jk

Either way, a current Sioux player will be on, so I'll be tuned in. I still have no audio for this game.

"Programming note: Today's game is also being televised by FOX Sports Net North (DirecTV, Channel 641) at 11 p.m. EST." From the usahockey website. Looks like they are in fact showing the bronze game. Kind of a bummer because I think I'd rather see the gold medal game.

I have already accepted revising his Sioux career down from three years to two. I'm not ready for it be just one.

About that Oshie picture ... You wouldn't know it from the picture, but Oshie was the puck-carrier in that play. The Russian was trying to stand Oshie up at the blueline.

Canuck, I just watched the end of the game again, and the chippiness started when Skille got taken out with the elbow, followed very shortly afterward, on the same shift, with someone running Porter in nasty fashion. Shremp's high stick followed. Right after Schremp went in the box, Oshie ran over the Russian defenseman, followed by someone trying to take Oshie out. You simply cannot expect a team that is both frustrated on the scoreboard and being subjected to cheap shots to not retaliate. Call it poor sportsmanship if the losing team starts the cheap stuff, but when the leading team does it they are asking for trouble. I wish there had been a Greene type defenseman on the US team to really even the score. Nothing cheap, just a little old time hockey justice. Cardinal, save for a few shifts here and there, JJ, EJ, Lee and Chorney have each pretty much played half the minutes since Butler went down.

I'll definitely be pulling for Canada because the Canadian players deserve it, even if the jerk fans don't. Also, the Russians absolutely are punks. They get the late lead and start throwing cheap shots. I thought that's what the losing team was supposed to do. Anyway, Bob McKenzie apparently had enough of the crowd at just the same time I did last night: http://www.tsn.ca/columnists/bob_mckenzie.asp?id=149310 "I'm going to make a little editorial comment now, which I don't do very often. I understand why the fans in Vancouver adopted the Americans as the villians in this tournament, but there came a point on Tueday night when the intensity of the booing aginst the Americans really started to get to me. When I see a classy kid like U.S. captain Kevin Porter get cleaned out by a Russian check that was a bit of a head-shot, and see the crowd goes crazy... I don't know. I guess I was raised in the 1970's and 80's when the Russians were the enemy. I understand that the Americans are the new rival, but something about it just bothered me on Tuesday night."

Too funny, sagard. The US had some real nice defensmen on this team, but they're all so young. Also, losing Butler hurt, as he seemed to play quite a lot, meaning the other main guys had to eat up his minutes. Chorney and Lee were out for Russia's second goal, but I think the first, third and fourth were JJ and EJ. The last was Lee and JJ.

I'll be cheering for Toews for sure, and I hope he gets to experience the gold.

I have not made one post anywhere about the Canadian crowds, but them rejoicing about these big hits with a 5-1 score has finally gotten to me. I could not previously imagine cheering against Canada in any game except a US one, but I can imagine it now.

Nice PK by Oshie. Ryan would be better this week if he wasn't testing out Bauer's new "Cinderblock" line of skates.

K-rap. Bummer to see Chorney get beat like that for the goal. Then Skille gets it back. Good. Maybe we still have a game.

Completely different game in the second period. The US needs to get on the scoreboard to convert all this great play. I think Erik Johnson might just be the first player picked in next year's draft. Holy cow Schremp can dangle. I like Mueller too. And Oshie draws another one. The kid is something.

Best shift of the night for the US - Schremp, Fritsche and Mueller with the pressure. Do you think the Sioux coaches can put some snarl into Lee's game? I wouldn't mind a few stupid penalties, as long as he inflicted a little pain and inspired some fear. This period is better so far. The ice isn't so tilted.

Vegas, How did Toews do against Finland? I heard that the TSN guys were down on that line a little for not producing, but I gathered it was directed more at Pouliot.

Ouch. That was brutal. Reminds me of some squirt games where one team is really outclassed. The US is going to need to step it up in a big way here to stay in the game. Hate to say it but the highlight of the period may have been Paukovich's big hit on one of the Russians. It's risky with international officiating, but one way to change the momentum in a game (and it REALLY needs changing) is to just go out and hit every chance you get. I'm reading "The Boys of Winter" about the 1980 team, and it's interesting that one of Herb's theories about playing the Russians was to not dump and chase. Basically you work so hard to get the puck from the Russians and then you just voluntarily surrender possession. So tonight the Russians have the puck for, like, 80% of the time, and even on the PP, the US dumps it in and loses possession. Did we forget that lesson? Sagard, you're right especially because he has such a wicked snapshot. Chorney seems to me to be playing very well.

