Archive for the 'Olympics' Category

Sweden beats Finland 3-2, takes gold

Published
by
Matt Saler
on February 26, 2006
in Finland, Game Reports, Olympics and Sweden
. 4 Comments

It wasn’t quite the grudge match I was expecting but today’s gold medal game between Finland and Sweden was worth getting up at 8:00 AM on a Sunday morning for. Both teams played tight defensive games, especially in the first, which didn’t make it exceptionally exciting for long stretches but there were bursts of offense that came frequently enough.

The three Red Wing forwards played together for most of the game and were pretty effective. After the Finns took the 1-0 lead late in the first, the Swedes came back with a power play goal early in the second, scored by Henrik Zetterberg off a defenseman’s leg in the crease.

Less than 10 minutes later, Niklas Kronwall, again making good use of his short time in Torino, scored a nice power play goal himself from the high slot, giving his country a 2-1 lead.

The Finns didn’t take long to respond and soon it was tied again, 2-2. It stayed that way for the rest of the second period, which ended with both teams skating four aside. The third period began with Mats Sundin winning the faceoff at center and breaking Saku Koivu’s (I believe) stick in the process. This meant the Finns were down a player on the ensuing rush and it gave Nick Lidstrom a clear shooting lane to work with. He took full advantage and put the Swedes ahead permanently just 10 seconds into the period.

The Finns put up a strong effort to tie the game up toward the end but Henrik Lundqvist was strong and so was his defense. Sweden got its second gold medal in Olympic competition and five of our Wings will be returning to Detroit with that weird doughnut medal they hand out in Torino.

Or will they? Apparently, Nik Kronwall feels obligated to offer his gold medal to Mattias Ohlund, who’s rib injury caused Kronwall to be injected into the lineup, if the latter doesn’t get a medal:

“I think he deserved it more than I have. I came in and played two games. If we don’t end up getting another medal, I’m offering a medal.”

Yeah, Nik, you came in and played two games. You also played well and contributed in a very real way to your team’s victory. You earned it.

Congratulations, Nick, Tomas, Henrik, Mikael, and Nik! Get some rest, guys, and let’s repeat 2002 (and 1998), okay?

Lang will bring home bronze;Pavel to return emptyhanded

Published
by
Matt Saler
on February 25, 2006
in Czech Republic, Links, Olympics and Russia
. 0 Comments

The Czechs beat Russia 3-0 today in the bronze medal game. Nashville’s Tomas Vokoun earned the shutout and looks to be back in form just in time for the final stretch of the NHL season.

Link

Our boys go for gold: Sweden advances to Olympic final

Published
by
Matt Saler
on February 24, 2006
in Czech Republic, Links, Olympics and Sweden
. 0 Comments

Swedish Wings combine for 5 points (1 G, 4A) in 7-3 win over Czechs in semi-final game.

Link

Update (8:39 PM): They’ll play their Scandinavian enemies the Finns, who beat the Russians today, in the gold medal game on Sunday. That is not the matchup I was hoping for. I don’t like the idea of our Swedish Wings getting involved in that particular grudge match, especially since both teams will try to do whatever it takes to win. The emotions will be even higher given what’s on the line.

Update (11:40 PM): Niklas Kronwall notched an assist in his first-ever Olympic game today against the Czechs and did it using one of Niclas Havelid’s sticks. According to Helene St. James, Nik’s equipment still hasn’t made it to Torino.

Ohlund out, Kronwall in

Published
by
Matt Saler
on February 23, 2006
in Matthias Ohlund, Niklas Kronwall, Olympics and Sweden
. 0 Comments

Ohlund will miss the rest of the Olympics (and beyond) with a rib injury, TSN says. The Swedish head coach, Ben Gustafsson, says he’ll put Kronwall in and pair him with Lidstrom. The Swedes play the Czechs in the semifinals tomorrow at 10:30 AM on MSNBC here in the US and CBC in Canada.

Update (6:38 PM): Helene St. James has more here:

Swedish coach Ben Gustafsson had Kronwall practicing with Lidstrom on Thursday, and afterward explained he liked the two together because one would have to be a raving lunatic not to. Or, as he actually explained it: It’s a good pairing because both are very good at reading plays and knowing when it’s time to jump up and join the rush.

Unsurprisingly, Lidstrom agreed. “Yes.” he said.

Lidstrom elaborated: “I think we’re similar in that aspect, that we both can jump up in the play at different times, we just have to read off one another so we both don’t go up there at the same time.” Lidstrom also allayed any thoughts that it would be hard for a player to jump right into an Olympic semifinal by pointing out that Kronwall did quite all right in his first game back with Detroit on Feb. 1, when he had a big hit on his first shift and two assists.

St. James also reports Nik has had trouble getting his equipment to Torino (mirroring the experience of his fellow Swedish Wings last week). He’s confident it’ll get there in time, though.

