“All-Star teams fail because they rely solely on the individual’s talents. The Soviets are successful because they take those talents and mold them into a system designed for the betterment of the team.”
As a youth hockey coach I quote Herb Brooks a lot. Yes, when I do it the kids on my teams look at me the same way the 1980 U.S. squad stared at Brooks – like I’m speaking, well, Russian. But take a look at the quote above. It’s not a direct “Brooks-ism,” but it was taken from the movie Miracle.
Read the quote and apply it to what we have seen so far in the Olympic hockey tournament. A team like Switzerland, which has a group of players that competes together regularly and has developed a system that fits the talents and limitations of its personnel, can give a hastily-assembled squad such as Canada – and the United States, for that matter – a run for its money. Unfortunately for the Swiss, the loss to Candada ultimately was decided by the most unfair, although admittedly exciting, exercise in sport – a shootout. After playing an incredibly disciplined and heady team game and coming from two goals down to tie, Switzerland lost out in a one-on-one contest that truly does highlight the individual over the team.
So, as the Canadians and Americans prepare for their “Rivalry Sunday” grudge match (this may be the greatest one-day display of hockey in our lifetimes, with the Fins facing the Swedes and the Czechs taking on the Russians in addition to U.S.-Canada), who has the edge? Well, on paper surely the Canadians are superior, but to this point neither team has hit on all cylinders.
Here’s what we know: The crowd will be jacked up, and the energy in the building will be astronomical. Both teams will come out flying, so there should be some fast-paced, physical, don’t-blink-for-a-second action right out of the gate. That emotion and energy most likely will lead to a second-period lull in the action as the players bodies recover and they settle in for a revved-up third period.
This is the type of game that isn’t going to come down to who wants it more. Everyone will be sacrificing his body for the good of the team. It will come down to which unit actually plays more like a team – at both ends of the ice. The key will be whether the U.S. can weather the first 10 minutes without giving up multiple goals. If the Americans can get through that opening barrage even or down a goal, they have a chance. But if Canada nets a couple early and really gets it rolling, the U.S. will be in for a long night – unless Ryan Miller, who has looked sharp thus far, returns to his early-season brilliance.
It’s hard to get a feel for which scenario will play out, but here’s a hunch to mull over: The U.S. has a group that seems to be a little more accustomed to playing a two-way, grinding style, clogging up the passing lanes and generally making games ugly. On the NHL-sized ice surface, that’s the type of effort it will take to win this game. The U.S. already has positioned itself well and has nothing to lose. Canada will be under a great deal of pressure to break out and show not only the world, but also its own demanding supporters, why it entered the tournament as the favorite. Miller will thrive in this environment and keep his team in the game long enough for the Americans to win ugly. The U.S. will get goals from Phil Kessel, who will net a pair, Jack Johnson and Ryan Callahan en route to a 4-2 decision.
Unfortunately, this means that if the two teams meet again later in the tournament that Canada would, in my mind, be extremely tough to beat.
Keys to the Game
U.S. Speed on the Outside vs. Canadian Defensive Corps
I’ve said all along that Niedermayer and Pronger are well past their better days. Young blueliner Drew Doughty made a poor decision that cost Canada a goal vs. the Swiss. The Americans should be able to take the puck wide, crash the net and score a couple of ugly goals. The Canadian forwards, including the superstars, must commit to playing a two-way game to win. In addition, Canada’s defensemen need to be able to support the forwards offensively and still recover to slow down the American transition game.
Ryan Miller
He’s been solid so far, but will see a lot more rubber tonight. I like the way he’s been able to ease his way into the tournament, and I expect a great effort vs. the Canadians.
Canada’s Big Guns vs. Themselves
Something has been missing in the play of the top Canadian players. They just aren’t clicking yet. There were several botched odd-man rushes against Switzerland – two in a row in the second period that involved Sidney Crosby and ultimately allowed the Swiss to gain some momentum and net their first goal. Once they do get it rolling, though, watch out. The U.S. has to play a disciplined, defense-first style with their forwards committed to backchecking aggressively and pursuing the Canadian forwards through the neutral zone, allowing the American defense to have the confidence to stand guys up and take the body.
The Home Crowd
Will the Canadian fans remain supportive and energize the home team if things don’t go well right off the opening faceoff, or will they start to demonstrate their frustration? The amount of pressure felt by Canada will be directly proportional to the fan reaction. This part of the game within the game will be extremely interesting to watch.
