Canada v. Switzerland Post-Game: Relentless (Tambellini Version)
by Scott Reynolds on Feb 18, 2010 10:14 PM MST
in International hockey
Email
PrintThe Swiss were overmatched but competitive. The second period began with the shot clock reading 17-8 Canada and the scoreboard 2-0. And then it happened. Drew Doughty got caught pinching, the Swiss were in 2-on-1 and the score soon followed suit. The Canadians were reeling, the Swiss filled with gumption and belief. As the end of the period drew near the Swiss dumped the puck in and forechecked hard as they had all game. Chris Pronger got hit in the corner and didn't like it. He decided that it was personal "pay-back time" and was about to be called for roughing when the Swiss scored on the delayed call. It was in off a skate, but it was in and the score was tied.
It was going to be all Canada. Everybody in the building knew it. The Swiss are hanging on to Jonas Hiller's coattails for dear life as the end of the period draws near. And then a penalty. Less than three minutes to go and some poor sap is in the box for hooking, hoping and praying that the Canadian power play - one goal in ten minutes to that point - can be held off. Hiller and the PK do the job on Crosby, Getzlaf and Perry. Then it's Thornton, Heatley and Marleau who are shut-out. The shot clock reads 18-3 but the scoreboard is unmoved. If only they'd shot more.
The battle was lost but the game puttered on. The dejected Canadians were outshot 3-1 in overtime and only looked dangerous in the literal sense. Rick Nash should have been but wasn't penalized for his participation in the long jump using Jonas Hiller's head as the sand. But the Canadians did nothing with their good fortune. Nine of thirteen forwards saw the ice in a five-minute overtime. None of them scored. The go-to guy for this team? Everybody.
In the end, the game went to the shoot-out and after Martin Brodeur and Jonas Hiller stopped the first three skaters Sidney Crosby stepped up to shoot for the second time. I guess there is a go-to guy after all. He scored the goal and sent the crowd into ecstasy, the exclamation point coming with a fourth and final Martin Brodeur save. It was a win. "Payback time" for the loss in Turino. But it sure didn't feel like it.
After the jump we'll talk tactics, bench management and how this "win" effects Canada in the overall standings.
I understand that Gabriel Desjardins has hacked us into some advanced data, which is pretty great news. Nonetheless, I decided to continue my work providing some play-by-play of who is getting used when. It's listed below and afterwards I'll talk a little bit about some specific things I noticed in the game supplemented by the data. The players will be marked by their jersey numbers for ease of writing but I'll provide a legend first:
2 - Duncan Keith
6 - Shea Weber
7 - Brent Seabrook
8 - Drew Doughty
10 - Brenden Morrow
11 - Patrick Marleau
12 - Jarome Iginla
15 - Dany Heatley
16 - Jonathan Toews
18 - Mike Richards
19 - Joe Thornton
20 - Chris Pronger
21 - Eric Staal
22 - Dan Boyle
24 - Corey Perry
27 - Scott Niedermayer
37 - Patrice Bergeron
51 - Ryan Getzlaf
61 - Rick Nash
87 - Sidney Crosby
First Period
61-87-12 and 27-06 for NZ FO
37-87-16 and 22-27
37-16-18 and 22-20 ends in Swi penalty
15-19-11 and 08-20 OZ FO PP
61-87-12 and 22-06
21-51-24 and 22-06 OZ FO PP penalty ends
21-51-24 and 22-06
10-16-37 and 07-02
15-19-11 and 07-20
15-19-11 and 08-20 DZ FO
61-87-12 and 08-20
61-87-12 and 27-06
21-51-24 and 27-06
21-51-24 and 07-02 OZ FO ends in Swi. penalty
21-51-24 and 22-06 OZ FO PP
61-87-12 and 08-20
