Phew...goodness me.

I was thinking the same thing. 4 on 4 after three full periods on Olympic ice.

Great game.

USA showed up in overtime just couldn't put it away.

Not how I want to see a gold medal game end.... but keep your skates on, here we go!

The USA owned overtime. They just couldn't get the goal. Dang. Great game.

Hope the women have a female version of TJ Oshie.

I gotta say, the announcer who calls these hockey games is amazing.

YES!!!!!

YEEESSSSSSSSSS!

Way to bring the gold home ladies.

USA USA USA

OK...I have to find something to do for a few hours since I'm not sleeping.

I hate shootouts but this one was GREAT!

That last goal in the shutout was nothing short of amazing.

Why are the Canadian girls so sad? They won silver! That's pretty good. Isn't it?

I guess blasting Born in the USA over the loud speaker didn't help their mood.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
Why are the Canadian girls so sad? They won silver!

I think they thought it was theirs just by showing up.

Silver is just the first place loser!!!

Given the cheap head shot by Poulin, I think the Canadians didn't deserve a win.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
Why are the Canadian girls so sad? They won silver! That's pretty good. Isn't it?

I'll see if I can explain this...

A hockey season is long. It's full of ups & downs, wins & losses, injuries, lots of hours in the gym, doing off-ice, and grinding it out on the ice. It's long bus rides, too many hotels, not enough sleep, and a lot of stress.

It is all for one goal. That Stanley Cup, the National Championship, State Championship, Gold Medal Game.

When you go out there, it doesn't matter what your jersey says, you're playing for your brothers or sisters. Each playoff game is about one thing, another chance to play together. When you get this game every thing, all that happened in the season peaks here. You leave it all out there. There is no way to describe the energy when you're in a game like that.

Then.... its over.

If you won, you're over taken by the exhilaration of the win, you champions! YOU DID IT!

If you lose, it all crashes down on you. Every emotion, every raw nerve, every injury, hurt, hours spent packed in ice to get there, all of that energy crushes you. And just as fast you realize your team will never play again. Some will stay, some will leave, but that team is done. That is the worst. It doesn't matter what the 2nd place trophy or medal is, you lost, it SUCKS.

In this game, to lose it in a shoot out, that is bitter... just bitter.

38 years ago today, the Miracle on Ice. How fitting for the USA

Or I was just being sarcastic.

It appeared USA had a better one on one goalie, and better penalty shooters. The Canadian team accepted their silver medals like they were death sentences. USA!

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
I gotta say, the announcer who calls these hockey games is amazing.

Of course. That's Kenny Albert I now realize. Man, he's great at the play by play.

So a few additional comments on this game from a guy who is a goalie coach for a collegiate women's hockey team...

Wommen's Hockey
This is going to be a huge boost to women's hockey in the USA. It is sorely needed. Anything that inspires kids to work harder is a great thing. They did something the super star men couldn't, that will have some mileage.

As a Goalie Coach
A fabulous display of goal tending. Both goalies were amazing. Some mistakes were made, some they recovered from, some they didn't.

My issue with the shootout. Up until a few years ago a player would come in at full speed, or perhaps 2/3 speed and try and beat the goalie. Then a few years ago this trend started where they come creeping in and do this crazy dance in front of the net. As long as the puck and player keep moving its legal. However you simply can't move a 6'4" 220lbs or a 5'2" 125lbs goalie as fast as a skilled player can move a 6 oz chunk of rubber. The last goal against Canada is a prime example. A mid level player with decent hands can undress just about any goalie at any level with that type of move.