Other Olympic Observations - The Savvy Swedes
Sweden’s conservative, methodical efforts thus far were surprising for a team whose core has played together countless times over the past decade. The Swedes have almost looked as though they have been saving energy and working the kinks out. No one really has stood out, although the team defensive play has been very solid. Sweden has played disciplined hockey in both ends, allowed Henrik Lundqvist to play his way into the tournament and d just enough to record the win. Perhaps they are smarter than the rest of us. The Swedes are so savvy and even-keeled that I always feel like whatever they are doing is part of the master plan. Peter Forsberg doesn’t appear to be anywhere near his old self, but I did think that the Sedins brought some needed energy to the ice for Sweden, which is still my favorite to win gold because of their depth and experience at both ends of the rink. We’ll learn more tonight when they face Finland, their arch-rival, in what should be a fast and physical matchup.
Showing posts with label Backstrom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Backstrom. Show all posts
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Olympic Hockey Preview, Part I
Olympic Preview Part I
If you’ve discovered this blog, clearly you are a hockey fan, so there’s probably no need to discuss how good the hockey will be during the upcoming Vancouver Olympics. There’s nothing more exciting than the best players in the world giving their all in the name of their native countries.
That excitement is enhanced by the fact that the Olympic tournament does not feature long, drawn-out best-of-seven series. Nope. Once the preliminaries are finished it’s a one-and-done format. All it takes is a hot goalie and a couple of timely bounces, and on any given night you could be staring at another Miracle on Ice.
The fact that this year’s tournament is taking place where hockey was born, along with the incredible talent spread out among the 12 teams, should make the 2010 Olympic hockey competition the most exciting and most watched ever. Adding to the urgency to win a gold medal in 2010 is the uncertainty surrounding the prospect of NHL players competing in Russia in 2014. I have a theory about that, but that’s for another day and another blog.
So, the next two postings will preview the upcoming Olympic hockey competition, which gets underway on Tuesday, Feb. 16, when the United States takes on Switzerland at 3 p.m. Eastern time.
The next blog will delve into the actual team/talent breakdown, predictions, games analysisvand so on. This space will be dedicated to explaining the format, listing the groupings and providing the schedule – all of which constitutes a full-blown posting on its own.
Tournament Groupings
In Torino (2006), the Olympic hockey competition featured two six-team groups. This year’s tournament has three groupings, which have been determined by each country’s 2009 world ranking:
Group A (seed in parentheses)
Canada (1)
USA (6)
Switzerland (7)
Norway (12)
Group B
Russia (2)
Czech Republic (5)
Slovakia (8)
Latvia (11)
Group C
Sweden (3)
Finland (4)
Germany (9)
Belarus (10)
Preliminary Round
The preliminary round, which gets underway Feb. 16, is a round-robin format in which each team plays the three other teams in its group to determine playoff-round seeding. Standings are computed using a three-point system, with teams getting three points for a regulation win, two points for an overtime win and one point for an overtime loss. Games that are tied after regulation will proceed to a five-minute overtime, which is followed by a shootout if no winner has been determined.
The winner of each group gets a bye into the quarterfinals along with the team with the next-highest point total, for a total of four byes. Ties in the standings will be broken to determine the fourth seed in the quarterfinals and the other playoff-round seedings utilizing the following tie-breaker: goal differential, total goals scored and IIHF world ranking – in that order. Once the four byes are determined, the Qualifying Playoff matchups will be 5 vs. 12, 6 vs. 11, 7 vs. 10, 8 vs. 9. The qualifying playoff games will take place on Feb. 24 and the quarterfinals on Feb. 25, followed by an off day. Both semifinals are scheduled for Feb. 26, with the losers playing for the bronze Feb. 27 and the winners going for gold Feb. 28.
Olympic Men’s Hockey Television Schedule
February 16
USA, 3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.: Men's Hockey: USA vs. Switzerland
CNBC, 8 p.m. - 10 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Canada vs. Norway
CNBC, 12:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Russia vs. Latvia
February 17
MSNBC, 3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Finland vs. Belarus
CNBC, 8 p.m. - 10 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Sweden vs. Germany
CNBC, 12:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Czech Republic vs. Slovakia
February 18
USA, 3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.: Men's Hockey: USA vs. Norway
CNBC, 8 p.m. - 10 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Canada vs. Norway
CNBC, 12:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Russia vs. Slovakia
February 19
MSNBC, 3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Sweden vs. Belarus
CNBC, 8 p.m. - 10 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Czech Republic vs. Latvia
MSNBC, midnight - 3 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Finland vs. Germany
February 20
MSNBC, 3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Norway vs. Switzerland
MSNBC, 7:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Slovakia vs. Latvia
MSNBC, midnight - 3 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Belarus vs. Germany
February 21
MSNBC, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.: Men's Hockey: USA vs. Canada
MSNBC, midnight - 3 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Sweden vs. Finland
February 23
USA, 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Elimination Round
CNBC, 8 p.m. - 10 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Elimination Round
CNBC, 10 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Elimination Round
CNBC, 12:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Elimination Round
February 24
NBC, 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Quarterfinal Round
CNBC, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Quarterfinal Round
CNBC, 10 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Quarterfinal Round
CNBC, 12:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Quarterfinal Round
February 25
NBC, 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Semifinal
CNBC, 9 p.m. - midnight: Men's Hockey: Semifinal
February 27
MSNBC, 10 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Bronze Medal Game
February 28
NBC, 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Gold Medal Game
Games to Watch
Oddly enough, the only game of the entire tournament not scheduled to be televised is the Russia-Czech Republic matchup (at least according to the Univeral Programming Guide), which should be one of the most wide-open and exciting of the preliminary round, on Feb. 21. Keep in mind that this will be the first Olympic hockey tournament ever played on an NHL-sized rink (200’ x 85’). Usually international events take place on a much larger ice surface (200’ x 98.5’). This will favor the North American teams (Canada, USA) as well as teams whose rosters are made up primarily of NHL players or players with NHL experience (Russia, Sweden, Czech Republic, Slovakia).
