Leaf fans comparing him to Kane is a joke. Kane showed up. Did he produce? No. If anything, I think he was trying to do too much. Kessel didn't even show up in the big game.
- Elbows15

Exactly correct. Kessel went and hid the past two games - Kane kept banging his head into the wall. I think Kane can look into the mirror about what went wrong from him and learn from it; but he needed be ashamed for his effort.

(frank) Selanne. I have always hated his ass.

Leaf fans comparing him to Kane is a joke. Kane showed up. Did he produce? No. If anything, I think he was trying to do too much. Kessel didn't even show up in the big game.
- Elbows15

Yessir. Yet I am sure Kane is going to be the goat for not scoring any goals

A goal or two for the Indian Head in his first game back would be just what the doctor ordered.

Ryan Suter was a major disappointment.

Yessir. Yet I am sure Kane is going to be the goat for not scoring any goals

A goal or two for the Indian Head in his first game back would be just what the doctor ordered.
- prd797

Besides Kane not scoring I thought he was always making things happen when he was on the ice the last 2 games.

Kane will be fine. There is a lot more to him than people realize. Milbury hasn't been right about anything, ever. I take it as a good sign.
- Elbows15

To borrow a phrase from Mr. Orval Tessier, Kane does not need to see the wizard. He needs to make some adjustments on the shoot outs, but the ticker is good.

Yessir. Yet I am sure Kane is going to be the goat for not scoring any goals

A goal or two for the Indian Head in his first game back would be just what the doctor ordered.
- prd797

Start with the coach. Kane and Parise should have been playing together from the start. Stastny should have been their center. Especially after Kesler hurt his hand. From that point on Kesler was ineffective. Stastny has always played well in these tournament. He barely saw the ice.

I hope Brian 'Truculent' Burke and Poile get roasted for the construction of the US team.

Leaving off guys like Ryan, Okposo, Yandle, Saad, etc. for 'hard-nosed' players like Brown, Orpik, Wheeler really came to bit the Americans in the ass.

Kessel does his best Houdini impersonation and leaves it pretty much all up to Kane to get it done and he can't. Depth scoring was nowhere to be found when it mattered.

Could have used Bobby Ryan and Brandon Saad.
- mrpaulish

The high scoring was done against low-level teams: Slovenia, Slovakia, Czechs - against the better teams, only two goals in nine periods plus an OT.

Besides Kane not scoring I thought he was always making things happen when he was on the ice the last 2 games.
- mrpaulish

He needs to shoot more is my only beef with him. He tries to get into better position. He needs to just let it go.

Yep, the Swedes had it so phucking easy having to play those weak Finns on the way to the gold medal game. Turns out the Canadians had the easy road. If Canada wins their championship will not be valid or legitimate.

I hope Brian 'Truculent' Burke and Poile get roasted for the construction of the US team.

Leaving off guys like Ryan, Okposo, Yandle, Saad, etc. for 'hard-nosed' players like Brown, Orpik, Wheeler really came to bit the Americans in the ass.

Kessel does his best Houdini impersonation and leaves it pretty much all up to Kane to get it done and he can't. Depth scoring was nowhere to be found when it mattered.
- prd797

Wheeler is not a hard nosed player. He is a dynamic skater who should have been used more on the big ice.

I said before olympics, the team would struggle to score and while they lit up the B teams, they had not business in the A games. Somebody said yesterday that Poile recreated the Nashville team and style. That is the best description I have seen.

Team USA resembled a vanilla college hockey team, except for a few high end guys.

Tomorrow should be a good game, could see Canada winning in a blow out, should they get a few bounces early.

I'm not sure who Kane has to play with: Regin? Handzus?

And on his other wing: Versteeg? Saad?

I busted up first line to give some help to Kane?

Q has his work cut out for him.
- StLBravesFan

Move Saad to the first line. Drop Sharp. Regin is not a 2C. He is barely a 4C. Either leave Slowzus there or get Pirri back there.

Ryan Suter was a major disappointment.
- Elbows15

Believe me, his partner 27 McDonaugh and Carlson were bigger ones defensively.

Move Saad to the first line. Drop Sharp. Regin is not a 2C. He is barely a 4C. Either leave Slowzus there or get Pirri back there.
- Elbows15

Break up one of the best lines in hockey?

Move Saad to the first line. Drop Sharp. Regin is not a 2C. He is barely a 4C. Either leave Slowzus there or get Pirri back there.
- Elbows15

Maybe they've decided to play Zues at 2C when it counts, and Regin is here to plug in a few games down the stretch so Zues doesn't slow down any further. I suspect they're trying to avoid messing with the lower lines much.

Believe me, his partner 27 McDonaugh and Carlson were bigger ones defensively.
- wiz1901

In your opinion.

Break up one of the best lines in hockey?
- wiz1901

How many one line teams win championships?

Wheeler is not a hard nosed player. He is a dynamic skater who should have been used more on the big ice.

I said before olympics, the team would struggle to score and while they lit up the B teams, they had not business in the A games. Somebody said yesterday that Poile recreated the Nashville team and style. That is the best description I have seen.

Team USA resembled a vanilla college hockey team, except for a few high end guys.

Tomorrow should be a good game, could see Canada winning in a blow out, should they get a few bounces early.
- TrueGrit

That part falls on Dancing Dan for not utilising him, but I don't think of Wheeler as a top scoring American talent, especially when the guys left at home for whatever reason are more established scorers IMO. That part is on Burke and Poile the Pirate.

As far as the Gold medal game is concerned, I really don't want to count out the Swedes, though I wouldn't be too surprised if they lost.

Yeah, they'll be definitely missing Zetterberg, but their D-men have been right behind Canada in terms of overall quality. Top offensive work has come from Karlsson and Ekman-Larsson, and shut-down work from the Swedish Meatball Brothers Oduya and Hammer. Edler, Tallinder and Ericcson round out a pretty solid group.

They aren't as All-World as Canada is on paper, but the Swedes have good (albeit overrated) goaltending and great speed up and down the roster. They are probably as close to Canada as any team in this tournament could be in those regards.

Maybe they've decided to play Zues at 2C when it counts, and Regin is here to plug in a few games down the stretch so Zues doesn't slow down any further. I suspect they're trying to avoid messing with the lower lines much.
- mohel

Maybe we will all get lucky and Regin gets hurt. Unfortunately he will healthy as a horse and skate fast and accomplish nothing.

That part falls on Dancing Dan for not utilising him, but I don't think of Wheeler as a top scoring American talent, especially when the guys left at home for whatever reason are more established scorers IMO. That part is on Burke and Poile the Pirate.

As far as the Gold medal game is concerned, I really don't want to count out the Swedes, though I wouldn't be too surprised if they lost.

Yeah, they'll be definitely missing Zetterberg, but their D-men have been right behind Canada in terms of overall quality. Top offensive work has come from Karlsson and Ekman-Larsson, and shut-down work from the Swedish Meatball Brothers Oduya and Hammer. Edler, Tallinder and Ericcson round out a pretty solid group.

They aren't as All-World as Canada is on paper, but the Swedes have good (albeit overrated) goaltending and great speed up and down the roster. They are probably as close to Canada as any team in this tournament could be in those regards.
- prd797

I really hope Sweden beats them.

Maybe we will all get lucky and Regin gets hurt. Unfortunately he will healthy as a horse and skate fast and accomplish nothing.
- Elbows15

So, a broke Danish man's version of Viktor Stalberg who plays centre?

Fresh paper. Elbows, that means there is a new blog up...

So, a broke Danish man's version of Viktor Stalberg who plays centre?
- prd797

Worse. A lot worse.

To borrow a phrase from Mr. Orval Tessier, Kane does not need to see the wizard. He needs to make some adjustments on the shoot outs, but the ticker is good.
- mohel

Not questioning his heart.

He builds on success well; he can go into funks when not going well.

It was good to see him play well after missing the two penalty shot.