Early Returns

US is looking good with ten minutes left in the third, I expect desperation to set in on our neighbors from the north, should be a great finish.

Update: 5 minutes left, Canadians have been relentless but Miller has been better.

Update: 4 Minutes left, Miller just robbed Nash and then Igingla in a matter of seconds.

Update: Crosby goal is huge, the next 3 minutes are going to be an all out assault from the Canadians. The US better help Miller out.

Update: Empty Net goal with 44.7 seconds left sends US to quarterfinals.

Recap: Russia: 4, Czech Republic: 2

The Russians beat the Czechs today by a final score of 4-2. Evgeni Malkin tallied twice, book-ending a goal by former Cap Viktor Kozlov. Pavel Datsyuk scored on an empty net in the games final minute to seal the deal for the Russians.

The highlight of the game, however, came early in the third period when Jaromir Jagr carried the puck on a rush through the neutral zone and was absolutely annihilated by Alexander Ovechkin. As a dazed Jagr got to his skates, Alexander Semin picked up the puck in the Czech zone and zipped a sweet cross ice pass to Malkin who buried the puck past Vokoun for his second of the day.

With the exception of their struggling power play the Russians finally put together a complete game. Evgeni Nabokov played well, stopping 23 of 25 shots that he faced. This Russian team has been described as a hybrid between North American and European Hockey. They play with the physical presence and grit of the North Americans while displaying the traditional flash and dash of the Europeans. The Russians are at their best when they demonstrate this style of play and for today at least, they did.

As I mentioned earlier the Russian power play has struggled in the tournament. Today they went 1-3 and despite scoring it looked pitiful at times. A lineup with Ovechkin, Datsyuk, Malkin, Markov, Gonchar, Semin, and Kovalchuk should score more than twice in three games.

Ovechkin Truck-Sticks Jagr

Jaromir Jagr is around 240 lbs. He never gets hit hard. Then again, he rarely plays against Alexander Ovechkin.

USA vs. Canada

If you are a fan of U.S. Hockey, then today feels like Christmas. At 7pm EST the US mens hockey team will take on the heavily favored Canadians. The game, being in Vancouver, will naturally have a very pro-Canadian crowd on hand, and the depth of the Canadian squad is unparalleled in these games. They have arguably the greatest goalie to ever play the game in between the pipes. They have a ridiculous offense (in which Toews is on their forth line) and a punishing defense. Most people in hockey community will say advantage Canada. Those same people will predict a victory for Canada and a bye into the quarterfinal round.

I must however take a page out of ESPN College Football analyst Lee Corso's book and say, "not so fast my friends." The Canadians have struggled at times in this tournament and posted a very unimpressive win against the Swiss in a shootout. The US should not be looked at as the same team of your fathers generation; this team is comprised entirely of NHL caliber players. They may not have the depth of the Canadians but they are certainly capable of beating any team in this tournament. They are lead by a world class goaltender in Ryan Miller and by one of the best natural goal scorers in the game in Zach Parise.

The Canadians will be motivated early by their lackluster performance against the Swiss as well as the raucous crowd. If the Americans are not able to weather the storm early then it could get ugly. But, if they escape the 1st period in a close game (which I predict they will), and if Ryan Miller stands on his head (which I predict he will), then I expect to see the upset in full force tonight in Vancouver.

USA 4 Canada 3.

Winter Classic in DC?

A blogger for the New England Hockey Journal is claiming that he heard from a source that the Caps could be hosting next years winter classic at National's Park. Here is a link to the blog.

http://kirkscall.hockeyjournal.com/2010/02/2011-winter-classic-in-washington-d-c/

I think it is safe to assume the Capitals will be in next years Winter Classic, I am just not sure the likelihood of it being played here in the Nations Capital. Nonetheless here are five reasons for why the game could be played here.

1) Alexander Ovechkin.
2) The DC hockey market is a growing one and bringing the leagues largest regular season event here would only increase the attention to hockey in this area.
3) Odds are it will be a game between Washington and Pittsburgh, no offense to Pittsburgh but DC is a much more aesthetically pleasing city and this is an OUTDOOR game. A shot of an NHL game with a view of the Capitol Building in the background is a lot more attractive than anything in the Pittsburgh skyline.
4) Ted Leonsis has proved to be a very resourceful individual and I envision that he will do anything and everything to ensure that not only the Caps play in the game but also host it.
5) Al Gore is predicting that the earth is entering the cooling phase of his global warming scheme, early projections are showing freezing temperatures in DC from now until Armageddon.

