or two. But USA should have expected it and adjusted their play accordingly. I don't blame the players as much as I do the coaches for not getting these women's heads in the right place.

 

[mnstate0fhockey]

Besides the defensive shell strategy at the end, the US looked gassed. Did they double shift too many players ? The players just had no jump to their skates to keep up.

Noticed that too. I know Knight was getting double shifted a lot. Agree that the jump just wasn't there.