[Tim Budong]

yes..it neeeds one for its own,

so im going to start shit off with a blog from puck daddy

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Men-rsquo-s-Hockey-Group-A-Canadian-juggernaut-;_ylt=Ahx.WRJTWme6iPkKGr0PSqZotLV_?urn=oly,219027

[Vansterdam]

hockey is all im wanting to watch during olympics!

[murd0c]

Why not keep the talk in the canucks/hockey thread we already have?
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[Tim Budong]

becuz its epic enuff to deserve its own

[Tapioca]

The IIHF page is a good resource for schedules and how seeding works: http://www.iihf.com/en/channels10/olympics-2010/schedule.html

Note that there will be 4 "playoff games" for teams that do not earn a bye into the quarter-finals.

Canada's scedule:

Norway - Tuesday, Feb. 16, 4:30 PM ("Home" team)
Switzerland - Thursday, Feb. 18, 4:30 PM ("Away" team)
USA - Sunday, Feb. 21, 4:40 PM ("Home" team)

[q0192837465]

GO TEAM CHINA GO!!!!

[punkwax]

Going to 3 games! :high:

CAN vs. SUI
LAT vs. SVK (freebie)
BRONZE BABY

[Grandmaster TSE]

go canada go!!!!!!

[MarkyMark]

This is gonna be interesting, can't wait for it to start
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[HonestTea]

WILL GETZLAF PLAY FOR TEAM CANADA?!

What you guys think or will Jeff Carter take his place?

[punkwax]

I hope he does, thats for sure.

[MarkyMark]

I think he'll go even if he's not 100 percent
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[HonestTea]

But would you rather take Carter at 100% or Getzlaf at 80%? The TSN panel would rather take Carter at 100% then Getzlaf at anything under 100%

[choda]

Wtf, how is Canada ever an "away" country in the tournament?

[MarkyMark]

But would you rather take Carter at 100% or Getzlaf at 80%? The TSN panel would rather take Carter at 100% then Getzlaf at anything under 100%

Yeah, but he could want to go so bad that he'd say he's ready when he still feels some pain, I sure wouldn't want to miss the olympics if I was able to play
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[Harvey Specter]

NBC explains its ice-dancing-over-U.S./Canada-hockey decision

VANCOUVER – From horse-racing conflicts to shuttering the big screen at Mellon Arena, NBC has given hockey fans as much anxiety and anger as watching Jay Leno sit in Conan's chair.

The latest affront to puckheads: The U.S. vs. Canada men's preliminary-round showdown Feb. 21 won't be shown on NBC, but on cable's MSNBC at 7 p.m. EST. Instead, the Peacock will bring fans an exhilarating night of ice dancing, women's speedskating, men's freestyle skiing and men's giant slalom – rather than what amounts to an NHL all-star game on an international stage.

To the surprise of no one, NBC's getting torched for this: Outspoken player agent Allan Walsh tweeted that it was "disgraceful, and Chicago Now called it inexcusable:

How can the NHL cancel their all star game and postpone their season for two weeks to accommodate the Olympics without getting any major network attention during the Winter Olympiad?

This is just another case of why the NHL will never be as popular as its fan base either believes it is or wants it to be. When the pinnacle of the sport calls on the best of the best of your league, you have to get these games on national television. The worst part of the whole deal is the league (NHL) has the contract with the television network already and still cannot get the best hockey competition in the world on the tube.

The notion that the NHL would shutter its season for the Games and that its broadcast rights holder wouldn't then put the NHL-centric U.S. vs. Canada on its primary network is baffling.

So we reached out to NBC for comment and context, and found out who gets the blame for this malarkey: American women.

According to the network, there are three major sporting events that have more female viewers than male viewers: the Kentucky Derby, the Summer Olympics and the Winter Olympics. Turning three hours of prime-time coverage on the East Coast over to a hockey game isn't exactly catnip to those casual female viewers, despite Sidney Crosby's(notes) pouty lips.

Ice dancing, like figure skating, is a demographic draw; it's the hook for a night of coverage that appeals to a broader audience than hockey does. But it's not the only reason USA/Canada was shifted to the home of Keith Olbermann's foaming mouth.

In essence, committing to a hockey game is committing to a three-hour programming block that can't be interrupted. Imagine the outrage if NBC cut away during the second period of USA/Canada because someone was taking a historic bobsled run. Ice dancing allows for drop-ins at other events, which is another reason NBC believes it's the best option in East Coast prime time.

Now, aside from the indignation of having hockey shuffled off to cable, there's been some concern from hockey fans about the quality of that coverage: namely, that MSNBC may not have the HD hockey coverage that NBC would have had.

MSNBC's HD station was rolled out last summer, and one of the last major holdouts finally came around this week: Verizon FiOS, which added the network to its digital HD tier. Chances are the U.S./Canada tilt will be in HD in your area, if you have digital cable or satellite with an HD package.

NBC told us with pride that it's offering an enormous amount of hockey on its networks; a full schedule of games is here, and the majority of them are on cable – although the Russia/Czech game scheduled before Canada/USA will be on NBC that afternoon on the East Coast.