15-19-11 and 07-02 penalty ends
15-19-11 and 07-02
15-16-11 and 07-02 ends in Cdn. GOAL
10-16-18 and 27-06 NZ FO
15-19-11 and 22-20
21-37-51 and 08-02 DZ FO with 37 going to bench after DZ clear
21-51-24 and 08-02
61-87-12 and 08-02
61-16-12 and 27-06
18-16-37 and 22-20 DZ FO
18-16-37 and 22-20
15-19-11 and ??-?? ends in Swi. penalty
15-19-11 and 22-06 OZ FO PP
15-19-11 and 22-06 OZ FO PP
61-87-12 and 27-20 OZ FO PP
21-51-24 and 07-02 penalty ends
21-51-24 and 07-02
21-51-24 and 06-02
10-16-37 and 27-06 OZ FO Icing
15-19-11 and 22-20 OZ FO
15-19-11 and 22-20 OZ FO
15-19-11 and 27-06
61-87-12 and 07-02
21-51-24 and 07-02
18-16-37 and 08-20 OZ FO Icing
21-51-24 and 08-20
21-51-24 and 27-06
Second Period
61-87-12 and 27-06 NZ FO ends in Swi. penalty
15-19-11 and 22-06 OZ FO PP ends in Cdn. GOAL
10-16-18 and 22-20 NZ FO ends in Swi. penalty
15-19-11 and 22-06 OZ FO PP
21-51-24 and 22-06
21-51-24 and 27-06 penalty ends
21-51-24 and 27-06
61-87-12 and 27-20
61-87-12 and 07-02
10-16-18 and 08-27 OZ FO
15-19-11 and 07-02
21-51-24 and 22-20
21-52-24 and 27-08
61-87-18 and 27-06
10-16-37 and 07-02
15-19-11 and 07-02 DZ FO
61-87-12 and 22-20
21-51-24 and 22-20
21-51-24 and 27-08 OZ FO ends in Swi. GOAL
16-10-18 and 22-20 NZ FO ends in Cdn. penalty
11-37 and 27-06
18-10 and 27-06
18-10 and 22-20
11-37 and 22-20
21-61 and 07-02 penalty ends
21-18-61 and 07-02
15-19-11 and 27-06
61-87-12 and 27-06
61-87-12 and 27-06 DZ FO
21-51-24 and 07-02 DZ FO
18-16-37 and 07-02
18-16-37 and 07-02 NZ FO
15-19-11 and 27-06
15-19-11 and 27-06 NZ FO
61-87-12 and 27-06
61-87-12 and 27-06 DZ FO ends in Swi. penalty
15-19-11 and 22-06 OZ FO PP
61-87-12 and 27-06
61-87-12 and 27-06 DZ FO Icing, penalty ends
61-87-12 and 27-06
61-87-12 and 22-02
21-51-24 and 22-02 NZ FO
21-51-24 and 22-02 DZ FO
18-16-37 and 27-06 DZ FO
15-19-11 and 22-20 ends in Swi. GOAL
61-87-37 and 07-02 NZ FO
Third Period
21-51-24 and 27-06 NZ FO
15-19-11 and 22-20 OZ FO
15-19-11 and 22-20 OZ FO
61-87-37 and 08-02 OZ FO Icing
21-51-24 and 06-02
10-16-18 and 22-20 NZ FO
15-19-11 and 08-02
61-87-16 and 27-06 OZ FO
61-87-16 and 27-06 OZ FO
21-51-24 and 22-20
10-18-12 and 07-02 DZ FO
15-19-11 and 27-06 NZ FO
15-19-11 and 22-20
61-87-16 and 22-20 DZ FO
61-87-16 and 08-02
21-51-24 and 08-02
21-51-24 and 08-02 DZ FO Icing
10-18-12 and 27-06
15-19-11 and 22-20
61-87-16 and 08-02 NZ FO
61-87-16 and 08-02 OZ FO
21-51-24 and 27-06
61-87-16 and 22-20 OZ FO
10-18-12 and 27-06
10-18-12 and 27-06 DZ FO Icing
15-11-18 and 27-06
15-11-18 and 27-06 DZ FO Icing, TO Canada before start
15-19-11 and 08-02
21-51-24 and 08-02 OZ FO
61-87-21 and 22-20
61-87-16 and 22-20 ends in Swi. penalty
51-87-24 and 27-06 OZ FO PP
15-19-11 and 08-22
15-19-11 and 08-22 OZ FO
61-87-16 and 27-06
61-87-16 and 27-06 OZ FO penalty ends
61-87-16 and 27-06
21-37-51 and 22-20 DZ FO
Overtime
87-61 and 22-20 NZ FO
51-21 and 27-06 OZ FO
37-11 and 08-02 DZ FO with 37 to bench on clear
11-15 and 08-02
87-61 and 08-02
37-51 and 22-20 DZ FO with 37 to bench on clear
51-21 and 22-20
51-21 and 27-06
19-11 and 27-06
19-11 and 27-08
19-11 and 08-02
87-61 and 08-02
51-21 and 27-06
End of Game
So, some items of interest. The RW on the Nash and Crosby line changes again. Through the first two periods they played with Iginla but they took one shift with Bergeron to close the second period and then they open the third period with Bergeron. But Bergeron is quickly replaced by Jonathan Toews who then remains on RW with that line until overtime. He stayed with that group for their last shift on the power play near the end of regulation so it seems Toews really upped his stock in this one.
