Instant classic. I thought yesterday's game was 1 of best I've seen in long time and I'll be damned if this game didn't top it. Did you attend any of the games?
Hey Toronto, USA beat Canada
- Thread starter bEER_Nation13
- Start date
Unfortunately I did not...but know several who did, and they said it was a good atmosphere! I just love this brand of hockey...yes there are more mistakes but that leads to more offensive chances. A good amount of bang and crash, and the skating! The Centers actually skate to get back in the play!
Congrats on last night...I am not sure I have seen as compelling a hockey game in some time. Non stop action. I just wish they would keep playing rather than shootouts in a game with such meaning...I don't know bout you but I had nowhere to go! Woulda loved to see another period or two of OT!
Next year is Buffalo and I intend to go for a game or 2 there...actually Can /USA is an outdoor game at the Bills Stadium! I do hope they get a good turnout from both fan bases...
Well done Team USA....outstanding effort.
I'm just glad I could cheer for USA hockey again.
I rooted against USA in the World Cup because of John Tortorella being the coach and the fact he purposely left off Phil Kessel and instead went with a bunch of slow, "physical", unskilled players. It showed when they failed to win a game.
I rooted against USA in the World Cup because of John Tortorella being the coach and the fact he purposely left off Phil Kessel and instead went with a bunch of slow, "physical", unskilled players. It showed when they failed to win a game.
World juniors is one thing but team usa can't beat Canadian teams that have Crosby, Toews in the lineup with Keith and Burns on the Blue Line and price or holtby between the pipes.
The best amateur team isn't team usa its the Colorado Avalanche.
USA has tons and I mean tons of talent for next Olympic roster if they let someone with any hockey sense pick the team and coach the team. They will never have the talent of Canada but they have and still are closing the gap.
Just look at Auston Matthews, who will win Calder Trophy. He's from Arizona............that's insane
yes definitely closing the gap. I would love to beat the best Canada has one day.
Definitely closing the gap...and that is a good thing imo. When I think back to 10 years ago we used to almost win this thing automatic...now? It is few and far between. In fact I am certain Canada hasn't won in at least 6 years Juniors wise. What that says to me is, the world, and specifically US / Sweden with the odd challenge from Finland /Russia is catching up and right quick. As bEER mentions , a top flight player from Arizona? Wow...bEER also knows I despise the Leafs so unfortunately I can't wish him TOO much success lol. Who would have thought the Russians would be struggling to keep up 20 years ago? But actually they are...also the Czechs ever since the breakup with Slovakia really have not been the same. The game is growing everywhere else now. Also I would venture that here it is shrinking just a bit among youth vs a huge increase in basketball/ soccer, as witness to more and more Canadians in the NCAA and NBA over the last few years and NCAA/MLS soccer ...Hey! I'll trade ya'll a basketballer for a hockey player! Or perhaps vice versa lol...hockey is damned expensive nowadays it seems. It always was I guess but now off the charts. Hell I just went and bought new skates, and a couple run of the mill sticks for my upcoming pond hockey tourney and dropped 400 bones! How can a 43 year old man justify that to the wife lol! I can see how families have difficulty in outfitting one or 2 young ones for hockey year after year and while growing!
Needless to say, my team 'competing ' I use that term loosely , Feb 4 in my local charity pond hockey tourney (30 teams) is, yes indeed...The Mountaineers! I had new jerseys made for this year and they turned out looking great imo. We've got 4 of us at about 40 or so yo, and a couple 'ringers' whom I work with at a spry late 20's so who knows lol. Last year we were 1 and 2 (eliminated before playoff...time to head to the local brewery). Hoping to improve on that mark!
I will definitely post a thread and include a picture or 2 of the team/ results on the board after the tourney....
Speaking of Colorado, there are some rumors about Pens being interested in Landeskog. Thoughts? He is pretty young with a fair contract. Would be awesome get but I wouldn't mind going after bonafide Top 4 D-man. At the same time, I wouldn't mind just keeping draft picks and drafting few D-man prospects early, try to get our farm stocked with some talented defensive prospects. We have some solid young forward prospects but not really much when it comes to defense especially with Pouliot not developing into the player we all hoped when we took him after the Staal trade.
