HOCKEY!!!

[Endrik]

Re: HOCKEY!!!

I don't think that Russia is gonna make it to the finals.

Slovakia or Sweden is gonna meet Finlad IMO

[monk]

Re: HOCKEY!!!

[ QUOTE ]
after all their losts in previous tournaments, they deserve to win the gold this time

[/ QUOTE ]

pff..

[Shawn Lutz]

Re: HOCKEY!!!

There really is no telling who will prevail. The early games only determine the seeding in the medal rounds. Once you get to single game elimination (win or go home) part of the tournament, teams will be playing with much more urgency.

Going into this I thought Sweden, Finland, Russia and Canada all have legitimate shot at gold and I still think that [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] But anything can happen on any given day [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[ExodusAttack]

Re: HOCKEY!!!

IF Finland and Sweden play in the final, my guess is that Team Finland leads 2-0 in the third period, only untill the last 5 minutes when Team Sweden start so play like madmen and score 3 goals in five minutes.
Something like that has happened SO many times before that I've lost count. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Team Finland often seems to lose the game in the last ten minutes of the game. Well, up untill this tournament anyway. They've held up pretty well against some good teams this time.

I'm not much of a hockey fan but I really hope the guys get it this time, they've been playing so well so far.

[Endrik]

Re: HOCKEY!!!

Finland just won Germany 2-0

Finland has won all the games with 19-2,
tomorrow they are against the USA in quater finals.

[Shawn Lutz]

Re: HOCKEY!!!

Fins lose tomorrow [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[zeegler]

Re: HOCKEY!!!

Canada beat the Czechs 3-2

[Mrs Tekky]

Re: HOCKEY!!!

Olympic hockey just astounds me sometimes - you take the professional players - salt them with "non-professionals", use different rules than the NHL and let them all play together. I always have trouble figuring out who will win - and it's bad when the team with more pros loses.

But I still enjoy watching it - and found out my mom is watching it!

[zeegler]

Re: HOCKEY!!!

I think it's pretty much a given that the Finns are going to completely demolish the US, considering the US only barely made it to the 1/4 finals, and the Finns are unbeaten. It looks like Canada will play Russia next. That should be a decent game.

[Endrik]

Re: HOCKEY!!!

a lot of those "non-professionals" are VERY good, young Russians who are unknown for the most of the world are THE BEST penalty shooters or scorers in one-on-one situation with the goalie I've ever seen. They hardly ever miss. Finland is full of very fast scaters. Oftnely they are better in international games than the NHL players.

[Mrs Tekky]

Re: HOCKEY!!!

That I do believe - in all honesty, I think the games would probably be better without the professionals - we could really see some awesome. Often the non-professionals put on a better game than the pros and it gives them a chance to be seen!

[Shawn Lutz]

Re: HOCKEY!!!

I do believe the Fins are strong team but also think that it's a fluke that they have 4 shutouts in 5 games. They may beat USA tomorrow but I can say w/o a doubt that it will be not a blow out. In single elimination play, anything can happen because urgency is magnified 10x. In USA's losses, they played well enough to win but have a severe problem in lack of coaching skill. I think that Peter Laviolette is French Canadian and not an American [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Shawn Lutz]

Re: HOCKEY!!!

[ QUOTE ]
That I do believe - in all honesty, I think the games would probably be better without the professionals - we could really see some awesome. Often the non-professionals put on a better game than the pros and it gives them a chance to be seen!

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree but the problem has always been that other countries use professionals. I think in all reality that having pro's in the Olympics is just a marketing ploy by Gary Bettman and its failing. What it really does is screw NHL fans out of hockey for 2 weeks and screws major junior players and college players a out of chance to play for their country.

[Mrs Tekky]

Re: HOCKEY!!!

Oh absolutely! Of course have the pros on the other country's teams play in the NHL. Hockey, baseball, and basketball all use pros - other competitions ban pros. I personally think that pros really shouldn't be in the olympics. But I'm still gonna watch!

[FusionFarmer]

Re: HOCKEY!!!

The whole pro vs amateur status is what has made the olympics what it is now, a primarily professional event. I think they should let anybody play, but dig this, ONE OLYMPICS ONLY, that way the "youth of the world could again gather to engage in athletic competition, that would make winning a medal even more special if you knew you only had one shot, many athletes are playing in their third and fourth games, that to me, is not right.