WC SF: May 20 GDT - Canada vs. Sweden

[Kain]

The point should be-whether Hannula did what he did, Sweden was the better team today (for example, as proven by the score before the incident). You know Crosby would have whined in some degree in any situation if Hannula took some bigger hit (I agree that Hannula shouldn't have done what he did, especially in that situation). But it's hockey and **** happens. Crosby will continue to become a great player.

I hope that Sweden wins tomorrow if they are the better team against the Czechs. Congrats on your win today!

 

[jaydub*]

any video of this crosscheck?

 

[espo*]

Ah,that cross-check was no big deal.Of course he targeted our best player,just like we targeted Forsberg a few years ago,just like we SHOULD have targeted their best players today.That's hockey

Next year,Canada has to pay more "special" attention to their top guys,it's good hockey policy.

We don't want to forget that,it's important.

 

[mcphee]

It all started with Darryl Sly in 1961.
His "treatment" of Nisse Nilsson was still apparent in the 80s, when my father met Nilsson. He still suffered from pain in his head at that time.
The "behaviour" from Canadiens continued throughout the years, and culminated with the hit on Forsberg (our, and at times the worlds, best player ever) by Niedermayer.
The so called "assault" by Hannula on Crosby, is mearly the beginning of a retalliation that has been called for since the early sixties!
If you Canadiens want to whine, go ahead, but I´m sure that you know, in your hearts, that you may have got just a little more than you bargained for with your foul play over the years!
Me, I'm just enjoying this!
Up untill 1996 i thought that you Canadiens played the game fair, but then I watched the world cup game where you faced Russia. Terry Gregson was the "referee" of that game. It was just horrible to watch. Brendan Shanahan deliberately slashed Valerij Kamensky in the face, and got 2 min for slashing. Just imagine what you Canadiens would have whined if, for example, Hannula had slashed Crosby in the face, and just gotten 2 mins in the sin-bin.

The spearings to the groin by canadiens in the world championships a few years ago, finally brought me over the edge into blatantly hating YOU, and all that your "hockey-philosophie" stands for!

Just my two cents (+ interest!!)

Go Sweeeeeeden!!!

Ps. Dale Hunter on Pat Lafontaine anyone?!

I find self righteousness decidedly unattractive.

 

[espo*]

I find self righteousness decidedly unattractive.

Can you believe that crap he posted?

God,time to puke.

 

[Canuck21t]

He was standing straight up with his arms raised before he was attacked.

Sweden won the game, but embarrassed themselves with such goon tactics. It was a clearly an attempt to injure. Shame on Swedish hockey.

Oh please, give it a break. We Canadians have also injured other teams' star in the past and that's why we have this goon reputation. I was disgusted at Hannula but I have no doubt that the dude had a brain cramp at that moment. Just like Smythe last year with his innocent wacking; I was really embarrassed by that. Having said that, I hope that people realize now that Canada is no more goonish than other countries.

 

[bottleCAPS]

GG SWE, you guys had the bounces and you played harder than we did that whole 2nd period (minus the last 40 seconds). Best of luck in the finals, I hope you beat CZE. As for CAN, you guys gave it all you could. Denis can't be faulted for the sloppy play infront of him. Of those 5 goals maybe one could have been stopped. Bounce back and win the bronze boys, no shame in losing to the Olympic champs.

 

[octopi]

Oh please, give it a break. We Canadians have also injured other teams' star in the past and that's why we have this goon reputation. I was disgusted at Hannula but I have no doubt that the dude had a brain cramp at that moment. Just like Smythe last year with his innocent wacking; I was really embarrassed by that. Having said that, I hope that people realize now that Canada is no more goonish than other countries.

6 slashes to the foot and ankle isn't really "innocent".
And if I had a nickel for every time people use the "Russians had it coming " excuse for the Bobby Clarke ankle hunt

Having said that, head shots are really bad(Altho, maybe the guy was going for Crosby's shoulder, even so, it was after the play....very poor decision....that guy would have felt awful if Crosby had gotten badly hurt)

 

[octopi]

Ah,that cross-check was no big deal.Of course he targeted our best player,just like we targeted Forsberg a few years ago,just like we SHOULD have targeted their best players today.That's hockey
.

