Kukla's Korner Hockey
Entries with the tag: team+usa
Womens Hockey Goes For The Gold
by Paul on 02/25/10 at 02:00 PM ET
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from Harry Thompson at USA Hockey,
For the third time in four Olympics, the U.S. and Canada have been on a collision course that will conclude with a gold-medal clash.
The Americans have outscored opponents 40-2, with 12-1, 13-0 and 6-0 wins over China, Russia and Finland in the preliminary round.
Meanwhile, Canada has steamrolled over Slovakia (18-0), Switzerland (10-1) and Sweden (13-1) before blanking Finland, 5-0, in the semifinals.
The Canadians are deep, talented and playing on home ice. The same could be said for the Americans coming into the gold-medal game in Salt Lake City in 2002. Canada hadn’t beaten the U.S. during the 2002 pre-Olympic tour, yet came up big when it counted to win the gold medal, 3-2.
That was then and this is now. With 15 players competing in their first Olympics, there is a new energy in this U.S. locker room, and it shows on and off the ice.
more and the game is on MSNBC with the puck drop at 6:30pm ET.
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Tags: Team+Canada, Team+USA, Winter+Olympics,
Team USA Needs More From Their Premier Players
by Paul on 02/24/10 at 09:22 PM ET
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from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,
Team USA is two wins away from its first men’s Olympic hockey gold medal since Al Michaels asked us if we believed in miracles.
But for those two victories to materialize, the Americans need more from their high-end offensive stars. These next two games are the toughest yet….
“We got a great performance from Zach Parise today,” said Team USA coach Ron Wilson. “He was easily our best player. And in big games, your best players rise to the occasion.”
Parise appears on board. Now, Team USA needs Patrick Kane, Paul Stastny and Phil Kessel—three other major offensive weapons—to follow if there’s any chance of Olympic glory here.
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Tags: Team+USA,
Report- Good News For USA Hockey Fans In The Pacific Time Zone
by Paul on 02/24/10 at 07:16 PM ET
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via Steve of Puck the Media,
It was just reported by Richard Deitsch of SI on Twitter, and I’ll look to confirm it with NBC myself, but Team USA’s game vs. the winner of Finland/Czech Republic on Friday at 3PM ET, will air live in all time zones on NBC. This is good news. More soon.
Filed in: NHL Media, Hockey Broadcasting, Non-NHL Hockey, International Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Team+USA, Winter+Olympics,
Enough Of The Talk, Let’s Play The Games
by Paul on 02/24/10 at 02:15 PM ET
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What else is their to say that hasn’t been mentioned regarding the Mens Hockey Quarter-Final Games at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.
It is just about time to sit back and catch all the great action today.
Now the real talk begins, the players will speak with their play on the ice.
Consider this an open post for the USA/Switzerland game which begins at 3:00pm ET on NBC & SNET.
Scott Burnside and Pierre LeBrun of ESPN provide you with five reasons each team will win.
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Tags: NBC, Team+Switzerland, Team+USA, Winter+Olympics,
NBC- Hockey Fans Need Some Clarification
by Paul on 02/23/10 at 11:48 PM ET
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Team USA is scheduled to face Team Switzerland at 3:00pm ET Wednesday on NBC, but the NBC TV schedule only has a only a two hour time frame for the game.
What hockey fans need to know from NBC is this- Will you carry the game until conclusion on NBC or when the clock strikes 5:00pm ET, will you be shifting the game to one of the other NBC stations?
You see, people need to set their DVR before they go to work in the morning and would like an answer they can trust. I’ve received over 50 emails today on this topic and would appreciate an answer.
If any KK member or guest has heard anything, please leave a comment below.
I would think it would be safe to assume NBC would carry the game in full, but….
update 2/24/10 at 9:22am, via Puck the Media,
A representative from NBC told Puck the Media last night that the game will be aired in it’s entirety. I worded the question specifically to include potential overtime and shootouts. So our long, national nightmare is over.
Filed in: NHL Media, Hockey Broadcasting, Non-NHL Hockey, International Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: NBC, Team+Switzerland, Team+USA, Winter+Olympics,
Team USA Taking Care Of Business
by Paul on 02/22/10 at 04:54 PM ET
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from Larry Brooks of the NY Post,
No longer underdogs, no longer able to hide in the weeds following Sunday’s seminal triumph, the Yanks are off until Wednesday, when they will face the winner of tomorrow’s Switzerland-Belarus qualification match.