The bronze-medal game for men's hockey is scheduled for 10 p.m. EST on Saturday, Feb. 27, on MSNBC, with the gold-medal game on NBC the following day. (Keep in mind NBC told us there is some flexibility in moving games from network to network if there's a reason to – such as, perhaps, Team USA playing for the bronze.)

If you're interested in watching games on the Web, NBC is streaming hockey while dropping the hammer on sites that stream live TV.

So there's the NBC side of the story, which we felt was important to bring you. It's not as if they aren't showing the game at all, or as if it's been sent off to an obscure corner of the cable box. They have their reasons for the decision, and we, as hockey fans, have our reasons for disagreeing with their decision.

It's hard to embrace NBC as a friend to puckheads when the biggest hockey event of the season (at least until the medal round) isn't deemed important enough for prime time.

From a demographic, sponsorship and ratings perspective, NBC has every reason not to put the game on its broadcast network. But in the context of other culture clashes with hockey fans, NBC's decision damages its relationship with that audience.

Do you go to NBCSports.com for hockey coverage? Because they're really increasing it soon in a bloggy sort of way. Yet when the parent company doesn't promote the game in a moment like this, it's hard to separate that from other, more positive endeavors to cover the hockey for fans who feel insulted.

But the Winter Classic is lovely every year. On that, we can agree.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/NBC-explains-its-ice-dancing-over-U-S-Canada-ho;_ylt=AjVOzjChvPDBSjJ0.a8Uz4V7vLYF?urn=nhl,21914 9

[Tapioca]

Wtf, how is Canada ever an "away" country in the tournament?

Because if Canada had the last change every game, it wouldn't be fair.

The Olympics are still an international tournament, despite being held in Canada.

[dinamix]

I think Team USA is gonna make some serious noise.

check out the energy/grit on this team.

Zach Parise, 25 (New Jersey Devils)
Chris Drury, 32 (New York Rangers)
Dustin Brown, 25 (Los Angeles Kings)
Jamie Langenbrunner, 34 (New Jersey Devils)
Paul Stastny, 24 (Colorado Avalanche)
David Backes, 25 (St. Louis Blues)
Patrick Kane, 21 (Chicago Blackhawks)
Phil Kessel, 22 (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Ryan Kesler, 25 (Vancouver Canucks)
Bobby Ryan, 22 (Anaheim Ducks)
Joe Pavelski, 25 (San Jose Sharks)
Ryan Malone, 31 (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Ryan Callahan, 24 (New York Rangers)

[StealthFighter]

i'd be more worried about the swedes and the russians than team USA.

unless they somehow get the mighty ducks together.

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KCae5LKhAv0/0.jpg

[punkwax]

Canada, Russia, Sweden and US are pretty much guaranteed to be the 4 teams involved in the Gold and Bronze games IMO. Either way, I'm stoked. :thumbsup:

[Teriyaki]

Anyone watch the "On home ice" documentary on Team Canada? Over and over again, the organizers of Team Canada were just talking about how dominating the Russians were, almost no mention of team USA.

[DuhDang]

You'd shit bricks if you saw the first line of Ovie Kovie and Malkin.

[Tim Budong]

You'd shit bricks if you saw the first line of Ovie Kovie and Malkin.

nope
judging how Seabrook and Keith were able to shut them down

Teams look good on paper, every team does
but can every team roll 4 lines like Canada can?
I dont think so.

[InvisibleSoul]

nope
judging how Seabrook and Keith were able to shut them down

Being able to shut them down individually doesn't necessarily mean they will be able to shut them down when playing together.

[SilverBlitz]

anyone playing ctv fantasy hockey?

http://fantasy.ctvolympics.ca/ctvo/player2010/promo

[Preemo]

nope
judging how Seabrook and Keith were able to shut them down

Teams look good on paper, every team does
but can every team roll 4 lines like Canada can?
I dont think so.

Yeah. That is true. Canada has huge depth and so many other great Canadian born players that didn't make the cut. We could easily have TWO teams!!

[gnat.]

damn kesler! guaranteeing that he'll beat us! GO CANADA GO!!!!

[1exotic]

fuck I'm pumped like shit for the hockey games.

Go Canada... Vancouver will go ape shit if we win... if it doesn't go are way I'm rooting for Russia.

[murd0c]

how much do you think semi final and bronze medal tickets will go for? I have a chance getting them for $500 a piece and tempted to flip the bronze medal ones.

[sunny_j]

go canada go

[rsx]

Russia's scoring depth is absolutely insane: Ovechkin, Malkin, Kovalchuk, Semin, Datsyuk, Radulov + Markov, Gonchar.

G: Bryzgalov and Nabokov.

WOW. Insanely good on paper.

[d1]

The Canadian women are raping ass - fun to watch.

[hal0g0dv2]

The Canadian women are raping ass - fun to watch.

yeah it is sad, there gonna rape the shit out of them
im guessing 20-2
lol

[seakrait]

^^^ but that slovak goalie made some awesome saves... she had no support from her D though...

btw, it's 4-0 canada now. and we're not even halfway through the first period.

[MG1]

My son's at the game. Got free ticket. Damn it.

