Men's Olympic Hockey Predictions

[life_unexamined]

I'm making unfounded predictions to a friend in email, and might as well repeat them here so y'all can call me to task when they fail to come true.

So, I think the gold medal game will feature the US and Sweden. USA has one of the easiest roads through this tournament. Sweden is very very good, as good as Canada or Russia, but has an easier road

Comments

[life_unexamined]

I think the Czechs and the Russians are the two teams most likely to upset my apple cart. The Czech team includes about 16 NHLers, plus Jaromir Jagr. However I may feel about Jagr's performance while he was a Cap, you gotta admit he's a great hockey player. And Russia fields a power play that includes Semin, Malkin, Ovechkin, Gonchar, and Kovalchuk ... that's absolutely terrifying.

The teams I'd be happiest to see win where I don't expect them to is probably Slovakia, or anyone playing Canada. My pro-Slovakia bias is based solely on the fact that former Cap Peter Bondra is their GM, while my dislike of Canada has, quite unreasonably, grown from their snub of Caps D-man Mike Green. Oh, yeah, and the very existence of Sidney Crosby.

[life_unexamined]

And the Swedes are out. (This is actually kind of good for the Caps ... three Russians, one Czech, and one Swede are out of Olympic play ad back to practicing with the team.)

At this point, I'm rooting for Slovakia, but I don't know if they've got what it takes to beat Canada. Which puts Canada in the gold medal game vs the US if the balance of my previous predictions hold true. I now the US won the first meeting, but Canada seems much improved. Some of that can be laid at the feet of the Russian coaches, who didn't do much of anything to adjust their game to give their players a chance. It'll be an interesting game if these two meet up again.

Otherwise ... heck, I have No Idea what's gonna happen. I'm just going to sit back and enjoy it. Er, except that I probably won;t be able to see the semi-final round because we'll be out of town.

[tri_dancer]

What the heck is a non-bye team?

And what color are your nails now?

[life_unexamined]

Oh, I just meant the eight teams that play in the Qualification Playoffs, as opposed to the four that have a bye until the Quarterfinal. (Handy Chart).

Three (non-consecutive) toes of my left foot are sparkly-greenish. And two consecutive toes of my right foot are sparkly-pinkish. And when I say toes, I do mean toes ... she does not restrict herself to the nail only.

[tri_dancer]

Hey, I *still* have trouble painting only nail when I paint my toes. You gave me a laugh, though, to picture what your feet must look like.

[life_unexamined]

Wow... give Team Canada credit. They SCHOOLED Russia.