As for Bergeron, he started as the RW on a line with Toews (the LW was sometimes Morrow, sometimes Richards) until getting the bump. After he gets replaced by Toews on the 61-87 combo he sits for the entire third period until the last ten seconds when there's a defensive zone faceoff to close out regulation. Sending him in cold like that is pretty ballsy. Getzlaf is there as the second center in case Bergeron gets thrown out. Getzlaf is 48% on the draw at EV this year so he probably wasn't the best choice for that but we'll let that go. Bergeon then gets used that way twice more in OT (and was used that way once in the first period). Lots of opportunity for that guy to be the goat but not a lot of opportunity to be the hero since he always skates off after the puck is cleared.
On to Iginla. He sits for the first part of the third period until they settle him into a line with Morrow and Richards about seven minutes in. Those three got three shifts in the third period together and, along with Corey Perry, were the only four forwards not to see the ice in OT. Hilariously, Iginla's first shift of the third came in the DZ. That same shift was also Brent Seabrook's first (and only) shift of the third period. Seabrook got caught up ice and it would have resulted in a 2-on-1 for the Swiss if they hadn't gone off-side.
The defensive pairs were much more stable in this game. They played Niedermayer with Weber, Pronger with Boyle and Keith with Doughty or Seabrook depending on which one was in the dog house at the time. Seabrook played most of the minutes in the second period after Doughty got caught pinching (sound familiar) but Doughty took the honour for the third. They must trust Doughty since they used him for a DZ draw in the OT when they didn't need to. Strange choice but that's what they wanted I guess. The only defender not used in the OT was Seabrook.
In terms of the overall standings this game is devastating for Canada. It's very likely that the Canadians will now finish no better than third in the overall standings. If that's the case it's again likely that any path to the gold medal now involves games against three of Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic, Russia and the United States. Had they finished first or second overall, it would likely have only involved two. A costly, costly loss. They're now left to hope that the Russians/Czechs and Swedes/Finns have an overtime game. The goal differential is still very good (+9) so they're still very much alive on the tiebreakers. Next up is the United States where a win is essential. A regulation loss in that game means it's four games to the gold instead of three and the quarterfinal game becomes a back-to-back. So let's win that one!
49 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I think you blew my TOI charts out of the water. I do have the length of each shift, so I can send that over to you if you want to match it up.
I had to cover my eyes a lot during that game. Pronger looked awful – he coughed up the puck to guys six inches shorter than him who hand-checked him. And Boyle drives me nuts as always. Too much reputation here, not enough shutdown.
Thank goodness Mike Green isn’t on this team.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
But Seabrook and the bench have chemistry!
by Scott Reynolds on Feb 19, 2010 12:45 AM MST up reply actions
like this team needs another “D” man on it, that doesn’t play, defense.
Managing Editor - HockeyOutsiders.com
by HockeyOutsiders on Feb 19, 2010 9:12 AM MST up reply actions
Sure! We could even start putting the info together.
by Scott Reynolds on Feb 18, 2010 11:39 PM MST up reply actions
I actually have your email from a forward that Jonathan Willis sent me. I’ll send you a message right now.
by Scott Reynolds on Feb 19, 2010 12:42 AM MST up reply actions
Two things I didn’t mention:
Shea Weber stayed for the full two minutes of a power play twice. I doubt that’s how they drew it up.
