Vancouver Olympics 2010 men's hockey in pictures

Since yours truly couldn't attend any of the Olympic action in person to get great pictures (wouldn't that be the day!), the next best thing I can do is share the great shots taken by others. Here's a collection of my hockey favorites over the past two weeks... (my apologies that some of the larger pics don't quite fit)

Bobby celebrating his first Olympic goal against Swiss game #1

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America

Finland beats Belarus

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America

Teemu in the Finland vs Germany prelim game

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America

Winner Team USA, loser Team Canada prelim

Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images North America

Scotty, Getzy, and Perry celebrate after a goal against Slovakia

Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images North America

Bobby in Swiss #2 game

Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images North America

Bobby and Hiller in Swiss #2 game

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America

Hiller's crazy puck juggle from game Swiss/USA game #2. Puck would eventually go in behind Hiller, but not until after the horn

Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images North America

Luca Sbisa defending Kessel in game Swiss/USA #2

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America

Bobby and Hiller, final handshake, Swiss #2 game

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America

Goalie to goalie, Hiller and Miller after Swiss #2 game

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America

Corey Perry getting one past Naby in Canada vs Russia

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America

Corey Perry getting one past Bryz in Canada vs Russia

Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images North America

Saku celebrating win over Czech Republic with Kipper

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images North America

Bobby and Selanne shaking hands after US beats Finland

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America

Teemu, Saku, and Team Finland with Bronze (over Slovakia)

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images North America

Teemu with his Bronze

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America

Captain Koivu with his Bronze and Finland flag

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images North America

Getzy, Scotty, and Pears win the gold

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images North America

Team Finland vs Team Slovakia for bronze

Yours truly is home in time for this game, and ready to live blog.

I don't know what's wrong with Team Finland, but the commentators are right. There's no urgency, no desperacy, no passion in their play.

And it seems to be translating into a lack of goals on the ice.

At the first intermission, the score stands 1-0 Finland.

On the power play in the 2nd, it starts to look like Team Slovakia want that bronze (it would be their first team medal ever) a little bit more. Nobody's watching Marian Gaborik and he sneaks into the defensive borders of the Finns. From there, he's able to wrist the puck straight in past Miikka Kiprusoff.

The Fins get a couple of power play chances to retake the lead, but are unable to capitalize. Instead, the Slovaks take advantage of some Finnish recklessness and pull ahead with a goal on a 5-on-3.

And again on a short-handed breakaway.

At the second intermission, things are looking bleak for Finland as they trail 1-3.

Yours truly is feeling absolutely bummed. The last Olympic games for Saku and Teemu, and this is how they're going to go out? Please no!

As the 3rd begins, the commentators are pointing out that Teemu has only had eight minutes of ice time. He's also spending the Finland power plays on the bench! If yours truly was the Finnish coach, I'd have my number one goal scorer out there on each and every power play. Don't worry about him, he wants to play!

On a Finnish 5-on-3, Suomi closes the gap with a deflected goal off of Niklas Hagman. Mere minutes later, Olli Jokinen nets another. The score is tied 3-3 with 13 minutes left in regulation.

Finland finds themselves on another power play, courtesy Hossa. Who should grab the puck and get on a breakaway but Jokinen again. He shoots and it's in!

Suomi has just now taken the lead, 4-3. Unbelieavable rally! Three goals in barely over three and a half minutes. Slovakia is reeling. Finns need to keep up the pressure.

Talk about keeping the fans on the edge of their seats, Team Finland has to fight through a penalty kill before the game ends. At one point, the equalizer is right at the Slovak fingertips, but Zednik can't pull the trigger.

In these final minutes, Kipper has GOT to come up huge. The Slovak net is empty with a minute left...

Kimmo sets up Valteri Filpula for the empty netter... and it's in!

Yours truly is just elated to watch the Finnish boys on the bench jumping and cheering and yelling at Filpula as he converges on the empty net. Watching them hug and clap each other on the back, I can't help but feel so good for Teemu as the cameras cut to him jumping up and down like a little boy, a huge smile on his face. The excitement just pours out of him.

Teemu, Saku, and SUOMI with the bronze! Way to go, guys! The big gold medal game is tomorrow, Team USA and Team Canada.

No matter who wins and who loses, Ducks came out winners these Olympics. They'll be bringing seven medals home to Anaheim!

Team USA vs Team Finland Semifinal

Wow... action in the first three minutes of this game! Yours truly is blogging while watching, not always an easy thing to do, especially when the action comes as quickly as it has in the early minutes of the Team USA/Team Finland matchup.

Also known by Duck fans as: "I want to cheer for Team USA but I really want to see Teemu and Saku finally win gold for their last Olympics!"

