Pat Quinn is a disgrace. That guy couldn't coach a team out of a paper bag. At least the right teams should make the gold medal game though (Russia vs Finland) - if so that'll be a heck of a game.

 

what a waste..the mood at the office is shot to hell. I knew from the first period that it was game done. Russia wanted the game more than Canada.... Russia seemed so much quicker on the ice.

 

Every team was quicker on the ice. Team Canada was pretty much the biggest, oldest, and slowest team out there. I hate monday morning quarterbacking but heads are going to roll when they return. They played Pat Quinn style hockey - fall back, don't challenge either blue line, defense doesn't join the rush; no wonder they were outshot so badly in 4 of their 6 games.

People will blame the offense for not scoring (and I'm not defending them, Bertuzzi, Thorton, Iginla, Richards - they all played like crap), but the slow lumbering defense that was unable to join the rush or challenge either blue line is what killed them. How many times did Bowen say "Canada hasn't had much success on the rush"? - because it was always 3 on 4, or 3 on 3 at best. Canada and America were playing NHL style while the Europeans played the trap and never let Canada play in their end. Guys like Pronger, Blake, Foote, Redden - all 30 yrs old +, all big, and all slow were unable to support their offense. On top of that they were all made to look bad defensively by much faster, younger, and more talented European forwards. How many terrible penalties did Chris Pronger take when he was getting turned inside out? And yet they still play him 25+ minutes a game while guys like Regehr and McCabe (younger and much faster) play 8 minutes a game.

Boo.

At least in 2010 they'll have no excuse to keep sentimental favorites like Sakic, Pronger, Blake, Foote, Thorton, Draper, Brodeur, etc.. on the team. Time to catch up the Europeans and stack the team with kids like Eric Staal and Jason Spezza.

 

Hopefully, if any good can come of this, it will finally knock Pat Quinn off his high horse and maybe some change will come to the Leafs! I'm not sure if they're even going to make the playoffs - and this is coming from a Leafs fan!
Al

 

Kudos to the gal's team......they really showed the men's team how to get it done.

Actually the girls are outscoring the guys at these games by 2:1 in medals.

C.