Classic

There's not much more to be said about yesterday's game -- it's just nice that after the two most anticipated medal round games of an otherwise excellent tournament fizzled it was gratifying indeed to get a game that exceeded high expectations. I was right about at least one thing in my post-first-loss diagnosis, in that Babcock's puzzling insistence that Niedermayer was still a top 2 defenseman in this context very nearly blew up on him -- I have no idea what the hell he was doing for any of the dozen or so seconds leading up to Parise's tying goal, and many will forget that the Crosby goal came after a gruesome turnover very nearly ended the game the other way. (It underlines how smart Burke was to generally privilege younger players.) Otherwise, both teams were very well-constructed and played as hard and well as anyone could expect -- to me, tight-checking hockey without clutch-and-grab is always the most exciting. And Pierce is right that Kane's hustle to break up the 3rd period Crosby breakaway shouldn't be forgotten (as well, of course, that deciding this game by shootout would have been an abomination in the face of the Lord.)

In a properly internationalist spirit, I'll make my designated charity Doctors Without Borders, with condolences to Thers. I don't have much to say about the rest of the games; I should do some token bragging about Canada surprisingly winning the most gold medals, I guess, but I often didn't have time to watch and the hockey was so good as to dwarf many of the other events (although it was nice to see that Carrot Top has gone from being a failed comedia to a championship snowboarder, and Joannie Rochette's courage certainly merits the praise it's received.)

Ultimately, I'd have to say that an overtime winner set up by Iginla after a devastating last-second goal to send the game to OT at GM Place is a formula I won't get tired of...

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"If We're Going To Bet, Why Don't We Make It Interesting?"

Thers seems to be under the brave but very mistaken idea that the Americans' fluke victory over Canada will be replicated. (Despite the Ygleasias curse!) Hence, he will be generously donating $50 to a Canadian charity of my choice (readers who current reside there are welcome to provide suggestions of good ones.) In the vanishingly unlikely event of an American win, I will do likewise to an American charity of his choice.

In all seriousness, this should be a hell of a game. Canada has one major advantage (depth among their forwards) and one advantage of unknown importance (I'll take Babcock over Wilson behind the bench in a big game for sure), and with Luongo properly in net no real disadvantages on paper. But Switzerland and Slovakia nonetheless gave Canada all it could handle and the American team that's already beat Canada once is certainly much better than they are, so...let's hope the game is as great as it should be.

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The Final Four

Today's games should both be interesting. The Miller/Kiprusoff matchup this afternoon should be fun. As a Canada rooter, I'm actually a little leery about the Slovakia matchup; just as people overreacted to the loss to the U.S. (particularly given the extent of Canada's territorial advantage), it's almost as if thing got set up a little too perfectly. As Switzerland has been twice in a row, I would expect Slovakia to be a tough opponent. But forced to pick I think we'll see a rematch of '02...

...er, I meant to say that by the time I turned the game on the Americans would already have completely blown out Finland.

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All Things Olympic Open Thread

And in anticipation of what should be the highlight of the Games, hopefully Joe Thornton is being told to channel the spirit of John Tonelli.



Most importantly of all, let's hope there aren't any (&%%&* shootouts.

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Don't Count Your Money While You're Sitting at the Table

While I can understand the enthusiasm about the first American win against Canada since 1960, I think prudence dictates leaving this kind of post until after the medal round.

Still, the game amplifies two points that could be seen before the tournament. One the one hand, the Americans aren't as good player for player as Canada or Russia, but Miller is as good as any goalie in the world right now, which makes the Yanks as live an underdog as they looked tonight -- one can see something like the Czechs in Nagano happening. On the other hand, the game won't comfort any Canada rooter who (like me) was concerned about the team dipping into its nostalgia file. It's pretty hard to argue that at 37 the immortal Brodeur is as good as Luongo. But it's even more clear that Brodeur's former teammate and fellow aging player of immense career accomplishment Scott Niedermayer (-17 this year) isn't close to being an elite defenseman anymore, but seems to be on the ice at crucial moments. (This isn't just about age, of course; the unlikely American star Rafalski is 36 too, but unlike Niedermayer is having an excellent year.) They're certainly good enough to win anyway -- and playing these declining first-ballot Hall of Famers is nowhere near as egregious as, say, going with a washed-up Todd Bertuzzi in '06 -- but these marginal choices mattered tonight and may keep mattering.

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Ack

Personal to all Flames General Managers: No more multi-player deals with the Leafs in which you give up the best player. Ever again. What the hell.

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Opening Night!

Friends coming over to watch the opening night Flames/Canucks tilt, so be out for a bit. For interested parties, some useful team-by-team previews here, although hopefully this is more accurate than this. For Berube's Rangers, the analysis suggests that Glen Sather will be a good-looking GM again...if you spot him a pre-drinking age Gretzky, Messier, Anderson, Lowe, etc.

To return to the greatest game played in my hometown (with bonus Slats footage!), always remember: even Paul Coffey can play defense if he puts his mind to it, and always much in the corners like Tonelli...

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