Only two minutes into the game and Finnish netminder Miikka Kiprusoff makes a HUGE mistake. He comes out of the net to face a rolling puck, but turns it over to Ryan Malone just within the blue line, who slams it home to an empty net.

The Team USA bench bursts into cheers and elation.

The confidence is contagious, and you can practically see those young Americans swell with pride as they realize they might actually have a shot at this. My boy Bobby Ryan, as I suspected, is being used on a checking line along with other big boys David Backes and Ryan Callahan.

This is definitely an aggressive game. You need a big checking line when physicality counts as much as it does today.

I'm in awe watching this game. In the first period alone, it's a USA goal landslide.

Zach Parise...

Erik Johnson...

Patrick Kane... twice...

Paul Stasny...

And that's just within the first 13 minutes of this game. Of course, two Finnish penalties don't help Team Finland's cause.

Those of you watching this live with me, we are witnessing the complete disintegration of an Olympic hockey powerhouse. In a way, it's sad, because we have Ducks on this team too. And knowing this will be the last Olympics for Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne, a big part of yours truly wanted to see them finally win Gold.

I don't like faulting the goaltender, but in this case, I think it's hard not to. Kipper should not have started that ball rolling. He's pulled after the 4th USA goal, but the damage may have already been done. Niklas Backstrom takes over the Finland net, allows two more goals before the end of the first, but stops the bleeding at that.

The second period goes without many interuptions at all, and while Team USA has slowed some in their aggressiveness towards the net, they are still backchecking, still forechecking, still playing physically, and trying to stay out of the sin bin.

Team Finland is playing hard, but after being rattled so badly in the first, they can't seem to get many shots to Team USA netminder Ryan Miller.

Miller, by the way, is doing splendidly. Many have him pegged as the MVP for Team USA's effort.

During the third, the Finns come harder, but Miller denies every attempt. With about half the period to go, Miller is changed out for backup goalie Tim Thomas. Yours truly thought this a classy move, as Timmy has gone on record to say it has always been a dream of his to play in the Olympics. At age 35, one would suspect Thomas may not likely return in four years.

Miller is given high-fives and salutes on the bench as he prepares to watch the rest of the game with his mates. Bobby even retrieved a game puck to give to Miller as a token of his incredible 100+ minute Olympic shutout run.

A collective Duck-fan gasp sounded as Bobby was struck point blank by a puck to the left side of the head. He was able to get off the ice, and was shown hunched over on the bench with a bag of ice held against his ear. Luckily, the puck went off the helmet and there was no blood or broken bones.

Hey, we need that boy for our playoff run!

The Finns are rewarded for their efforts with a power play goal against Timmy with about five minutes left in regulation, but that's the only mark they'll make in this semifinal game.

The Americans trounce Finland in a 6-1 landslide and move on to the gold medal game this Sunday. Yours truly is happy... and sad at the same time.


Photo courtesy Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America

Some stats and numbers:
- Bobby spent 8:44 on the ice and had one shot on goal.
- Ryan Whitney spent 11:06 on the ice.
- Teemu had one shot on goal in 13:44 ice time.
- Saku had two shots on goal in 13:36 ice time.

Men's hockey Olympic quarterfinals

Four big big games today, starting off with Team USA vs Team Switzerland (part 2).

Both teams start off with fires lit under them. The commentators are gushing over the energy of team USA, and while I can agree there's definitely energy, it's looking largely unfocused and reckless to me. Probably indicative of the young stars that make up the team, they're going to have to concentrate on connecting some plays and being a team if they hope to bring anything against Jonas Hiller.

The Swiss are also coming on with energy, but their offensive force is not nearly as big as their defense. Ryan Miller is forced to make a handful of good saves, but the Team USA defense has a way of blocking many of those shots before they even reach their intrepid netminder.

Put it this way. Hiller faced 42 shots as opposed to Miller's 19.

My boy Bobby Ryan only got eight and a half minutes of ice time, but he managed three shots on goal and some nice YouTube-able plays. Hiller played a phenomenal game. He definitely helped his team fight to the end.

There were no goals through two periods of play. Not until Zach Parise got one by Hiller did the momentum swing, and Team USA gave that extra push. Parise potted an empty netter with less than a minute left in regulation.

Team USA moves on to the quarterfinals.

By the way, I'd forgotten to mention that Bobby is also writing an Olympic blog (along with Hiller and Ryan Whitney). You can read his thoughts here.

Next up, the heavily commercialized game of Team Canada vs Team Russia. Sid vs Ovie... again.

Elimination rounds

Two games to keep an eye on today, although one SHOULD be a no-brainer.

First up, Team Switzerland vs Team Belarus. The winner of this game will go on to play Team USA in the quarterfinals Wednesday. Yours truly was not able to watch this game (the job that pays the bills interfered), but it was my understanding that Jonas Hiller could have been much sharper between the pipes than he actually was.