The following preliminary-round contests should not be missed
United States vs. Switzerland – Feb. 16
The opening game of the tournament is always a big one. The U.S. will be a heavy favorite, but the Swiss have pulled off upsets in the past and nerves may be a factor.
Czech Republic vs. Slovakia – Feb. 17
The Czech Republic has a roster full of talented NHL players, but the Slovaks have enough North American veteran pros to pull off an early upset.
Slovakia vs. Russia – Feb. 18
See above. Russia has an overwhelming talent advantage, but may be holding back for the playoff round and could be ripe for the picking.
Finland vs. Germany – Feb. 19
The Germans have pulled off surprises in the past and have enough NHL players and talented European pros to give the Fins a run for the money. Knocking off the top group of goaltenders in the tourney will be tough, though.
Russia vs. Czech Republic - Feb. 21
European grudge match. Should be a high-speed, physical battle. Other than U.S. vs.
Canada this is the marquee matchup of the preliminary round, but for some reason is not scheduled to be televised.
Canada vs. USA – Feb. 21
Canada on paper is the most talented team in the tournament, but this rivalry is unpredictable. The U.S. is a youthful and balanced team that will come with energy and should deliver good two-way hockey. It would not be surprising if the Americans give them a run for it, but the U.S. can only record the upset with spectacular goaltending.
Sweden vs. Finland – Feb. 24
The third- and fourth-seeded teams face off in a contradiction of styles. The Swedes play a fast, flowing game, while the Fins traditionally are more physical and defense-first. That said, Sweden’s roster has some of the best defensemen in the world. Always an exciting, hard-fought and physical battle. Should be a fun way to wrap up the opening round. There have been some ugly, NHL-style battles between these two teams over the years.
Please come back tomorrow for Part II of the Olympic Preview.
If you’ve discovered this blog, clearly you are a hockey fan, so there’s probably no need to discuss how good the hockey will be during the upcoming Vancouver Olympics. There’s nothing more exciting than the best players in the world giving their all in the name of their native countries.
That excitement is enhanced by the fact that the Olympic tournament does not feature long, drawn-out best-of-seven series. Nope. Once the preliminaries are finished it’s a one-and-done format. All it takes is a hot goalie and a couple of timely bounces, and on any given night you could be staring at another Miracle on Ice.
The fact that this year’s tournament is taking place where hockey was born, along with the incredible talent spread out among the 12 teams, should make the 2010 Olympic hockey competition the most exciting and most watched ever. Adding to the urgency to win a gold medal in 2010 is the uncertainty surrounding the prospect of NHL players competing in Russia in 2014. I have a theory about that, but that’s for another day and another blog.
So, the next two postings will preview the upcoming Olympic hockey competition, which gets underway on Tuesday, Feb. 16, when the United States takes on Switzerland at 3 p.m. Eastern time.
The next blog will delve into the actual team/talent breakdown, predictions, games analysisvand so on. This space will be dedicated to explaining the format, listing the groupings and providing the schedule – all of which constitutes a full-blown posting on its own.
Tournament Groupings
In Torino (2006), the Olympic hockey competition featured two six-team groups. This year’s tournament has three groupings, which have been determined by each country’s 2009 world ranking:
Group A (seed in parentheses)
Canada (1)
USA (6)
Switzerland (7)
Norway (12)
Group B
Russia (2)
Czech Republic (5)
Slovakia (8)
Latvia (11)
Group C
Sweden (3)
Finland (4)
Germany (9)
Belarus (10)
Preliminary Round
The preliminary round, which gets underway Feb. 16, is a round-robin format in which each team plays the three other teams in its group to determine playoff-round seeding. Standings are computed using a three-point system, with teams getting three points for a regulation win, two points for an overtime win and one point for an overtime loss. Games that are tied after regulation will proceed to a five-minute overtime, which is followed by a shootout if no winner has been determined.
