GDT USA vs Latvia 2-15-06 9:00 PM Torino time, 3:00 P.M. EST.

[MLH]

I respect your opinion but I can't really think of another way to put this: I think that you are 100% wrong. Stopping a 2 on 1 or a 95 MPH slapshot with a bunch of huge guys in your face isn't nearly as easy as it can look. If your defense leaves you out of position and makes no effort to stop the other team from moving the puck wherever they want there are times where the goalie would have to be either Stretch Armstrong, a psychic, or both to make the save.

Hasek (and others) made saves that seemed humanly impossible. There are shots that a goalie might get 1 out of 1000 times, but there simply is no such thing an an impossible save.

This is all irrelevant anyway, none of the saves today were close to impossible.

 

[blitzkriegs]

Im a canadian fan but i feel that were watching the end of an era for usa ........

It's no secret that this Olympic team does not fare well against previous US squads. Moreover, TEAM USA even admitted to it.

This Olympics comes at at time when the US program is in transition from aging to youth. If they medal, great. If not, oh well.

BTW - this is ONE game. Did the US lose 7-2 today?

I seem to recall CAN getting torched by SWE, yanked their supposed starter after that game in favor of another goaltender, and went on to win Gold.

 

[sk84fun_dc]

Hedican could have be a much better defence than hatcher .(never invited ... could be great on big surface )
Leetch instead of Chelios
Paul mara could have been interesting too (didnt know why he was never invited can someone help me )

Chris higgin in other hand could have been great with blake and cole
( a fast forecheking line )

just reflexion .....maybe im totally stupid

FYI, Hedican is on the team (replaced Aaron Miller) and he played today.

Speaking of d-men, I am hoping Rafalski's ribs are ok and he is able to play tomorrow.

 

[Blades of Glory]

Whether or not Waddell made a mistake in not choosing Miller, no matter what the circumstances, Ryan Miller is the best American born goalie in the NHL, right now. There's no way around it.

And I also don't know how Team USA expects to win a medal, or even compete for one, with the defense they have.

 

[ZombieMatt]

It's no secret that this Olympic team does not fare well against previous US squads. Moreover, TEAM USA even admitted to it.

This Olympics comes at at time when the US program is in transition from aging to youth. If they medal, great. If not, oh well.

BTW - this is ONE game. Did the US lose 7-2 today?

I seem to recall CAN getting torched by SWE, yanked their supposed starter after that game in favor of another goaltender, and went on to win Gold.

I agree with the message of what you're trying to say, but to liken a loss to Sweden to a tie against Latvia is completely unreasonable.

 

[Gert B Frobe]

I really think that usa miss the boat in their selection for the 2006 turin olympic . Too much big player that cant skate

Hatcher and Chelios look like pylon

Tkachuk ,guerin and Knuble are non visible

Im a canadian fan but i feel that were watching the end of an era for usa ........

They are far from Canada , Sweden , Czech republic and even Finland

Special mention to Scott Gomez who were the only one to skate all over the ice

I thought Hatcher was fine - but the Chelios/Schneider pairing was awful. Liles, Hedican and Rafalski were fine.

Knuble and Guerin are just terrible in this type of game -the big ice surface is tougher on big forwards than big dmen.

 

[DevilsFan38]

I thought Hatcher was fine - but the Chelios/Schneider pairing was awful. Liles, Hedican and Rafalski were fine.

Knuble and Guerin are just terrible in this type of game -the big ice surface is tougher on big forwards than big dmen.

Umm, Rafalski didn't play. He's nursing his bruised ribs, hopefully he plays tomorrow. The defense pairs were Chelios/Schneider, Hatcher/Liles, and Leopold/Hedican.

 

[futurcorerock]

I agree with the message of what you're trying to say, but to liken a loss to Sweden to a tie against Latvia is completely unreasonable.

Then again, likening a tie to a loss is equally unreasonable.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Props to Latvia and Irbe, i hope he comes and plays for Edmonton

 

[Dig Out Your Soul]

I seem to recall CAN getting torched by SWE, yanked their supposed starter after that game in favor of another goaltender, and went on to win Gold.

They didn't get torched, but they didn't play well either. There was no chemistry yet and Joseph was not the answer. The "other" goaltender was Brodeur and that team was stacked with top NHL talent, led my Lemieux, Sakic and Yzerman. The US started slow and will probably get better, but you can't compare the two.

 

[Corto]

I don't think the US should be worried just yet.

The two decent teams, outside of the top-7, Germany and Latvia, had time to prepare, build chemistry and had no issues with possible jet-lag.

Besides, this US team is built so it outworks people, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see them beat Slovakia and/or Russia... Think Sweden's a bit too much for them, Forsberg or no Forsberg.

And then, anything's possible in the knock-out round.

 

[btn]

Considering the almost total US domination of Latvia outside the score of the game, I just don't see what all the doom and gloom is about.

The US forwards simply didn't finish their chances, end of story.

Other than the bad pinch by Chelios and subsequent poor play on the 2 on 1 by Schnieder, the USA D did well.

I actually like the US chances to get out of the prelims based on what I saw tonight, once it gets to the 2nd round anything can happen.

 

[houtan99]

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Considering the almost total US domination of Latvia outside the score of the game, I just don't see what all the doom and gloom is about.

The US forwards simply didn't finish their chances, end of story.

Other than the bad pinch by Chelios and subsequent poor play on the 2 on 1 by Schnieder, the USA D did well.

I actually like the US chances to get out of the prelims based on what I saw tonight, once it gets to the 2nd round anything can happen.

That's my take. My hope is the U.S. learned a lesson and will give a complete effort against Kazakhstan today. Shore up the gaps on defense, get Rafalski back, and keep up the pressure in the offensive zone. The U.S. dominated the faceoffs, offensive zone pressure, and shot totals. Just keep up the hard work.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Considering the almost total US domination of Latvia outside the score of the game, I just don't see what all the doom and gloom is about.

The US forwards simply didn't finish their chances, end of story.

Other than the bad pinch by Chelios and subsequent poor play on the 2 on 1 by Schnieder, the USA D did well.

I actually like the US chances to get out of the prelims based on what I saw tonight, once it gets to the 2nd round anything can happen.

That's my take. My hope is the U.S. learned a lesson and will give a complete effort against Kazakhstan today. Shore up the gaps on defense, get Rafalski back, and keep up the pressure in the offensive zone. The U.S. dominated the faceoffs, offensive zone pressure, and shot totals. Just keep up the hard work. I also think a guy like Modano has to play better. He seemed to be coasting.

 

[Slats432]

Props to Latvia and Irbe, i hope he comes and plays for Edmonton

Bite yer tongue boy.

 

[Donnie D]

I'm sorry.

In the future I will just take whatever disgrace is happening to our country without complaining.

Calling the results of a friggin hockey game or who starts in goal a disgrace to our country shows a need to get some perspective.

 

[jcpenny]

Considering the almost total US domination of Latvia outside the score of the game, I just don't see what all the doom and gloom is about.

The US forwards simply didn't finish their chances, end of story.

Other than the bad pinch by Chelios and subsequent poor play on the 2 on 1 by Schnieder, the USA D did well.

I actually like the US chances to get out of the prelims based on what I saw tonight, once it gets to the 2nd round anything can happen.

I totally agree with this. They actually played well and deserved to win, Latvia was opportunistic however their defense will need to be better.

 

[amon]

FYI, Hedican is on the team (replaced Aaron Miller) and he played today.

Speaking of d-men, I am hoping Rafalski's ribs are ok and he is able to play tomorrow.

my bad