In the end, it wouldn't matter. The Swiss squeezed out Belarus in a shootout, winning 3-2.

It'll be Hiller vs Bobby Ryan part two.

The next game on the Canada Place schedule was Team Canada vs Team Germany. After Canada's loss in regulation to USA on Sunday, you can bet the pressure was on to deliver against Germany. Shouldn't be a problem, right?

Martin Brodeur lost his opportunity to netmind, and Roberto Luongo would be the one in goal today. Team Canada redeemed themselves today, positively shredding Germany with a 8-2 win.

Our boys Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry looked good out there, despite neither recording any points. Getzy had one shot on goal, Perry had four. Captain Scott Niedermayer would net a goal.

If anyone is keeping count, as of today, I believe all of our hometown heroes have multiple Olypmic points to their names, with the exception of Hiller (obviously) and Ryan Whitney. I'll do a breakdown in the next post.

Team Canada will go on to play Team Russia in Wednesday's quarterfinals. Looks like another Sid vs. Ovie matchup!

Lots of hockey to be watched. Unfortunately, the television schedule has left much to be desired. The Team USA vs Team Switzerland quarterfinal will be aired on NBC at 3pm Pacific Time, but there's only a 2-hour time slot dedicated to it. Will they cut the game short??? How horrible!

The Team Canada vs Team Russia quarterfinal is scheduled to start at 4pm on CNBC. So of course, there's overlap... which makes it all but impossible for yours truly to record via VCR.

Following later in the day, Team Finland vs Team Czech.

I suppose I'll be refreshing the Olympic web page again and again.

Super-rink Sunday

Forget the Superbowl, today is hockey's day.

There were three big games today, but I'll focus on the last two because those feature Duck players. Yes, I'm biased, but it's my blog and I can do whatever I want.

Yours truly attended a watch party for the big Team USA vs Team Canada game this afternoon. The location was my favorite local sports bar, Oggi's in Tustin. The atmosphere was pure electricity, as tons of hockey fans came out to cheer on their country of choice.

With Ducks on both Team USA and Team Canada, it felt a little like a win-win situation for yours truly. However, I'm known to be a sucker for underdogs (heck, I'm a Phoenix Coyotes fan for crying out loud), and my boy Bobby Ryan make the decision easy. Team USA all the way, baby.

In between the pipes, Team USA would stay with Ryan Miller. For Team Canada, Martin Brodeur would get the nod.

The game started off wonderfully with an early goal for Team USA courtesy Brian Rafalski. Further energized, Team USA went on to have a great first period. They played with confidence and speed, and the forecheck was incredibly effective. Team Canada could not even set up in the offensive zone.

Team Canada did get on the board before the first half of the period expired, with a goal by Eric Staal. But it was answered less than a minute later by a second goal from Rafalski.

Unbelievable game for Rafalski.

The holes in the defense had been addressed, it seemed, and they weren't as glaring in Team USA's game tonight. The defensemen were better distributed along the blue line, turnovers were better controlled, and I think Canada only got away with one odd-man rush the entire game.

The second period, for Team USA, looked a little more like a typical Anaheim Ducks' second period. The boys looked a bit slow, a bit caught back on their heels. Dany Heatley would take advantage and score for Canada, tying the game up 2-2.

Before the end of the period, a pinball play in front of Brodeur's crease would land a third goal for Team USA. Credit to Chris Drury, assists to David Backes and Bobby Ryan. Again, Team USA would take a one-goal lead into the locker room for the intermission.

A series of penalties for Team Canada drove the momentum back in Team USA's favor for the third period. The forecheck reappeared, some of the extra kick returned to Team USA's step. On the last USA power play, Captain Jamie Langenbrunner would give the US a 2-goal lead for the first time in the game.

And then Team USA would take two penalities of its own, allowing a goal in the last five seconds. Sidney Crosby, pulling the game once again down to one goal. It became a veritable shooting gallery around Ryan Miller, with a desparate Canadian team taking every possible shot.

With about a minute left in regulation, Brodeur was pulled for the extra attacker. Zach Parise and Ryan Kesler danced with the puck near the blue line. Kesler took off down the ice, as did his defender Corey Perry. Parise's shot sped past them. When it looked as if Perry had effectively kept Kesler away, the fallen American swung his stick, connected with the puck, and sent it into the far corner of the net.

Empty net goal! And in that moment, Team USA realized what it had done. Kesler was tackled by Parise, Langenbrunner, and Erik Johnson behind the Canada net. On the bench, guys were hugging and slapping each other on the back, smiles stretched wide across their young faces.

There were 45 seconds left in regulation, but Team Canada would fail to bring a tie. Team USA had done it, beating the favorite and creating a situation where either Team Canada or Team Russia would leave Vancouver empty handed.