“I can’t say that I’m surprised at where we are and what we’ve been able to do,” said Drury, who has scored twice in three games while filling a variety of roles. “We came here with a lot of belief in ourselves. We came to take care of business.
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Tags: Chris+Drury, Team+USA,
Widow Of Herb Brooks Talks Team USA 1980
by Paul on 02/22/10 at 04:19 PM ET
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from Mike G. Morreale of NHL.com,
The memories of Lake Placid remain very fresh in the mind and heart of Patti Brooks, the widow of legendary Team USA coach Herb Brooks.
Monday, Feb. 22, marked the 30th anniversary of the biggest upset in hockey history when the United States pulled off the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” with an improbable 4-3 victory over the Soviet Union.
“Sometimes it feels just like yesterday because I remember so many details about Lake Placid,” Patti Brooks told NHL.com. “Then, there are times it feels like 100 years ago, especially when I watch the Opening Ceremonies because Lake Placid was a much simpler time; there wasn’t an elaborate Opening Ceremonies back then.”
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Tags: Patti+Brooks, Team+USA,
Can Team USA Handle The Pressure?
by Paul on 02/22/10 at 09:04 AM ET
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from Craig Custance of The Sporting News,
The young Americans are doing it exactly the way Burke anticipated when he built the team. Everybody knows his role, and everyone is filling it perfectly.
Chris Drury and Ryan Callahan are providing energy and have been strong on the penalty kill. Ryan Malone and David Backes are throwing their big bodies around and being a nuisance to opposing goalies. Martin Brodeur was irritated enough to take a swipe at Backes for what he thought was goalie interference, and the Americans scored on a distracted Brodeur a moment later.
At some point, scorers like Paul Stastny and Parise will start producing as well. They’re too good not to.
But now comes the pressure and we’ve learned how that can change everything in this tournament. The Canadians are still dealing with the mountain of expectations that accompanied them to Vancouver. When Jonas Hiller and Switzerland took on mighty Canada and the United States, they were outstanding. Against Norway? Not so outstanding—perhaps because they were expected to win.
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Tags: Team+USA, Winter+Olympics,
Team USA Wins With Canadian Style
by Paul on 02/22/10 at 08:41 AM ET
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from Damien Cox of the Toronto Star,
Against the U.S., however, Crosby and Brodeur both had games that won’t make it into their home highlight reels, leaving Canada with all kinds of tricky questions heading into the Germany match.
That’s Olympic hockey. Heroes one day, heels the next.
Still, Canada has one ironclad supporter – a surprising one.
“Canada, I personally believe, is the best team, with Russia right behind them,” U.S. head coach Ron Wilson said in his post-game assessment.
What Wilson pointed out, you see, was that Canada “probably out-chanced us two to one” and that it was a classic case of Miller stealing a win that earned the Americans first place in their pool and a very helpful extra day’s rest.
Canadians from coast to coast might be blaming Babcock for his coaching, Brodeur for his goaltending and various Canadian players for their performances, but the fact was that the Americans won a game in the style that Canada used to use repeatedly in international circumstances, riding red-hot goaltending to wins it had no business recording.
more on Team Canada…
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Tags: Team+Canada, Team+USA,
Late Evening Line
by Paul on 02/22/10 at 12:56 AM ET
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He’s just a real solid player that does his job. He’s not the guy you talk about.”
-Team Canada Coach Mike Babock on Team USA defenseman Brian Rafalski. More on Rafalski from John Dellapina at NHL.com.
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Tags: Brian+Raflaski, Team+USA,
Was A Timeout Needed?
by Paul on 02/21/10 at 11:33 PM ET
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from Bob McKenzie of TSN at CTVOlympics,
...But it all comes back to Miller, who was pretty special on this night.
There was a strategic question that could be asked - whether or not head coach Mike Babcock should have called a timeout during the last faceoff outside the American zone.
Well, I don’t mind saying now that I would have, but while it was happening, the Canadians were having a very good shift. They had Crosby, Jarome Iginla, Duncan Keith and Drew Doughty with sustained pressure in the U.S. end for a long time and they were exhausted.
Canada has a lot of weapons and I’m sure Babcock was thinking he wanted to save the timeout for an offensive zone faceoff. But it was off that faceoff that they had the San Jose Sharks’ line on and the shift eventually led to the empty net-goal.
So at the time, I might have been inclined to call it.
