Friday, February 26, 2010
LIVE BLOG: States vs. Finland
6:32 AM | 
Posted by
Nick Mendola
(WGR 550) -- Here we go, my fellow Americans, another elimination game for the States. Thanks for hanging out with me for some live updates of Team USA vs. Finland. If you haven't been able to bail out of work -- or even if you have -- I won't miss anything I deem notable (Hence, the notes). Comment away below, and I'll cut and paste my reaction to your reaction. What a grand time it'll be!
Email: nick@wgr550.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NicholasMendola
5:12 p.m. -- It's a final. Guaranteed medal for the United States! Do your business, Canada, and we'll see ya Sunday. Anyone who's coming down to the Pond Hockey Tourney this weekend, come say hello. Team WGR (Bulldog, me, some friends) play at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Monday, and 11:30 on Sunday. Root, root, root for the States (and us).
5:11 p.m. -- Ryan Adams' "To Be Young is To Be Sad" over the loudspeakers? Canada, where have you been all my life? Did they think it was Bryan Adams?
5:05 p.m. -- Keep booing the "USA! USA!" chants, Canada. You haven't beaten us in four-plus years, not including World Juniors (which we won this year, by the way). I really do love Canada and need to get these shots in while I can. Go States!
5:05 p.m. -- Thomas' goal mask is awesome.
5:03 p.m. -- FINLAND GOAL, 6-1, STATES. Here it comes! The inevitable collapse. Kidding.
4:54 p.m. -- Miller's night is over. Tim Thomas is going to get a piece of this one. Good for him. Miller hasn't allowed a goal in almost 120 minutes. Good news.
4:51 p.m. -- I'm still watching. Just don't have too much to add right now, except that a Twitterer(?) posted an interesting observation: no protective nets above the end glass? (Another rule exactly like the NHL, right, Gar?)
4:42 p.m. -- Backstrom just got a penalty for sweeping a loose glove out of his crease. That's ridiculous.
4:32 p.m. -- Bettman could not have come off worse. I'm sorry, but does the NHL have PR coaches? The rules (penalty times, trapezoid, no-touch icing, face shields) are quite different and Ovechkin has already said he'll pull himself from your league to play in Sochi. Can I be commissioner? Please? I'm not trying to be disrespectful... it's coming naturally.
4:31 p.m. -- Did Gary Bettman just take a shot at NBC, the only network who would take him? What a fool.
4:30 p.m. -- Would be a huge mistake to pull NHL players from Olympics in Sochi. How is Bettman still in power?
4:29 p.m. -- Dear Gary Bettman, "It's all NHL rules?" Really? Do you know what the NHL is? Signed, everyone.
4:28 p.m. -- An absolutely uneventful second period, but thanks to USA Hockey hero Jim Craig for livening things up by posting that the States should play Tim Thomas in the third. I get the sentiment of it, but would you mess with that mojo? You;ve
4:16 p.m. -- I really like Doc Emrick, but there cannot be "a lot of players tied for the best person in the NHL." By definition, "best" is best. Only one. That's why the Ovechkin/Crosby debate is so fun. And thanks to Malkin for bowing out of that discussion this year.
4:15 p.m. -- Finns have played the States even here in the second, but nothing spectacular from either side. It's going to be a long 25 minutes. They just played "Badlands" by Bruce Springsteen over the speakers. Great song.
4:10 p.m. -- Email from Ed in Texas:
Nick,
I'm watching in Austin, Texas. Loving it. Of course all of my Texas co-workers can't seem to grasp the enormity of this. They tell me they just don't get hockey. Great for USA hockey, great for the Sabres, great for Buffalo NY. Emailing two Canadians back and forth, they are frothing to get the U.S. back on the ice. Be careful what you wish for guys, eh?
USA USA USA USA USA
Reply: (Smiling).
4:07 p.m. -- Jarkko Ruutu runs Miller. Totally out-of-character for him. Two and ten. Somewhere, Andrew Peters is having phantom bite pains in his finger.
4:00 p.m. -- Second-period underway. Two questions:
1) How much would US/Canada gold medal game tickets scalp for?
2) Would you rather see a shut-out for Miller or 12 goals? Can't say both.