[StylinRed]

wow... they should just play 1 period for the game.... like jesus

[vapour_lock]

lol #18 just get her ankle broke.
serisouly though watching this is just stupid.. should institute a mercy rule like in little league

[Noir]

Women's Canadian Hockey Team should just play shut down hockey at this point. No need to run the score past 7.

[azzurro32]

Women's Canadian Hockey Team should just play shut down hockey at this point. No need to run the score past 7.

There kinda is. If Canada stops at 7-o for example, and another team decides to run a train on the same team Canada beat, then the other team will have an advantage in goals for if the tournament got to a tie breaker for who advances
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[Noir]

There kinda is. If Canada stops at 7-o for example, and another team decides to run a train on the same team Canada beat, then the other team will have an advantage in goals for if the tournament got to a tie breaker for who advances
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I see your point. Although atm, watching Canada continiuing to lay the decimation at a team that's already clearly outclassed from the first 10 minutes is starting to get painful to watch from this point in.

13- 0 2nd period atm.

[TOS'd]

Women's hockey should just be Canada vs USA in a best of 5.

[Tim Budong]

as said in the last page, like the WJC, its by goal count
theres always these complaints that teams like Canada will run up the score and show no mercy

regardless, imagine when we play Bulgaria

[azzurro32]

I see your point. Although atm, watching Canada continiuing to lay the decimation at a team that's already clearly outclassed from the first 10 minutes is starting to get painful to watch from this point in.

13- 0 2nd period atm.

It's boring to watch now. And ontop of that it's womans hockey.

Flipping channels to try and catch some luge action if there is any
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[MG1]

Womens hockey is young. You need to include other teams. If you don't, it'll always be a two or three team tournament. It used to be just Canada and US. Other teams are improving. And they are improving because of the chances they are getting. Like the chick on the Slovak team said. It's like a dream come true playing in this rink and participating with the best in the world.

One day Slovakia will become a worthy opponent. Besides, it's about the spirit of the games. Can you imagine the games if only the very best competed?

If you listened to the commentators tonight, they were talking about the time they limited the games to 6 teams. It didn't work.

[MG1]

And ontop of that it's womans hockey.

I don't know........... some pretty cute girls in hockey gear........


Can't wait for the big Canada vs USA game. Such rivalry.

[Noir]

Anyone else rooting for Russia for the Finals to make a CAN v. RUS showdown? Or people more in favour of CAN v. SWE final (defending olympic gold + Forsberg + twins :))?


edit:

I just realized that sounded cocky as I'm sounding like Canada is a shoe-in for the Final. :lol. My bad.

[Tim Budong]

FAILL for that last quote

ITS OK TO BE COCKY BRO!

[Harvey Specter]

Can't wait for the men's hockey.

[fliptuner]

Yeah, no "mercy" rule with uneven matches make for really high scores.

Then again, even if they did have a mercy rule, we would've been stuck watching them skate around for 2 hours.

[fliptuner]

Haha SVK played BUL in an olympic qualifier(?)

Final score 82-0

[Harvey Specter]

Well the IOC is worried that women’s hockey isn't competitive enough and hasn't really developed outside of Canada and the US so I think it would be a wise move by Canada and the US to relax on racking up the score if they still want to see women’s hockey in future Olympics.

[SilverBlitz]

I remember last Olympics they embarrassed the host country 16 - 0

[Vansterdam]

Haha SVK played BUL in an olympic qualifier(?)

Final score 82-0

i would love to see highlights of that lolol

[DanHibiki]

my dream would be CAN vs USA then CAN obviously winning.

Gretzky had a good point, in terms of the helping sport in North America, it'll be important for those two teams to be in the final.

[SilverBlitz]

There's the "agony of defeat." And then there's this women's ice hockey score from the European Olympic pre-qualifying tournament: Slovakia 82, Bulgaria 0.

That's correct: 82 goals for Slovakia, none for Bulgaria.

The International Ice Hockey Federation said the result, from a game played Saturday at the tournament in Liepaja, Latvia, set a record score for a women's IIHF-sanctioned event. It was not the all-time record for futility, however; that is still held by Thailand, which lost 92-0 to South Korea in the 1998 Asia-Oceania U18 Championship.

Slovakia, which won all four of its games at the tournament, outshot Bulgaria 139-0, scoring on 58.9 percent of its shots on goal. Slovakia averaged one goal every 44 seconds.

"We took it as training," Slovakia coach Miroslav Karafiat said after Saturday's game.

Bulgaria trailed 7-0 after 5 minutes, 19-0 after 10 and 31-0 at the end of the first period.

The drubbing capped a woeful showing for the Bulgarian women, who also lost 30-1 to Croatia and 41-0 to Italy in earlier games.

Janka Culikova led Slovakia with 10 goals, while Martina Velickova scored nine. Fourteen different players scored at least one goal.

Slovakia, which also beat Croatia, Latvia and Italy, advanced to another qualifying group with Germany, Kazakhstan and France. The winner will secure a spot at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Bulgaria was eliminated after scoring one goal and giving up conceding 192 in the tournament.