What a turnaround, eh? One day he’s watching the Games on TV, the next, he’s on a plane to Torino and not long after that, he’s practicing for the semifinal game against the Czechs. He deserves the chance at gold, after the year he’s had coming back from the knee injury. Good luck, Nik!

Also, head over to Abel to Yzerman, where IwoCPO’s got some comments on the Wings’ goaltending future and has posted what I’ll call the Quote of the Day, from our very own Pavel Datsyuk.

Pavel has a broken finger?

Published
by
Matt Saler
on February 22, 2006
in Injuries, Links, Olympics, Pavel Datsyuk and Russia
. 0 Comments

Kukla passes along a Russian report that says so. Not thrilling news, to be sure, though its less so now that it’s out in the open. Pavel’s hands will even more prime targets for NHL opponents now.

Update (23. Feb, 10:30 AM): A2Y quotes a Russian report that indicates Pavel broke his finger in one of the last couple games he played for the Wings before heading to Torino. He just didn’t tell anyone. Given the fact that he has 8 points (1G, 7A) through 6 games, I don’t think it’s effected him much.

Quote of the Day

Published
by
Matt Saler
on February 21, 2006
in Chris Chelios, Olympics, Peter Forsberg and Quotes
. 4 Comments

From Helene St. James’ Hockey Diary:

A reporter asked Chris Chelios whether Sweden is a better team with Peter Forsberg. Chelios’ answer was vintage Chelios: “I would say ‘yes.’ He’s a pretty good player. Is this is a trick question?”

That is vintage Chelios. I can hear him say it. What a dumb question, seriously.

Nice to see the Freep get on the blog bandwagon. First it was the News’ Ted Kulfan “blog,” then Ansar Khan’s mLive-style blog and now we have Ms. St. James’. It’d be nice to see a links list from those three and maybe some more interactive functionality as well. Blogging is more than a format, guys, it’s a dialog. Want to join the conversation?

Kronwall headed to Torino

Published
by
Matt Saler
on February 20, 2006
in Links, Niklas Kronwall, Olympics and Sweden
. 2 Comments

Kukla: ” Kronwall will be part of the taxi squad and will be able to practice with the team, which will probably be good for him.” (via. A2Y)

Update (2:15 PM): More from the Freep:

Wings general manager Ken Holland confirmed Monday that Kronwall was to head to Torino that night, expected to arrive Tuesday morning. Sweden plays Slovakia at 8 p.m. Torino time.

Kronwall is coming over to join the Swedish taxi squad but might play because Niclas Havelid has suffered a knee injury.

It’ll be great for Nik to get some playing time, if he can, but it’s a big risk to take. The Wings can’t afford to have him get injured again.

However, as the Freep points out, Sweden only has four more games, at best: “The quarterfinals are Wednesday, semifinals Friday and the medal games Saturday and Sunday.” So, he’ll be able to work on getting into better game-shape but because he’s missed so much of the tournament already, there’s less a chance for re-injury while playing the less physical Olympic style.

Update (5:59 PM): Helene St. James has emmended her article on this. The relevant part now reads,

Kronwall is coming over to join the taxi squad, but might play because there is some question as to the status of Niclas Havelid, who has tweaked a knee. Swedish coach Bengt-Ake Gustafsson said that Havelid would play Tuesday, but that Kronwall was the first defenseman substitute.

“Niklas is going to come down here and be ready if we have some injuries,” Gustafsson said. “He was the best defenseman at the World Championships last year; he came in and played really well for us. He has a lot of skill. Unfortunately he got hurt earlier this season, and he had a tough time, but he worked so hard to try to make this team. Now he is catching up. We hope that if we have any injuries, he is here and can help us.”

IwoCPO over at Abel to Yzerman points out that the Swedes are likely to find a way to get Kronwall on the ice. They’ve lost in the quarterfinals in the last two Olympics and will want the best players available to ensure it doesn’t happen again, even if it means screwing over the Detroit Red Wings. Iwo puts it this way:

“Kronwall’s recovery, if necessary, after the Olympics is of zero concern to Gustafsson, the Swedish hockey program or the country itself. In fact the only Swedes who are concerned at all about Kronwall’s ability to play out the NHL season are the four Red Wings who will be playing with him the rest of this tournament.”

I imagine Holland isn’t all that happy about this but Kronwall obviously got the call and he can’t exactly ignore his country, can he?

Maybe it’s time to start cheering for an early Swedish elimination. Slovakia/Finland final, anyone?

Holmstrom going to Turino after all

Published
by
Matt Saler
on February 2, 2006
in Links, Markus Naslund, Olympics, Sweden and Tomas Holmstrom
. 0 Comments

He’ll replace Markus Naslund on Sweden’s roster (via A2Y, Kukla)

Link

Update (3:54): Ansar Khan has more here.