When Marleau, Heatley and Richards got caught on an icing, Marleau took the center position. It was the shift after the time-out so they obviously discussed it. I thought it was an interesting decision.
by Scott Reynolds on Feb 18, 2010 11:42 PM MST reply actions
I guess there is a go-to guy after all.
Yeah. Shea Weber, 27:13. 4 minutes more than Niedermayer, 7 more than anyone else. I guess a bunch of that was PP time, eh? Still …
Writer for The Copper & Blue and primary shareholder of Zorg Industries
"Never be ashamed of who you are" -- Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg
Yeah, I’d chalk that up mostly to extra PP time. If we had the breakdown I’m sure he’s lapping the field there, but he and Niedermayer did play a lot at EV too.
by Scott Reynolds on Feb 19, 2010 12:15 AM MST up reply actions
Btw does anyone know where i can grab the highlights for the hockey games. I cant seem to find them anywhere
Go to CTV’s Olympic site and you can select the day and time you want. Click on a game (or any event) and you can see highlights, stats, or see a replay of the whole game. It even lets you jump straight to key events. Pretty slick system, I especially like it because I can jump between any of the curling games.
I’m not sure if there’s a site where you can find highlights for all of the games together. Maybe TSN or Sportsnet have their morning loops online, or poke around the CTV site.
I know we won, but that was an awful game. This is example one of when you put too many “superstars” on the ice, and they start to each think they can do it by themselves or they get too cute passing the puck around looking for the highlight reel goal. Yes, Hiller was amazing, but if this team does a little more dirty work in front of the net or in the corners, it wouldn’t have taken a SO to decide this one.
Crosby had a 3-1 at some point in the third (I think?) and he is breaking in with Richards and someone else (can’t remember who) and he elects just to shoot it himself, even though if he would have passed it to Richards a split second sooner, Richards would have had an open net to shoot at.
I hope Babcock has a better gameplan for the US on Sunday. Also, if I see one more slapshot from the top of the circles blow by Brodeur, I’m going to puke. I know the guy is a great goalie, but he’s been brutal lately on the long range slapper.
Managing Editor - HockeyOutsiders.com
by HockeyOutsiders on Feb 19, 2010 9:00 AM MST reply actions
So, our problem is that our forwards pass too much and our forwards shoot too much?
It’s seemed to me that a lot of the criticisms of this team are based more on stereotype than reality. Why did we have so much trouble with the Swiss today? Because they played their trap to stifling perfection and we didn’t use our speed and on-the-puck advantages enough to break it, and because their goaltending was fantastic. The same reason most NHL teams have lost to the New Jersey Devils for the past fifteen years.
by Benjamin Massey on Feb 19, 2010 9:25 AM MST up reply actions
I don’t know how you can say Canada didn’t break it… they outshot the swiss 2:1 and outchanced them by at least a 3:1 count, and they did it by getting a whack load of chances. They lost a point to a hot goalie who made some fantastic saves.
The Swiss were playing so stupefying a style that they had very few chances of their own. Ratios aren’t really a fair way to look at it.
Considering the talent disparity between the two teams, Switzerland played their system very well and Canada played their system at a slightly below-average level.
by Benjamin Massey on Feb 19, 2010 9:47 AM MST up reply actions
Seems to me the Swiss won a lot of their battles right in our zone, no small number of them right on the end wall, which doesn’t conform to the “neutral country trap” or whatever we’re calling it. They were just hard on the puck wherever. I have a ton of respect for the way they played, they outworked Canada IMO. From a Canadian perspective, however, I have no patience for being outworked, by anybody. That has to change Sunday, and it has to stay changed.
I also thought the Swiss generated a lot of half chances where it was nervously close to our net and the situation was not in control. The tying goal came on one such play where they got the bounce, but there were a few times when they didn’t but could have. Fair to say we didn’t get too many bounces at the other end either.
Writer for The Copper & Blue and primary shareholder of Zorg Industries
"Never be ashamed of who you are" -- Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg
by Bruce McCurdy on Feb 19, 2010 10:00 AM MST up reply actions
yes, this is the point, I was trying to make (although maybe didn’t say it right).