The Slovakian men's team clinched its biggest ever victory against the Bulgarians 14 years ago when they won 20-0.

sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=3577150

YouTube- Slovakia - Bulgaria 82:0 part-1 (nhlsarok.blogspot.com)

[DanHibiki]

wow its like watching 7 year olds play

[DanHibiki]

the slovakian goalie must have been booooooooored

[Qmx323]

82 - 0?

thats just disrespectful

[MG1]

wow its like watching 7 year olds play

I wAnder how an RS assembled team would do against them........

hope it isn't made up of the RS Beatdown crew members. It'll be a no show affair, LOL.

[Tim Budong]

Well, the mens beat Italy 16-0 to open up Torino

regardless of how lopsided or anything is
unless the rules are changed and tiebreakers are not set by goals(which will NEVER happen) then we will continue to see the powerhouses RACK up goals as much as they can in the round robin.

[MG1]

China playing US right now. It's good to see teams from all over playing at the games. Doesn't matter if they get killed on the ice. So many people have this win at all costs, don't bother showing up if you can't compete, attitude.

I watched a few minutes of the game. People were cheering the Chinese goalie when she made a good save.

[Gumby]

Of couse, US beat China - but China scored 1 goal! :)

[trancehead]

Great read from the Orange County register on our Team Canada Captain

http://images.onset.freedom.com/ocregister/article/kxupww-b78601470z.120100214134648000g86me8sl.2.jpg

http://www.ocregister.com/sports/-234277--.html

CRANBROOK, British Columbia – Len Bosquet steered his red pick up truck through Scott Niedermayer's childhood, a tour of memories frozen just beneath the surface of the frosty checkerboard of backyard rinks, and iced over parks, tennis courts and streets that covers this railroad and lumber town that sits center ice between the Purcell and Rocky mountains.

"A lot of times they'd play here after school," said Bosquet, who coached Niedermayer and his younger brother Rob as boys. He was pointing to the outdoor rink built by firefighters from the fire station next door, an early stop on a path that has carried Scott Niedermayer to Stanley Cup victories in New Jersey and Anaheim. This month the path continues with the captaincy of the Team Canada and the spotlight of the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver and arguably the most anticipated international hockey tournament in history.

Bosquet continued down Second Street for a few blocks before turning right onto 14th Avenue, parking next to the outdoor rink at Baker Park, another old Niedermayer haunt. A father was playing hockey with his pre-school aged son.

"You can almost always find someone playing hockey in Cranbrook, doesn't matter day or night," Bosquet said watching the pair. "That's what kids do in Cranbrook, they grow up playing hockey. Cranbrook is just a hockey town, eh."

Canada is defined by its relentless winter. A nation long hardened by the cold, it embraces its frozen destiny, turning it into an icy canvas that, in turn, reflects the genius and flaws of the country it covers.

"I would sometimes imagine one great outdoor hockey game, stretching from just inside the Rockies to the shores of the Atlantic, detouring only around the too temperate climate of a few of the bigger cities," Peter Gzowski wrote of his own childhood in The Game Of Our Lives, his seminal account of a season spent with Wayne Gretzky's Edmonton Oilers.

A few minutes before 9 p.m. on Feb. 15, Gzowski's sheet of ice will have stretched to the western edge of the continent. Scott Niedermayer, maple leaf over his heart, "C" on his left shoulder, will step onto the rink at Vancouver's Canada Hockey Place, leading Team Canada, quite possibly the greatest hockey team ever assembled, into what U.S. coach Ron Wilson calls "the best Olympic tournament you'll ever see."

Thirteen days later 33 million Canadians expect to see Niedermayer, the 36-year-old Ducks defenseman, lead Team Canada up to the top step of the medal podium at the end of the tournament.

“The Olympic Games, in Canada, is at its cold winter heart about winning gold in men’s hockey,” said Michael McKinley, author of Hockey: A People’s History, the definitive chronicle of Canada’s national sport. “Canada could ‘win the podium’ (medal count) as the Canadian Olympic (Committee’s) slogan of its stated goal goes, but if we don’t win gold (in hockey), there will be weeping and gnashing and calls for Wayne Gretzky to come back, etc.”

Perhaps no other national team in any sport hosting a major international event, not even in soccer’s World Cup, has ever been under as much pressure to win as Team Canada will be this month.

“It’s going to be glacial, constant, unrelenting, unremitting pressure on Team Canada,” former Ducks general manager Brian Burke, now the GM for Team USA and the Toronto Maple Leafs. “There is no analog for it in the U.S. It’s not a sport in Canada, it’s a religion.”

Which is why some in Canada suggest, only somewhat in jest, that Prime Minister Stephen Harper, for at least the next month, has the nation’s second toughest job, the country’s real heavy lifting being left up to Niedermayer. Those making the suggestion, are also quick to add that they are more confident in Niedermayer’s ability to deliver than they are Harper’s.

Or Sidney Crosby’s, the Pittsburgh Penguin’s young superstar.

There had been speculation in the Canadian media in recent months that Team Canada’s captaincy would go to Crosby, the National Hockey League’s most transcendent personality. In the end, however, the selection of Niedermayer was a no brainer.

“In hockey circles, Niedermayer’s credibility is much higher than Crosby’s in the vast scheme of things,” McKinley said.

