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[Dr.Acula]

So does that mean the other starting goaltenders for the other 14 teams that made the playoffs are all worse chokers? He got his team to game seven of the stanley cup finals and because he lost there he is a choke artist? By that measure any goalie who has never won a cup is a choke artist. I guess Lunqvist is a choke artist, so is Miller, Rinne.....

No "I" in team. Put Miller or Rinne in his crease and Van-City is a dynasty.

Spoiler

only half-kidding

 

[yyzjohn]

So does that mean the other starting goaltenders for the other 14 teams that made the playoffs are all worse chokers? He got his team to game seven of the stanley cup finals and because he lost there he is a choke artist? By that measure any goalie who has never won a cup is a choke artist. I guess Lunqvist is a choke artist, so is Miller, Rinne.....

There's a difference between a goalie on a team that's expected to win, and someone like Lundqvist who's on a team that's missing parts that make up a champion. Vancouver has been a Cup favorite for a number of seasons and never got over the hump. Sure they scored 0 goals in game 7, but Luongo also gave up 3 goals on 20 shots effectively taking the Canucks out of the game. He was also chased in other playoff games along the way. There's always going to be a conversation piece with Canada's goalie, but Luongo makes many fans nervous, and has had big game flops in the past.

 

[Parch]

So... how will Daniel Sedin work without Henrik?

They share a brain, so he'll be wandering around in a stupor most of the time.

 

[Quick]

Personally, the only worrying thing for me is Luongo coming into the Olympics with Vancouver on a losing streak, with him starting the last 3 games before the break. More of a possible morale issue than declining skill.

On the plus side, there's Price and Smith to back him up.

 

[yyzjohn]

Personally, the only worrying thing for me is Luongo coming into the Olympics with Vancouver on a losing streak, with him starting the last 3 games before the break. More of a possible morale issue than declining skill.

On the plus side, there's Price and Smith to back him up.

He's the first Canucks goalie to lose a game to the Leafs in 10 years, that alone should make people shudder.

 

[Mighty Chin]

There's a difference between a goalie on a team that's expected to win, and someone like Lundqvist who's on a team that's missing parts that make up a champion. Vancouver has been a Cup favorite for a number of seasons and never got over the hump. Sure they scored 0 goals in game 7, but Luongo also gave up 3 goals on 20 shots effectively taking the Canucks out of the game. He was also chased in other playoff games along the way. There's always going to be a conversation piece with Canada's goalie, but Luongo makes many fans nervous, and has had big game flops in the past.

It's a bullshit argument made by people who know nothing about Hockey.

 

[grounded_dreams]

I'm interested in the game but over here in the UK, it's not that big of a sport (TV coverage etc). Can I ask what countries to look out for? Favourites to progress far in the tournament, stylist play, have superstar players and grudge matches etc?

Thanks

 

[Dastardly Jerks]

Alfie telling him why he should play for the Wings.

"Yeah, they got a great retirement plan!"

 

[Metalmarc]

Brit Gaffer here, has no team in olympics hahaha we're not good enough

I'll go with the country that gave us some fine entertainers

Devin Townsend
Sidney Crosby
Brett Hart
Rush
Chris Jericho
Michael Myers
Jim Carrey

 

[Parch]

Apparently this tournament is about to create a lengthy list of chokers. All guaranteed to carry the tag for at least 4 years.

 

[Cake Boss]

That's them at the curling earlier

Norrison with the

 

[Quick]

I'm interested in the game but over here in the UK, it's not that big of a sport (TV coverage etc). Can I ask what countries to look out for? Favours to progress far in the tournament, stylist play, have superstar players and grudge matches etc?

Thanks

Canada, Russia and USA are the big ones to look out for right now. Every team is either full of NHLers, or have a group of them. Canada and the USA are 100% NHL players, while the rest are a combination of NHL, KHL (Russian league) and other top-tier European leagues.

Check out your local Elite Ice Hockey League team. Here's their YouTube page.