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Tags: Team+Canada, Team+USA, Winter+Olympics,
Your Thoughts On Canada/USA Game
by Paul on 02/21/10 at 09:58 PM ET
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The post belongs to you, the KK members and guests.
Your comments on the game are encouraged.
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Tags: Team+Canada, Team+USA, Winter+Olympics,
Open Post- We Continue A Great Day Of Hockey
by Paul on 02/21/10 at 06:50 PM ET
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Team USA takes on Team Canada at 7:45pm ET on MSNBC (an actual pre-game show starts at 7pm) and CTV in Canada.
Does your heart tell you one thing and your mind another or are they both in sync?
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Tags: Team+Canada, Team+USA, Winter+Olympics,
What Are You Looking Forward To Watching Today?
by Paul on 02/21/10 at 05:19 PM ET
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via ESPN SportsNation poll...
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Tags: Team+Canada, Team+USA, Winter+Olympics,
All The Team USA/Team Canada Talk
by Paul on 02/21/10 at 09:58 AM ET
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from Sarah Kwak of Sports Illustrated,
The buzz around town surrounding what’s being dubbed “Super Sunday” is palpable. Team USA defenseman Tim Gleason got a taste of it the other day, when he was riding in a Vancouver taxicab, and his driver—evidently not much of a Carolina Hurricanes fan—struck up a conversation.
“You going to watch that game on Sunday, Canada vs. the U.S.?” the driver asked his fare.
“Should be a good game,” Gleason replied.
“Who are you rooting for?”
There was a slight pause before the 27-year-old Michigan native deflected, “Well, I’m not too much of a hockey fan.”
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Tags: Team+Canada, Team+USA, Winter+Olympics,
U.S. Military Provides Inspiration For Team USA
by Paul on 02/21/10 at 08:15 AM ET
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from Shawn P. Roarke of NHL.com,
Saturday, on the eve of a Group A title-deciding game against the host Canadians, young Anaheim forward Bobby Ryan talked eloquently about the impact the soldiers have had on his team by sharing their battlefield experiences.
“They talked about how much they come together with their brothers in battle and they alluded to the fact that we are a lot like them in that sense, but not at the grand scale,” Ryan said. “It’s very inspirational and we are glad those guys are behind us. It’s very inspirational and puts things in perspective for you.”...Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Brown also talked about the impact the alliance with the United States military has had on the team.
As he talked, it quickly became clear that it was not merely lip service. Instead, there is a deep understanding of what it means to be an American and to represent the country—be it in armed combat or in athletic competition.
“We realize that our soldiers always have to go over into foreign soil and get the job done and they always do,” Brown said. “That is kind of our theme. We are on foreign soil and we have to get the job done.”
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Tags: Team+USA,
Team Canada Has The Advantage
by Paul on 02/20/10 at 08:20 PM ET
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from Scott Burnside and Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,
Compare rosters, experience and the overwhelming home-ice advantage and there aren’t many areas you can point to heading into Sunday’s Canada-USA game that favor the Americans. But that’s not to suggest the U.S. has no chance. Here are five keys to an American upset—and five reasons why Canada has the upper hand.
Keys to a Team USA win:The boys down the middle
OK, on one hand, the Canadians will roll out centers Sidney Crosby, Ryan Getzlaf, Joe Thornton and either Jonathan Toews, Mike Richards or Patrice Bergeron. The Americans? Well, let’s just say the Americans figured to be thin down the middle, and there’s a ton of pressure on their top two centers, Joe Pavelski and Paul Stastny, to deliver big games Sunday. Pavelski, playing with Ryan Malone and Phil Kessel, has already enjoyed a nice start to this tournament and his line has provided much-needed scoring depth.
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Tags: Team+Canada, Team+USA, Winter+Olympics,
Evening Line
by Paul on 02/20/10 at 07:28 PM ET
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“We’re the enemy tomorrow. It’s going to be a hostile, crazy crowd for Canada, and that’s the way it ought to be.It’ll be a zoo in here. An important part of being a successful team is for our team to manage that.”
“As tough as that might be on our young players, the pressure’s not on our team tomorrow. The pressure’s on Canada.”
-Team USA General Manager Brian Burke. More on tomorrow’s game with Team Canada from Greg Wyshynski of PuckDaddy.
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Tags: Team+Canada, Team+USA, Winter+Olympics,
A Game Russia Wants To Forget
by Paul on 02/20/10 at 07:21 PM ET
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from Brian Friedman at Forbes,
The hawkish features of goalie Vladislav Tretiak turned soft and he smiled slightly as he was reminded of the painful anniversary. But he brushed the memory aside as easily as one of the many thousands of shots he turned away in his Hall of Fame career.
