Olympic Hockey Thread

[Pekka]

so they are going into the third, leading Canada 2-0... I think it will end 4-2 for Canada.

[Zoid]

I think Switzerland might pull this off. It´s not that many minutes left now...

[klesh]

Oooh, I just got home... Switzerland! 3-0 atm!?! Only 2 minutes left in the game!

Edit: Canada's goalie is out of the net!

Bah, read the screen wrong, only 2-0.

[Flubber]

Nope still 2-0 with a minute left --

The Swiss played a textbook game with stellar goaltending. Heck Canada outshot them something like 20-1 in the third period.

Nice Swiss effort -- but doesn't change a thing overall . . . I still predict Canada will medal and the Swiss will not

[Zoid]

Sweden leads Latvia 5-0 with half the game to go!

[Pekka]

Flubber, give some credit to the Swiss team, it makes them tactically solid to close the game down after leading 2-0. What, you expect a weaker time, considrably weaker team to keep the game open after a start like that? heck no. These games come and goes, we've had similar games too in the past, losing like that, but the fact is, if you can't score, you can't win, and it's difficult to score when someone is onyl defending, but that's no excuse for professionals not to win the game.

But as we all know, this is not an indicator, Canada will be playing QF game and is favourite in it so..

But good effort from Swiss team... they took down Czechs too, so that's great for their team. And after this, they are a dangerous team for any QF team, because they're hyped, they are in the zone so to say and they believe everything can happen and that always brings good games.

[Zoid]

Has the Swiss ever taken a medal in the Olympics or WC, btw?

Edit, answering my own question. Yes, but not since 1953...

[Pekka]

in WC, no. Olympics? I don't know if somewhere in history they have, but I doubt it. Of course they are just getting better, or have been for some time. For example the Swiss league is competitive and attracts lots of foreign players and it has some money in it too, so it's something that gives a basis to the.. teams.

And something we've known for a years now is that Swiss juonior teams have been dangerous many times, in U20 tournaments. Late 90s they started the threats, and they are serious, even more serious than in mens level.. as a threat.

So it's only natural, that it carries to the mens team, and we've been wondering when it happens, because htey have good juniors, so why not the mens team too?

Most of this was naturally some freaky stuff, win over Canada and Czechs, but they deserve the credit for it, and they've been getting better and they are getting better and some day in these coming years when they win a big 7 team, it won't be considered a shock. Then we have to rewrite the name to big 8. It's going to be the Swiss or the German team that makes it, looks like the Swiss have the edge now, with all those juniors too, and their national league.

[Zoid]

I had to check the IIHF database. The last medal was a bronze in the WC 1953. All in all 9 medals, 8 bronzes and 1 silver.

[Pekka]

oh I thought you meant world cup, ex-canada cup.. nto the world championships..

[Zoid]

I didn´t even know they changed the name. So many tournaments to keep track of

[Pekka]

Well, only 3. Olympics and WC (world cup). World Cup is like the wc of soccer.. player every 4 years, and best players are there. Same goes for Olympics. SO these tourneys are the pinnacle of international hockey.

World Championships aren't the pinnacle, because they are being played during the NHL playoffs, so most teams are not getting their best players at all. So while I like to watch that tournament as well, it carries less importance.

[Zoid]

Only three? I thought there was a whole bunch of them (or are they gone?) Karjala Cup, Iszvestia, Sweden Hockey Games...

[Pekka]

oh yeah but those are part of Euro Hockey Tour(?) and unofficial european championships.. but they're just.. you know, they're not important at all

[Zoid]

True. I only care about hockey when it´s Olympics or World Championships. Too boring to follow the national leauge...