11/05/24
January 05, 2004
USA! USA! USA!
Yeah, I know it was a weird goal that won the World Juniors, but hey - take that Canada!
posted by Samsonov14 to hockey at 10:15 PM - 22 comments
Once again, Canada implodes in the third period. Blah. What a horrible end to the game. Anyway, enjoy your first gold... we've already have many! It was just a warm-up; the real game starts in August.
posted by mkn at 12:39 AM on January 06, 2004
NJ Devils fans should be very excited to have a player like Zach Parise in the system. He is a small player, but his knowledge of the game and hardwork might make him a star. Right now he is probably the best player in the world for his age group. I can't wait for next years games in Grand Forks, ND.
posted by emoeby at 08:36 AM on January 06, 2004
Way to go USA! Anyone know if this Nigel Dawes is actually this good. I mean, obviously he's pretty good, but as a Ranger fan I would really appreciate a run-down of his NHL future (if any). It seems he lacks size, but the numbers have been impressive.
posted by 86 at 10:22 AM on January 06, 2004
Talk about a 3rd period metldown. The US came out flying and deserve a lot of credit even though the winning goal was a fluke. It would've been very easy for the US to give up and settle for silver medal when you're down 2 after 2 against Canada. Canada looked down right shocked that the US even had any fight left in them in the 3rd. Even though it didn't work out the way I would've have liked it was a great game. A little off topic, but isn't hockey a lot more exciting when the rink is bigger and there is no 2 line pass. While the NHL may one day get rid of the 2 line pass rule, we will never see the day when the NHL plays on international sized ice. It's a shame.
posted by camcanuck at 10:40 AM on January 06, 2004
From Hockey's Future: While his size has not held him back in junior, the NHL is a big step up. Dawes is a project who will need to bulk up and get stronger to make an impact in the NHL. The Rangers are taking a chance here, hoping his size will not be a factor preventing him from taking his offensive abilities to the NHL. Doesn't sound like anyone has a good idea whether or not his size will be a problem. It's too bad he can't take a few inches from 6-5 Hugh Jessiman
posted by emoeby at 10:45 AM on January 06, 2004
camcanuck- The University of Minnesota plays on a big sheet and college hockey doesn't have the 2-line pass rule. Nothing beats it in my opinion. Play is wide open and you really have to be a strong skater to keep up. But of course, compared to the Wild, everything is more exciting. What are the rules for Canadian Major Juniors?
posted by emoeby at 10:54 AM on January 06, 2004
USA wins gold at 2004 WJC (hockey's future) As Team USA was the underdogs in this WJC, we asked to Zach Parise if he saw any relations with the dramatic Olympic gold medal won by Team USA back in 1980. “It is right on line with 1980, I know now what they felt,” Parise stated. That's just stupid.
posted by emoeby at 10:57 AM on January 06, 2004
It's wrong, thats for sure. The Americans were favorites going into the Final.
posted by garfield at 11:38 AM on January 06, 2004
emoeby - Interestingly one of the many excuses in the media today is that the US had an advantage because the majority of their players come the college ranks where (as you mention) the players are more use to the larger ice surface and the no 2 line pass rule. As for the 1980 comparison you are right on. This is no where near the same. The US was actually considered a strong favourite to win this tournament from the outset. In 1980 people didn't think the US would even medal let allow win gold. I always am amazed at just how hockey crazy this country (Canada) is. The loss was the top news story yesterday. Not sports story, the top news story.
posted by camcanuck at 11:44 AM on January 06, 2004
I wish this country was like that. Our local news media only covered it because quite a few were from Minnesota. And even so it was barely talked about. Guess it might not be a good idea to wear a USA hockey jersey this weekend when I go up to Winnipeg. :)
posted by emoeby at 12:12 PM on January 06, 2004
Team USA captain (and Bruins prospect) Mark Stuart was voted Defensive Player of the Tournament. Nice. Zach Parise, that punk, was named overall MVP.
posted by Samsonov14 at 01:12 PM on January 06, 2004
Devils Rule!
posted by billsaysthis at 01:23 PM on January 06, 2004
Hugh Jessiman sounds like a made up hockey guy name. Huge Iceman?
posted by gspm at 01:40 PM on January 06, 2004
Right now he is probably the best player in the world for his age group. I disagree. Granted, I have only seen him play in a game and a half, but he never really seemed that stand-outish. Frankly, I think his scoring benefitted from the fact that the US generally ran three lines (primarily) and from the fact that the US was in a relatively easier pool. Speaking of that pool -- man, Sweden is continuing to be weak and the Russians were no where! What happened there? Based on what I did see, I say that Montoya should have been overall MVP -- not Parise.
posted by mkn at 01:54 PM on January 06, 2004
Frankly, none of the pre-tournament 'superstars' really impressed - Parise gets the nod for producing in the round robin portion of the tourney - lighting up some pretty piss-poor teams, but was barely noticeable in the gold medal game. I would hesitate to crown him the best and pave the way for his ascention to glory in the NHL (see Richard Park, Todd Harvey, etc....). Crosby showed a few flashes but was, like Parise, unnoticable in the gold medal game. Way too much hype for the kid. Montoya looked good - but that can happen in this tourney. Fluery looked bored, and that cost him - but for my money, he was still the best player in the tourney and the guy I'd take first if they were all up for grabs, because he's shown it in the NHL - anyone who take Montoya over him is a fool and should email Mike Milbury to discuss scouting goalies. Ovechkin - wow, huge disappointment like the rest of the Russians. They owned this thing for so long. Congrats to the Americans who came out in that third with guns blazin'. Fluke goal or not, a win is a win.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 03:03 PM on January 06, 2004
That final goal reminded me of the time Grant Fuhr banked the puck off of Steve Smith to knock the Oilers out of the playoffs in '86. If the Oilers won that game, they probably would have gone all the way and that would mean they would have won five in a row from 84-88. Yes, I'm still bitter.
posted by Scott Carefoot at 03:58 PM on January 06, 2004
In all fairness, Crosby is still 16 and he wasn't really expected to be a factor. He will be eligible to play in this tourney THREE more times. I didn't catch any Russian games, but Ovechkin was -- from what I heard -- disappointing. Especially considering that he played last year. But then again, his team wasn't very good. I was impressed by the Finn goalie, though. As well as some of their defense; though they didn't seem particularly potent on the offensive end of things.
posted by mkn at 04:04 PM on January 06, 2004
Grant Fuhr banked the puck off of Steve Smith Other way around. But it sounds like you knew that already. Poor Smith, he's still primarily known for that ill-fated bankshot, not for the rest of his laudable career.
posted by Succa at 04:45 PM on January 06, 2004
That was one of my favorite childhood memories, and one of the biggest games I remember watching.
posted by garfield at 04:59 PM on January 06, 2004
MKN, the Finn goalie is Hannu Toivonen, also a Bruins prospect playing in Providence tight now. He's supposedly the future of goaltending in Boston, along with Raycroft. He's being mentored by Tim Thomas, who played in Finland for a while.
posted by Samsonov14 at 07:46 PM on January 06, 2004
Kinda neat, but one of my next door neighbors from childhood, Stephen Werner, was on that team. Good to see him get closer to his dreams of playing in the NHL. -s
posted by sashae at 05:19 PM on January 07, 2004
I probably should have included a link to the story. In my defense, I just got off a train from Washington DC, which was like a goddamn rain forest only without the exotic and the whole lushness thing. Here's the link to the story. And here's a cool video of the highlights.