MacLeans, Canada's largest weekly news magazine, recently called Niedermayer "the greatest puck-moving blueliner since Bobby Orr, and a player whom victory has followed from city to city, tournament to tournament, from the time he picked up a stick."

Niedermayer has won four Stanley Cups and is the only player to have won the Stanley Cup, the Memorial Cup (minor league hockey's top prize), the World championships, World Cup, World Junior Championships and Olympics.

As much as his resume, however, Niedermayer was named Captain Canada because of his presence on the ice, especially in glare of the spotlight, his uncommon ability to both settle and inspire a team when the stakes are highest.

"He's won everything," Team Canada coach Mike Babcock said. "He's not a big talker just a model on the ice that brings the kind of leadership we need to get us over the top.

"Niedermayer in my opinion is a guy who lifts his game when the game's on the line, finds ways to make big plays, I just think he's the perfect guy."

Canada sorely missed Niedermayer's influence at the 2006 Olympic Games. Arthroscopic knee surgery kept him out of the Games, and, according to Niedermayer's Anaheim teammate Teemu Selanne, was a major factor in Team Canada's failure to defend the gold medal.

"That was huge. The other teams were lucky," said Selanne, who won a silver medal with Finland in 2006.

Niedermayer is a man of quiet resolve, and if you listen closely you can hear a pride and confidence in Niedermayer's voice when he talks about his Olympic captaincy. He acknowledges the pressure but only briefly and with a shrug. Mainly he heads into the Olympics with a sense of responsibility.

"Maybe it's just my overall personality but I'm not going to get too caught up in that," Niedermayer, a standout on Canada's 2002 gold medal squad, said referring to the Olympic hype. "There's a responsibility and a job to do with it that I'll do my best with. But I'm not going to get proud of it, too excited about it but at the same time I'm not going to put too much extra attention on it. I don't think I have to do anything different than I would do otherwise.

"I'm sure it's going to be different when you get the jersey thrown on and you head out onto the ice. I think it will be a new experience for me for sure. But I'm going to try and not get too crazy about it. I understand what has to be done."

He is in many ways a throwback to an era that exists only in news reels and the collective Canadian imagination.

"He's a classic example, the poster boy of what a hockey player should be," McKinley said. "He comes from this small Canadian mountain railroad town...and he's won everything but is the model of humility. Niedermayer harkens back to players Canadians like to think existed in the past."

A time when Canada's hockey heroes seemed to come straight off a pond in places like Parry Sound, Ontario, and Trois-Rivieres, Quebec.

And Cranbrook, British Columbia.

“The thing about hockey in Canada as opposed to hockey in other countries is that the sport percolates far deeper into our national soil and thus effects everything we grow in it,” Douglas Coupland wrote in Souvenir of Canada.

Even in Canada there are few places where hockey's roots run as deep as they do in Cranbrook.

Hockey isn't played so much in Cranbrook as it is celebrated. City Hall has Jersey Day, where city employees show up for work wearing the sweater of their favorite NHL team. Out on Highway 95, the town's main drag, the marquee at McDonald's reads "Cranbrook Is Hockeyville!" The statement is both the town's unofficial motto \and a reference to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's annual nationwide "Hockeyville," contest to determine the community most committed to the game. Cranbrook is a 2010 finalist.

"We are Hockeyville," insisted Cranbrook city council member Liz Schatschneider. "We have Captain Canada. What more do you need?"

Niedermayer, however, is just one of a number of future NHL players produced by the town. Detroit Red Wings Hall of Famer Steve Yzerman was born in Cranbrook.

"So he was sort of the local legend," Niedermayer said. "I remember as a kid you'd get your hockey card and look on the back and for birthplace it says Cranbrook, B.C. We all thought that was pretty cool."

Cranbrook natives played on the Stanley Cup winning teams in 11 of the 12 non-lock-out NHL seasons between 1994-95 and 2006-7.

"Because I'm on the city council, I'd like to think it's something in the water," Schatschneider said laughing.

Or on top of it.

This heavily forested region known as the Kootenays, is surrounded by lakes. When Niedermayer was growing up, Bousquet in late autumn would point his truck north on Highway 95 and start scouting local lakes to see which one had the best ice.

"If it was cold in November, you might get some then. It depended sometimes if you had rain and snow. That could really affect it," Niedermayer said. "Other times it just gets cold and ever piece of water is perfect ice, just glassy."

On the weekend, the Niedermayers and other families loaded up the family and the barbeque and followed Bousquet to Jim Smith Lake or Norbury or Peckhams lakes for a day of pond hockey.

"Somebody would have a fire, you'd have your hot chocolate, and you get out there and the mums are playing, the little kids, the little brothers, the little sisters," Niedermayer said. "Just out in the middle of nothing, nowhere, trees, wilderness, forest, mountains are all right there.

"The general memory for me would be of getting on the ponds outside, blue sky, pretty cold still, but the mountains there all covered with snow with your family and friends and just having fun, putting a boot out, usually not even a net, someone's boot and you had to hit the boot with the puck, that was one goal."