3:55 p.m. -- Email from Larry:
"Loving the Buffalo connection in these Olympics: Miller and Kane. We should be damn proud to be Buffalo hockey fans on days like this (btw, i live in Phoenix now but my wife and i still bleed blue and gold). 6-0! This is a great statement game to the canadians: You're not the only ones capable of blowing a team out."
Reply: Don't forget Brooks Orpik. Also, there's a veritable Canadian firestorm of hate on Twitter right now. If they win tonight -- and if the States don't start on fire -- Sunday is going to be insane. They better get a giant TV screen for the Pond Hockey Tourney!
3:48 p.m. -- It took just two weeks for NBC to run an NHL promo during Olympic hockey. Great job!
3:40 p.m. -- Six-nothing, States, just 20 minutes in. Canadians are already signing in to this blog to talk crap about Sunday, so let me officially say, "Go Slovakia."
3:32 p.m. -- Two solid quotes of the night so far.
1) Text from my buddy Spicoli, "How do you say 'Whammy' in Finnish?"
2) Tweet from Acapn: "Kane beat him like a rented cabbie."
3:31 p.m. -- If you're a boss right now, you can do one of two things?:
1) Tell your charges to go back to work, cause this sucker's over.
2) Order a couple cases of Genny Cream Ale and be the hero of the world.
3:27 p.m. -- "Janne Niskala pinched up in the neutral zone. He should feel shame," Mike Milbury says. UNITED STATES GOAL(S), 5-0 and 6-0. First, Kane gets nasty with a wrister from the right side, then Parise forechecks to get the puck to Jamie Langenbrunner, who feeds Statsny for the game's sixth. You can't make this stuff up.
3:23 p.m. -- I just went from a doubter to a cocky American. UNITED STATES GOAL, 4-0. Patrick Kane stays hard on the puck for a backhanded goal after Dustin Brown clogs the front of the net for Kiprusoff. Kipper pulls himself from the game. This is some sick stuff. I believe the United States could beat anyone right now, including the 1976 Canadians. Get me a time machine. I've got Olympic fever, and the only prescription is the gold medal game.
3:19 p.m. -- Erik Johnson may have just chased Kipprusoff. UNITED STATES GOAL, 3-0. Can I be done writing now? An impressive forecheck from the States that included a nifty little stick check from Malone allows Joe Pavelski to pick up a loose puck and attempt a wrap-around. Rebound comes to Johnson who just beats Kipper top shelf. Three-zip. I'm shocked in a deliriously-happy way.
3:18 p.m. -- Toni Lydman, over aggressive? No way! States back to power play.
3:16 p.m. -- UNITED STATES GOAL, 2-0. Like I just said, ahem, make it 2-0. Zach Parise gets a cross-crease pass from Paul Stastny who had to fight for every millimeter (they're in Canada) of that puck. A very Vanek-like play in front of the net, and Parise gets his third goal of the tourney. A just reward for one of the best players of the tourney.
3:15 p.m. -- States heading to PP. Make it 2-0 and dare someone to score three goals against Miller (Says the guy who predicted a 3-2 loss).
3:10 p.m. -- Look at it this way, Finn fans. If the States didn't score on Kipper's screw-up, they would've just now. Great save in traffic by the Flames backstop. Still 1-0. 16:37 left in first.
3:07 p.m. -- UNITED STATES GOAL, 1-0. It's like Kiprusoff is trying to prove me wrong. Kipper makes a horrible decision under duress by Phil Kessel, and Ryan Malone buries a long wrister into the empty net. Kessel tries to tip it in. Come on, man!
3:07 p.m. -- Now, it's Finland's turn to get some pressure in the U.S. zone, but they are quickly learning that the States don't allow too many pucks to get to Miller.
3:05 p.m. -- States get a shot on net within the opening minute from ol' "Fountain of Youth" Rafalski. Game plan hasn't changed. Pucks either deep or on net. We'll see if that's enough to beat Miikka Kiprusoff, the only keeper in the tourney with better numbers than the States' Ryan Miller.