Thats not hockey, thats just dirty. Hard body checks? Fine. Pushing and shoving and penalty deserving calls during play? Fine. But deliberatly going after people with cheap hits....I don't think we really need another Betuzzi incident.

 

[BigE]

Good luck to the Swedes in the Final.

Good luck to us in the Bronze - these kinds of experiences are invaluable for the young guys.

 

[BuppY]

Goodluck to Sweden.

 

[Le Golie]

Once again, this proves that Crosby is not there yet as his fans claim....he needs to learn how to win important games.

It's a shame that I have to partially dignify this ignorant comment with a response, but since you obviously didn't watch the game, you can read this article to see how things truly played out. I don't think any of the objective Swedish fans will argue with the statements about Crosby's game and ability in this article.

http://tsn.ca/canadian_hockey/news_story/?ID=166450&hubname=

"RIGA, Latvia (CP) - Team Canada will not return home with a gold medal from the IIHF world hockey championship, but any questions about Sidney Crosby's ability to lead his country for years to come have been answered beyond a reasonable doubt.

The 18-year-old star almost single-handedly helped Canada erase a three-goal deficit on Saturday, but his effort wasn't quite enough to help the team overcome a sloppy start in a 5-4 loss to Sweden.

...

He left the game feeling dizzy, but had a breakaway 10 seconds after returning in the third period. Crosby then set up Patrice Bergeron's goal to get Canada within one and had a few chances to tie it.

It was a performance that left his teammates in awe. "

 

[Canuck21t]

6 slashes to the foot and ankle isn't really "innocent".
And if I had a nickel for every time people use the "Russians had it coming " excuse for the Bobby Clarke ankle hunt

The slashes were not dangerous, the Czech player said it himself. Danderous or not, I was highly embarrassed and still am until this day.

 

[Canuck21t]

Once again, this proves that Crosby is not there yet as his fans claim....he needs to learn how to win important games.

You're insane. If it wasn't for Crosby, Canada wouldn't have gone this far. Ovechkin AND Malkin weren't able to win important games either but we all know they're pretty amazing still.

 

[Anksun]

In the NHL Hannula would be suspended 3 games or so. And that is probably what Hannula will get for this.

Not going to push it uselessly like some over there have, but it would have been 5+ games in the nhl.

That was a bit more than you are telling right now, Concussions have happen from a lot less than this and we all know how fast it can turns ugly as soon as concussions are involved...

 

[MartinFr]

It all started with Darryl Sly in 1961.
His "treatment" of Nisse Nilsson was still apparent in the 80s, when my father met Nilsson. He still suffered from pain in his head at that time.
The "behaviour" from Canadiens continued throughout the years, and culminated with the hit on Forsberg (our, and at times the worlds, best player ever) by Niedermayer.
The so called "assault" by Hannula on Crosby, is mearly the beginning of a retalliation that has been called for since the early sixties!
If you Canadiens want to whine, go ahead, but I´m sure that you know, in your hearts, that you may have got just a little more than you bargained for with your foul play over the years!
Me, I'm just enjoying this!
Up untill 1996 i thought that you Canadiens played the game fair, but then I watched the world cup game where you faced Russia. Terry Gregson was the "referee" of that game. It was just horrible to watch. Brendan Shanahan deliberately slashed Valerij Kamensky in the face, and got 2 min for slashing. Just imagine what you Canadiens would have whined if, for example, Hannula had slashed Crosby in the face, and just gotten 2 mins in the sin-bin.

The spearings to the groin by canadiens in the world championships a few years ago, finally brought me over the edge into blatantly hating YOU, and all that your "hockey-philosophie" stands for!

Just my two cents (+ interest!!)

Go Sweeeeeeden!!!