It was on those lakes and outdoor rinks that Niedermayer was taught and embraced a work ethic and sense of duty and community.

"When other kids were out chasing girls, he was chasing pucks," Bousquet said. "No one worked harder than Scott."

Niedermayer was recently asked if it was a cliché to describe Cranbrook as a town that rolls up its sleeves. He smiled and shook his head no.

"Clichés are there for a reason and a lot of times they're right," he said. "It is a close community in a lot of ways just because of its size and because of your familiarity with a lot of people. It's a Canadian community that has to deal with winter, so hockey and winter sports are popular. There's a lot of ex-old hockey players that go. A pretty big culture in that sense. A lot of hard working people."

A lot those people have left their finger prints on the Stanley Cup during the four times Niedermayer has brought it home to share with Cranbrook. He left home while still in high school to play junior hockey, starting a journey that would take him to tony New Jersey suburbs and the beaches of Orange County. And yet he never really left Cranbrook.

"Hopefully in a lot of ways I haven't changed too much," Niedermayer said. "I think I was fortunate growing up between my parents trying to instill their values and the coaches that I had surrounded in hockey, sportsmanship, go out and work hard, compete hard, play for your teammates, all those lessons, I was taught those early on and tried to understand them. I was fortunate it was an environment I was brought up in."

During the 2004-05 lockout, Niedermayer played for a local adult team. He still champions local environmental causes and charities.

“He never misses a fundraiser in this town,” Bousquet said.

In 2003 a pair of forest fires threatened Cranbrook. Fighting the fires and strong winds for what B.C. incident commander Bob Pfannenschmidt called “seven days of hell” had left fire crews physically and emotionally wasted. Then Niedermayer showed up unexpectedly with the Stanley Cup at the fire base camp near one of the lakes he grew up playing on. He spent the next three hours passing the cup around, talking with the firefighters and thanking them for their service.

“Scott just lifted everybody’s spirit,” Pfannenschmidt said. “You couldn’t give (the firefighters) two weeks off and get that much replenishment.”

And now the man who has made a career of lifting cups by lifting teams will try and lift a nation of 33-million sitting on the edges of their seats. Some of the folks in Cranbrook will make the drive over the mountains to Vancouver, most will stay home, watching the Olympics on TV, all of them convinced that the small town boy from Hockeyville will deliver once again in Canada’s golden moment. He always has.

Bud Caldwell survived three years as a paratrooper in World War II. Back in Canada he had been left for dead at the bottom of a hard rock mine shaft. He had even beaten cancer.

But in the summer of 2000, the doctors sent Caldwell home to die. If a second bout with cancer didn’t kill him in a few days or weeks, the doctors said, the congestive heart failure caused by the chemotherapy would.

Caldwell was at home in bed the afternoon Niedermayer walked in unannounced carrying the Stanley Cup. Caldwell’s granddaughter Mary would late say the visit produced a kind of magic. Bud Caldwell lived another eight year.

Scotty, beam us up!!

[RacePace]

Getzlaf stays in

[1exotic]

So the games start tomorrow I can't wait.


Where will they be broadcasted? on cbc or sportsnet?

[invader]

Who would you rather your top line Center, Thorton or Crosby?

[keitaro]

For all the Canuck fan's out there, Ehroff did not skate w/ Team Germany today according to Team 1040.

Possible injury from yesterday? If so is he going to get replaced for Team Germany.

[raygunpk]

Who would you rather your top line Center, Thorton or Crosby?

Crosby, not even close.

and i hate Crosby.

[Tim Budong]

Crosby is for sure the best player for Canada heading into the tournament. FYI people, him and OVIE have 42g each

the big debate is who starts in net
Babcock has openly admitted that he loves the attitude Luongo has towards winning

We also kno that for LU, this is home ice and there is a comfort zone for him

I also agree with Ben Kuzma that Broduer will start, but Luongo will finish for Canada
now wouldnt that be special!

[Harvey Specter]

I'm sure Lu will get a start.

[Tim Budong]

lines from practice

Bergeron-Crosby-Nash
Staal-Getzlaf-Perry
Heatley-Thornton-Marleau
Towes-Richards-Iginla

[orange7]

Women hockey:
Can 10-1 Swiss

[Tim Budong]

for those that didnt catch the 15min or so on CTV covering the mens hockey practice

the lines are as follows

Bergeron-Crosby-Nash
Staal-Getzlaf-Perry
Heatley-Thornton-Marleau
Towes-Richards-Iginla

D looks like

Neidermyer Weber
Pronger Boyle
Seabrook Keith
Doughty

Luongo had his OWN net which leads to speculation he IS the starter 2molo nite
Broduer and Fluery had to share a net

Broduer and Luongo have very BADASS LOOKING MASKS

[tacobell]

Iginla on the 4th line? i hate the flames so much but this is team Canada and Iginla is our horse, he along with Crosby and Broduer or Lu will determine the success in this tournament. I refuse to believe he can't build chemistry with Crosby and Nash

[Tim Budong]

Iginla on the 4th line? i hate the flames so much but this is team Canada and Iginla is our horse, he along with Crosby and Broduer or Lu will determine the success in this tournament. I refuse to believe he can't build chemistry with Crosby and Nash

but reality is that he couldnt
those few days were just so bad for him on that top line with Crosby and Nash that he got bumped down for Staal

but now that Crosby has a familiar face to play with, its perfect

but realistically looking, Iginla's the odd man out here

[fliptuner]

Just caught that piece. The mask looks pretty cool.