The winner of each group gets a bye into the quarterfinals along with the team with the next-highest point total, for a total of four byes. Ties in the standings will be broken to determine the fourth seed in the quarterfinals and the other playoff-round seedings utilizing the following tie-breaker: goal differential, total goals scored and IIHF world ranking – in that order. Once the four byes are determined, the Qualifying Playoff matchups will be 5 vs. 12, 6 vs. 11, 7 vs. 10, 8 vs. 9. The qualifying playoff games will take place on Feb. 24 and the quarterfinals on Feb. 25, followed by an off day. Both semifinals are scheduled for Feb. 26, with the losers playing for the bronze Feb. 27 and the winners going for gold Feb. 28.
Olympic Men’s Hockey Television Schedule
February 16
USA, 3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.: Men's Hockey: USA vs. Switzerland
CNBC, 8 p.m. - 10 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Canada vs. Norway
CNBC, 12:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Russia vs. Latvia
February 17
MSNBC, 3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Finland vs. Belarus
CNBC, 8 p.m. - 10 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Sweden vs. Germany
CNBC, 12:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Czech Republic vs. Slovakia
February 18
USA, 3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.: Men's Hockey: USA vs. Norway
CNBC, 8 p.m. - 10 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Canada vs. Norway
CNBC, 12:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Russia vs. Slovakia
February 19
MSNBC, 3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Sweden vs. Belarus
CNBC, 8 p.m. - 10 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Czech Republic vs. Latvia
MSNBC, midnight - 3 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Finland vs. Germany
February 20
MSNBC, 3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Norway vs. Switzerland
MSNBC, 7:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Slovakia vs. Latvia
MSNBC, midnight - 3 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Belarus vs. Germany
February 21
MSNBC, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.: Men's Hockey: USA vs. Canada
MSNBC, midnight - 3 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Sweden vs. Finland
February 23
USA, 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Elimination Round
CNBC, 8 p.m. - 10 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Elimination Round
CNBC, 10 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Elimination Round
CNBC, 12:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Elimination Round
February 24
NBC, 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Quarterfinal Round
CNBC, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Quarterfinal Round
CNBC, 10 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Quarterfinal Round
CNBC, 12:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Quarterfinal Round
February 25
NBC, 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Semifinal
CNBC, 9 p.m. - midnight: Men's Hockey: Semifinal
February 27
MSNBC, 10 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.: Men's Hockey: Bronze Medal Game
February 28
NBC, 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.: Men's Hockey: Gold Medal Game
Games to Watch
Oddly enough, the only game of the entire tournament not scheduled to be televised is the Russia-Czech Republic matchup (at least according to the Univeral Programming Guide), which should be one of the most wide-open and exciting of the preliminary round, on Feb. 21. Keep in mind that this will be the first Olympic hockey tournament ever played on an NHL-sized rink (200’ x 85’). Usually international events take place on a much larger ice surface (200’ x 98.5’). This will favor the North American teams (Canada, USA) as well as teams whose rosters are made up primarily of NHL players or players with NHL experience (Russia, Sweden, Czech Republic, Slovakia).
The following preliminary-round contests should not be missed
United States vs. Switzerland – Feb. 16
The opening game of the tournament is always a big one. The U.S. will be a heavy favorite, but the Swiss have pulled off upsets in the past and nerves may be a factor.
Czech Republic vs. Slovakia – Feb. 17
The Czech Republic has a roster full of talented NHL players, but the Slovaks have enough North American veteran pros to pull off an early upset.
Slovakia vs. Russia – Feb. 18
See above. Russia has an overwhelming talent advantage, but may be holding back for the playoff round and could be ripe for the picking.
Finland vs. Germany – Feb. 19
The Germans have pulled off surprises in the past and have enough NHL players and talented European pros to give the Fins a run for the money. Knocking off the top group of goaltenders in the tourney will be tough, though.
Russia vs. Czech Republic - Feb. 21
European grudge match. Should be a high-speed, physical battle. Other than U.S. vs.
Canada this is the marquee matchup of the preliminary round, but for some reason is not scheduled to be televised.
Canada vs. USA – Feb. 21
Canada on paper is the most talented team in the tournament, but this rivalry is unpredictable. The U.S. is a youthful and balanced team that will come with energy and should deliver good two-way hockey. It would not be surprising if the Americans give them a run for it, but the U.S. can only record the upset with spectacular goaltending.
Sweden vs. Finland – Feb. 24
The third- and fourth-seeded teams face off in a contradiction of styles. The Swedes play a fast, flowing game, while the Fins traditionally are more physical and defense-first. That said, Sweden’s roster has some of the best defensemen in the world. Always an exciting, hard-fought and physical battle. Should be a fun way to wrap up the opening round. There have been some ugly, NHL-style battles between these two teams over the years.
Please come back tomorrow for Part II of the Olympic Preview.
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