Ps. Dale Hunter on Pat Lafontaine anyone?!

amen on that, minus the hating part. What Hannula did was just dumb but you must look at what you're own guys have done in the past.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I did not see the game so have no first hand clue as to Sweden or Hannula intended with that hit on Crosby. But am not at all surprised at how Crosby responded, on the ice and decisively. Players/Teams are going to learn that you go after the kid and try to injure him and he will come back and hurt you back, on the ice. He plays even harder after incidents like that, I saw it all year. The Hatcher incident where he scored the game winning goal against Philly minus three teeth and a bloody mouth was just the most obvious example. By the way, TSN had this take on the incident:

Hannula's hit on Crosby dominated post-game discussion. The tournament committee met after the game and decided that the Swedish forward would be ineligible for the gold-medal game.

''It was a blatant cross-check to the face,'' said Canadian coach Marc Habscheid. ''It's disappointing, especially when there's smiles and laughs on their bench.

''He's a great player, I don't know what they were doing.''

............

''They were trying to take him out of the game,'' Comrie said. ''I don't think there's any room for that in the game, especially against star players.''

...........

As Canada pressed for the tying goal, the Swedes continued to test Crosby with late hits after the whistle. The teenager's temper was questioned a couple times during the NHL season, but he showed no signs of losing his cool here.

http://tsn.ca/canadian_hockey/news_...166450&hubname=

 

[Fredrik]

I find self righteousness decidedly unattractive.

That's why people don't feel sorry for Crosby and Canada. Hannula behaved like a Canadian and I don't like it but since the victim was Canadian I don't think it's such a big deal.

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

Just saw the replay of the game. Wow, we do look strong this year. Not as solid as we use to at the back be but we handle the puck so well when we attack it makes up for some bad defending.
The Crosby hit? Well it was a dirty hit and we dont need that in the game, think the young man took it well and played well in the 3rd. A future great for sure. But I could not see any Swedes laughing on the bench, after all, Canada had just scored a goal so why smile? And this kind of things is something that happens in ice hockey and more often then not when Canada is one of the teams, but this time it was a Canadian who was the target. **** happens, lets move on.

Today we will win gold.

 

[Pepper]

Let's not forget that that the 3 cheapest stunts pulled at the World Championships in the last 10 or so years have been performed by Canadians.

But yes, that x-check was vicious.

 

[Coffee and 7's*]

This feels like Canada and Sweden have turned into each other a little. Sweden has become a goonish team while Canada has the talent but are little weak.

Seems like the goons always win though.. so I don't know why Canada whould want to be like Sweden was before!

 

[Nihilism]

Let's not forget that that the 3 cheapest stunts pulled at the World Championships in the last 10 or so years have been performed by Canadians.

Such as?

 

[Pepper]

Such as?

Well the actions of Cross, Nolan and Primeau in '97 games alone top anything others have managed.

 

[Nihilism]

Ah,that cross-check was no big deal.Of course he targeted our best player,just like we targeted Forsberg a few years ago,just like we SHOULD have targeted their best players today.That's hockey

Next year,Canada has to pay more "special" attention to their top guys,it's good hockey policy.

We don't want to forget that,it's important.

One "ours", one "their" and three "we"... were you on the team or something?

 

[Nihilism]

Well the actions of Cross, Nolan and Primeau in '97 games alone top anything others have managed.

So it's okay to cross-check Crosby in the face becaue of what Cory Cross did nine years ago?

The Soviets were kicking Canadian players in 1972, so should someone take Ovechkin's head off?

Gary Suter two-handed Andrei Lomakin in the face in 1987, should someone two-handed Kessel in the face?

Seems to me the Sweds and the anti-Canadians will find any sort of excuse to justify this vicious attack. Any logical thinking persons argument would begin and end with "It was a cheap shot, he deserved the penalty, end of story.", however for some reason some people have decided "well you see this happened before and so did this so it's okay"

If it was Crosby cross-checking this puke, the same group would say "Look at the Canadians taking out the Sweds best players... BAN THEM FROM HOCKEY!"

When a Swede does it, "well it's okay because Bobby Clarke slashed someone 34 years ago"