Just finished watching the tape delayed version on FSN. Where to begin? You could tell Kyle really wanted this game, rightly so, to avoid the quarterfinal game. I have a bad feeling the Sioux players on the U.S. team, especially the defensemen, are going to be completely gassed at the end of this tournament. Chorney and Lee played a ton, and they're four games into a seven game tournament. Having only listened on the radio prior to this game, I was expecting to see Oshie have the impact he seemed to have earlier, but he looked tired to me most of tonight. Then he took a big slapper in the ankle with about five minutes left and limped to the bench, and I had to hold my breath until he came out for his next shift. Chorney scrapped and scrapped all game long, but seemed to have trouble with the puck bouncing against his stick throughout the game. Lee made steady plays throughout the game, but the shift where he and EJ couldn't get off the ice was painful to watch by the end of it. Toews I expect to not be burnt out at the end of the tourney, at least physically, as he (first) seems to play a more regular shift on a deep Canadian team and (second) will play one less game. Toews made some nice little plays, but mostly didn't stand out to me. He's 17 in a tournament for 19-year olds, so just fitting in is a nice accomplissment. Interesting that the marquee draft prospects, Kessel and Toews, have zero goals through eight total games so far. It was a riot seeing Toews trying to rag the puck with Lee and Chorney checking him. Also, at one point Paukovich checked Toews along the boards, nearly from behind. Had to hold my breath a little there too. People had said ahead of time that Cogliano was perhaps as fast as Kessel, but it looked like Kessel was hand-down the fastest skater on the ice tonight. He just has another gear. I love the Sioux and dislike the Gophers (hate is such a strong word during the holidays), but if the kid was wearing green we would adore him. No doubt he's got his deficiencies, too (which is nice), and I'm sure we can check in here to read about them often. I was really hoping Oshie would have a chance to line someone up for one of his patented wipeouts, but if it happened I missed it. Back to the topic of WJC fatigue, I would seriously consider bringing other players, Miller or Alexander or someone, to Alaska and giving the WJC guys the weekend off. I know it would put the crucial UAA points at risk, but maybe they'd be at risk anyway with the rubber-legged kids out there. Seven games in two weeks is already a lot, and playing in Alaska would make it nine games. I'm not sure what the right answer is. Anyway, good hockey to watch to send out 2005. Here's to a good 2006.

I hope Greg L. doesn't say again: Kozek's coming in there with the big wood.

The first time I saw Jeff Panzer play live was a weekend in the old REA against a powerhouse CC team. The Sioux got beat the first night, and Blais was not happy. Even though the team was already short due to injuries, he sat several upperclassmen - important players - the next game. I walked in for warm-ups, looked at the players on the ice, and thought: "Thanks, Dean. I didn't drive 300 miles to watch us get swept so you could make a point." Goren won the unwinnable game Saturday with an OT goal. I say if Hak wants to sit someone, he should do it anyway. I didn't see the game so I don't have an opinion on who should sit. [Off-topic, I went into the game with a neutral opinion of Panzer. I was down on the glass, and he went around a CC defender along the wall for a loose puck, right in front of me, like the guy was a statue. I couldn't believe what I had just seen, and the CC player couldn't either. A sign of things to come.]

johnsowe, I was in the same boat as you. The USCHO schedule page lists the game as starting at 7:05. Well, the commercials were really entertaining.

It was just a little lighthearted jab, IMO.

Actually I heard they're both throw-ins to get Kelly.

Geez, I'm dumb. Guess it means Darcy's coming too, as Heisenberg has both Trupp and Zajac commited to UND. Great news.

A USCHO poster says that USHR is reporting "Trupp to UND." The news is a few steps removed, but hopefully we'll get confirmation soon. Makes you wonder about the status of Darcy Zajac.

I was able to listen to most of the second periiod of the US/Finland game, and I don't think I heard Chorney's name once. Does anyone have a sense of his icetime? I saw a report somewhere that the "top 4" defensemen for the US played quite a lot, and that Mitera and Niskanen didn't see much time. I'm just not sure where Chorney fits into that report. You would think Rich and Sauer were Sioux homers with as much love as they gave Oshie. Sounds like he is having a terrific tournament so far. It sounds like Toews is continuing to play well, but it would be nice for him if he could find the back of the net.

Holy cow is the Space Station movie amazing. They show a shuttle liftoff from right up close, and it's so involving to the senses that I was nearly in tears. Second period underway. USA on the PK. And the Finns score.