Miller Is My Choice To Start Vs. Finland (usa canada finland bylsma)

usa canada finland bylsma

Miller Is My Choice To Start Vs. Finland

By GARTH'S CORNER

Feb 21, 2014 • 8:37 pm

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I was a huge believer in Zemgus Girgensons when I first met him two years ago after he was selected in the first round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Today, I'm an even bigger admirer of his growth, maturity and never-say-never attitude. I feel like I'm watching his metamorphosis from a prospect with a huge upside to a bona fide NHL star.

I'm glad that I bought stock in the kid the first time I saw him skate at Cazenovia Rink in Buffalo in July 2012. f Today, the Latvian Locomotive pulled in to his station in Buffalo. He spoke about his Olympic experience and the deep respect that he has for Ted Nolan.

Thanks, Sabres.com

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The Detroit Red Wings will be looking to fill the huge void created by the loss of Henrik Zetterberg from its lineup.

Zetterberg underwent surgery on the herniated disc in his back. Zetterberg missed 11 games in December due to the same injury. He aggravated it at the Sochi Olympics and was properly ruled out of the games by Team Sweden. Zetterberg will miss the next 8 weeks minimally while he recovers from his surgery.

The Wings are battling for their playoff lives right now. They are locked into a bitter battle with Philly, Washington, Ottawa, Columbus, Carolina, and New Jersey for a playoff spot. The Wings are at risk of missing the playoffs for the first time in 23 seasons.

The Wings are actively looking for a left winger who can act as a suitable replacement for Zetterberg who can provide scoring, PP expertise and solid two-way play.

Sabres UFA-to-be Matt Moulson is a player to watch in the next two weeks. The NHL Olympic roster freeze will lift at 11pm EDT on Sunday February 23.

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Dan Bylsma has one final decision to make heading into Saturday's bronze medal game.

Who will he start in the USA net?

I have an idea:

Before you slam me and call me a homer, hear me out.

Saturday's bronze medal game will be USA's third game in our days.

USA eliminated the Czechs on Wednesday, then lost to Canada on Friday.

I feel like Dan Bylsma has an opportunity to re-group and re-focus his team by playing Ryan Miller over Quick. The Canada game was an emotional rollercoaster for Team USA. He's played very well for his team in this short tourney. Quick has faced 114 shots in his four starts. He's only allowed 6 goals against (.947 save %, 1.47 GAA). Quick was asked to make 36 saves on the 37 Canadians shots that he faced. The USA offense and power play units picked the wrong time to pitch a bagel on the scoreboard vs. Carey Price and the puck possessing Canadians. The USA entered the semifinals having scored 20 goals in its first four Olympic games. Were I Bylsma, I'd be mindful of the potential of an emotional letdown by my skaters and goalie after having lost their opportunity to play Sweden in Sunday's gold medal game.

Enter Miller. He represents a new energy and a new approach. Miller allowed only one goal in USA's 5-1 win over Slovenia on Sunday. Miller made 17 saves on the 18 shots that he faced. After Phil Kessel scored two goals four minutes into the Slovenia game, Team USA took a siesta and blew off the next 20 minutes of clock time. In that key segment, Slovenia owned the puck and forced Miller to make a half dozen solid saves to preserve his team's lead. In the end, Miller made the clutch saves and the key times. He held his team in the game.

Miller has a silver medal win on his resume. He's not a stranger to the pressures of the medal round.

For that, I feel like he deserves that start in the bronze medal game versus the Finns.

Bylsma has to make a big decision. Is he focused on the team's vision of leaving the medal podium with a bronze in hand? Or, is he concerned about the optics and how Quick will feel if Miller is given the start vs. Finland?

Bylsma called his shot moments after the gut-wrenching loss to Team Canada. He said that he and his team are bringing a bronze medal home to the U.S. from Sochi.

Tuuka Rask, Teemu Selanne, Mikael Granlund and the Finns have other ideas. Finland will not lay down and play dead for the Americans.

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With USA blue line horse Paul Martin out of the game due (hand injury), Minnesota Wild D Ryan Suter, played a game-high 26:11 for Team USA. Afterward the gut-punching loss to Jamie Benn and Canada, Suter described his team’s performance against Canada as “frustrating….

In a lot of ways, the Canada-USA game reminded me a lot of Canada-Latvia where one team attacked and the other sat back and let the opponent have forward progress with the puck each shift.

“We didn’t show up to play. It’s kind of frustrating,… Suter said, per the Olympic News Service. “They’re a good team. We sat back, we were passive. You can’t play scared.…

USA only fired nine shots (of their 31) on Carey Price in the third period while they were trailing only 1-0 to Canada.

“I thought we sat on our heels and just didn’t take it to them at all,… Suter said. “We had motivation. We just didn’t take it on the ice.…

Suter was asked which loss to Canada hurts more, the 2014 semifinal loss or the 2010 OT loss in the gold medal game.

“This one,… he said. “We didn’t show up to play and it’s just very frustrating.…

Strong words from a strong, proud man.

Source: CBC

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In the end, Jamie Benn was the hero in leading Canada to the gold-medal game on Sunday. The same Jamie Benn who was a late addition to the Team Canada roster is now legend in Canada.

The Dallas Stars’ captain scored at 1:41 of the second period. Who knew that that high-flying, swashbuckling Americans’ machine gun-style offense would be silenced in the semifinals after scoring 20 goals in its first 5 games of the Olympics.

Carey Price was perfect on the 31 shots that were thrown at him, including 8 shots by Zach Parise, 4 by Phil Kessel, and 3 by Patrick Kane.

Price praised his team's effort and attention to detail after the epic struggle:

“Our backchecking was excellent tonight and our forechecking was good,… he said.

“Trying to stay on the right side of the puck the whole night, the effort was there. We knew that was a good hockey club over there and we just found a way to win.

“For me, it was just about stopping the puck. That was priority No. 1. That was my only focus.…

Jonathan Quick’s only blemish in the game was the game winning goal that he Benn to score. Quick made 36 saves on 37 shots. The margin for error was razor-thin in this win-or-go-home game.

For Team USA, it’s another heart-breaking loss in an elimination game at the hands of its most hated rival Team Canada. Sidney Crosby and Team Canada beat Team USA in OT of the Vancouver games in 2010. Canada also eliminated USA in 2002 at Salt Lake City. For Canada, it hopes to win back-to-back gold medals for the first time since the Soviets in 1984 and 1988.

The Canadians also haven't won Olympic gold in Europe since 1952.Canada will get the chance to rewrite history when it battles Sweden for Olympic gold on Sunday.

Given numerous wonderful opportunities to even the score with their power play, Team USA shot blanks and went 0-3on their man advantages.

Team USA will play the pesky Finland for the bronze medal Saturday (February 22) at 10 a.m. ET.

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