Kronwall skipping Olympics, will play for GR instead

Published
by
Matt Saler
on January 27, 2006
in AHL, Griffins, Links and Olympics
. 0 Comments

He’s expected to make his return on 04. Feb against Syracuse. Ansar Khan has more here.

Link

A Wings look back on 2005

Published
by
Christy Hammond
on December 31, 2005
in 2005-2006, Andreas Lilja, Brendan Shanahan, Brett Hull, Brett Lebda, Capitals, Chris Chelios, Curtis Joseph, Darren McCarty, Dominik Hasek, Flames, Henrik Zetterberg, Jason Williams, Jiri Fischer, Johan Franzen, Kris Draper, Lightning, Manny Legace, Mikael Samuelsson, Mike Babcock, NHL, Nick Lidstrom, Niklas Kronwall, Olympics, Pavel Datsyuk, Robert Lang, Sidney Crosby, Steve Yzerman, The Team and Wayne Gretzky
. 2 Comments

As the 2005 year draws to a close, it’s time to take a look back on the past year. Since this is a Wings hockey blog, I’m going to do a list of the top 3 of the year in a variety of categories with Matt’s help. All categories are in regard to the Detroit Red Wings, not necessarily the NHL, in the year 2005. Feel free to leave comments saying what you would change on these lists!

Top 3 Scary Moments
3. Niklas Kronwall tears his ACL and MCL after what was supposed to be his breakout season
2. Kris Draper gets hit in the face with a puck / Nick Lidstrom gets hit in the face by the puck against the Blue Jackets Dec. 20th
1. Jiri Fischer collapses during a game (On the Wings had in depth coverage of Fischer’s press conference)

Top 3 Games
3. Detroit beat the Washington Capitals after a hard fought game, 4-3
2. Wings beat defending Stanley Cup champs Tampa Bay, 6-3
1. Wings extinguish Flames, 6-3, in Darren McCarty’s first game in Hockeytown on an opposing team

Top 3 Former Wings Moments
3. After a drama filled 2003-2004 season in Detroit, Curtis Joseph moved on to Phoenix, where he is having a good season
2. Dominik Hasek is one of the reasons why Ottawa is the best team in the league. When Hasek has something to prove, he is a hard one to beat.
1. Brett Hull retires after short stint with Phoenix and is now being offered a job with Dallas

Top 3 Goals
3. Pavel Datsyuk’s near end to end goal against Tampa Bay
2. Henrik Zetterberg’s breakaway goal against Pittsburgh
1. Steve Yzerman faking out Devils goaltender Scott Clemmensen earning the final goal of the night

Top 3 Suprising Moments
3. Pavel Datsyuk actually signs with Detroit
2. Manny Legace wins 10 games in October earning a league record and defensive player of the month honors / Darren McCarty signs with the Calgary Flames
1. The Wings go 11-1-0 in October to start off the season with a bang

Top 3 Surprising Players
3. Chris Chelios for being so silently strong at the age of 43 (just 10 PIM since November 6th)
2. Jason Williams suddenly becoming a point machine with 10 goals and 24 assists as of December 30
1. Mikael Samuelsson has a breakout offensive season

Top 3 New Wings
3. Brett Lebda re-joined main roster and is playing very well to help bear the burden of Jiri Fischer’s absence
2. Mikael Samuelsson / Johan Franzen, the “Mule,” doesn’t score a lot but works as hard as anyone on the ice, very solid
1. Mike Babcock comes in as new head coach

Top 3 Team Moments
3. Wings visit Children’s Hospital in Detroit
2. 9 Wings were selected to represent their country in the 2006 Olympics
1. Father and son southeast road trip. While the Wings performance during games on this trip wasn’t solid, both the players and their fathers/mentors got a lot out of this trip.

Top 3 Defensive Players
3. Johan Franzen
2. Chris Chelios
1. Nicklas Lidstrom

Top 3 Offensive Players
3. Jason Williams (34 pts)
2. Henrik Zetterberg / Brendan Shanahan (38 pts)
1. Pavel Datsyuk (42 pts)

Top 3 Players Overall
3. Brendan Shanahan - was on a point tear that was only recently halted
2. Manny Legace - very good when not injured, though it has been a while
1. Henrik Zetterberg - two-way force

Top 3 +/- Ratings
3. Robert Lang / Pavel Datsyuk (+11)
2. Andreas Lilja (+13)
1. Mikael Samuelsson (+16)

Top 3 NHL moments
3. 2005 NHL Draft day / Sid the Kid finally heads to an NHL team.
2. Wayne Gretzky, “The Great One,” becomes head coach of the Pheonix Coyotes.
1. Opening night. Every single NHL team played on October 5, 2005, which is quite a way to start the new season after a yearlong lockout.