Also, not sure what our overall faceoff percentage was, but at one point one of the commentators said the Swiss had won 7 of 9 offensive zone faceoffs. You can’t be beaten in the circle like that and expect continued success.
Managing Editor - HockeyOutsiders.com
by HockeyOutsiders on Feb 19, 2010 10:03 AM MST up reply actions
Yeah, that faceoff issue was driving me nuts, at least ‘til Bergeron got out there. All those LH centres, can’t any of them win a #$%^&* draw?? Haven’t looked at the stats, I just know that it seemed there would be a faceoff in our end and 15 or 20 seconds later the puck would still be in our end and the Swiss would be working it, and us. Then we’d finally get it and someone like Pronger, for glaring example, would hold on to it and look around for a play and some Swiss guy who didn’t know enough that he should be scared of Pronger would just come and check him and get it back. The answer to that isn’t to give the guy the stick, it’s to make a @#$% outlet pass. Preferably to a winger who is actually a winger and knows where to go and how to get the puck over the GD blueline.
I’m still agitated. What happened to payback?
Writer for The Copper & Blue and primary shareholder of Zorg Industries
"Never be ashamed of who you are" -- Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg
by Bruce McCurdy on Feb 19, 2010 10:09 AM MST up reply actions
Too many guys that don’t appear to want to get their uniforms wrinkled.
Managing Editor - HockeyOutsiders.com
by HockeyOutsiders on Feb 19, 2010 10:17 AM MST up reply actions
The answer to that isn’t to give the guy the stick, it’s to make a @#$% outlet pass.
Mike Green does not make outlet passes.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Canada is going to get outworked against Switzerland every time. It’s almost a fact of life. One team is made up of guys who got to where they are based on sheer grit and effort and want it more than anything in the world, the other based on guys who’ve been treated as superstars since they were teenagers and are playing for a country where the media has been pimping the Canada – USA game since the groups were announced.
What matters is having sufficient mental, physical, and testicular fortitude to win anyway.
by Benjamin Massey on Feb 19, 2010 10:16 AM MST up reply actions
YES, we need a guy like Patrick Thoresen
Managing Editor - HockeyOutsiders.com
by HockeyOutsiders on Feb 19, 2010 10:24 AM MST up reply actions
So do the Oilers. It’s a damn shame they’ve never been able to find a guy like him.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
And that is the crux of the issue, the Swiss got their bounces. I’m pretty certain that 9 out of 10 times that game is won by Canada, and asking for perfection doesn’t make it so. The Swiss got lucky and the Canadians were average to slightly below average for a 120mill team. I know expectations are high, but that doesn’t change the nature of the game.
My point wasn’t about shooting or passing too much it was more about not making the right decisions or the team not playing to their strengths. The NJ Devils system never allowed for 40+ shots (I think their average was more in the 20’s).
The US beat them because their “grinder” line was taking the body and creating opportuniites or their wingers were using their speed. I mean is Backes the first guy you think of when you think “speed”? Yet Backes was blowing around the Swiss D because he was playing smart. I think dawgbone makes a good point about centers vs. wingers.
I don’t want to take anything away from Hiller. The guy was absolutely outstanding, but he also saw a lot of the shots because other than Dany Heatley (who got hit twice by a slapshot while standing in front), I don’t recall the Canadian forwards paying the price in front of the net.
Managing Editor - HockeyOutsiders.com
by HockeyOutsiders on Feb 19, 2010 10:00 AM MST up reply actions
We need Penner.
Writer for The Copper & Blue and primary shareholder of Zorg Industries
"Never be ashamed of who you are" -- Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg
by Bruce McCurdy on Feb 19, 2010 10:03 AM MST up reply actions
we need the 4th “grinder” line like we had in Salt Lake. Remember when everyone made such a big deal about Gretzky taking a line that wasn’t high octane “superstars”?
I don’t remember who it was, but I do seem to remember that line was very effective.
Managing Editor - HockeyOutsiders.com
by HockeyOutsiders on Feb 19, 2010 10:06 AM MST up reply actions
Maltby, Draper, and somebody else.
