Canada vs. Russia
 

Canada just looks terrible in this tournament

Bertuzzi took a really stupid penalty, and Russia is up 1-0 - it'll be 2-0 right away

Re: Canada vs. Russia
 

game over, enjoy the flight home wayne!!

Re: Canada vs. Russia
 

game over - not going to win many games scoring 0 goals (which they did 3 times this tourney)

what a jopke

Re: Canada vs. Russia
 

We sucked donkey ass.

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It looks like Canadian hockey fans won't be able to do much trash talking for the next few years.

Re: Canada vs. Russia
 

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It looks like Canadian hockey fans won't be able to do much trash talking for the next few years.

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Sure we will. We will be talking trash about Gretzky's selection process. How many of the top scorers in the NHL this season did he leave off the list?

2nd guessing is fun.

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Clearly, Pat Quinn must commit suicide, and we can finally get a new coach in Toronto.

And I was with a Russian girl a couple of hours ago, and unlike team Canada, I managed to score.

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Not many who are any good.

The team was young enough as it is. Who could you really take off this squad? Spezza, Crosby, Staal - I agree that one of these should have been taken, but who do you take off to put that player on?

Canada didn't have enough leaders. A lot of these players are punks who haven't won anything in the NHL yet - guys without very much playoff experience. Oddly enough it's a rebuilding year for Canada, and their offense just couldn't get the job done.

Re: Canada vs. Russia
 

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The team was young enough as it is. Who could you really take off this squad? Spezza, Crosby, Staal - I agree that one of these should have been taken, but who do you take off to put that player on?

Canada didn't have enough leaders. A lot of these players are punks who haven't won anything in the NHL yet - guys without very much playoff experience.

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Yeah, but look what Ovechkin and Malkin are doing for Russia. Those young punks have been tearing it up! I would've loved to see the Olympic version of Crosby vs. Ovechkin.

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I would've loved to see the Olympic version of Crosby vs. Ovechkin.

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No Crosby is a crime.

Re: Canada vs. Russia
 

And the excuses begin:

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Defenceman Chris Pronger said his team had a tough time adjusting to the new rules early on, believing the game was going to be called to NHL standards.

"At times we got caught up in what was going to be called and what wasn't, and what other teams were getting away with," said Pronger, who finished the tournament with three points. "It's a matter of adjusting and understanding what they are and aren't going to call.

"At times we got caught thinking we could get away with something and weren't able to."

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Blame officating for really bad play. Maybe he thinks nobody actually watched the games.

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No Staal is a crime too. In 4 years we may have 2 Staals on the ice.

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Too bad for Canada that all the NHL players filling all the other rosters were somehow able to adjust.

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The players can make all the excuses they like but facts are facts. They took too many stupid penalties and couldn't put the puck in the net.

Re: Canada vs. Russia
 

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I would've loved to see the Olympic version of Crosby vs. Ovechkin.

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No Crosby is a crime.

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Who do you take off?

I think a big difference that has not been mentioned is the international ice surface. Consider that the 2006 WJC, 2005 WJC, 2004 World Cup, 2002 Olympics were all played on NHL ice surfaces, and Canada won all of them.

Re: Canada vs. Russia
 

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I would've loved to see the Olympic version of Crosby vs. Ovechkin.

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No Crosby is a crime.

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Who do you take off?

I think a big difference that has not been mentioned is the international ice surface. Consider that the 2006 WJC, 2005 WJC, 2004 World Cup, 2002 Olympics were all played on NHL ice surfaces, and Canada won all of them.

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This is a great point, both about Crosby and ice surfaces. Who is off Team Canada for Crosby, Shane Doan? I think Doan was mostly brought on as a PK guy and he was probably Canada's best forward in the game.

To me both the US and Canadian method of scoring goals just doesn't work in international play. The US only scored on the power play and Canada not at all. Even strength both teams were absolutely horrible. Every decent European team controlled the middle of the ice all game against them and ended up winning a majority of the games. The US and Canada rarely got odd-man rushes or breakaways, and especially with the US, the puck would inevitably end up on the stick of a stiff like Jason Blake.

Re: Canada vs. Russia
 

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I think a big difference that has not been mentioned is the international ice surface. Consider that the 2006 WJC, 2005 WJC, 2004 World Cup, 2002 Olympics were all played on NHL ice surfaces, and Canada won all of them.

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There is definitely something to be said about this. Even at a youth level, it makes a difference. I grew up playing on an olympic-sized ice rink and it was a pretty good home rink advantage. Then again, as one of the bigger guys playing defense, I enjoyed banging around on the smaller rinks, too. The smaller rinks are definitely better suited to the North American style.

Re: Canada vs. Russia
 

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I think a big difference that has not been mentioned is the international ice surface. Consider that the 2006 WJC, 2005 WJC, 2004 World Cup, 2002 Olympics were all played on NHL ice surfaces, and Canada won all of them.

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2002 Olympics was not played on an NHL surface.

Re: Canada vs. Russia
 

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The smaller rinks are definitely better suited to the North American style.

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Absolutely. A guy like Pronger can't rely on sheer size to clog up the zone on a big sheet of ice. I think the game flows a lot better on international size rinks, and allows skill players to shine a little more.

As for who I'd take off for Crosby- Doan or Nash for sure, possibly Bertuzzi or Lecavalier.

Re: Canada vs. Russia
 

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No Staal is a crime too. In 4 years we may have 2 Staals on the ice.

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There will be 4 Staals...

Re: Canada vs. Russia
 

Jezebel Janet must have bet on Russia.

Re: Canada vs. Russia
 

Poor player selections and not a fan of Quinn. Betuzzi should never made that team. Best player on canada's side was Ryan Smyth. Worst ever showing by a Canadian team and pros to boot.

Re: Canada vs. Russia
 

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I think a big difference that has not been mentioned is the international ice surface. Consider that the 2006 WJC, 2005 WJC, 2004 World Cup, 2002 Olympics were all played on NHL ice surfaces, and Canada won all of them.

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2002 Olympics was not played on an NHL surface.

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I know it was played in an ECHL arena, which would have NHL ice surfaces.

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Olympic hockey is played on Olympic sized rinks. If the arena normally has an nhl size rink they must have renovated it for the games.

Edit- Hockey was held at Peaks arena in Provo and an arena in West Valley city. Both arenas were constructed for use durring the games, but have been in use since 97-98

Re: Canada vs. Russia
 

I think the loss can be attributed to Ovechkin being the man.

Re: Canada vs. Russia
 

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Olympic hockey is played on Olympic sized rinks. If the arena normally has an nhl size rink they must have renovated it for the games.

Edit- Hockey was held at Peaks arena in Provo and an arena in West Valley city. Both arenas were constructed for use durring the games, but have been in use since 97-98

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Since I attended multiple games in both venues I can assure you that they were Olympic sized rinks. It is possible to adjust the ice size, if it is designed that way.

Re: Canada vs. Russia
 

I was a huge hockey fan in Germany before I came to the states. During my 3.5 years in the States I watched maybe 5 games on tv and 2 games live. The North American style doesn't really do it for me.

Re: Canada vs. Russia
 

Check the new NHL it seems much more open which I assume is what you like?