2:58 p.m. -- Real nervous about this one. Even Matthew Barnaby, who generally knows his stuff, is saying we've got a better team than Finland, but I'm not so sure. You've got the 2006 silver medalists with four or five Finn legends going for it in their last OIympics, and a bunch of young Finns who don't want to let them down. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm feeling 3-2, Finland. Yikes.
Email: nick@wgr550.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NicholasMendola
5:12 p.m. -- It's a final. Guaranteed medal for the United States! Do your business, Canada, and we'll see ya Sunday. Anyone who's coming down to the Pond Hockey Tourney this weekend, come say hello. Team WGR (Bulldog, me, some friends) play at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Monday, and 11:30 on Sunday. Root, root, root for the States (and us).
5:11 p.m. -- Ryan Adams' "To Be Young is To Be Sad" over the loudspeakers? Canada, where have you been all my life? Did they think it was Bryan Adams?
5:05 p.m. -- Keep booing the "USA! USA!" chants, Canada. You haven't beaten us in four-plus years, not including World Juniors (which we won this year, by the way). I really do love Canada and need to get these shots in while I can. Go States!
5:05 p.m. -- Thomas' goal mask is awesome.
5:03 p.m. -- FINLAND GOAL, 6-1, STATES. Here it comes! The inevitable collapse. Kidding.
4:54 p.m. -- Miller's night is over. Tim Thomas is going to get a piece of this one. Good for him. Miller hasn't allowed a goal in almost 120 minutes. Good news.
4:51 p.m. -- I'm still watching. Just don't have too much to add right now, except that a Twitterer(?) posted an interesting observation: no protective nets above the end glass? (Another rule exactly like the NHL, right, Gar?)
4:42 p.m. -- Backstrom just got a penalty for sweeping a loose glove out of his crease. That's ridiculous.
4:32 p.m. -- Bettman could not have come off worse. I'm sorry, but does the NHL have PR coaches? The rules (penalty times, trapezoid, no-touch icing, face shields) are quite different and Ovechkin has already said he'll pull himself from your league to play in Sochi. Can I be commissioner? Please? I'm not trying to be disrespectful... it's coming naturally.
4:31 p.m. -- Did Gary Bettman just take a shot at NBC, the only network who would take him? What a fool.
4:30 p.m. -- Would be a huge mistake to pull NHL players from Olympics in Sochi. How is Bettman still in power?
4:29 p.m. -- Dear Gary Bettman, "It's all NHL rules?" Really? Do you know what the NHL is? Signed, everyone.
4:28 p.m. -- An absolutely uneventful second period, but thanks to USA Hockey hero Jim Craig for livening things up by posting that the States should play Tim Thomas in the third. I get the sentiment of it, but would you mess with that mojo? You;ve
4:16 p.m. -- I really like Doc Emrick, but there cannot be "a lot of players tied for the best person in the NHL." By definition, "best" is best. Only one. That's why the Ovechkin/Crosby debate is so fun. And thanks to Malkin for bowing out of that discussion this year.
4:15 p.m. -- Finns have played the States even here in the second, but nothing spectacular from either side. It's going to be a long 25 minutes. They just played "Badlands" by Bruce Springsteen over the speakers. Great song.
4:10 p.m. -- Email from Ed in Texas:
Nick,
I'm watching in Austin, Texas. Loving it. Of course all of my Texas co-workers can't seem to grasp the enormity of this. They tell me they just don't get hockey. Great for USA hockey, great for the Sabres, great for Buffalo NY. Emailing two Canadians back and forth, they are frothing to get the U.S. back on the ice. Be careful what you wish for guys, eh?
USA USA USA USA USA
Reply: (Smiling).
4:07 p.m. -- Jarkko Ruutu runs Miller. Totally out-of-character for him. Two and ten. Somewhere, Andrew Peters is having phantom bite pains in his finger.
4:00 p.m. -- Second-period underway. Two questions:
1) How much would US/Canada gold medal game tickets scalp for?
2) Would you rather see a shut-out for Miller or 12 goals? Can't say both.
3:55 p.m. -- Email from Larry:
"Loving the Buffalo connection in these Olympics: Miller and Kane. We should be damn proud to be Buffalo hockey fans on days like this (btw, i live in Phoenix now but my wife and i still bleed blue and gold). 6-0! This is a great statement game to the canadians: You're not the only ones capable of blowing a team out."
Reply: Don't forget Brooks Orpik. Also, there's a veritable Canadian firestorm of hate on Twitter right now. If they win tonight -- and if the States don't start on fire -- Sunday is going to be insane. They better get a giant TV screen for the Pond Hockey Tourney!
3:48 p.m. -- It took just two weeks for NBC to run an NHL promo during Olympic hockey. Great job!
3:40 p.m. -- Six-nothing, States, just 20 minutes in. Canadians are already signing in to this blog to talk crap about Sunday, so let me officially say, "Go Slovakia."
3:32 p.m. -- Two solid quotes of the night so far.
1) Text from my buddy Spicoli, "How do you say 'Whammy' in Finnish?"
2) Tweet from Acapn: "Kane beat him like a rented cabbie."
3:31 p.m. -- If you're a boss right now, you can do one of two things?:
1) Tell your charges to go back to work, cause this sucker's over.
2) Order a couple cases of Genny Cream Ale and be the hero of the world.
3:27 p.m. -- "Janne Niskala pinched up in the neutral zone. He should feel shame," Mike Milbury says. UNITED STATES GOAL(S), 5-0 and 6-0. First, Kane gets nasty with a wrister from the right side, then Parise forechecks to get the puck to Jamie Langenbrunner, who feeds Statsny for the game's sixth. You can't make this stuff up.
3:23 p.m. -- I just went from a doubter to a cocky American. UNITED STATES GOAL, 4-0. Patrick Kane stays hard on the puck for a backhanded goal after Dustin Brown clogs the front of the net for Kiprusoff. Kipper pulls himself from the game. This is some sick stuff. I believe the United States could beat anyone right now, including the 1976 Canadians. Get me a time machine. I've got Olympic fever, and the only prescription is the gold medal game.
3:19 p.m. -- Erik Johnson may have just chased Kipprusoff. UNITED STATES GOAL, 3-0. Can I be done writing now? An impressive forecheck from the States that included a nifty little stick check from Malone allows Joe Pavelski to pick up a loose puck and attempt a wrap-around. Rebound comes to Johnson who just beats Kipper top shelf. Three-zip. I'm shocked in a deliriously-happy way.
3:18 p.m. -- Toni Lydman, over aggressive? No way! States back to power play.
3:16 p.m. -- UNITED STATES GOAL, 2-0. Like I just said, ahem, make it 2-0. Zach Parise gets a cross-crease pass from Paul Stastny who had to fight for every millimeter (they're in Canada) of that puck. A very Vanek-like play in front of the net, and Parise gets his third goal of the tourney. A just reward for one of the best players of the tourney.
3:15 p.m. -- States heading to PP. Make it 2-0 and dare someone to score three goals against Miller (Says the guy who predicted a 3-2 loss).
3:10 p.m. -- Look at it this way, Finn fans. If the States didn't score on Kipper's screw-up, they would've just now. Great save in traffic by the Flames backstop. Still 1-0. 16:37 left in first.
3:07 p.m. -- UNITED STATES GOAL, 1-0. It's like Kiprusoff is trying to prove me wrong. Kipper makes a horrible decision under duress by Phil Kessel, and Ryan Malone buries a long wrister into the empty net. Kessel tries to tip it in. Come on, man!
3:07 p.m. -- Now, it's Finland's turn to get some pressure in the U.S. zone, but they are quickly learning that the States don't allow too many pucks to get to Miller.
3:05 p.m. -- States get a shot on net within the opening minute from ol' "Fountain of Youth" Rafalski. Game plan hasn't changed. Pucks either deep or on net. We'll see if that's enough to beat Miikka Kiprusoff, the only keeper in the tourney with better numbers than the States' Ryan Miller.
2:58 p.m. -- Real nervous about this one. Even Matthew Barnaby, who generally knows his stuff, is saying we've got a better team than Finland, but I'm not so sure. You've got the 2006 silver medalists with four or five Finn legends going for it in their last OIympics, and a bunch of young Finns who don't want to let them down. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm feeling 3-2, Finland. Yikes.
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