Mind you, remember Rob Zamuner in Nagano?
by Benjamin Massey on Feb 19, 2010 10:11 AM MST up reply actions
Sure, but maybe bringing some guys that aren’t considered superstars is the answer to getting some more inensity out of the team.
Managing Editor - HockeyOutsiders.com
by HockeyOutsiders on Feb 19, 2010 10:23 AM MST up reply actions
Yeah, I was talking about Penner largely for the screens, although he can rule the boards just fine.
For all their big skill guys, Canada doesn’t have too many guys who are big and nasty. Nobody close to Backes, for example, who has been running amok out there. The other day the Yankees ran a whole line of Kesler between Brown and Langenbrunner and they were one ugly trio to play against. We can answer on the muscle front and maybe outskill those guys, but we sure as hell better be prepared to work for it. And our defence better be prepared to both pay the price and move the puck quickly.
Writer for The Copper & Blue and primary shareholder of Zorg Industries
"Never be ashamed of who you are" -- Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg
by Bruce McCurdy on Feb 19, 2010 10:14 AM MST up reply actions
yup, good observation. The Canada vs. US game is going to be decided on if we can match the intensity that some of their guys are bringing.
I get scared when Dany Heatley is the hardest working guy on the ice.
Managing Editor - HockeyOutsiders.com
by HockeyOutsiders on Feb 19, 2010 10:20 AM MST up reply actions
Penner and St. Louis would look mighty nice on the ice instead of Staal and Richards.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
In case anyone cares, 7 of Canada’s 10 goals have been scored with a C playing with 2 W (including both last night). What possessed them to bring 7 centres is beyond me, especially in a short tournament with very little practice time.
And it looks like Bergeron has been reduced to FOGO… which at least has value providing he’s winning.
In case anyone cares, 7 of Canada’s 10 goals have been scored with a C playing with 2 W (including both last night). What possessed them to bring 7 centres is beyond me, especially in a short tournament with very little practice time.
Excellent observation.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
One thing I’ve noticed from watching these hockey games is how long it’s taking the best players in the world to make decisions with the puck. Not sure whether it’s chemistry issues (very likely) or if teams just don’t want to make mistakes. But I saw it hundreds (well, maybe not that many) of times during both the Canada-Swiss & Russia-Slovakia games yesterday. There were so many times in both games, during odd-man rushes or powerplays where the attacking team had a guy with a clear lane to the net, or standing alone in front of the net, and the puck carrier would just stare at him and either not get him the puck or wait too long to do it.
But watching the Russian powerplay was hilarious. Nobody wanted to get to the net – they were all trying to get to perfect shooting positions, and generally were just getting in each other’s way. I quite enjoyed that. Slovakia really took it to them in the 3rd period, and looked much more like a cohesive unit. If Halak stays hot, they could challenge for a medal, although it’s still not very likely.
yeah, that was my crosby example up above. He had Richards and somebody else on a 3-1, he waited a second to long to pass the puck the Richards (there was a Swiss guy furiously backchecking) and he ended up just firing it into Hiller’s chest. Richards would have scored easily if Crosby had just given him the puck a second earlier.
Managing Editor - HockeyOutsiders.com
by HockeyOutsiders on Feb 19, 2010 10:16 AM MST up reply actions
While some of you guys are writing and rewriting the narrative of the game, I’ll just stick to what happened on the ice, thanks.
Let’s recap.
1.) At times the forwards did not support the breakout very well.
2.) At the same time the defencemen gave up the puck very easily under duress, that is bound to happen but not as often as it did this night.
3.) The Swiss managed to gain a material advantage from the above two, getting possession and a few scrambly chances that they probably otherwise would not have had.
4.) Despite that, Canada horribly outchanced the Swiss and probably deserved to rout them anyway. Hiller’s heroics kept the score close.
That’s pretty much it. Canada’s players made some poor decisions but dominated anyway. None of this intensity bullshit, from where I sat I couldn’t tell the difference. What I could see was a few obvious on-ice decisions and players not making them.
by R O on Feb 19, 2010 10:42 AM MST reply actions 1 recs
1.) At times the forwards did not support the breakout very well.
