GDT: 5/4 • United States 3, Switzerland 4 (OT)

[MaxV]

OT. This mean, we're in?

Yeah, but Root for Finland to win in regulation now.

Or do you prefer to face Canada?

 

[luciousharris]

I was going to ask the same thing. I was thinking, maybe becuase he lost so much weight during the season you notice the circles more.

 

[Like Wall]

Swiss team is out, but yanks still screwed up. SUI won the game. CAn't you win at least once, yanks?

 

[ES]

OT. This mean, we're in?

Yes as I assume you mean Latvia (saw the flag)

 

[PaulieVegas]

The game meant nothing for the US, It's tough to play when you're playing a meaningless game against a team fighting for their survival.

Losing means having to face the Canuckleheads in the quarters. That should have been darn good motivation.

 

[not tellin*]

ESCHE, US goalie of the future!!!

 

[Captain Awesome]

That's fair, have they played together before as a pairing on the Devils? I don't follow them very closely.

It's crazy the gap between elite talents in the US system. On one side you have guys like Rafalski, Modano, Tkachuk, Roenick etc, and on the other side you have guys like Parise, Kessel, Kane, etc. There isn't a whole ton in between. Off the top of my head I can only think of Martin and Cole, I'm sure there's more but the US went a long time without a ton of elite talent.

 

[PaulieVegas]

I'd like to see Clemmensen starting in the quarters. I know it's a risky move but Esche has played three straight sub-par games. We can't afford a fourth.

 

[krax]

Sandy Jeannin gives his stick to the little guy who doesn't believe it.

 

[FutureGM97]

Esche is a sieve

 

[Like Wall]

Losing means having to face the Canuckleheads in the quarters. That should have been darn good motivation.

Seems like yanks always lose motivation, when outside the USA. Brace yourselves! You have NHL? Prove it!

 

[JMFJ 3]

Losing means having to face the Canuckleheads in the quarters. That should have been darn good motivation.

US is playing the Fins again, who beat us on a phantom goal last year.

 

[Chileiceman]

so who does the USA get to lose to in the quarterfinals?

Finland

 

[Quaz]

Yeah, I thought the defense was going to be a strength of this team, but it's been far from air tight. This is how my U.S. defense at the Olympics looks:

Rafalski-Martin
Corvo-Gleason
Suter-Ballard
Whitney-Orpik

If Erik Johnson doesn't re-injure himself before the Olymics he will be on the team. He is a better player than Corvo, Gleason, Suter, Ballard, Whitney, and Orpik.

 

[DevilsFan38]

That's fair, have they played together before as a pairing on the Devils? I don't follow them very closely.

It's crazy the gap between elite talents in the US system. On one side you have guys like Rafalski, Modano, Tkachuk, Roenick etc, and on the other side you have guys like Parise, Kessel, Kane, etc. There isn't a whole ton in between. Off the top of my head I can only think of Martin and Cole, I'm sure there's more but the US went a long time without a ton of elite talent.

I don't think they ever played together as a pairing on the Devils, maybe on the power play. I'll be honest, it's been two years since Rafalski played for the Devils and I'm bad at remembering lines/defense pairs, aside from the really dominant ones.

Martin will be a big asset for the US, he is very underrated. He plays on the first PK and first PP for the Devils (normally the only defenseman with Langenbrunner at the other point). I just looked at the stats for US defensemen in the NHL this year and he led them all in ice time, and was in the top 10 for both points and +/- (only other two in the top 10 in both categories were Rafalski and Ballard).

 

[PaulieVegas]

If Erik Johnson doesn't re-injure himself before the Olymics he will be on the team. He is a better player than Corvo, Gleason, Suter, Ballard, Whitney, and Orpik.

I still have reservations about sending a 20-year-old kid who hasn't played in a year to the Olympics. I don't think EJ makes the team. I do think JMFJ will make it. He's been a force in this tournament.

 

[4rde]

Bleh how many years have we faced usa in the quartes and russia after that. Its getting boring already.

 

[Like Wall]

Yeah, but Root for Finland to win in regulation now.

Or do you prefer to face Canada?

That's not for me to decide

 

[DevilsFan38]

I still have reservations about sending a 20-year-old kid who hasn't played in a year to the Olympics. I don't think EJ makes the team. I do think JMFJ will make it. He's been a force in this tournament.

Won't he be back at the start of the season? That's 4 months of playing in the NHL.

 

[koh19]

Beautiful goal by Roman Wick! He'll be on a NHL roster next season.

 

[Zorkan]

I love how the next two lines from that very same rule are simply ignored:

"However, there is also a responsibility on the player with the puck to avoid placing himself in a dangerous and vulnerable position. This balance must be considered by the Referees when applying this rule."

You are right. But as this whole rule shows, it's in the discretion of the referee to assess the individual situation. The reason I posted the rule was because some people claimed that it was clearly a clean hit and that the European refs suck again. IMO it was boarding:

Sprunger was tripped which led to him losing his balance, when he got up, he was pushed into the boards on the level of his neck.

What should he have done? Stay down?

Anyways, he seems to not be paralyzed which is the only thing that counts.

 

[EbencoyE]

You are right. But as this whole rule shows, it's in the discretion of the referee to assess the individual situation. The reason I posted the rule was because some people claimed that it was clearly a clean hit and that the European refs suck again. IMO it was boarding:

Sprunger was tripped which led to him losing his balance, when he got up, he was pushed into the boards on the level of his neck.

What should he have done? Stay down?

Sprunger did nothing wrong other than being unlucky and not being able to keep his balance. But neither did Backes. It was simply an unfortunate incident (that could be avoided in the future if the IIHF ever gets safer boards).

The ref only called a penalty because he stayed down. If he was uninjured play would've continued. It was not necessary to call anything on Backes for simply playing the body.

Glad to hear Sprunger is ok! And good game to the Swiss! Just too bad the refs had to play such a large part in the game.

 

[Pellegrino]

Who were the best players in this game?

 

[SashaMesic]

Who were the best players in this game?

I'd say Hainsley (2 goals) for the states and Ambühl or Wick for the Swiss.

 

[DrFeelgood]

That's fair, have they played together before as a pairing on the Devils? I don't follow them very closely.

It's crazy the gap between elite talents in the US system. On one side you have guys like Rafalski, Modano, Tkachuk, Roenick etc, and on the other side you have guys like Parise, Kessel, Kane, etc. There isn't a whole ton in between. Off the top of my head I can only think of Martin and Cole, I'm sure there's more but the US went a long time without a ton of elite talent.

Off the top of my head; Langenbrunner, Gionta, Drury, Gomez, Weight, Guerin, Rolston, Schneider, Parrish are all I can come up with

Note: Just realized most of the guys on my list are former Devils players, except Schneider, Parrish and Drury.