Ah Staal...my fave Pen other than 66 likely of all time believe it or not lol...he played for my local junior team the Petes (along with brother Eric), and I was ecstatic when the Pens took him...over the moon actually lol. Seems he is petering out down in Carolina a bit over the last few years though so likely was the right time to deal him...
I would definitely be interested in Landeskog at the right price. I could see him helping down the stretch. I also hear they are seriously shopping Duchene? They are apparently all in on MacKinnon as their build around guy. Not sure Duchene could be afforded however...
As you say D is a future if not ever present priority, especially seeing as I don't see them re-upping on Daley unfortunately...I quite like Trevor and unfortunately I don't think the price point will be an affordable number for them over any sort of term.
My main question is...wtf are they gonna do about the goalie situation with Vegas expansion??? MAF is obviously on the block but other teams know the Pens are at a rock/hard place very soon! I totally value all that Flower has done for the team over the years yet also realize giving up the present/future with Murray is a non starter...arrghh.......
Honestly Landeskog is 1 of 3 players that Colorado has that is above average I would hate to see him go but this franchise is a total joke and the owners resemble the pirates owners of the 90's. So it would be in his best interest to leave as it would any player on the av's. There never gonna win anything with these cheap skate owners.
Im glad that the Canadian teams are doing well this year in the NHL. Its good for the sport to have both nations actively participating in the playoffs. Im going to the av's Canadian game on Feb 7. The 1st time I saw the Canadians play live was against the whalers in Hartford. Its hard to believe they haven't won a Stanley cup in over 20 years. they used to be the gold standard of the NHL. I hate them but it would be good for the sport if they can sustain the success they are having this year.
I wish WVU would get a NCAA team. They currently have a club team. I'd love to see the athletic department push for a NCAA team, That would be pretty damn cool and spice things up in winter time, giving us an extra sport to watch our Mountaineers. I've read rumors and speculation that it could happen within few years but most likely never will come to fruition unfortunately.
Excellent! Potential for a good game there...if a couple of the Colorado young guns can solve Price that would be good! Colorado still seems a very good hockey market to me. I still vividly remember some of those epic battles between the Av's and Wings years ago...legendary. Are tickets still selling reasonably well these days or are fans exhibiting some displeasure at the gate? I'm honestly a bit perplexed at what mgmt is doing with the on ice product of late....as you mentioned they seem to be pinching just a few too many pennies and have made some downright odd moves...hopefully things turn around for the better consistent soon...
Definitely some displeasure at the gate. When they 1st came to Denver they had 10 straight years of sell outs. Now they are probably 2000-3000 under capacity on an average night unless its one of the big name opponents. I have been to 5 games this years and only the game against the flyers was close to full. that game was fun but I swear the crowd was close to 50/50. The Blackhawks come next week I wonder who will have the home ice crowd. The only good thing about the teams poor performance is I can get club level seats off Stubhu,Seat geek or one of the other secondary sites for around 40-50$ which is half the face value. I love my club level seats. I got 2 tickets to the Habs game for $100 combined and the individual face value was $120. I'm all about a $120 savings.
What all would need to happen in order for an NCAA hockey team to come to fruition? At bare minimum, I would guess:
1. A women's sport to comply with Title IX.
2. Facilities upgrade.
Anything else?
People been begging for a softball team for awhile now, match made in Heaven! A hockey and softball team!
I think they would have good attendance though and the support would be there. Morgantown is how I became a hockey fan especially majority of new friends I met were avid NHL fans especially the Penguins. How I became a fan. In southern WV, nobody watches hockey. Rarely talked about, watched, etc. Similar could be said for soccer. It's basically just football, basketball, and baseball in that region.
The biggest problem would be the expense. Im not sure how many D1 mens hockey teams actually make a profit. We would need to find a conference. Im not sure if there any school in the big 12 playing college hockey.
Big 12 is a strange conference, they don't even have Men's soccer which is absolutely mind boggling considering it's the fastest growing sport in America and most popular sport in the world
I know Bowling green in Ohio has a D1 program. They are members of the Western conference Hockey association. They have teams from Ohio to Alaska that would probably be the most logical conference.