“It’s fine with me,” Tretiak said in an interview with The Associated Press at the nondescript East Vancouver community rink where the Russian Olympic team is practicing. “It’s a big number, but of course it’s 30 years ago.”...
“It was difficult for me to sit on the bench with the score 2-2,” said the Hall of Fame goaltender who won three Olympic gold medals and was part of 10 world championship Soviet teams. “If I played the second and third period, the game might have turned a different way.”...
Tretiak said he never got an apology from Tikhonov for what many regard as the key blunder that gave the game to the Americans.
“Tikhonov wrote in his autobiography that it was the biggest mistake of his life,” the goaltender said.
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Tags: Soviet+Union, Team+USA,
Teammates Face-Off
by Paul on 02/20/10 at 05:49 PM ET
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from Eric Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail at CTVOlympics (Sunday edition),
For Wilson and his Canadian counterpart, Mike Babcock, today’s games presents multiple bench coaching opportunities; given how familiar the players on their respective teams are with one another.
It isn’t just Kane against Toews; it is Kane against face the defensive pair of Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, fellow Blackhawks’ teammates as well. The San Jose Sharks’ Joe Pavelski could easily be the centre Wilson deploys to check his NHL teammates - Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley, Patrick Marleau - Canada’s most productive line thus far.
And Pittsburgh Penguins’ defenceman Brooks Orpik may draw the unenviable task of playing against Sidney Crosby, Canada’s assistant captain, who he faces every day in practice.
Kane, for one, hoped that he could exploit his insider knowledge of the Blackhawks’ defence pair.
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Tags: Team+Canada, Team+USA, Winter+Olympics,
Attention North America Hockey Fans:
by Paul on 02/20/10 at 05:09 PM ET
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The other teams in this tournament do not suck, they are really good.
Watch more from Team USA coach Ron Wilson.
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Tags: Ron+Wilson, Team+USA,
Shanny Thinking Like Team USA
by Paul on 02/20/10 at 09:59 AM ET
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from Brendan Shanahan at NHL.com,
I’m trying to get in the heads of the Team USA brain trust. While watching Team Canada squeak out a shootout victory against the Swiss, I couldn’t help but wonder what coach Ron Wilson and General Manager Brian Burke were thinking.
As pleased as USA was in beating Norway, I have to believe that the coaching staff’s attention already had turned to Sunday’s game against Canada before most players had taken off their skates. When you are about to play a hockey “super power,” there is a part of you that hopes the team you’re facing comes in over-confident and unprepared for the attack you’re planning. Were Burke and Wilson thinking, OK Swiss team, THANKS A LOT—you just woke up this entire team AND country?!
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Tags: Team+Canada, Team+USA,
The Rivalry Continues
by Paul on 02/19/10 at 08:15 PM ET
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from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,
The U.S. won the World Cup of hockey in 1996, defeating Canada in the finals.
Canada won the gold medal in Salt Lake City in 2002, beating the Americans.
And so it has gone: The most recent example being a Canadian shootout win on New Year’s Eve, followed by the gold medal loss at the World Junior tournament in Saskatoon last month.
This isn’t 1980 anymore. This isn’t a pickup team of hungry American college kids taking on the world’s best. This is Patrick Kane and Erik Johnson, first picks in the NHL draft, and this is Bobby Ryan and Jack Johnson, second picks. This is more than half a team of first round picks — and most of the rest should have been first rounders.
“There’s a lot of talent in the U.S. right now” said Team Canada executive director Steve Yzerman. “This is a legitimate rivarly and they’re a legitimate rival.
“The game is growing in the States and we can bad mouth the NHL that we’re in all these bad markets, but what’s happened in those markets is you’re starting to see hockey players developed. You’re starting to see players from Calfornia and St. Louis and other places where there were no players before.”
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Tags: Team+Canada, Team+USA,
You’re Next Canada
by Paul on 02/18/10 at 10:20 PM ET
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from Dan Wetzel of Yahoo,
The U.S. is boasting a 9-2 goal differential, yet there is plenty of room for improvement. They know that. For a team that’s been together for just four days, though, it’s been impressive enough.
If you want validation of the Americans’ obvious potential, it’s that Canadian fans bothered cheering against them.
On both sides of the border, Sunday’s was the game that got circled as soon as the schedule was released. Both teams will almost assuredly advance out of pool play, so winning means relatively little.
It’s about pride. It’s about country. It’s about rivalry.
“I’m anticipating one of the best atmospheres I’ve been in,” said coach Ron Wilson. “Here, it’s going to be on every TV in Canada and a good number in America. Anyone who is a hockey fan will be watching.
“It’s going to be a great day for hockey.”
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Tags: Team+Canada, Team+USA, Winter+Olympics,
Evening Line
by Paul on 02/18/10 at 06:48 PM ET
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“I love our [Team USA] goaltending when we do make a mistake. I’m not always used to, personally over the last two years, of getting the big save so to speak.”
Team USA Head Coach Ron Wilson. A bi more from Wilson from Craig Custance of The Sporting News.
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Tags: Ron+Wilson, Team+USA,
Open Post- Team USA vs. Team Norway
by Paul on 02/18/10 at 02:25 PM ET
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Pucks drops at 3:00pm ET on USA Network and it looks like mens curling will be finished by that time.
Enjoy the game and any final score predictions?
added 2:50pm, Well, curling goes into OT (11 End). Will it end in time?
added 2:53pm, USA Network just announced, they will send us to USA/Norway as soon as the curling ends.
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Tags: Team+Norway, Team+USA,
An Inside Look With Dustin Brown
by Paul on 02/18/10 at 01:22 PM ET
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Dustin Brown of the LA Kings and Team USA takes us inside Vancouver.
If I didn’t know better, I could have easily thought Dustin was a snowboarder or a kid sitting in his bedroom.
I am getting old…
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Tags: Dustin+Brown, Team+USA,
Bond Developed Between Team USA And The Military
by Paul on 02/18/10 at 09:08 AM ET
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from Dr. Michael Stuart of the Post-Bulletin,
The USA Men’s Olympic Hockey Team has developed a special relationship with our military and their families. Operation Homefront is a non-profit organization that provides emergency assistance and morale to our troops, to the families they leave behind and to wounded warriors when they return home….
Each USA player has been adopted by a wounded warrior from their home town, university or NHL city. They were informed that “you are not just playing for your country, but for your warrior as well”. A personal package was provided containing a letter of encouragement and various other items, even bullets taken from the soldier’s bodies to be placed in the player’s locker.
Brian Burke (Team USA General Manager) summed it up by saying that “the real heroes in America don’t wear hockey uniforms, they wear camo”.
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Tags: Team+USA,
No Rest For Ryan Miller
by Paul on 02/17/10 at 09:42 PM ET
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from Kevin Allen of USA TODAY,
U.S. men’s hockey coach Ron Wilson said Wednesday that the Buffalo Sabres’ Ryan Miller will be the starting goalie Thursday against Norway and throughout the Olympic tournament.
“Ryan will play every game unless something drastic happens,” Wilson said….
“This is the playoffs as far as I’m concerned,” Wilson said. “You usually go into the (NHL) playoffs with your hot goalie playing the last six weeks of the season and you don’t think during the playoffs I ought to give my backup some work because what if something happens to the starter.”
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Tags: Ryan+Miller, Team+USA,
Backes Denies Allegations
by Paul on 02/17/10 at 09:04 AM ET
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from Kevin Allen of Mucking and Grinding,
In last spring’s World Championships, Backes laid a hit on Sprunger, causing a major neck injury that required surgery.
After Tuesday’s USA-Switzerland game, Sprunger told ESPN.com writer Pierre Lebrun that during the game Backes essentially threatened to do it again.
Backes denied saying that.
“I think I told him to keep his head up when he was running around a little bit,” Backes said. “I always take it as a compliment when other teams come at me. It means you are doing your job.”
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Tags: David+Backes, Team+USA,
The Team Comes First
by Paul on 02/16/10 at 08:15 PM ET
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from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,
For all the talk from Team USA management and coaching staff that this team was built around a cog like Drury, having him start the Olympic Games as the 13th forward certainly didn’t send the same message. In fact, it only reinforces the belief from some critics that the young T.J. Oshie should have been on this team. Surely, the Blues star could have handled the 13th forward job.
But let me say this: there’s a positive flip side to what coach Ron Wilson decided to do with Drury. When you have a 33-year-old veteran with Drury’s international experience willing to suck it up for the team and accept a diminished role, it sends a message to a youthful squad: no one is bigger than the team.
“Chris has been around for a while,” said young Team USA leader Dustin Brown. “He’s been part of a lot of winning teams and he knows what it takes to win. Everyone has done a really good job of checking their ego at the door and he’s at the top of that list.
