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Sunday, February 21, 2010

Sports Olympic Hockey: The Best All-Star Games Ever?

Posted by Courtney Kelly on Sun, Feb 21, 2010 at 10:48 AM

This won’t be news for fans of the Seattle Thunderbirds but for everyone else, I’m telling you now—tear yourself away from doubles luge and choreographed ice grab-ass and get amped about Olympic men’s ice hockey.

This is the real deal.

(I could go on about the problem with all-star games in general—the neutered NFL Pro Bowl, last weekend's meaningless shell of an NBA all-star game. But Olympic men's hockey is the exception. The teams are made up of the very best hockey players in the world, so every shift is top speed and hard-hitting, and they play together for two weeks, designing strategies and getting a feel for timing like a real team. And the players are after something meaningful: Olympic glory.)

The teams are incredible. Team Canada has four overall number-one NHL draft picks and the entire starting forward line from the NHL-Western-Conference-leading San Jose Sharks. Anchored by three-time Stanley Cup Champion Martin Brodeur, Canada will be hard to stop and are the oddsmakers' gold-medal favorite.

Team USA is younger than it has been in the last few Olympics and 29-year-old Ryan Miller, goalie for the Buffalo Sabres, has been just about standing on his head between the pipes. Captain Jamie Langenbrunner leads a hungry squad with more than enough talent to go around and a recent shuffling of personnel has even the third line generating real goal-scoring opportunities.

Add the fact that ice hockey is the national game of the host country. All the pride is on the line. The Great One himself has predicted that if Canada makes it to a gold-medal game, the entire nation will shut down and more than 35 million Canadian viewers will watch. (That’s about 1 million more people than Canada has, but it’s a fair bet that some of the dead would rise to see the game).

Team USA plays team Canada today at 4:40. It'll be an epic rematch from the Salt Lake 2002 gold-medal game—Canada won that time and the US would love to deal some revenge to the hosts.

Get ready for some of the best all-star games in the history of sports.

Comments (39) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

I'd love to see it, but I don't have cable and it's only being carried by MSNBC. (Oh, how I long for CBC...)

Posted by Matt from Denver on February 21, 2010 at 10:53 AM

#1: TSN and CTV should be streaming it via Internet. CBC was outbid for Olympic coverage.

Posted by Keister Button on February 21, 2010 at 11:00 AM

MSNBC? Comcast is screwed up for me and all I get is "to Be Announced"

Posted by Red Spandex Guy from Airpocalypse on February 21, 2010 at 11:03 AM

Oh, and USA! USA! USA! (Sorry Uncle Jerry, I'm winning this one....)

Posted by Red Spandex Guy from Airpocalypse on February 21, 2010 at 11:04 AM

I want Canada to win today, but only because I have tickets for the knockout round noon game Tuesday. If the US are anywhere in the 5-12 slot, I get to see them!

I'm from Buffalo originally, and have been watching Ryan Miller for the better part of 7 years now, it's so great to see the rest of the hockey world give him credit for being a stand out goalie!

Posted by nicholaus on February 21, 2010 at 11:12 AM

the excitement starts in 35 mins (noon west coast) with Russia-Czech Republic (rematch of the 1998 gold medal game), followed by the US-Canada (rematch of 2002 gold medal game) at 4:40 and Sweden-Finland (rematch of the 2006 gold medal game) at 9. Not a bad day all around.

Posted by Frank Rizzo on February 21, 2010 at 11:29 AM

The whole day is going to be incredible hockey! First, Rus. Vs Czh, then the U.S. Canada game, then Sweden vs Finland. My picks; Sweden gold, Canada silver, Finland bronze

Posted by E23 on February 21, 2010 at 11:53 AM

When it comes to the Olympics, I go totally USA! USA! USA! But men's hockey is the one sport where I really am viscerally rooting for someone else to win the gold. And that someone else is Canada.

I'm sure that has not a small bit to do with my being a Pittsburgh Penguins fan. And anyway, how can you not root for Sidney Crosby?!

Posted by cressona on February 21, 2010 at 11:56 AM

are there any bars in seattle that will be showing this game? i do not have cable. please post a list.

Posted by Kinkos on February 21, 2010 at 12:01 PM

Sorry, I'm busy watching the UK women's curling team and the Canadian men's curling team - the former has a hot skip, and the latter is destined for Olympic Gold.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on February 21, 2010 at 12:46 PM

This Russia vs. Czech Republic game is such good hockey. What a first period!

Russia is skating so well with all 3 Washington Capital forwards. Alexander Ovechkin is not yet overshadowing Sergei Fedorov & Alexander Semin, but you can feel the promise building. I have a long-term crush on Sergei Gonchar from his days as a Washington Capital and his ability to consistently rate as a leading scorer among NHL defensemen. Go 55!

It is also so great to see Jagr back out on the ice! There is no love lost between these two clubs and the checking is full on! I love the catty hold on Jagr.

And the 5 on 3 opportunity ties the game for the Czech team! The second period will be intense! I’m locked in.

Posted by Courtney Kelly on February 21, 2010 at 12:49 PM

I just called Prost and they said they would be showing the game, but with no sound, so that's one option to get your hockey on later if you have no cable.

(206) 706-5430
7311 Greenwood Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103

Posted by Courtney Kelly on February 21, 2010 at 12:56 PM

Also Jillian's [731 Westlake Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109, 206-223-0300] said they would be showing the game. So it seems like you have a couple options. I would try just about any sports bar.

Posted by Courtney Kelly on February 21, 2010 at 1:02 PM

@2: I thought CTV couldn't be streamed from a U.S. IP address. Did they change that or are you assuming we can all easily mask our IP address?

