World Ice Hockey Champs

[Saigon]

OK, it's not the Stanley Cup, but the always excellent 16 team annual tournament starts today in Finland and Sweden.

This year few teams have their NHL stars to call on, which hurts Finland more than most.

These are the groups:

Group H (Helsinki)
Austria
Finland
France
Germany
Latvia
Russia
Slovakia
United States


Group S (Stockholm)
Belarus
Canada
Czech Republic
Denmark
Norway
Slovenia
Switzerland
Sweden

SCHEDULE

I think Canada will win, as they have a very strong team here, with probably Russia and Sweden vying for silver and bronze.

 

[High_Gravity]

Why can't the US compete anymore?

 

[Sunni Man]

Is there a USA team?

 

[Saigon]

Sunni & HG -

Um....did you not see the 'United States' listed there?

The US don't have a great record in this event, but then they often send a kind of development team, whereas Canada take the event more seriously. Even so, the US always make the play-offs, and will do again this year, I'm sure.

 

[High_Gravity]

Didn't we used to win world championships in hockey?

 

[Sunni Man]

Sunni & HG -

Um....did you not see the 'United States' listed there?

The US don't have a great record in this event, but then they often send a kind of development team, whereas Canada take the event more seriously. Even so, the US always make the play-offs, and will do again this year, I'm sure.

I believe you added the United States after we called you on it.

Because I would swear it wasn't on the list before then??

Besides it's almost impossible for either HG or me to ever be wrong about anything.

Let alone both of us to be wrong at the same time!! ..

 

[Saigon]

Didn't we used to win world championships in hockey?

The US is always strong at the Olympics, but I don't recall them ever winning the World Champs. I'm sure they have at some point, but I don't remember.

Finland won in 2011, but Russia, Canada, Sweden and the Czechs tend to dominate the medals.

 

[Toro]

This is minor league.

 

[Saigon]

This is minor league.

And yet you opened the thread and commented anyway.

 

[Saigon]

So amazing results already -

Sweden 2 Switzerland 3 - a major shock for the home team

Finland 4 Germany 3 - an overtime win for us, but we were trailing 2-3 with 1 minute to go!

 

[Toro]

This is minor league.

And yet you opened the thread and commented anyway.

My insights are always brilliant, even the banal ones.

 

[Saigon]

Finland 2 Slovakia 0!

 

[Saigon]

Semi finals tonight -

USA v Switzerland

Finland v Sweden

The US beat the Red Machine 8-3 in the 1/4 finals.

 

[Toro]

Ovechkin sucked as much as he did in the playoffs.

 

[Saigon]

Ovechkin sucked as much as he did in the playoffs.

He did - so did Kovalchuk, who seemed to spend most of the time during the third period against Finland cross-checking people - not a great idea when you are 3-2 down with 5 minutes to play.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

OK, it's not the Stanley Cup, but the always excellent 16 team annual tournament starts today in Finland and Sweden.

This year few teams have their NHL stars to call on, which hurts Finland more than most.

These are the groups:

Group H (Helsinki)
Austria
Finland
France
Germany
Latvia
Russia
Slovakia
United States


Group S (Stockholm)
Belarus
Canada
Czech Republic
Denmark
Norway
Slovenia
Switzerland
Sweden

SCHEDULE

I think Canada will win, as they have a very strong team here, with probably Russia and Sweden vying for silver and bronze.

You may be right but count on the Russians getting the Bronze. Not the silver. - Jeri

 

[Saigon]

Jeri -

I wouldn't count on that - Russia went out in the 1/4 finals.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

I'm praying for the other team. That means I can count on it. Consider it done. I have precedent for this...

true story: In 2007 I was working in a sales industry that was very competitive. I was the only woman working with 20 of the most aggressive males you ever met ---> who held one thing in common. They were all rooting for the Patriots. I was born in NY and am a Giants fan. No question about it but I never said anything to them about it.

My co - workers couldn't complete with me on an even playing field and had the manager going into my files to call in my clients for a deal on my day off. These guys were robbing me by spying on my notes - trying to learn my secrets.

I learned that the Patriots were spying on the Giants and watching their moves and said, Ah! Ha! I've got grounds for a prayer request here! G-d will surely grant it to me! So I petitioned the LORD and told him what I thought about the Patriots and their "fans" and asked Him to avenge me and avenge my Giants team by giving them a 3 point lead in the Super Bowl. Guess what? Patriots lost to the Giants. Giants won by 3 points. Eli Manning caught the football on his helmet. True story.

Fast forward to every single year since that Super Bowl? Every year I pray for my team and my team wins. I have a perfect record since 2007. p.s. I have never bet money on a football game and never would. I just get a kick out of knowing that whatever concerns me? Concerns my God too! G-d is good!

- Jeri

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Didn't we used to win world championships in hockey?

USA CRUSHED the Russians on the ice at Lake Placid Olympics 1980. After that we changed up to the "dream team" idea which has turned out to be a "nightmare". Whoever thought that was a plan was indeed "dreaming"!!

 

[Saigon]

Jeremiah -

I tell you what - you tell me who will win the next Superbowl, and I'LL bet on it!