They're saying Lu will start tomorrow but the real go to goalie will be starting Sunday, whoever it is. I guess they'll see how they perform in the first 2 games and decide from there.

[raygunpk]

Luongo is starting against Norway according to Michael Russo.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/616276/Screen%20shot%202010-02-15%20at%205.18.42%20PM.png

Fleury's mask
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4353549249_d1b2656273.jpg

Brodeur's Mask: http://ingoalmag.com/masks/martin-brodeurs-team-canada-olympic-mask-the-real-thing/

Nabokov
http://ingoalmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/nabby-olympic.jpg

Hiller
http://www.thehockeyguild.com/thegoalieguild/hillerolympicmask01.jpg

Stefan Liv
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2763/4353408366_2766ebe2f6.jpg

Lundqvist
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2787/4360122922_dfd4c650b4_o.jpg

Vokoun
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2758/4335275534_e8831853b8_o.jpg

Miller
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/4334533715_41a22083a1_o.jpg

Quick
http://thepuckdoctors.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/goaliemask_teamusa_jonathanquick.jpg

Gustavsson
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4029/4355234671_94b13c598e.jpg
Canadian Women's
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2680/4357801813_5e45a0abe3_o.jpg

[Vansterdam]

so stoked for tmr!

[sunny_j]

cant wait...

[Tim Budong]

I AM FUCKING PUMPEDDDD

[Vansterdam]

any good places u guys recommned to watch the game downtown?

[DanHibiki]

Ya I'm still undecided in terms of where I should go watch it.

[Tim Budong]

outdoors at one o the downtown party venues is where its at

[Gh0stRider]

outdoors at one o the downtown party venues is where its at

where u gonna watch?

[Fafine]

outdoors at one o the downtown party venues is where its at

yee need some ideas on where to watch the game!

[Gh0stRider]

So, Livecity Vancouver and Livecity Yaletown

[Tim Budong]

im gonna watch at my friends house...hahaha
its on robson, so no problem for partiessss

[Harvey Specter]

Anyone going to the actual game?

[1exotic]

Canada should be the clear winner againts Norway, but Russia vs. Sweden should be an interesting game.

[InvisibleSoul]

You're going to be pretty disappointed if you go to Livecity Yaletown to try and watch the game tomorrow... because they're not showing it.

http://livecityvancouver.ca/schedule/default.aspx?d=2010-02-16

[Gh0stRider]

i'll probably head down to livecity downtown

[fliptuner]

You're going to be pretty disappointed if you go to Livecity Yaletown to try and watch the game tomorrow... because they're not showing it.

http://livecityvancouver.ca/schedule/default.aspx?d=2010-02-16

Yup, gotta go downtown....

[goo3]

Canada should be the clear winner againts Norway, but Russia vs. Sweden should be an interesting game.

Russia's not playing Sweden

[Tim Budong]

Tomorrow is going to be PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY
wow..epic day 2molo..

Canada will win and we will party in style, then its off to see Alexisonfire and to capp the nite, more screaming and drinking in DT, end the night off by visiting the gongshow olympic store to finally buy that damn jacket for my brother

[HonestTea]

Anyone heading to any of the hockey games with Canada in it?

[jlo mein]

edit: wrong thread

[rice cooker]

im cheering for canada but stamkos,green and phanooof should have made the team for sure. they made a mistake in 2006 by not putting crosby on the team and i think this is also a bad decision.

[Tim Budong]

im cheering for canada but stamkos,green and phanooof should have made the team for sure. they made a mistake in 2006 by not putting crosby on the team and i think this is also a bad decision.

Green understands his snub from this list of players as do Phaneuf

Stamkos can be argued, but the team is so deep down the middle, he might not be in that top10 list

[raygunpk]

Ovechkin's skates

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/photo/10032021H19494719.jpg

[MarkyMark]

Well if Russia wins now we'll know why, those fuckin skates.
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[Ch28]

Is that a fucking goat on his skates? LOL

[Noir]

im cheering for canada but stamkos,green and phanooof should have made the team for sure. they made a mistake in 2006 by not putting crosby on the team and i think this is also a bad decision.

I love it when people question Steve Yzerman. I mean c'mon, it's Steve Yzerman; he individually scouted his Olympic choices (and other camp invitees) game per game in person.

[DanHibiki]

im cheering for canada but stamkos,green and phanooof should have made the team for sure. they made a mistake in 2006 by not putting crosby on the team and i think this is also a bad decision.

Why would phaneuf make the team? He's have a horrid season. He's not like he was in his first 2-3 years. I'm not saying he's garbage and done for but at the moment, he's not playing up to potential and wasn't THAT the real problem with 2006? Choosing players based on reputation and not performance?

So if we were to shy away with the problem in 2006, then Phaneuf should not be on the team for sure.

Stamkos is a toughy. It's hard to say no to 35 goals.

