First of all, let me say how impressed/disheartened I am that we’ve racked up 400 comments in the afternoon on a weekday. But still, I’m proud if I’m helping some faceless corporation’s production grind down to a halt. Satisfies the socialist/anarchist in me. Anyway…
Well, that’s a relief, no? The Swiss made it very hard on the US, especially in the 1st period where their recentcy paid dividends. But Miller stood tall, everyone on the Yank squad was blocking shots, and the tide turned in the 2nd. The US were all over the Watch-and-chocolate-makers for the last 40, and only Hiller kept them anywhere near it. The line of Parise-Stastny-Langenbrunner was a threat seemingly every shift. Brown-Kesler-Kane still seems to be working out the kinks. Brown creates space but I wonder if Kesler is skilled enough to be occupying a 2nd line center role for this team. Though they’ve already tried Pavelski and Kane together. A question that will have to be solved before Friday.
Maybe it’s the Cub fan in me, but when that goal was ruled out at the very end of the 2nd, I was thinking that was a sign for doom. The US power play has looked more clown shoes than the Hawks, and I wondered where the goal was going to come from with Hiller playing like this. No Kessel with the man advantage? But Kesler? Finally, with a man-advantage and a slice of luck, Parise got one past Hiller. The Swiss created a chance or two, but nothing to raise the pulse much. It should have been 2-0 and game over when Suter’s shot went in, but Paul Devorski gets so bored so easily and felt like calling something.
You could have an awfully heated discussion right now about the best US player, Parise or Kane. I could make a case for either, but won’t argue the point.
–Erik Johnson is a grown ass man. Too bad he’s surrounded by dog shit in St. Louis, isn’t it?
-Did the US make out better when Gleason replaced Komisarek?
-Can I request to not play Hiller in the 1st round of the playoffs? Do we have to fill out some form to make that happen?
Canada v. Russia Thread
So, rest up for 90 minutes here, and we’ll start again with the biggie of the night and tournament. Watch for how Keith and Seabrook’s 7 deal with Malkin and Ovechkin, because, uh, y’know, that might come up again later in the year. Neither Nabby or Luongo have a huge big-game rep, though Lou’s is slightly better. Who cracks first? Will Sergei Gonchar burst into tears in the 2nd period or 3rd after watching Canadian after Canadian go by him? Will Alex The Great check all 18,000 people in the building? Can the game possibly live up to the hype? We’ll all find out together.