...Another Plug

[Bigprairie1]

...ahhhh, mostly for Canadians I suppose...but grats to the Canadian World Juniors for winning their 4th straight Gold Medal against Sweden.
It was a great game...very competitive and fast. The Swedes were out in full force and fought back to tie it up in the last 15 seconds. However Overtime brought out the Canadian Machine which prevailed. Right on.
That said, I kind of hate to see anybody lose...but it's the nature of the game that both can't win. All (4) finalists are/were great teams...Canada/Sweden/U.S.A/Russia.
I'm still reeling and flying around this.
I know this is probably virtually a complete non-news item south of the border but here in Canada...it lives...the worlds fastest game.
BP

 

[Bass Man Bruce]

Re: ...Another Plug

...
I know this is probably virtually a complete non-news item south of the border but here in Canada...it lives...the worlds fastest game.
BP

Unfortunately your mostly right about the non news part, but your also totally
right about the worlds fastest (and maybe best) game part.
Junior hockey rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DaleT]

Re: ...Another Plug

Congrats on the 4peat of the Canadian club. Amazing to think all the pundits where picking the US this year. Just goes to show how much those boys from the north put into this tournament.

Myself and several friends found a place that was supposed to have the game on. Only after we got there did we find out they had canceled their NFL package and with it the NHL Network, the only channel to carry the games stateside. As soon as my carrier offers it I will be getting the NHL Network.

Its a sad state of affairs the ESPN was showing re-runs of poker and not even the scores of the games in the bottom line updates. Alas, that is the state of hockey in the main stream sports media. It's really ashame as the game has so much of what people grow to love.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: ...Another Plug

Congrats on the 4peat of the Canadian club. Amazing to think all the pundits where picking the US this year. Just goes to show how much those boys from the north put into this tournament.

Many thanks!! It was a great tournament. You are right about the U.S team. They were extremely strong and had 3 or the top 4 scorers in the tournament I think and were unbeaten going into the semi-finals.
The U.S team was a constant source of comparitive banter and focus for the Canadian coaches, sportcasters etc. They were a very high skill team. That said, these teams or more importantly these players get closer all the time. The european players are picking up a lot of the more agressive north american game...probably because most of them all play junior hockey over here where the best competition is...not in europe.
What I find great is that most of these 'kids' competing on an international level are often teammates and roommates in the Junior careers. I mean U.S and Canadian kids and Russian and Czech players...all playing for Calgary Hitmen or at the University of Wisconsin, etc. It's great to see because they often all know one another which leads not only to positive competition but also good spirited and not just submerged into 'nationality' competition.
Next week they (U.S/Canada/Swedes/Fins/Etc) will all be back at it in their usual NORTH AMERICAN junior leagues. Great stuff all around.
As for the coverage...well up here you can imagine it's front and centre. You can't go into a bank without them having rigged up a big screen showing it in HD. Kind of hilarious in a way. Minutes after the end of the Gold medal game you could open your window and hear the horns start honking across the city neighbourhood. Love it, bring it on.
BP

 

[DaleT]

Re: ...Another Plug

Oh how do I wish we could get that coverage here. Even in a border city like Detroit, where we get much more coverage than many areas, it is still poor. I just came back from my rec league game and other than our own game and the Red Wings the WJC, or more appropriately the lack of coverage, was the prime topic. My work having offices just outside Toronto affords me the opportunity to discuss hockey with other die hards and to be honest it is unbelievable the pride they take in Team Canada compared to those of us in the States.

You are 100% correct that the leagues below the NHL are much more entertaining. Just the fact that these kids are trying to make it still,they show the passion and to add the home colors to it is quite simply unbelievable.

Heres to many more tournaments at all levels.

 

[oops!]

Re: ...Another Plug

man what a game!!!!

my heart was pounding during the last 5 mins of the thrid !!

im glad no one was in the store when the sweds scored with a few seconds left......lets just say a trucker would blush!

it was funny a thing, saturday morning is usually a very busy time in the store...(i gave every body the half day off so they could watch the game)..
it was totally dead ! my store is on a main road. and there was hardly any traffic at all!
half hour after the game ended, the store packed with people and busy as heck! and all the people in a fantastic mood, talking about the game!
musta been tough on the people from chillowack. oscar on the sueds team and plaing canada !

but were gonna see some fantastic talent coming up in the nhl in a few years.

im looking foward to wednesday night ...luke schn is back on the ice for the rockets at home....hes gonna wear that big gold medal for the fans.....

cheers
oops