[mens Olympic Hockey] Russia vs Canada 2-0

[qdave]

Canada's men won't repeat as Olympic hockey champions after suffering a 2-0 loss to Russia in a quarter-final game on Wednesday.

Alexander Ovechkin's power-play goal 90 seconds into the third period stood as the winner, while Evgeni Nabokov made 27 saves for his third shutout of the tournament in Turin, Italy.

Russia will put its five-game winning streak on the line in Friday's semifinal against Finland (CBC, 3 p.m. EST).

The Finns rode a two-goal performance by Olli Jokinen for a 4-3 win over the United States on Wednesday.

Ovechkin, who leads all NHL rookies in scoring this season, took a pass from Viktor Kozlov and lifted the puck over fallen Canadian goalie Martin Brodeur.

"Yeah, it's the biggest goal in my life," the Washington Capitals sniper told CBC Sports. "It's an unbelievable feeling. Right now I'm very happy. I'm very excited."

Alex Kovalev added a power-play goal for good measure with 23 seconds left.

The Russians will have to find an answer for Finnish winger Teemu Selanne, who has six goals and nine points in the tourney.

But the Anaheim Mighty Ducks sniper will have to face a red-hot Nabokov.

Hot and cold this season with the San Jose Sharks, he has been brilliant in Turin.

Nabokov stood tall late in the third period, preserving a 1-0 lead while facing a barrage of shots by the Canadians, who went scoreless in 11 of their last 12 periods.

It was the third consecutive 2-0 loss for the Canada at Torino Esposizioni, following setbacks against Switzerland and Finland.

Canada's power play, which struggled throughout the tournament, went 0-for-8.

too bad :yes:

[.mcman]

hell yeah! :D

[bayrider]

I hope this is the end of the reign of Gretzky and Quinn in Canadian Intl' hockey tournaments FOREVER. The team was destined to fail from the start when we picked sluggish douchebags like Berdummi over Staal or Crosby.

Who scored the game winning goal for Russia? A kid (Ovechkin)! something we lack because we decided to go with experience and age over talent. And how did he score? On the powerplay because of a dumb Bertuzzi penalty. Our players showed no heart, hustle or effort at all.

Just as an example, Kovalev in the 3rd period forechecked, forced the puck into the Canadian zone, drew a penalty, and scored on the resulting powerplay. Name me one player on the Canadian squad that put out that much effort, even for 1 minute during a game?

Besides Berdummi, McCabe, Doan, Regher and Draper... we had a lot of no-shows like Iginla, Thornton, Heatley and St Louis. We also had Fat Quinn play Berdummi in key situations like when we were on a 5 on 4 (goalie pulled) taking a faceoff in the Russian zone. It seems like bad players, with poor effort get rewarded with added minutes, yet players like Rick Nash, who has the speed and offensive prowess we need, get penalized by the coach by taking away critical minutes.

Here are some players that should have easily made the squad:

Eric Staal

Sidney Crosby

Dion Phaneuf

Alex Tanguay

[Tran]

We need a younger and more energetic team in 2010. Get our goddamn U-21 squad mixed with some young vets for the hell of it. We've got nothing to lose after this Olympic.

[Deathray]

Russia deserved to win, they just wanted it a lot more.

[CrashOverride]

This was a terrible performance all around from Canada. They played more like pee-wees than pro players.

[macro]

I hope this is the end of the reign of Gretzky and Quinn in Canadian Intl' hockey tournaments FOREVER. The team was destined to fail from the start when we picked sluggish douchebags like Berdummi over Staal or Crosby.

Who scored the game winning goal for Russia? A kid (Ovechkin)! something we lack because we decided to go with experience and age over talent. And how did he score? On the powerplay because of a dumb Bertuzzi penalty. Our players showed no heart, hustle or effort at all.

Just as an example, Kovalev in the 3rd period forechecked, forced the puck into the Canadian zone, drew a penalty, and scored on the resulting powerplay. Name me one player on the Canadian squad that put out that much effort, even for 1 minute during a game?