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Tags: Team+USA,
Team USA vs. Team Switzerland
by Paul on 02/16/10 at 02:51 PM ET
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Regular KK readers know I am not into the live blog thing, but if you’d like to leave a comment while watching the game, which starts at 3:00pm, be my guest.
The game is on USA Network in the States and TSN & RDS in Canada. Also a stream is available at NBC Olympics.
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Tags: Team+Switzerland, Team+USA,
The Other Miracle
by Paul on 02/16/10 at 02:25 PM ET
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from Allen Barra of the Wall Street Journal,
Team USA faces off with Switzerland today in the first round of the men’s hockey competition at the Vancouver Winter Olympics. And as sports fans settle in to watch, they’ll undoubtedly recall the “Miracle on Ice” in the 1980 Lake Placid games, when a group of young Americans surprised the world and brought home the gold.
Far fewer will remember the first miracle on ice 20 years earlier. At the 1960 Squaw Valley Games, a group of unknown Americans went undefeated, beating the highly favored Russians and then the Canadians and Czechs to win the gold.
“That team,” says Sports Illustrated’s E.M. Swift, “was underrated the day after they won the gold medal.” Yet theirs was arguably the greatest achievement in U.S. Olympic history.
continued and thanks to a KK member for the pointer…
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Tags: Team+USA,
Ron Wilson Gets A Second Chance
by Paul on 02/16/10 at 10:50 AM ET
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from Filip Bondy of the NY Daily News,
Twelve years later, the man who coached one of the most disappointing, ill-behaved hockey teams in history is back coaching Team USA again.
It is hard to believe Ron Wilson gets this second chance Tuesday, when the Americans begin the Olympic tournament against Switzerland, but maybe not so difficult to understand when you consider most Americans involved never really confessed they had done much of anything wrong back at Nagano in 1998. They had some bad luck, they lost to Canada, Sweden and the Czechs, and then just had a goodbye dorm party that got a little bit crazy.
Of the players on that roster, only captain Chris Chelios really manned up, apologized and wrote a check for $3,000. The players involved never quite admitted to anything. Nobody would rat out anybody. Even now, Wilson will acknowledge no responsibility for supervising players who trashed their rooms and hurled furniture from the window of the Olympic Village.
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Tags: Ron+Wilson, Team+USA,
They Are Only Words
by Paul on 02/16/10 at 07:37 AM ET
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Apparently, ‘Miller Time’ and ‘Support Our Troops’ are not words the International Olympic Committee wants to see on goalie masks.
Read the AP story via NBC Olympics.
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Tags: Jonathan+Quick, Ryan+Miller, Team+USA,
The Top Line For Team USA
by Paul on 02/15/10 at 06:16 PM ET
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from Neil Campbell of the Globe and Mail at CTVOlympics,
Generations tend to mix and meld in international hockey these days and the proof comes Tuesday when the United States opens the men’s Olympic hockey tournament against Switzerland, with a top line that features Paul Stastny playing between Zach Parise and Patrick Kane.
And if the first two surnames sound familiar, well, there is an explanation for that. Parise’s father, J.P., played for Canada in the seminal 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union. Stastny’s father, Peter, played for Czechoslovakia during the 1980 Olympics on the team that lost early to the Americans during their magical Miracle on Ice run.
That two players - one of Slovak heritage, one of Canadian - now play for the Americans is an indication how bloodlines matter more in hockey than in almost any other sport. It also points to an explosive growth in the game below the 49th parallel, to the point where the American team, despite its loud insistences to the contrary, could pose a significant threat in the 2010 Olympic competition.
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Tags: Team+USA,
Evening Line
by Paul on 02/14/10 at 10:10 PM ET
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“We’re getting screwed on the schedule because we’re in Canada. I mean, it makes sense. They want Canada in the prime-time slot.
“Magically, when we play them, we’re in the 4:30 (PT) slot. How did that happen?”
Team USA General Manager Brian Burke. More from Eric Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail at CTVOlympics.
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Tags: Brian+Burke, Team+USA,
Johnson Makes It To The Opening Ceremony
by Paul on 02/13/10 at 09:12 AM ET
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from Helene Elliott of the LA Times,
To march with Team USA on Friday in the opening ceremony, Kings defenseman Jack Johnson awoke at 5 a.m. on a day between games, jumped on a charter flight from LAX to Bellingham, Wash., and hired a car and driver for the 50-mile trip to Vancouver.
