And away we go NHL thread!!!!

[Endrik]

Nothing strange. Preliminary round is a like a regular hockey season, based on how much you win or loose you get a certain "play-off" position (if you win a lot you go against the team who has lost mostly and vice versa). If you loose in the play-off you are out.
Teams have lost certain games purposely in preliminary round to go against prefered opponents in the play-off.

[Hellbat]

It's a round robin tournament format.

You play in a preliminary round amongst your group to determine which teams proceed to the medal round, with the top 2 teams getting a bye to the medal round while the third place teams from each group play an extra game to determine who will advance to the medal round. Canada had a loss to the US and an overtime win so they had to play the extra game. If they had won the overtime game in regulation they wouldn't have even had to play the extra game. This is the equivalent of a normal hockey regular season.

The medal round is like the playoffs, with 4 teams competing for 3 medals. If you lose a game in the first stage of the medal round the best you can do is bronze, by winning the consolation game. This game is played between the 2 first medal round game losers, in this case Finland (Lost to USA) and Slovakia (Lost to Canada). The 2 first medal round winners face each other for the gold medal to the winner and silver to the loser.

You can't really compare round robin to something like a 5 or 7 game playoff series and compare wins. The pressure is a lot higher because once you hit the championship round one loss basically seals your fate.

The World Cup and World Junior Championship tournament both use the round robin format as well. The World Juniors are the best hockey going with 18-20 year olds putting everything they have on the line for the chance to play for their country.

[FusionFarmer]

The format is fair, the US was rewarded by its win over Canada a first round bye, both teams are playing at the top of their game, it'll be a hell of a game Sun, The US will be very hard pressed to beat the Canadians again,,With luongo between the pipes it will be a whole new ball game, but if Miller keeps playing like he has, The US might pull it off

[Shawn Lutz]

single game elimination is tough. In that format, any team on any given day can win and that team is not always the BEST that wins. It makes for an excting tournament (played a bunch of them) yet pressure ridden and nerve wrecking as a player.

I much prefer a best of 5 or best of 7 series because you can overcome a fluke loss to an inferior team. The good majority of the teams that win a best of 7 are the BEST teams.

[Shawn Lutz]

Endrik - They should have yanked Kipper instead of taking that time out after the 3rd American goal.

Honestly if I was involved in hockey Finland and Kiprusoff said the only way he participates inthe Olympics is if he's the starter I would have said, no thanks, we dont need you. Kipper is a great netminder but what has he won? nothing, folds under playoff pressure just as Nabokov does. That is why I never fear San Jose or Calgary in the playoffs no matter how good their teams are. When the goin gets tough...those two cats can't handle the pressure and fold like a house of cards.

[Endrik]

Yep, after the 2nd goal they should have put Bäckström in. But I still can't understand how such good defenders continued making junior league mistakes? They couldn't get the puck out of their own zone. They were passing to the opponents.
The way Finland chokes so often during important games is really pissing me off.

[dg]

I agree with FF. It's going to be really tough to beat Canada twice. After watching the first game, I think single elimination probably works in the US's favor a lot better than a series would.

[FusionFarmer]

single game elimination is tough. In that format, any team on any given day can win and that team is not always the BEST that wins. It makes for an excting tournament (played a bunch of them) yet pressure ridden and nerve wrecking as a player.

I much prefer a best of 5 or best of 7 series because you can overcome a fluke loss to an inferior team. The good majority of the teams that win a best of 7 are the BEST teams.

that is true, however look at the Olympics in general, its a one shot deal, you have one chance to make it or break it, more or less, one slip and some atheltes life time of training goes down the tubes

[Endrik]

Congrats Canada! And thanks US for an intense game.

[FusionFarmer]

incredible game, Crosby is a class act and Canada deserved the Gold, Both teams played great, Congrats Canada

[dg]

Congrats Canada! That was a lot of pressure and they got it done.

[etepbbb]

That was an excellent game. Congrats Canada.

[gtrbuyer]

awesome game....it don't get much better than that

[Jack Napalm]

That was great game. Congrats to Canada.

[Hellbat]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

That was the closest to a heart attack I've been in my whole life. 4 Minutes left in the third and I was screaming at the TV for them to attack and not back off, when that goal got scored I almost punched the wall.

It was an intense game though. GG USA!