Caps Sporcle Quiz

See how you do, there are some names on there that you wouldn't believe. I got a 32.

What Slovakia's Win Means for the Tournament.

Plain and simple the Slovaks are for real. The Russians, on the other hand, may not be. I was convinced five days ago that the Russians were a lock for the gold medal game. After watching them play twice I am rethinking my position. Their problems start with the roster, but they do not end there; the disparity in the level of talent between the NHL and KHL is too obvious. Former NHL stars like Viktor Kozlov and Sergei Fedorov seem overwhelmed playing against this level of talent. Kozlov, who made a career in the NHL with his elusive stick handling skills and a lightning quick release looked as though he had never even heard of hockey let alone played it before tonight. It would not be too outrageous to think that the quality of play in the KHL has lessened the ability of these former NHL stars.

The KHL players were not the only aspects of Russia's performance that I would deem atrocious. The coaching by Bykov was so pitiful that it would have made Bruce Cassidy look like Scotty Bowman. The Russians will go as far as Ovechkin, Semin, Malkin, Kovy, Datsyuk, Volchenkov, and all the other NHL players will take them. Bykov has to stop trying to please the Russian Hockey brass by giving the KHL players more minutes than they deserve. In overtime Kozlov and Fedorov had no need to be on the ice when players like Ovechkin, Semin, Malkin, Kovy, and Datsyuk were sitting on the bench.

My final point of contention with Bykov tonight was having Ovechkin shoot 3 times in the shootout. Ovechkin is a great goal scorer but it is no mystery that he has his struggles in shootout/penalty shot situations. He scored on the first shot and I have no qualms with giving him a second shot. He failed miserably on the second attempt but was nonetheless rewarded with a third chance two rounds later, which he missed again. Bykov should try Datsyuk next time. I hear he is pretty good.

As for the Slovaks, they are so skilled and so fast that it is becomes very hard to overlook their chances of advancing far into this tournament. No, they do not have the depth of Canada, Sweden, or Russia but they do have 7 or 8 top tier forwards and arguably the games best defenseman in Zdeno Chara. If they can score at the rate they are capable of and get consistent goaltending from Halak then Slovakia might just be able to turn some heads in Vancouver.

Olympic Recap: USA: 6, Norway: 1

So, I guess we were close enough in our prediction of this one. Team USA had this game in control from the beginning, and piled it on an overwhelmed Norwegian team late to put out of reach what had been a 3-1 contest. But the US game wasn't without problems, problems they have to address in practice over the next few days, most notably discipline, chemistry, and playing Wilson's systems better.

Some thoughts on the game:

• The sequence that led to the put away fourth goal for Team USA was a thing of beauty. Jack Johnson with the double move, dangling two Norwegian players, almost sniping it far side over Grotnes' right shoulder, then an easy rebound right to Ryan Malone.
• Neither of Brian Rafalski's shots were particularly hard, but they were both placed perfectly. Still, I'm pretty sure Brodeur would have had that first one that went five-hole.
• There were defensive breakdowns aplenty in this game on both sides, and the US can't afford to give Canada's high-powered offense chances like that. The USA defense in particular has to watch how often it pinches, there were far too many risky ventures into the offensive zone today that led to big Norwegian scoring chances.
• I'm not sure how much I like Langenbrunner on the point during the power play. Sure, four forwards works for teams like the Caps and the Thrashers (at least it used to), but Langenbrunner, while a very good player and leader, is obviously not on the same level as Ovechkin and Kovalchuk. The US team would be better off having two offensive D-men on the point, and they've got plenty of depth there with Johnson and Rafalski.
• Ryan Miller made some big saves, and was locked in the entire game. This is his tournament, and he's been playing like it.
• I would love to have David Backes on the Caps.
• I don't know how people give any weight to anything Mike Milbury says. Just looking at the guys record as a GM for the Isle is enough for me to mute the TV any time he talks.

Now, the easy part is over. The powerhouse that is Team Canada awaits on Sunday. Time to get to work. The line chemistry is getting better, the defense looks solid, but its all on Miller. He has got to put this team on his back to give the Americans a chance. We'll take the over.

Niklas Hagman's Dirty Goal

Granted, it was against Belarus. Still, Hagman made Belarusan defenseman Aleksandr Makritsky look silly.