Johnson wouldn’t say what he paid to charter the six-seat plane for himself, his parents and his little brother. To him, the experience is priceless.
“I had to take extreme measures to get here, but it was worth every bit of it,” said Johnson, the lone NHL player in the procession.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Los Angeles Kings, Non-NHL Hockey, International Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Jack+Johnson, Team+USA,
Patrick Kane’s Introduction To The World
by Paul on 02/11/10 at 02:26 PM ET
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from Mike Kiley of Blackhawks Confidential,
Are you ready, Chicago? Are you ready, world? Kane appeals to all ages, gossipy old nags that like sniffing the scandal sheets and bright-eyed girls and boys who can relate to a fella that’s part Huckleberry Finn, part Eminem, part Joe Namath, part Denis Savard, and pretty much three-quarters Bobby Hull, except for the hair. All live wire.
Kid Galahad could be the belle of this ball, because he so enjoys scrambling those letters to read KID HAD-A-GAL or simply KID GALA, a rollicking roustabout coming straight to your stage and the wide, wide world of sports (I know, I’m mixing networks) from Al Capone’s rootin’-tootin’ hometown, which is still how much of the world identifies Chicago….
Team USA’s Olympic opener is a 12 p. m. puck drop in Vancouver, so Kane still has time to gather the girl scout troop for a Monday night reprise in the party limo, get John Madden and Kris Versteeg on the laptop webcam, try reverse-role playing and have the gals be the ones that take off their shirts this time round for the paparazzi shoot, roast them a few marshmallows, drown them with Jagermeister shooters for the international spirit, park at Lover’s Leap in Stanley Park for belated Valentine canoodling under the moonlight and hit the hay without the need of a police escort to help him say his evening prayers.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks, Non-NHL Hockey, International Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Patrick+Kane, Team+USA, Winter+Olympics,
Is Team USA Underrated?
by Paul on 02/10/10 at 06:15 PM ET
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from Mark Whicker of Ducks Blog,
David McNab, the Ducks senior vice president of hockey operations, is a proud American who expects to be even prouder when they hand out the U.S. men’s hockey medals.
“I think the Americans are going to win,” McNab said. “And you can quote me on that.”
Done.
McNab points to (A) the capricious nature of the Olympic tournament and (B) his belief that the Americans are underrated.
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Tags: Team+USA,
Afternoon Line
by Paul on 02/04/10 at 12:02 PM ET
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“It’s definitely tough news when you find out you’re not going to be playing hockey for four to six months.
“In the end it’s not an easy thing missing the Olympics—an opportunity like that doesn’t come around very often—but more importantly the Leafs have made a commitment to me and the best thing at this point is to have this surgery and have it take care of by arguably one of the best shoulder guys.”
-Mike Komisarek of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Team USA. More from Jonas Siegel of am640.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Toronto Maple Leafs, Non-NHL Hockey, International Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Mike+Komisarek, Team+USA,
Komisarek’s Season May Be Over
by Paul on 02/02/10 at 12:55 PM ET
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from Sean Fitz-Gerald of the CP at the Globe and Mail,
Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Mike Komisarek is facing the possibility of having his season come to a premature end, with his immediate future hinging on another meeting with medical personnel Wednesday.
The 28-year-old has been sidelined since Jan. 2 with an undisclosed upper-body injury, which has been widely reported as a shoulder. His spot on the U.S. Olympic team is also hanging in the balance.
“I’ve tried not to think too much about it,” Komisarek said Tuesday. “If you dwell too much on something like that, you sort of lose track of the focus and what you need to be doing. I’ve been working hard with the strength coach and been talking with the doctors a lot, doing exactly what I need to do to get back.”
He acknowledged the possibility of having to end his season.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Toronto Maple Leafs, Non-NHL Hockey, International Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Mike+Komisarek, Team+USA,
Wilson Failing In Toronto
by Paul on 02/02/10 at 06:38 AM ET
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from Damien Cox of the Toronto Star,
All season long, Brian Burke has remained steadfast in his support of head coach Ron Wilson – and that’s a good thing.
Few coaches have a fair shot at success – or survival – without the explicit backing of their GM.
Still, some have suggested repeatedly, and snidely, that only Wilson’s position as head coach of the U.S Olympic team, with Burke also his boss there, has protected him from dismissal.
The implied accusation is that Burke is putting the welfare of the American team ahead of the needs of the Leafs.