Besides Berdummi, McCabe, Doan, Regher and Draper... we had a lot of no-shows like Iginla, Thornton, Heatley and St Louis. We also had Fat Quinn play Berdummi in key situations like when we were on a 5 on 4 (goalie pulled) taking a faceoff in the Russian zone. It seems like bad players, with poor effort get rewarded with added minutes, yet players like Rick Nash, who has the speed and offensive prowess we need, get penalized by the coach by taking away critical minutes.

Here are some players that should have easily made the squad:

Eric Staal

Sidney Crosby

Dion Phaneuf

Alex Tanguay

There are always gonna be good players that "should have been there" and if we had won you wouldn't be saying anything. The bottom line is there are too many good players in this country to make a team and have EVERYONE on it. It all comes down to the fact that they just didn't play well, they got beat, Sakic said it himself. As much as it sucks to admit it, that was the team and that was the result.

[bayrider]

There are always gonna be good players that "should have been there" and if we had won you wouldn't be saying anything.

With Gretzky's squad, I wasnt expecting to go anywhere. In fact, my money was on Sweden or the Czechs. I knew we wouldnt go far with Bertuzzi, McCabe, Doan, Regher and Draper to begin with. It was a shocker that our other players who everyone, including myself thought would perform well like Lecavalier, Thornton, Iginla etc barely showed up. It was obvious the direction Gretzky's team was going when he opted for experience over youth. On the big ice, I would much rather have had Crosby, Staal, Spezza and Phaneuf.

To say if we won, I would be speaking different is true and I'd also be the first to admit that i was wrong. But my overall assumption that we wouldnt win with useless 'experienced' hacks instead of playing quicker, younger players was also true. So should we have played our younger guys over our 'stay at home D' and Doan, Draper, Berdummi, Regher and McCabe? The answer is yes. I'm not saying we would have won with these younger guys, but I sure as hell know that the effort from these kids would have been a lot more than what we witnessed during the olympics.

Anyways, there is no excuse for Canada to lose 3 of 6 games in a shut out. I dont care who they have out there.

[Slimy]

The Canadians didn't deserve to win, they just didn't play well, I'm very very disappointed :/

[R-Flex]

Bertuuuuzzziii.....Bertuuuzzziii...

How happy I am that I predicted his failure, and McCabe's, and Pronger's. I have cheered for Team Finland, and that path is so much easier without Team Canada.

However, we shouldn't assume that bringing in the young players would have guaranteed a Team Canada gold. It is easy to believe that is what could have occurred, but they might have done just as bad.

[Tran]

I would bring in a young team (like Dion and Crosby) not to win the gold, but to gain experience. I would have used this Olympics has a stepping stone to winning the gold in 2010. I would have used this Olympics has a chance to try out a younger squad and see where they can go, and if they can win gold then good for them. However, my main purpose would be to a build a 2010 team.

[BroChaos Veteran]

disappointing loss for canada. although it was one hell of well fought game. very physical from both sides, and very exciting to watch.

[Matrix XII]

Bayrider is right; the team was hindered from the start. I watched the Team Canada announcement of the roster live back when that was (can't remember) and I was very, VERY disappointed that Staal and Spezza were left off of the team. It's a huge ice surface and you need all the footspeed you can get. Gretz went with the old team and it really showed. We were outhustled and outplayed because we would lose so many footrace battles, not to mention the team had no cohesion whatsoever. So much for the "Guys that got us there".... If they got us there last time, howcome they played like they had never seen eachother ever before? It was just a pitiful effort, and I'm embarassed for them and hockey Canada. Finally, how for all that is good and holy do you leave PHANEUF off the team?? That guy is a superstar already. He's fast, rediculously tough, and has a huge heart. Precisely what the team needed.

Canadian hockey fans will not forget this day.

[Andre]

Great match, loved the last period. Go Russia!

[User6060]

dissappointment is a word unable to describe my feelings towards this loss :(

Edited February 23, 2006 by Co_Co

[mitch00]

Canadian hockey fans will not forget this day.

No we won't unfortunately...

What a terrible game, we didn't want it half as bad as Russia, and it showed. We definitely need to rebuild this entire team for 2010 because not a single player that was on today acted like he wanted to win today.

At least we always have our women :)

[qdave]

At least we always have our women :)

and they win becuase they have no competition. it seems like men expected that too...but it obviously didnt worked out. :woot: