IIHF Junior Hockey Tournament

gabriegger

Happy New Year to everyone. Our Canadian boys just beat the Russians 4-1 to move to the semi-finals. A rivalry dating back to 1972. What NHL? IMHO year in and out this tournament has been the best show of hockey on ice. Go Canada Go!

Skiddymarker

Agreed - too bad it is really in the middle of nowhere, notice all the empty seats for some of the games. I'll bet the IIHF wishes it was held in western Europe or North America all the time...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

gabriegger

Getting up for 4:30am games has been a bit rough. Always a good New Year's Party when the tourney is in North America.

gabriegger

Up early this morning to watch the Americans beat the Czechs 7-0. Semi-final tomorrow morning at 4:00am. Canada vs. USA another great hockey rivalry. Winner goes for the gold medal. Who's with me?

ccpoulin1

If I did not have to work, i would be.  It will definitely get recorded though!

Mama Roneck

Wish I could have made that 4:00am wake-up call this morning! Had to read about it online.  Great result eh?

robnybbq

Saturday 8:00 AM for the Gold game.

Skiddymarker

Congrats to USA, beat Canada 5-1 this morning, US advances to Gold/Silver game, Canada to the Bronze game. 

Pity. most of Canada was awake early to watch this game, the team forgot to wake up - they looked to "sleep skating". The US had a great game and deserved the win, now go get the gold!

ccpoulin1

I have to watch it tonight.  Can't wait! 

gabriegger

Congratulations to Team USA. Playing the two days while Canada did not was the obvious factor. More jump and puck management resulted in turnovers by Canada leading to goals. Can't blame the Canadian goalie as he was screened on the first two by his teammates. It was over by the end of the first period. The US came to play the while Canada watched. Only solace for the lads is to add to the record of consecutive years winning a medal at 14 with a bronze this year. Russia is second with 7. Good luck to USA! Bring the gold back to North America!

CeramicChef

Ya gotta love hockey! I live south, WAY south. Don't get enough hockey down here. Go USA! And thanks to Canada for sharing their National Game!

SmokinDAWG82

Very excited to be going for Gold! After we dropped that 2-1 to Russia I thought we'd be flat but not so USA playing great

Little Steven

My youngest son is watching it now. He recorded it. He kept his fingers in his ears all day so he didn't hear the score. I keep hearing swear words from downstairs and I think it's only 2-0

gabriegger

@LittleSteven he must have been a busy lad. Did you learn any new ones?

Little Steven

No but he is a little louder than me. It's pretty silent down there now.

gabriegger

He's probably lulled to sleep as they were or shocked speechless as I was

Little Steven

He is still arguing that we just played bad. We don't get that the US and Russia have ten times the population we do. The number one kid's sport is soccer now and the minor hockey enrollment has been on the decline for years. Bound to happen eventually. We taught the world how to design a minor system and they got it. Hell we may shine in cricket someday or box lacrosse will become an olympic sport

nolaegghead

You should be appointed Canuck sports ambassador!

Little Steven

It was native Canadians that invented the game. We just stole it so there is no real defense. We did invent basketball and the zipper and we are fiercely protective of that. Oh and rye whiskey

nolaegghead

Everything is stolen and refined.  Modern hockey is defined by the scrum of fighting on the ice.   I hate you for inventing whiskey.  Yep, you need to be an ambassador.

Little Steven

Ha! I was expecting an argument about Dr. Paul Nesmith. We didn't invent whiskey and I misspelled it..I meant whisky. It was rye whisky that was ours.

nolaegghead

I didn't have time for research....had to clean up the horror show that I left in the kitchen after slicing up the bacon.  Makin' the bacon ain't as easy as it's made out to be.  PS - I can't speell!

SmokinDAWG82

So you Canuck's getting up at 4 AM to watch the Bronze game against Russia?
Is it acceptable to start drinking at 4 AM?

gabriegger

This one is. Regarding drinking at that hour it depends on your approach. Either don't go to bed and continue from the previous night or get up and restart. Nothing wrong with whisky in the coffee. To quote the great Janis Joplin, "It's all the same *%#ing day man."

SmokinDAWG82

I'll be up for the third period getting ready for the Gold medal game, a little splash in the coffee sounds right!!!!

gabriegger

To be honest, I usually wake up on the couch at that time Saturdays. So if I pass out with remote in hand I should be good to go. Will pace myself to last through the gold medal game. Should be a couple of excellent games.

gabriegger

Canada's medal streak of 14 years ends with an overtime loss to Russia 6-5. Have to question the Canadian coach's decision to start his backup goalie giving up 3 goals on 5 shots while the tourney's #1 ranked puck stopper sat on the bench. Just enough time between games to fire up the egg and get breakfast going before the gold medal game starts at 8:00am EST. Good luck USA.

Mama Roneck

Sorry to hear about your loss - now you know how your southern neighbors felt on Feb 28, 2010 ;-(

But thanks for inspiring me to fire up the egg for breakfast - never done that before. Hope the kids like pancakes ala egg while they chant USA USA USA for the next few hours!

gabriegger

Thanks. Canada has never beat Russia twice in the same tournament so I had my suspicions going in. We had great chances to win in OT but they couldn't bang it in. The winning goal was Canadian style driving hard to the net. It's -2 Celsius / 28 Fahrenheit out here north of Toronto. Just enough cold to snap me out of it. Time to whisky up that coffee cup.

yumdinger

Wow a lot of pressure by USA early.  Sweden Goaltender looks strong.  If we stay out of the box this should be a close one until the end.

gabriegger

That's how they beat Canada. Flying from the get go. This will be a good one.