Did the centres? :)
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
I noticed some obvious weaknesses where centres dressed up as wingers were having trouble. To cherry pick with a single anecdote, I remember one play where Brodeur went out to field a shoot-in and threw this (gorgeous!) high pass around the corner glass, over the heads of his closest defenceman and the guy who was right on him, and down on to the stick of Staal along the left boards about ten feet inside the blue line. All Staal had to do was take the pass and get it out, and he could do neither. The puck came right back into the zone for another stretch of semi-pressure. It was a routine play … for a winger. Staal couldn’t execute it.
I hope they’re working on stuff like that with some of these guys. Maybe they could let Brenden Morrow teach them a few things … or better yet, demonstrate them in the actual games with a little more ice time. I liked Morrow’s game last night a lot more than some of those centres.
Writer for The Copper & Blue and primary shareholder of Zorg Industries
"Never be ashamed of who you are" -- Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg
by Bruce McCurdy on Feb 19, 2010 2:03 PM MST up reply actions
While some of you guys are writing and rewriting the narrative of the game, I’ll just stick to what happened on the ice, thanks.
Well that’s spoken with all the diplomacy and tact one might expect from a Calgary fan. :)
2.) At the same time the defencemen gave up the puck very easily under duress, that is bound to happen but not as often as it did this night.
… and …
None of this intensity bullshit, from where I sat I couldn’t tell the difference.
I don’t see those two statements as being mutually exclusive. To me giving the puck up too often and too easily is the canary in the coal mine when it comes to measuring intensity. The Swiss guys wanted it more, far far too often. And they got it. It was sheer willpower a lot of the time, they had dialled it up and we hadn’t to the right degree. Call that an emotional interpretation of the game if you like, but it’s an emotional game.
Writer for The Copper & Blue and primary shareholder of Zorg Industries
"Never be ashamed of who you are" -- Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg
by Bruce McCurdy on Feb 19, 2010 2:12 PM MST up reply actions
Crosby puck hog
As someone said earlier, Canada’s game against the Swiss should never have gone into overtime….Sometime in the 3rd period with Crosby having control of the puck, Canada had a 3 on 1 break – as they got near the Swiss goalie, Crosby tried a stupid spin-around backhand shot and missed instead of passing to Richie who was alone in front of an open net…Another example of Crosby wanting to be the hero and not doing what’s best for the team…Of course, Crosby and Richie haven’t gotten along for the past 4 years but a selfish act like he pulled off here should never happen in the Olympics,,,Grow up Sid !
Wild ass guess
Jim: Are you a Flyers fan?
Writer for The Copper & Blue and primary shareholder of Zorg Industries
"Never be ashamed of who you are" -- Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg
by Bruce McCurdy on Feb 21, 2010 10:25 AM MST up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
Northwest Standings
Oilers Schedule
Next 5 Games
@
Ottawa
|
Sat 02/11 | 12:00 PM MST |
|
Toronto
|
Wed 02/15 | 8:00 PM MST |
|
Colorado
|
Fri 02/17 | 7:30 PM MST |
|
Vancouver
|
Sun 02/19 | 7:00 PM MST |
|
@
Calgary
|
Tue 02/21 | 7:00 PM MST |
Last 5 Games
|
@
Detroit
|
Wed 02/08 | L 2 - 4 |
|
@
Toronto
|
Mon 02/06 | L 3 - 6 |
|
Detroit
|
Sat 02/04 | SO - W 5 - 4 |
|
Chicago
|
Thu 02/02 | W 8 - 4 |
|
Colorado
|
Tue 01/31 | W 3 - 2 |
In Association With
Latest Puck Daddy - NHL from Yahoo! Sports
- According to NHL, here’s why Dominic Moore escaped suspension for Fedotenko hit
- How Mats Sundin’s no-trade clause controversy made fans reconsider loyalty in NHL
- Nordiques Nation invades Hockey Day in Canada
- Youth hockey coach, parents clash over alleged tirade over 9-year old’s 200th goal puck
- Friday’s Three Stars: Blackhawks lose seventh straight; Wings win nineteenth straight at home
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
