MafiaMan

In a related story... ...WTF AM I DOING WATCHING THE VIKINGS GAME?

Speaking of Goldy, they're having CM's face bronzed this afternoon so they can be all set for his HOF induction when this tournament is over.

Well, then, if that's the case, why don't we just draw next year's teams out of a hat and seed them that way?

The fact that the bracket was modified to put the USA and Canada on the same side should be concerning for more than just this year. I can only presume that the IIHF is licking their chops at doing it again next year as the tournament is being held where again? Oh yea. Canada.

Sorry, UNDBIZ, you're missing the whole point.

Is there a USA jersey in the stands tonight?

Slovakia's jerseys ruined by the big black patches that say "Orange" on them...

Those Finland navy blue shoulder yokes and baby blue numbers on the back outlined in navy blue... ...like button.

Posting for @cberkas Finland 1-0

Finland's jersey crest...

Slovakia giving Finland fits...

This picture is from the pre-Olympic exhibition game against the Soviets at Madison Square Garden. Note the lack of white stars on the shoulders and the diagonal and not arched USA letters on the front.

The truly interesting thing about it is that the team wore the diagonal USA jerseys in exhibition games leading up to the Olympics and even had a team photo taken in them.

Well, if daddy has anything to say about it, young Bellows will be the first 25 year old playing in the World Juniors in a few more years...

It's reallly quite simple. The #1 and #2 teams from the previous year are placed in Pool A and Pool B, respectively. This was completely blown up this year so that a gimmick outdoor game could be played in the preliminary rounds. Period. So what do we do when Russia and Belarus end up in what would be opposite pools and the tournament scheduled to be played in Moscow? How about Sweden and Finland in an outdoor game in Helsinki? Brackets be damned, let's help the IIHF make some more money off of the backs of teenage kids! And don't even get me started about the obvious pandering to Buffalo Bills football fans with the money-grab "hockey" jersey worn yesterday. What a disgrace. I can't wait for an outdoor game in LA and the opportunity for Team USA to don some Laker blue and gold jerseys! Or maybe have a game in Fenway Park and the American kids can bust out some Celtic colors! Imagine the possibilities to make some more money!

Well, to be competely truthful, what you got was kind of a mixture of the 1960 jersey with a 1980 player name and number.

I was told there would be no math, but my calculations tell me that Sweden would have replaced Canada in Pool A had the IIHF not deviated from the script. 2017 standings: 1. USA 2. Canada 3. Russia 4. Sweden 5. Denmark 6. Czech Republic 7. Switzerland 8. Slovakia 9. Finland 10. Latvia (replaced by Belarus in 2018) Normal Pool A would be the previous year #1, 4, 5, 8, and 9 teams. Normal Pool B would be the previous year #2, 3, 6, 7, and 10 teams.

I don't care about all the other issues you listed...the fact that pool integrity was sacrificed to make this game happen is an effing travesty of justice to the team that won the gold medal last year.

So you two are all in favor of losing pool integrity so we can watch USA vs Canada outdoor preliminary games every year?

Holy gfhockey, Batman!

That was my point. The loss to Slovakia is a disaster with Canada being in the same pool as opposed to who SHOULD be there in their place.

'Cuz the SCSU coach likes UMD players?

BTW, how does shuffling the pools around look right about now for Team USA?

They're laying an egg already if they agree to wear those ridiculous Bills hockey jerseys...