Ahira's Hangar

Haha, one moment they showed on the highlight reel was when Crosby fell on top of Miller in the US net. The play-by-play guy said something like: "the only thing Canada can get into the net right now is Crosby himself..."

I heard someone mention that Crosby was a -3 in that game. I have not had a chance to check the stats to see if it is true or not, but if it is I will have a great laugh.

The media is really taking a chance in creating an egotistical monster with that kid with the constant hype and attention (seriously, you would think he is Hockey Jesus from the way they carry on and verbally suck on his toes on a daily basis). Hopefully he has a good enough head on his shoulders that will not happen, but...

Canadian men's hockey team came roaring back today against Germany to make it to the quarterfinals. Their next game is against Russia, and it should be a doozy!

USA v. Switzerland in men's ice hockey tonight. And then the clash of the titans in Russia v. Canada.

I think the US men woke up a sleeping frost giant. Canada freaking crushed Russia like there is no tomorrow. Maybe from now on this team really will be unbeatable.

USA and Canada will match off for gold in women's hockey. Will hopefully be a good game from two very good teams.

Congratulations to the Canadian women in winning Olympic gold in ice hockey over a very good US team. Wish I could have seen the game - everyone who got to watch it says it was a really good one.

Was surprised that the US team got shut out. Thinking back to the last couple of Olympics, it seems to me the US-Canada rivalry in women's hockey is every bit as intense - if not more so - than in men's hockey. Needless to say, I hope it will be a Canada-US final for the men, too. It's only fitting. It will be interesting to see if Slovakia will be the giant-killer tonight against Canada.

yes, it will be a canuck-yankee rematch for the men's hockey gold medal match

Slovakia put up quite a fight!
Yeah, should be one heckuva gold medal game.

In other news, I gotta give kudos to Sweden for defending its Olympic title against Canada in women's curling.
Canada had a chance to win the game with its last rock, but it just didn't work out.
(Here, curling is the only other sport that could be said to rival hockey's popularity.)

We were watching that match yesterday. My husband is fascinated with the tactics of curling. It is a bit like chess or another cerebral pursuit, but on ice.

I was just watching the snowboard slalom. Another alpine type event being run in heavy fog. Vancouver's weather has not cooperated with these Games.

an argument on why figure skating is not a sport (the person who wrote it has trouble with the judging)

Caught some of the US-Canada hockey game today at the shopping mall. Good crowds had gathered around various big screen TVs there. I commented earlier that curling was a rival to hockey in Canada, but nothing draws a big crowd like an important hockey game. When the US scored late in the third to tie the game, there was a huge collective groan in the mall. I made sure to get home ahead of any potential mob scene, whether Canada won or lost. Crazy hockey fans will do crazy things, especially if they've had a few beers. Nah, Winnipeggers aren't as out of control as some other hockey revellers (:cough: Edmontonians :cough:).

What a dramatic finish - and wouldn't you know it, Sidney Crosby scored the winning goal. Well, he's made his mark in Olympic history now. If the media was fawning all over him before this... (Though a post-game comment on the CTV website pointed out that Crosby was invisible the whole tournament until that moment.)

Congrats to US goalie Ryan Miller for being named the tournament MVP, though I know it's kind of a meaningless consolation.

I was busy with other stuff, so didn't catch the closing ceremony online, and they don't appear to have it available for replay. Bah.

Anyway...so ends the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Lots of interesting stories in these past two weeks. I may have to splurge for the commemorative DVD to make up for the crappy online video I've had to sit through.

Next stop, London 2012!

I was at work and missed the game, but admit to throwing up in my mouth a little bit when I found out who scored the winning goal for Canada (why couldn't it have been Nash or another player I feel respect for???). Now there will be no room on the North American continent for anyone or anything else other than Crosby's ego.

Lots of great Olympic moments, though it was all overshadowed for me by that poor kid getting killed on the luge. Both the US and Canada did very well overall, and one of my favorite quiet moments was watching the king of Sweden watching a skier from Sweden winning gold in a cross country race.

Did not get to see the closing ceremonies, as I was at work, but the opening ones were very well done, despite the technical error with the torch. Great journey through Canada, great music (loved the fiddlers!!), wonderful use of light.