Ice Ice Baby? The 2026 Winter Olympics Thread

[MartyFunkhouser]

Canada's in. Now we need to get in. A little nervous as they have beaten us before..

We lost a 1-goal game to them at the 4-Nations Faceoff. Unfortunately, Guerin saw that loss as a proof of concept on how to beat Canada. Not sure how a loss is proof of concept, but here we go. What you saw Finland do and Czechia do is what the USA is going to try to do in the gold medal game, if we get there. It didn't work for either of those teams, and it won't work for the USA either.

It is frustrating to see a line of JT Miller-Keller-Trocheck out there. It is even frustrating seeing Kyle Connor wasting there on the bench. No excuse for Caulfield and Robertson not being there.

If those guys are there, you can keep your line of Tkachuk-Eichel-Tkachuk line. That is the line you roll with to put a ton of physical pressure on the opponents. It can still be your primarily line and it should produce with Eichel centering it. You don't need a checking line. That is your checking line.

If are 4th line was something like Caulfield-Robertson-Hughes, you've got a line that can keep possession and pressure the goaltender. Instead, we have JT MIller-Trocheck-Nelson (or Keller), which is basically saying to Canada, enjoy a nice shift in the offensive zone, oh and pinch your defensiveman in, because there isn't really a offensive threat going the other way.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Great article on tracking of scoring chances in the preliminary rounds. The conclusion. Canada's offense is great. USA is underperforming.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...ey-canada-usa/

3. American offense generation isn’t where it needs to be

It was obvious from the outset that the United States had the softest group. While Team USA won all three games easily with a heavy scoring chance advantage, that competition context matters in terms of expectations, and the Americans didn’t really meet them, especially offensively. Given their opponents and the relationship our expected score line has with Filipovic’s tracked scoring chances, the United States should have been clicking at close to 40 scoring chances per game. They managed 34 per game, six fewer than expected, which was a tournament-low differential. The actual total is still great, the third-best mark at the tournament, but it should’ve been even more given the talent advantage their roster had over Germany, Denmark and Latvia.

That showed in the team’s game against Sweden, where the Americans tried to nurse a 1-0 lead until the very end. Quinn Hughes made sure the United States advanced to the medal round with some overtime heroics, but the inability to finish throughout the game could be a major issue over the final two games. The United States are where they’re expected to be and are heavily favored to advance to the gold medal game, but they may still regret not bringing one or two more finishers.

Oh and they are absolutely underutilizing Jack Hughes.

Up front, Jack Hughes hasn’t been getting a lot of minutes, but he’s made the most of his time out there with 17 scoring chance contributions, fourth-most on the team. His per-60 rate of 28.3 leads the Americans and ranks fourth at the tournament behind Connor McDavid, Bo Horvat and Slovakia’s Peter Cehlarik. His ability to drive that fourth line with Brock Nelson has been a huge advantage for the United States. He looks as dangerous as ever.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Great attacking play in the first 5-minutes. Now keep it up. Don't do what you did against Sweden and go into a complete shell and try to nurse a 1-goal lead.

[dabrockster]

Damn that was fast!! LFG!!! <American Flag>


Note to JL: Need an American flag and eagle emoji!

[Shaka]

He isn't there. He should be there, but I get why he didn't make the first cut. He should have 100% been an injury replacement. Eff Canada. I hate seeing them win the gold, but it is inevitable at this point. I wish I was wrong. All Canadians should be sending a thank you card to Bill Guerin.

I know. I've just enjoyed watching you complain.

[Donuthole]

This jersey combo is nauseating.

[dabrockster]

I was just telling my buddy that those SVK unis are pissing me off. As well as ours. They are literally just an inverse of each other..

[dabrockster]

Great attacking play in the first 5-minutes. Now keep it up. Don't do what you did against Sweden and go into a complete shell and try to nurse a 1-goal lead.

2-0. They are coming on strong. THIS is how they need to play.. Unbeatable when they attack hard like this..

[dabrockster]

Starting to become a rout!! 4-0!! SVK changing goalies..

[MartyFunkhouser]

See this is what happens when you keep the pressure up. This is the way we need to playing against the Canadians. Eff Canada.

[dabrockster]

See this is what happens when you keep the pressure up. This is the way we need to playing against the Canadians. Eff Canada.

5-0! Almost 6-0 if that guy didn't chop our guy in front of the goal (Should've been two penalties.)..

I pray he allows the team to play like this against Canada. Unrelenting pressure.. Just deflates SVK.

[MartyFunkhouser]

5-0! Almost 6-0 if that guy didn't chop our guy in front of the goal (Should've been two penalties.)..

I pray he allows the team to play like this against Canada. Unrelenting pressure.. Just deflates SVK.

Well and put that type of pressure on Binnington and he will fold. One problem though, Canada's firepower may be too much for the USA because of all the talent sitting home.

[Joe Public]

Dylan Larkin is having a nice Olympics.

[Northwestcoug]

Some great curling in the final today. Doesn’t look like it will be a blowout for either team.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Dylan Larkin is having a nice Olympics.

Larkin is one of the ones that belongs there. Yes, he is having a nice Olympics.