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Post by CentreHice on Sept 14, 2004 21:21:27 GMT -5
Thornton played a helluva game. Used his strength down low, backchecked like a fiend...couple of assists...player of the game honours. Well-deserved.
Lemieux looked like a Selke winner out there.
Don't know if HNIC was right in shrouding the entire game with the looming lockout...it cast a pall over the evening to me. Even during the post-game interviews, it was brought up to the players.
Very much a downer.
And was it just me, or did anyone else notice that the Canadian players didn't look too ecstatic when they picked up the trophy?
Was it the trophy itself? Because going 6-0 in this tournament thereby regaining the championship is an admirable feat. Ah...perhaps it was just the trophy....
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Post by MC Habber on Sept 14, 2004 21:57:09 GMT -5
I don't know why, but I wasn't as excited about this tournament as I was about the olympics. Maybe the players felt the same way.
I agree about all the stuff about the lockout, especially asking the players about that. There's been and will be plenty of time to discuss that.
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Post by CentreHice on Sept 14, 2004 22:20:00 GMT -5
Does anyone know if this final game was broadcast by any U.S. network/cable enterprise? I assume the Canadian feed could've been picked up on satellite.
I'm just wondering if ESPN or kin were there with a broadcast crew beaming the game south of the border.
Lots of players on both teams play for U.S.-based teams.
I know that had the final been Finland-Czech....I would've been watching and cheering for Saku's team.
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Post by Ranger Ranchod on Sept 14, 2004 23:47:14 GMT -5
Lemieux, just after lifting the trophy above his head, looked like he was going to kiss it but realized that it just didn't seem right. Very uncomfortable, and truthfully, nowhere near the achievement that is winning the Stanley Cup.
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Sept 15, 2004 2:28:09 GMT -5
Does anyone know if this final game was broadcast by any U.S. network/cable enterprise? I assume the Canadian feed could've been picked up on satellite. I'm just wondering if ESPN or kin were there with a broadcast crew beaming the game south of the border. Lots of players on both teams play for U.S.-based teams. I know that had the final been Finland-Czech....I would've been watching and cheering for Saku's team. \ It was on ESPN2 in the US. |
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Post by MC Habber on Sept 15, 2004 2:33:49 GMT -5
Does anyone know if this final game was broadcast by any U.S. network/cable enterprise? I assume the Canadian feed could've been picked up on satellite. I'm just wondering if ESPN or kin were there with a broadcast crew beaming the game south of the border. Lots of players on both teams play for U.S.-based teams. I know that had the final been Finland-Czech....I would've been watching and cheering for Saku's team. According to this, all but 4 of the games were on espn or espn2. |
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Post by Andrew on Sept 15, 2004 2:34:26 GMT -5
It didn't have the same excitement of the Olympic gold. In part it doesn't seem as fair a tournament as the Olympics: Russia's reward for finishing second in their pool, as the "home" team, was to play against the US in Minnesota. There were also many key players that were either injured, or opted not to play.
One of the highlights tonight was Ruutu's goal. He looks like a future superstar. It's also exciting that Canada had so much young talent on their roster. We also have more on the way: Crosby, Nash, Spezza.
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Post by MC Habber on Sept 15, 2004 2:40:12 GMT -5
Lemieux, just after lifting the trophy above his head, looked like he was going to kiss it but realized that it just didn't seem right. Very uncomfortable, and truthfully, nowhere near the achievement that is winning the Stanley Cup. Not as arduous as winning the Stanley Cup, but it's a different achievment. Six games against the best competition in the world instead of a 100 game marathon against comparatively mediocre opposition. |
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Post by Rimmer on Sept 15, 2004 4:21:07 GMT -5
Tournament MVP & All-Stars:
MVP -- Vincent Lecavalier (CAN).
All-Star Team:
Goal -- Martin Brodeur (CAN)
Defence -- Kimmo Timonen (FIN), Adam Foote (CAN),
Forwards -- Vincent Lecavalier (CAN), Fredrik Modin (SWE), Saku Koivu (FIN).
I think Thornton deserved to be a part of the All-Star team, but what can you do...
R.
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Sept 15, 2004 5:48:55 GMT -5
Canada lucked out against the Czechs and hung on against the Finns. Hockey is alive and well internationally.
The tournament format sucked, but what better alternative? If Canada is going to maintain home ice advantage throughout, the old name, Canada Cup is more appropriate.
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Post by CentreHice on Sept 15, 2004 7:36:00 GMT -5
The championship hats are a nice touch, but I wish they wouldn't give them out BEORE the handshake ritual.
As if it doesn't sting enough watching the winners celebrate...seems like a smug dose of salt that doesn't need to be rubbed in at that point.
"Good game...oh and if it wasn't crystal clear...we're the champs...see my hat?"
The trophy isn't presented til the other team's off the ice...save the hats til then too.
BTW...wonder what happens to all the just-in-case hats printed up for the other team....that would make an interesting collection. A Finland World Cup Champ 04 hat to go along with your Calgary Flames Stanley Cup Champs 03-04 hat.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Sept 15, 2004 10:59:41 GMT -5
BTW...wonder what happens to all the just-in-case hats printed up for the other team....that would make an interesting collection. A Finland World Cup Champ 04 hat to go along with your Calgary Flames Stanley Cup Champs 03-04 hat. They should all end up in the same place, in the blue recycle boxes where that beast of a trophy deserves to end up.  |
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Sept 15, 2004 11:08:34 GMT -5
Canada lucked out against the Czechs and hung on against the Finns. Hockey is alive and well internationally. Those two teams exposed Canada's vulnerability to the aggressive forecheck, I was surprised that Finland only inserted it sparingly into their 1-4 trap game plan after watching the tapes of the CAN-CZE game. The Finns were the champions of the "team" game, much like the Flames in the last Stanley Cup playoffs. Other countries should take note and learn. Anyone who thinks Canada has a monopoly on heart and desire clearly was not watching the Finns. Many sportscasters say that Finnish hockey is the closest to Canadian hockey in all regards, and I am a believer. Overall, the best team throughout the tourney won, but they were pushed hard in the last two games!! This caps off an awesome year for Canada on the international front. A silver against the US in the WJC (is Fleury still having nightmares over that goal?), gold at the Womens WC, gold at the Mens WC, gold at the U-18 WC over the summer, and now winning the World Cup. |
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Post by franko on Sept 15, 2004 11:39:31 GMT -5
One of the highlights tonight was Ruutu's goal. He looks like a future superstar. was a goal! Beauty! BTW...wonder what happens to all the just-in-case hats printed up for the other team....that would make an interesting collection. A Finland World Cup Champ 04 hat to go along with your Calgary Flames Stanley Cup Champs 03-04 hat. Don't quote me, but I believe they wind up somwhere in Africa (really!), along with other miscellaneous excess goods that are wrongly marked or credited (US Olympic Gold Medal Hockey Team t-shirts ;D ) |
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