Canada, Crosby Finally Solve Team USA To Win Olympic Hockey Gold

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Posted on 28th February 2010 by Ben Krasner in Sports Commentary

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Canada Beats USA To Take Hockey Hold Medal

Sidney Crosby scores to clinch the gold medal and send Canada into frenzied celebration.

Sidney Crosby suddenly put a shot on goal and between Ryan Miller’s pads 7:40 into sudden death overtime to win the gold medal match of what was probably the biggest and best tournament the Winter Olympics – and perhaps the world – has ever seen.  The win avenges a 5-3 Team USA victory in their preliminary match where USA secured their appearance in the quarterfinals and in which Canada didn’t play their best hockey, especially goalie Martin Brodeur.

Zach Parise and Team USA had tied the game with just 24 seconds left to force overtime, but Team Canada proved to be the more talented team as they controlled the bulk of the action in the 4-on-4 overtime session and ultimately won the game with the stick of one of the most talented players in the world.  Sidney came off the boards in great offensive position behind his USA defender and quickly sent a wrist shot towards the net in the hopes of catching Miller before he was ready – a decision that proved perfect as he ended up beating Miller 5-hole and sending every Canadian into the frenzy they had all hoped for long before the Olympics had even opened up.

Team USA ends up with the silver medal while Canada takes gold in the sport they wanted to win the most as the host for the tournament in a sport they call their own.  Team USA goalie Ryan Miller won the tournament MVP award for his outstanding play throughout, a possible measure of satisfaction even if he did come up a bit short in the end in the final match.

Both teams should be proud of their efforts as they both proved a lot to the world.  Canada proved that they really were the best and deepest team in the tournament and that they really are top dog, still, when it comes to the overall picture of hockey talent.  Team USA proved to be much better than people were giving them credit for before the tournament, showing plenty of speed, grit and skill while toppling quality competition.

Congratulations to Canada on a great win, and congratulation to Team USA for their silver medal performance in this Olympics.

USA Men’s Hockey Scores To Force Overtime

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Posted on 28th February 2010 by Ben Krasner in Sports Commentary

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Parise scores with 24 seconds remaining to tie Canada 2-2 and force overtime in the gold medal match of the 2010 Winter Olympic hockey tournament!

With golatender Ryan Miller pulled for the extra attacker and Team USA in final desperation mode, USA controlled the action pushing the puck towards Canada goaltender Riberto Luongo with a hot he couldn’t control. The puck then was cycled behind Canada’s net, passed back out and was sent back in net – another shot Luongo couldn’t cover. Zach Parise’s effort again pays off as he was in the right place at the right time with the puck rolling right to his stick side in front of Luongo and he slapped it past Luongo’s right pad into the back of the net.

The gold medal match heads to overtime! I can’t wait!

USA Men’s Hockey Destroys Finland With 6-Goal First Period

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Posted on 26th February 2010 by Ben Krasner in Sports Commentary

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On To The Gold Medal Match!

With a 6-goal barrage in the first period, the USA hockey team shot past Finland and into the gold medal match where they will meet Canada in a highly anticipated rematch of the preliminary round meeting between the two that USA won 5-3.  Finland goalie Miikka Kiprusoff is known for often being a dominating force in net for his NHL team, the Calgary Flames, but was reduced to pondering and staring at the scoreboard for almost the entire game after he helped get the USA hockey puck rolling by giving away the puck on a very odd-looking passing decision just over two minutes into the contest.  For the Americans, it was all downhill from there.

Patrick Kane lead the scorers with 2 goals, while it was Ryan Malone who got things started with his interception of Kiprusoff’s errant pass and put the puck into the empty net.  Zach Parise, Erik Johnson and Paul Stastny also scored during the opening period – the only period the US would need to apply pressure in on the day.

Kiprusoff was pulled just after the 10-minute mark when he allowed his fourth goal of the period (on just 7 shots) and his day was done.  It was really shocking to see Kiprusoff looking so powerless out there on the ice in such a crucial match.  This was a win-and-your-in-to-the-gold-medal-match game, after all, and Kiprusoff is known more for standing on his head in the crease than allowing soft goals or giving the puck away as he did.

I can’t wait for the rematch with Canada.  I don’t normally like rematches but this one should be excellent… and for the gold!

USA Men’s Hockey Squeezes Past Switzerland – On To The Semis

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Posted on 24th February 2010 by Ben Krasner in Uncategorized

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Jonas Hiller put on an inspired performance and got some help from the goal posts as he stymied the USA Men’s Hockey Team through two periods to give his Switzerland squad a chance at an upset in the first elimination round of the 2010 Olympic Men’s Hockey Tournament, Wednesday.  But Zach Parise scored on a deflection 2 minutes into the third period and added an empty netter just before the end of regulation to beat the Swiss and send USA into the semifinal round.

The USA men will face the winner of Wednesday night’s game between the Czech Republic and Finland for the right to head to the gold medal match.

Links to stories:

ESPN.com – Switzerland vs. United States

CNNSI.com – Zach Parise Powers Team USA Into Olympic Semifinals

NBColympics.com – Americans Edge Swiss 2-0 To Advance To Semifinal