Miller came up HUGE, especially in the last five of regulation. He would face 45 shots during this game, compared to Brodeur's 23.

A few Duck observations...

Bobby's ice time was considerably increased in this game, I'm happy to say. He played nearly 12 minutes, had two shots on goal and one assist.

Ryan Whitney got the least time on ice of any Team USA player, 5:22, and he was a -1.

This definitely wasn't Corey Perry's game. To add injury to insult, Perry collided at one point with Staal and, while crumpled on the ice, had Chris Pronger fall over them both. Perry left blood on the ice, but there would be no penalties as all of the players involved belonged to the same team! Not Canada's finest moment by far.

Both Perry and Ryan Getzlaf would fail to pen any goals or assists, but each served two penalty minutes and had one and three shots on goal, respectively.

Captain Canada, Scott Niedermayer, has played better games himself. I think Scotty showed some rare frustration, getting himself involved in post-whistle shoving scrums on more than one occasion. He had three shots on goal, was a -1, and saw 17 minutes of ice time (which, incidentally, is a lot less than Scotty is used to playing).

It was an incredible game, and the watch party atmosphere made it even more memorable for yours truly.

The game that followed could have also been a nail-biter. Team Finland and Team Sweden have had a very heated rivalry through many Olympics, including the gold medal game four years ago. Unfortunately, this game failed to meet most expectations.

I don't know what was wrong with Team Finland, but it seemed that nobody showed except for Tuomo Ruutu and goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff. He was able to stop the bleeding on a 0-3 meltdown by his countrymen, but with no effective attacks on net, Kipper couldn't exactly do anything about the bagel on the scoreboard.

With the preliminary rounds finished, the top four seeds go to USA, Sweden, Russia, and Finland (qualifying round). These four teams don't have to play in Tuesday's elimination rounds as they go straight through to the quarterfinals on Wednesday. The remaining eight teams will play Tuesday, with the top seed playing the bottommost seed, 2nd top playing the 2nd from bottom, etc.

- Czech vs Latvia
- Canada vs Germany
- Slovakia vs Norway
- Switzerland vs Belarus

The winners in these elimination rounds will go on to play the top four seeds on Wednesday. Yours truly will be posting the rest of the men's hockey schedule tomorrow.

The Finnish Flash strikes again

History is being made, ladies and gentlemen.

In today's contest between Team Finland and Team Germany, Teemu Selanne would pen an assist. That puts his career point total to an Olympic record-breaking high of 37!!

That's our Finnish Flash!

Saku Koivu would also get an assist in this game.

Expecting Miikka Kiprusoff to be between the pipes, yours truly was a little surprised to see Niklas Backstrom. But Niki did well, blocking all 24 shots that he faced for his first Olympic shutout, 5-0.

Team Finland will face their biggest, bitterest rival, Team Sweden on Sunday. Don't forget, Sunday is also the day Team USA will face Team Canada.

More Olympic excitement to come!

Wins, Finns, and journalism spins

The Team USA vs Team Switzerland match got men's ice hockey off to a good start, and the excitement would continue with the very next game.

Team Canada, with Ryan Getzlaf on the roster, took on Team Norway later that afternoon. Team Canada's roster looks like a veritable hockey all-stars team, what with Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Captain Scott Niedermayer from the Anaheim Ducks, and league-known superstars like Sidney Crosby, Jerome Iginla, Dany Heatley, Joe Thornton, Rick Nash, Chris Pronger, and Jonathan Toews.

Vancouver Canucks' Roberto Luongo started in net for the Canadians, and got himself a shutout, 8-0. The game started off slowly, going scoreless into the first intermission, but play quickly picked up as players got comfortable.

Our three Ducks would come away with one point each, Getzy and Pears got goals, and Scotty an assist.

This morning, Team Finland took on Team Belarus. More points for our Ducks, Captain Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne would both get assists in this 5-1 win. Teemu is a bit of a legend in Olympic circles, holding 20 goals and 36 points in five Olympic appearances. He's now tied for the leading Olympic record for the most career points. Five more Olympic goals will tie him for the most career goals in the modern era (since the 1956 Olympics).

Can the Finnish Flash do it? Yours truly would say, if a broken hand and broken jaw can't keep him out of the Olympics, it's very possible he'll go on to tie that record.

Switching opponents, Team USA will take on Team Norway tomorrow. And Team Canada will face Jonas Hiller and Team Switzerland. The big game between USA and Canada will take place this Sunday, along with Team Finland versus rival Team Sweden.

A few of our Ducks have taken pen in hand to blog about their Olympic experiences. Ducks defenseman Ryan Whitney's blog can be found on the OC Register webpage, and netminder Jonas Hiller's blog can be found on the Ducks homepage.