 

[Metalmarc]

I'm interested in the game but over here in the UK, it's not that big of a sport (TV coverage etc). Can I ask what countries to look out for? Favours to progress far in the tournament, stylist play, have superstar players and grudge matches etc?

Thanks

Im still relatively new to it (my first season)

Canada (2010 gold winners, its their sport to be fair, my fave star player Sidney Crosby (coming from a penguins fan)

And you can watch the games via the bbc website mostly (doesn't look like tv will have it)

 

[fallout]

Vancouver fans sure are touchy when it comes to people ripping Luongo. Maybe it was his shitty game 7 stanley cup final performance that people hated, but whatever it is, there's more than a few Canadian fans worried about Luongo being the starter.

Hey, I'm certainly no Vancouver fan and I've got concerns about Luongo, too. However, as many have said, I don't think any of those concerns fall out of him supposedly choking in big games or that he was shaky in the 2010 gold medal game.

 

[Uncle]

I'm interested in the game but over here in the UK, it's not that big of a sport (TV coverage etc). Can I ask what countries to look out for? Favours to progress far in the tournament, stylist play, have superstar players and grudge matches etc?

Thanks

The so called big seven are Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, USA. Switzerland has been doing really well too. Out of those Canada, Russia, USA and Sweden have the most stars on their teams and are probably the favourites to be the final four in the tournament. Big rivalries are usually neighbouring countries, but especially USA and Canada (they were also the finalists in the last olympics) and Finland and Sweden. Canada and Russia usually too.

 

[Metalmarc]

Canada, Russia and USA are the big ones to look out for right now. Every team is either full of NHLers, or have a group of them. Canada and the USA are 100% NHL players, while the rest are a combination of NHL, KHL (Russian league) and other top-tier European leagues.

Check out your local Elite Ice Hockey League team. Here's their YouTube page.

And of course the website of the elite league

http://www.eliteleague.co.uk

Official NHL Website ahould you eventually want to pick a american or cnaadian league team to follow

http://www.nhl.com

 

[gutter_trash]

NHL website poll:
FAN POLL: 2014 WINTER OLYMPICS
Who should be the starting goalie for Canada?

Roberto Luongo: 32.98%

Carey Price:38.75%

Mike Smith:28.27%

*who the hell are the people voting for Luongo? 'nucks have been slumping

 

[ShaneB]

Stats always tell a fun story.. from http://www.sportsnet.ca/olympics/quick-shifts-rob-ford-team-canada-sochi-goaltenders-marleau-ryan-miller/

You cannot find a human — analyst, fan or otherwise — who will say Team Canada’s biggest concern is at forward or on defence. To a person, we all believe Canada’s greatest weakness is in net.

And yet three separate Canadian goaltenders lead the NHL in the three major goaltending categories as we break for Sochi. Marc-Andre Fleury leads all goalies in wins (31), Josh Harding has the best GAA (1.65), and Ben Scrivens has the stingiest save percentage (.937). None of these men, of course, are on the national team.

Also this gem made me chuckle.. but sad too, because he's a Cap =(

The best Olympic hockey quote thus far comes from an unlikely source: Nicklas Backstom’s grandmother.

“He will make a fool of himself. He has played so poorly. For a long time,” the 84-year-old Britt told Sweden’s Ostersundsposten. Granny then gave her evaluation of the entire Team Sweden: “On the whole, they’ve got no game.”

Who cares if Backstrom leads all Swedish NHLers with 56 points in 59 games? When your own grandmother is your harshest critic, you have Sochi problems.

 

[Parch]

who the hell are the people voting for Luongo?

Who the hell are the people voting for Mike Smith?

 

[Red_Man]

*who the hell are the people voting for Luongo? 'nucks have been slumping

People who don't realize it's been 4 years since Vancouver.

Stats always tell a fun story.. from http://www.sportsnet.ca/olympics/quick-shifts-rob-ford-team-canada-sochi-goaltenders-marleau-ryan-miller/

Harding is out with an injury, Fleury is the most notorious choker in the league and plays for one of the best teams in the league, and Scrivens only has 25 GP with most of them behind one of the best defensive teams in the league.

 

[Parch]

Luongo + olympic experience > Price

They'll both get games early. Better man gets the chance for the rest.

 

[ShaneB]

Harding is out with an injury, Fleury is the most notorious choker in the league and plays for one of the best teams in the league, and Scrivens only has 25 GP with most of them behind one of the best defensive teams in the league.

Hence why stats tell a different story Fleury is always a mystery, but Scrivens would be playing one of the best defences in the tournament too, so that logic is a bit odd to say.

 

[Ellasman]

Luongo + olympic experience > Price

They'll both get games early. Better man gets the chance for the rest.

I agree.

 

[Quick]

And of course the website of the elite league

http://www.eliteleague.co.uk

Official NHL Website ahould you eventually want to pick a american or cnaadian league team to follow

http://www.nhl.com

As long as you don't pick the Winnipeg Jets.

 

[Smiley90]

Can't we just agree that Luongo&Price will split games 1&2 and then they'll run whoever looked better?

 

[Quick]

Can't we just agree that Luongo&Price will split games 1&2 and then they'll run whoever looked better?

And Mike Smith can eat a dick.

 

[Ellasman]

Can't we just agree that Luongo&Price will split games 1&2 and then they'll run whoever looked better?

I agree

 

[Smiley90]

And Mike Smith can eat a dick.

I thought that was a given.

 

[lamaroo]

I'm interested in the game but over here in the UK, it's not that big of a sport (TV coverage etc). Can I ask what countries to look out for? Favourites to progress far in the tournament, stylist play, have superstar players and grudge matches etc?

Thanks

Brit Gaffer here, has no team in olympics hahaha we're not good enough

I'll go with the country that gave us some fine entertainers

Devin Townsend
Sidney Crosby
Brett Hart
Rush
Chris Jericho
Michael Myers
Jim Carrey

Even Japan has a team in the olympics, what's up with that?

Is it something kids or people will play on the frozen bays or rivers in the winter?

 

[Ellasman]

Luongo for Norway and Price for Austria?

 

[Dastardly Jerks]

People forget that Marty Brodeur shat the bed for half the tournament in 2010 and Canada still came out with Gold.

 

[Quick]

I thought that was a given.

Just making sure it's clear.

 

[Cake Boss]

OEL- Karlsson pairing tomorrow.

Oh god what could have been, except we're stuck with Cowshit.

 

[Red_Man]

Can't we just agree that Luongo&Price will split games 1&2 and then they'll run whoever looked better?

Thing is the first two games are Norway and Austria. Neither game will really be a test.

 

[Ellasman]

Are both Filpula and Koivu out for Finland?

 

[Uncle]

Are both Filpula and Koivu out for Finland?

Yup.

 

[Ellasman]

Yup.

That really sucks for them.

 

[ZeroGravity]

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/02/11/failure-to-win-gold-would-be-disaster-don-cherry

Much as he does at home, Cherry walks around Sochi as something of a celebrity, or at least here as an oddly dressed hockey celebrity. He has worked bits on Russian television for almost a decade and “I’ve had a lot of fun doing it.”

On the street, everybody has a question. An anonymous Czech came up to him and gave him grief for “giving it to Tomas Hertl” earlier this season.

“I had to pause for a minute. I remember giving it to Hertl. I said ‘Who are you?’ He said he was a Czech. I told him, I honestly thought (Hertl) was Russian.”

Oh that Don.

 

[zroid]

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/02/11/failure-to-win-gold-would-be-disaster-don-cherry
Oh that Don.

actually lol

mistaking a Czech for a Russian should be integrated into the OP somehow

 

[Dr.Acula]

People forget that Marty Brodeur shat the bed for half the tournament in 2010 and Canada still came out with Gold.

He played better in 2002 for sure. Goalies can't play forever.

 

[fallout]

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/02/11/failure-to-win-gold-would-be-disaster-don-cherry
Oh that Don.

Where reality meets parody.

 

[nullref]

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/02/11/failure-to-win-gold-would-be-disaster-don-cherry
Oh that Don.

