2018 USA Olympic Women's Hockey Team

[D2D]

Re: 2018 USA Olympic Women's Hockey Team

Are we bad now

Combined score last three games: 2-7.

[joecct]

Combined score last three games: 2-7.

"Great moments are born from great opportunity, and that's what you have here tonight, ladies. That's what you've earned here tonight. One game; if we played them ten times, they might win nine. But not this game, not tonight. Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight we stay with them, and we shut them down because we can. Tonight, we are the greatest hockey team in the world.

You were born to be hockey players—every one of you, and you were meant to be here tonight. This is your time. Their time is done. It's over. I'm sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the Canadians have. Screw 'em. This is your time. Now go out there and take it!"

[Lindsay]

Re: 2018 USA Olympic Women's Hockey Team

I’m wondering if Finland or someone else will sneak into the gold medal game. That would be an interesting plot twist.

Hard to take much from that game last night. Second half was all USA. I found myself thinking that Szabados, Poulin and Agosta will have to be great every minute they play, because boy, the Americans bring it. Those three seem to be the stars for Canada (even if the edge is razor thin), but the pressure the Americans bring is a bit scary. You have to think at some point they will overcome Canada and pucks will start going in.Has USA beat Szabados yet this year though? In the flip side, in a tight game there is little room for mental errors. On the OT goal Pfalzer didn’t take a player, and had her stick up in the air so couldn’t clear the puck either. Enough to be the difference.

Should we be seeing more out of Dugan? I didn’t follow her college career and she was in on a couple nice offensive rushes last night, but I don’t notice her to the extent I notice Canada’s leaders. Might just be I am not watching for her the way I do Canada’s people.

Coyne, Decker and Knight were dominant in the world championships. Either they are not the same now, or the playing field has leveled in an Olympic year with centralization. To me, Knight is the face of the US program, she’s gonna have to step up a la Poulin, if Dugan and others can’t.

[pokechecker]

Re: 2018 USA Olympic Women's Hockey Team

"Great moments are born from great opportunity, and that's what you have here tonight, ladies. That's what you've earned here tonight. One game; if we played them ten times, they might win nine. But not this game, not tonight. Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight we stay with them, and we shut them down because we can. Tonight, we are the greatest hockey team in the world.

You were born to be hockey players—every one of you, and you were meant to be here tonight. This is your time. Their time is done. It's over. I'm sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the Canadians have. Screw 'em. This is your time. Now go out there and take it!"

yeah, and maybe the Canadians will counter with "they're walking all over our flag!"

you can only say stuff like that once, the next time you do it it's BS and everyone knows it

I’m beginning to think you people were never athletes or even have had a job.
It is tough to be at the top of your game week after week, month after month. Typically athletes pick a goal and then optimize their regime to be at the pinnacle to coincide with the goal. The same is true if you have a job. Try working at your peak week after week, month after month, putting in 10, 12, or 14 hour days. The only people who think it can be done are the Type A individuals who typically burn out, die of a heart attack, or at the very least become the person everyone hates and nobody wants to perform for because they are always pushing everyone else despite not living up to the standard they set for everyone else.
These games are meaningless as far as the results go.

[robertearle]

Re: 2018 USA Olympic Women's Hockey Team

Should we be seeing more out of Dugan? I didn’t follow her college career and she was in on a couple nice offensive rushes last night, but I don’t notice her to the extent I notice Canada’s leaders. Might just be I am not watching for her the way I do Canada’s people.

FWIW: Despite the rather gaudy career offensive numbers, I've always thought of Duggan as a much more defensive forward than an offensive forward (like Knight and Decker). In my mind's eye, I think of Duggan, and I see her playing the point on a power play, making a diving poke-check to prevent a short-handed rush heading the other way. She must have done that once a game.

[Eeyore]

Re: 2018 USA Olympic Women's Hockey Team

I’m wondering if Finland or someone else will sneak into the gold medal game. That would be an interesting plot twist.

I was planning to ask the same thing. The Finns were a good team at last year's worlds. They habitually struggle against Russia, which kept them from getting a bye into the semis. That was a big deal given how hard they ride their top players; Jenni Hiirikoski plays about 700 minutes a game. My guess is that no one is going to struggle against Russia this time.

So, I'm not sure the "success comes down to one game" take is really accurate right now.

[Timothy A]

Re: 2018 USA Olympic Women's Hockey Team

I don't know of any hockey teams at any level that are taught to "slice through the middle" of the neutral zone. That typically is not a pathway to successful offensive zone entry. But hey maybe you're onto something new....take the puck straight through the heart of the ice, sort of a go where the defending team least expects it approach, even though most of their 5 skaters will probably be somewhere in between the dots. Good strategy!

Maybe you don't see much UW hockey then.....

[pokechecker]

Re: 2018 USA Olympic Women's Hockey Team

Maybe that extra 5 feet at LaBahn does make a difference
or maybe the opponents
or maybe both
In StPaul the D would retreat back into the defensive zone, which was OK at first, then Canada put more pressure on the puck carrier and the US player would be skating faster with an opponent in hot pursuit towards the US goal than the US forwards were skating towards the Canadian goal. A few times they coughed up the puck and Rooney had to make a save. Her player of the game was well deserved and she had the US blue liners to thank for it, but not for the usual reason of clearing pucks and players from in front of the goal.
One thing I am more and more convinced of is that the difference between men’s and women’s hockey isn’t checking, it is the inability to pass and shoot backhanded. Or maybe more correctly many just don’t have confidence to use it.
If you have a young daughter who wants to play D1 and maybe make the Olympic team, two things:
make sure she gives playing defense at least a try,
make sure she is at least as competent with her backhand as forehand, she'll be ahead of 90% of the rest

[joecct]

Re: 2018 USA Olympic Women's Hockey Team

Now we go from playing on 200x85 to 200x100. The advantage goes to???

[D2D]

Re: 2018 USA Olympic Women's Hockey Team

Now we go from playing on 200x85 to 200x100. The advantage goes to???

The Americans, I believe.

Lately Canada has shown to be the superior team in small spaces, especially in the tight areas around either net. From what I've seen (lately) their forwards are doing a better job of both blocking shots and helping their D defend right in front of their goal. They've also been noticeably more aggressive with multiple players "crashing the net" when on offense. These advantages have paid off handsomely as most goals are scored from close in, especially in the women's game.

But the wider Olympic sized rink should help the American's take advantage of their possession game and team speed. In the last three games Canada has done an admirable job of negating those advantages. But you would expect the wider ice surface to open things up, and overall it should become more a more wide open, fast-paced game which should help the U.S.

[ARM]

Re: 2018 USA Olympic Women's Hockey Team

The Americans, I believe.

... But you would expect the wider ice surface to open things up, and overall it should become more a more wide open, fast-paced game which should help the U.S.

In theory, I agree with everything that you've said. However, having watched some of the games, the U.S. defensemen are having enough problems trying to defend 85 feet of width. I'm afraid they'll be exposed to an even greater extent on an Olympic sheet.

The problems look to come in all type of varieties. Barnes is mobile and will be great some day, but for now, she looks not quite ready for prime time, and occasionally has people blow by her on the outside while she gets caught flatfooted. Keller is a huge asset offensively, but she can also try to do too much and get stripped of the puck. Someone praised her backcheck last week, but you can't let Nurse just take the puck away from you in the first place when you're the last skater. I don't know what to think about Bellamy; her falling down while essentially standing with the puck at the start of OT in St. Paul was the kind of mistake that you rarely see in a HS game. Bozek isn't playing at the same level that she did four years ago. Maybe I'm being too hard on them, but I don't see the Canadian D having the same type of issues. I wish that our D would just make the simple, fundamental play, limit their mistakes, and not try to get too fancy. If we need our goaltender to be superior to the Canadian goalie to win, then I don't like our chances.

[ne7minder]

Re: 2018 USA Olympic Women's Hockey Team

Maybe you don't see much UW hockey then.....

I'm having a hard time remembering the last time W played the Canadian Olympic team. Go up the middle a lot, did they?

[ne7minder]

Re: 2018 USA Olympic Women's Hockey Team

Now we go from playing on 200x85 to 200x100. The advantage goes to???

I thought the USA looked good in a very tough defensive battle in St. Paul but they lost when the game was 4x4. They looked good in the 2nd and 3rd in San Jose and then lost when the game was 4x4. While its true that having only 8 skaters on the ice changes how you play part of that change is the extra space. It might not help USA. I guess we'll see.

[shelfit]

I'm having a hard time remembering the last time W played the Canadian Olympic team. Go up the middle a lot, did they?

(Quietly snickering)

[Eeyore]

Re: 2018 USA Olympic Women's Hockey Team

Now we go from playing on 200x85 to 200x100. The advantage goes to???

The Finns, who play on the big ice all the time.