It certainly has created a peculiar dynamic and Wilson’s overt praise of various U.S. Olympians in recent days has made it even more uncomfortable as the fortunes of the Leafs have plummeted.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Toronto Maple Leafs, Non-NHL Hockey, International Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ron+Wilson, Team+USA,
Komisarek Doubtful For Team USA
by Paul on 01/31/10 at 09:10 AM ET
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from Mark Zwolinski of the Toronto Star,
Mike Komisarek received some unfortunate news Saturday night that will almost certainly end his hopes of competing in the Vancouver Olympics with Team USA.
The big Leafs defenceman’s injured shoulder will keep him sidelined up to another seven days – a span that will push him past a deadline to prepare for the Games….
Burke, meanwhile, has several choices to replace Komisarek.
Candidates include Pittsburgh’s Alex Goligoski, Anaheim’s Ryan Whitney, Atlanta’s teenage blueliner Zach Bogosian and Carolina’s Tim Gleason.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Toronto Maple Leafs, Non-NHL Hockey, International Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Mike+Komisarek, Team+USA,
Komisarek May Not Be Ready For The Olympics
by Paul on 01/25/10 at 02:24 PM ET
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from Jonas Siegel of 640am,
Mike Komisarek’s availability for the upcoming Vancouver Olympics might be in jeopardy.
The 27-year-old defenseman is still sidelined from a mysterious upper-body injury (suspected shoulder) and while he might be ready to return on Saturday, his status for the United States Olympic team in Vancouver isn’t quite clear.
“[Tuesday] is three weeks to our first game,” Ron Wilson said of the American team. “If you take the one week away, he has I’d say a week to feel comfortable. If he’s not we’d have to make other plans for the Olympics.”
“I’m not going to put his career at risk. And we’re not going to risk his future with the Leafs for a two-week Olympic thing either.”
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Tags: Mike+Komisarek, Team+USA,
The Backes Plan - Taking On Team Canada
by Paul on 01/13/10 at 10:29 AM ET
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from Michael of The Common Room,
David Backes is an American professional hockey player currently playing for the St. Louis Blues. On New Years, David had the privilege to be named to the USA Olympic Hockey Team.
Since then, he has shown what it means to be a true American hero.
The night after he was named to the Olympic Roster, Backes and the Blues took on the Chicago Blackhawks. During that game, David fought Canadian Olympian Jonathan Toews.
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Tags: David+Backes, Team+USA,
Talk About A Bad Headline
by Paul on 01/11/10 at 08:56 PM ET
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Defenseman puts NHL career on hold for Olympic opportunity
from Travis Rockhold at The Lantern (Ohio State student newspaper),
Winning championships for a professional franchise in sports is often an athlete’s ultimate goal, but a select few get a chance to achieve even more.
Come February, former Buckeye Ryan Kesler will attempt to win a gold medal with the U.S. men’s ice hockey team.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ryan+Kesler, Team+USA,
Captain Langenbrunner
by Paul on 01/11/10 at 02:43 PM ET
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from Tom Gulitti of Fire & Ice,
Nearly 30 years ago, Mike Eruzione captained the United States to a most unexpected Olympic gold medal.
In Vancouver next month, Devils captain Jamie Langenbrunner will try to lead the U.S. to its first Olympic gold in men’s ice hockey since then.
As expected, Langenbrunner was named the captain of the 2010 U.S. Olympic team in a teleconference this afternoon. Devils left wing Zach Parise, ex-Devils Brian Rafalski, Nashville’s Ryan Suter and Los Angeles’ Dustin Brown will be the alternate captains.
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Tags: Team+USA,
Talent Is Key For Team USA
by Paul on 01/06/10 at 10:24 AM ET
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from Kevin Allen of Mucking and Grinding,
Years ago after a U.S. team was humbled by a lesser light at the world junior championships, the late American hockey legend Bob Johnson said to me, with frustration dripping from his voice, “You would think that in a country of 280 million people we could find one kid who could play some goal for us.”
When Washington Capitals prospect John Carlson scored the overtime game-winner to beat Canada 6-5 to win the gold medal Tuesday in Saskatoon I thought about how much Badger Bob would have loved watching this American team perform.
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Tags: Team+USA, WJC,
USA Hockey Is Do Or Die
by Paul on 01/06/10 at 08:59 AM ET
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Team USA with a victory chant after winning the World Junior Hockey Championship.
Below watch extended highlights of the Gold Medal game…
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Tags: Team+USA, WJC,
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