Cherry did get to watch a made-for-TV movie on Russian television the other night, a docu-drama on the life of the late hockey star Valeri Kharlamov. He came away impressed, even if he didn’t understand a word of the dialogue.

What was particularly fascinating to him was how the Russians altered the ending of the famed Canada-Russia hockey series of 1972, ending with a 7-3 victory of the Russians. Paul Henderson, for the record, wasn’t a factor in the movie at all.

“It was a great hockey movie, one of the best I’ve ever seen. Even if they changed the ending,” said Cherry. “But they made (Phil) Esposito look like Dracula. I thought they did an awful number on Phil, he looked like a maniac. But other than that, it was a well-done movie.

“And they had a scene that Harry Sinden nodded to Bobby Clarke and gave him the go-ahead (to break Kharlamov’s ankle). That never happened. But I understand what they’re doing. I’m in show business. But overall, the whole thing was pretty good.”

I'd love to see this movie.

 

[Big-E]

Luongo is a choker. He has the mystique of a world class goalie but he really isn't. Making the Stanley Cup finals is meaningless on a stack team. The Flyers made it with 2 AHL caliber goalies. Luongo has looked embarrassing in previous playoff games and I personally believe he lacks the mental mindset to shut a game down. Price deserves to have the openning game as he is more likely to be around in 2018 and has more shut down potential. Luongo is too much of a wildcard. He reminds me of Roman Czechmanek. Someone who puts great numbers on great teams but can shit the bed like no one else.

 

[Parch]

I'm surprised Don Cherry is even there. Russia + Olympics must be on his bucket list.

Or maybe CBC begged him because they think the Olympics should be exactly like HNIC.

 

[Mighty Chin]

Luongo is a choker. He has the mystique of a world class goalie but he really isn't. Making the Stanley Cup finals is meaningless on a stack team. The Flyers made it with 2 AHL caliber goalies. Luongo has looked embarrassing in previous playoff games and I personally believe he lacks the mental mindset to shut a game down. Price deserves to have the openning game as he is more likely to be around in 2018 and has more shut down potential. Luongo is too much of a wildcard. He reminds me of Roman Czechmanek. Someone who puts great numbers on great teams but can shit the bed like no one else.

Yeah those Florida teams were powerhouses. Vancouver wasn't much better when we traded for him either.

Nice try though

 

[Mattilaus]

luongo career playoff GAA: 2.54 SV%: .916, 64 GP

Price career playoff GAA: 2.90 SV%: .905 30 GP

And price is better in pressure situations?

 

[Big-E]

Yeah those Florida teams were powerhouses. Vancouver wasn't much better when we traded for him either.

Nice try though

You really want to bring up Florida. That's ancient history. Luongo you could argue has actually cost Vancouver a cup.

 

[Red_Man]

luongo career playoff GAA: 2.54 SV%: .916, 64 GP

Price career playoff GAA: 2.90 SV%: .905 30 GP

And price is better in pressure situations?

Price has never played behind a team that same quality of the Canucks teams Luongo has. Price has also won at the WJ's and been a Calder Cup MVP, and survived in Montreal, he can handle the pressure. Lu was pulled twice in the finals, so great for performing under pressure behind a President's Trophy team. Using the pressure argument against Price is not the best idea.

 

[Mattilaus]

Price has never played behind a team that same quality of the Canucks teams Luongo has. Price has also won at the WJ's and been a Calder Cup MVP, and survived in Montreal, he can handle the pressure. Lu was pulled twice in the finals, so great for performing under pressure behind a President's Trophy team. Using the pressure argument against Price is not the best idea.

He also had four shutouts in those playoffs as well as stopping 31 of 32 against chicago game 7 (which went to OT) in the first round but I guess that isn't a pressure situation.

 

[Big-E]

He also had four shutouts in those playoffs as well as stopping 31 of 32 against chicago game 7 (which went to OT) in the first round but I guess that isn't a pressure situation.

Getting pulled twice in the finals is unthinkable for a goalie. That is why I compare him to czechmanek. Able to play great at times but the low is so low that he cant be a dependable option.