Around these parts, an opportunity to shit all over anything the league, or particularly Gary Bettman, says or does for regarding anything surrounding the overall trajectory or vision of the NHL at a large is rarely missed. And though there was a great deal of public “outrage” over his words when he stated “assume we’re not going” as the NHL’s participation pertains to the 2018 PyeongChang South Korean Winter Olympics, this is ultimately the right decision for the league.
It’s finally over. A tournament that will basically be remembered for ruthless efficiency more than any classic hockey has come to a close. And it ended with Canada on top, which it always should have. Sure, it would have been more fun if Sweden could have played them with more than a center and a half, but that’s the way things go. It probably still wouldn’t have mattered.
Well, that didn’t go well.
The U.S. landed with a Fudd-like thud in the Bronze Medal game, getting stonewalled by Tuukka Rask for two periods before coming apart at the seams in the 3rd to leave an ugly looking scoreline of 5-0. I don’t think it was a 5-0 game, and I don’t think the Finns are five goals better than the Yanks. But that’s what the final tally says for today, and the US heads home with no answers, no medals, and no good feelings.
Well, that didn’t go well.
The U.S. landed with a Fudd-like thud in the Bronze Medal game, getting stonewalled by Tuukka Rask for two periods before coming apart at the seams in the 3rd to leave an ugly looking scoreline of 5-0. I don’t think it was a 5-0 game, and I don’t think the Finns are five goals better than the Yanks. But that’s what the final tally says for today, and the US heads home with no answers, no medals, and no good feelings.
Quick reactions to the semifinals today. We’ll start with the bigger game to us, and that’s the battle of the 49th. Those of us here in the land of guns and poor public education love to big up our chances and talk a big game, but every hockey fan knows in their heart that Canada will always ice a better roster than the US, and better than everyone. You know in that one game things can go right, a bounce or a call here or there or one spectacular goalie performance (which the US got and that’s the only reason this didn’t end up 4-0 at least) or one pants-shitting can swing the result. But if both teams play their game, you know where it’s going. And that’s where it went.
Shall we get to the bullets? We shall:
Quick reactions to the semifinals today. We’ll start with the bigger game to us, and that’s the battle of the 49th. Those of us here in the land of guns and poor public education love to big up our chances and talk a big game, but every hockey fan knows in their heart that Canada will always ice a better roster than the US, and better than everyone. You know in that one game things can go right, a bounce or a call here or there or one spectacular goalie performance (which the US got and that’s the only reason this didn’t end up 4-0 at least) or one pants-shitting can swing the result. But if both teams play their game, you know where it’s going. And that’s where it went.
Shall we get to the bullets? We shall:
If this is to be the last Olympics with the NHL involved, I suppose there’s decent symmetry in having the last two Gold Medal games be the semifinal match ups. It should make for a pretty good morning for hockey fans, assuming you can get up early enough or get off work or watch at work and get fired or whatever you’re going to have to do to watch. But hey, isn’t this what we all came for? Let’s give it the proper treatment.
vs. 
Sweden v. Finland
TIME: 6am Central (NBCSN)
The Scandinavian rivals kick off the day, with Finland looking to turn around the result from Torino and I suppose the Swedes still a bit sore from coughing up the World Juniors at home to Finland thanks to Teuvo and Rasmus. This is has always kind of been a one-sided rivalry, with Finland playing the little brother to the more exalted Swedes.
While we’re poised for a semifinal day that really will be a feast of hockey, the other side of the debate is also clear after John Tavares’s injury. It would be an even bigger howl if the Islanders were in playoff contention, so I guess the NHL dodged a quarter of a bullet there. The risks are there for all to see, but seeing the videos of full bars during T.J. Oshie’s Michael Jackson performance against Russia provide all the benefits to be seen as well.
I can’t say I’ve made up my mind. I really like the international game. What I haven’t heard is what will happen if the NHL doesn’t send its players to South Korea in four years. Will it be just an under-23 tournament with college juniors and seniors and AHL-ers available? I think most GMs would be ok with sending their top prospects to such a crucible. Most of them let those players go to the World Juniors instead of play in the AHL for a couple weeks. I guess that would be ok, but really as nothing more than a scouting combine that the Juniors is now. Would NHL players under 23 be allowed to be picked? I’m guessing no. Would it just be the World Juniors replayed six weeks later? Would the European leagues still send their players, like the KHL or Swedish Elite League? Would that be fair?
Everything pretty much went to script, and now the Olympics gets the treat of having what are probably the two leading international rivalries in its semifinal. Should make for quite the morning on Friday. Let’s run through the action.
Sweden 5 – Slovenia 0: Took the Swedes longer than I thought and Slovenia actually had a couple chances here or there. Sweden will take heart that they finally got Daniel Sedin off the schneid, but I don’t know if that’s a long term pattern. He hasn’t been all that noticeable the rest of the time. This Swedish defense is playing too well at the moment, and that’s with Alex Edler and his elbows back. By the way, did you notice in their Kronwall hit montage that he left his feet in like 80% of them? Of course you did. But with him on the third pairing and Hjalmarsson and Oduya looking at their best, it really has become an impenetrable force. I do love how they include Johan Franzen on the “Key Injury” list for Sweden, even though Mule hasn’t been useful in at least three years.
We finally have the quarters set, and it finally feels like the tournament is really starting. We’re going to get some games that could be a thing, especially Russia-Finland. The Czechs and Yanks could be a better game than at first blush, and of course it’ll never happen but we’d all laugh forever if Canada somehow found a way to lose to Latvia. Though Ted Nolan would probably be never allowed in the country again. Which wouldn’t make it any harder than it’s been for him to get and keep a head coaching job, really.
So what went down? Slovenia ghosted past Austria and I’m really not sure that should have happened. But Slovenia has been a very spiky team this tourney, and even though Austria has the slightly better pedigree they just haven’t looked like anything resembling a threat. I guess you can’t handicap things by counting up the NHLers like you do with ex-Cubs in the World Series. Anze Kopitar had himself a night.