Posted by stinkbug on February 21, 2010 at 1:08 PM

Courtney, regarding your "spoiler alert" post @11, it's coming back to me now. You're on the East Coast, right?

Because Russia-Czech Rep. ain't showing here in Seattle until 3 PM our time. Ah, the joy of tape delay. Which means that game will overlap for us with Canada-USA.

Posted by cressona on February 21, 2010 at 1:39 PM

The US-Canada game will be played live, correct?

Posted by muji on February 21, 2010 at 2:00 PM

So glad I have CTV and TSN and can watch events live.

Posted by Gabriel

on February 21, 2010 at 2:02 PM

@15 Oh dear! I am so sorry about the spoiler. You guys should really write your Senators. You are being treated like second-class citizens. I had no idea the game wasn’t on live. What a scrooge!

Looking into my crystal ball: The game is great. Get off the couch for nothing. Things not to miss: what happens to Jagr in the 3rd when he is bringing up the puck in open ice. Dun dun dun.

Posted by Courtney Kelly on February 21, 2010 at 2:19 PM

I've never watched hockey before, but the Russia vs. Czech Republic game was the most exciting thing I've seen on the winter Olympics so far.

Posted by M3 on February 21, 2010 at 2:29 PM

@5 Miller is probably one of the best things to happen to the Sabres since 99. And yeah, being from Buffalo myself, I lament the fact that I can't have an actual hockey conversation with anyone in Seattle.

Posted by j.lee on February 21, 2010 at 3:22 PM

Is the game being broadcast live anywhere? from what i've read it's being broadcast at 7:00 because of tape delay.

Posted by ploki on February 21, 2010 at 3:26 PM

I like how you neglected to mention Russia. What, Ovechkin/Malkin/Fedorov isn't a good enough combination?

Posted by pointy on February 21, 2010 at 3:30 PM

@22 I could not agree more pointy. I have space limits. I tried to drool about Russia a little above in #11. All of the teams are just so strong. This is like hockey porn. I cannot wait to see Russia in the next round. Whoever they play in the quarters will be up against it.

Posted by Courtney Kelly on February 21, 2010 at 4:31 PM

Oh Shit! That is so un-Brodeur. Does Crosby get an assist for that?

Posted by Courtney Kelly on February 21, 2010 at 4:50 PM

Christ, team Canada sucks balls so far.

Posted by sirkowski

on February 21, 2010 at 4:59 PM

fucking comcast, ruining my sunday

read that however you want. my grammar sucks and i'm in a bad mood

Posted by colinrichardson on February 21, 2010 at 5:17 PM

Nice one, Heatley.

Posted by Red Spandex Guy from Airpocalypse on February 21, 2010 at 5:40 PM

USA is getting so out-skated. The entire second has looked like a penalty kill for USA and it's been full-strength. I cannot believe the score is still tied. Miller's sick play is the only thing keeping USA in the game. Canada is getting to every puck first.

Posted by Courtney Kelly on February 21, 2010 at 5:50 PM

#1

Yeah, I got home at 5pm expecting to see this and was watching Russia beat up the Czech Republic (wow, like that's never happened before!).

I don't see why we go on and on about China blocking Google when the USoA blocks EVERY internet broadcast of the Olympics in the world from entering this county.

Posted by Jim Thorpe on February 21, 2010 at 5:57 PM

Drury has been such a lame ass for the Rangers this year and he finds O-fense in the Olympics?

Posted by East Coast Realist on February 21, 2010 at 6:04 PM

Courtney @18, no problem with the spoiler alert. I ended up watching Russia-Czechs through to the end, even though it overlapped with USA-Canada. And glad I did. Especially with what my man Evgeni Malkin did, two goals and one assist.

Oh, and I said I would be viscerally rooting for Canada, but now that I'm actually watching USA-Canada, I can't help but myself, but I'm all USA! USA! again. Oh well. I guess the ideal score for me would be USA 4-Canada 3 with Crosby getting a hat trick for the Canucks.

Posted by cressona on February 21, 2010 at 6:15 PM

I like sports generally, but I never watch hockey and my only understanding of the rules and strategy comes from identifying parallels to soccer and lacrosse. But I just watched the last 12 minutes of USA-Canada and really enjoyed it (apart from the announcer: "tremendously tremendous"?!?). Without this post, this game would not have been on my radar. So, thanks.

Posted by California on February 21, 2010 at 7:02 PM

@32 - Yup. Very exciting to watch.

Posted by Red Spandex Guy from Airpocalypse on February 21, 2010 at 7:16 PM

Sweden v Finland is a good one so far! Lovin' it! And Will, I loves me the ladies of curling!

Posted by Zoroastronomer on February 21, 2010 at 9:40 PM

Well, the NY Times home page is giving such exposure to Team USA, you'd think they had just won the gold medal. But well-deserved. That third period was non-stop fireworks. To use Lindsey Vonn's favorite word, it was awesome.

And to think now that Canada and Russia are on course to meet in the quarterfinals. Which means one of those two teams is going home without a medal.

Posted by cressona on February 21, 2010 at 9:54 PM

FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK. This isn't over eh.

Posted by displayname on February 21, 2010 at 10:04 PM

Ryan Miller was ferocious all right. After watching soccer all day, hockey looks weird -- players too big, pitch too small. The entire third period was played a foot in front of Miller's goal.

Posted by Fnarf

on February 21, 2010 at 10:18 PM

PS -- those Russki ice dancers may have toned down their obscene and racist "Aboriginal" costumes, but they -- and their ridiculous music -- were still offensive as hell. Fuck you, Russian ice dancers. And they scored third with it! Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit.

Posted by Fnarf

on February 21, 2010 at 10:22 PM