[7seven]

Is that a fucking goat on his skates? LOL

Yup, apparently Ovechkin is derived from the Russian word for Sheep/Shepard or something like that.

[Tim Budong]

Ovechkin's skates

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/photo/10032021H19494719.jpg

Yup, apparently Ovechkin is derived from the Russian word for Sheep/Shepard or something like that.

Ok THAT IS JUST BADASS MAN

[Tim Budong]

so it looks like Jonas Hiller can single handedly steal this game from USA

[FN-2199]

Jesus, the Americans are getting rocked by the Swiss in the 1st..

Awesome. :)
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[Armind]

I just started watching. Kinda expected atleast a pair from the them lol.

GO SWISS :haha:

[invader]

Bobby Ryan is a huge guy, hes looks bigger than Backes

[veeh]

Bobby Ryan has the first goal of the game.

[Hondaracer]

Any pics of Lu's mask?
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[danny_d19]

3-0 USA now

[dinamix]

so it looks like Jonas Hiller can single handedly steal this game from USA

Jesus, the Americans are getting rocked by the Swiss in the 1st..

Awesome. :)
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I just started watching. Kinda expected atleast a pair from the them lol.

GO SWISS :haha:


FAIL!!!

why you guys such USA haters? they have a good team? go Kesler!

[!Nhan]

FAIL!!!

why you guys such USA haters? they have a good team? go Kesler!

Because we are all Canadian and the Americans are in the same pool as us?

GO CANADA GO!

[Gh0stRider]

Any pics of Lu's mask?
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

ummm... check out page 2

[RacePace]

FAIL!!!

why you guys such USA haters? they have a good team? go Kesler!

because they're the USA

[synchrocone]

because they're the USA

So I'm with a sober quasi-immigrant watching the game
and he says he'd pull the goalie.
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[punkwax]

My wife thinks I pull the goalie too often.

[7seven]

fuck, I go out to find a Shea Weber jersey and $600+ later I come back with a Weber (Canada), Kesler (USA) and Erhoff (Germany) jerseys.

[Hondaracer]

fuck, I go out to find a Shea Weber jersey and $600+ later I come back with a Weber (Canada), Kesler (USA) and Erhoff (Germany) jerseys.

pics of the erhoff please, my buddy was looking at getting one must be fucking sick

Fuck driving home today i swear it felt like i was driving home to watch a Canucks playoff game, thats how pumped i am

[TRD Rs200]

any live streams of the games?

[tacobell]

I'm pumped, feels like the 94 playoffs, might even be better as the streets are filled with ppl. The atmosphere dt is awesome.

I wasn't able to catch the USA game, does anyone know the line combinations for the US team?

[q0192837465]

Starting now, watching @ work w/ a bunch of co-worker, boss doesnt care, ahahaa

[tacobell]

wow, everyone in the crowd has got a Canada jersey, the entire stadium is red, can really feel the pride up in here

[Hondaracer]

wtf.. what channel is it on

[sunny_j]

wtf.. what channel is it on

Channel 9 & 210
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[q0192837465]

Lu is starting. GO CANUCKS GO!!!!!!!!!

[Spectre_Cdn]

any live streams of the games?

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/video/CTV/index.html :D

[Not really racist!]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

GO CANADA GO

[sunny_j]

So many empty seats
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[Grandmaster TSE]

not bad so far, a lot of good chances!
but damn, short handed for now

[sunny_j]

Pk
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[Not really racist!]

pp

[Gh0stRider]

The crowd @ ctv downtown is damn quiet.
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[q0192837465]

The crowd @ ctv downtown is damn quiet.
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

lol, nothing to cheer for yet. Norway has been holding on pretty well

[sunny_j]

Norway has been holding on pretty well

I agree
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[sunny_j]

PP
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[LUUUUUUUU]

WTF? i thought Iginla and Crobsy wears the A's??????? bur pronger does instead of crosby??????

[TRD Rs200]

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/video/CTV/index.html :D

it keep saying that the video is not available damn!

edit: why is it scoreless

[sunny_j]

Stop being so fancy
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[Not really racist!]

omgg
SO CLOSE
OPEN NET

[LUUUUUUUU]

wow we cant score

[tonyvu]

wow how did we miss that hollyyy fuck

[Grandmaster TSE]

need more shots on goal

[LUUUUUUUU]

do the alternate captains rotate wearing the "A"?

[carisear]

i have a good feeling about the 2nd period. babcock will make the appropriate changes. i feel a 4 goal 2nd period coming up.

[tacobell]

the over under on this game was 8 goals. The spread was -6.5 so Canada has some catching up to do

[tacobell]

i wonder how well the chemistry is between the Russian players, they have a mix of KHL and NHL players. It's gonna be a treat watching Ovie, Malkin and Kovalchuck on the same line.

[sunny_j]

PP again
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[sunny_j]

so close
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[LUUUUUUUU]

this team needs Burrows

[sunny_j]

Weber needs to shoot more with a rocket like that
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[Not really racist!]

IGGGYYYY

[sunny_j]

Igilna!!!!
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[TRD Rs200]

WOOT FINALLY!

[tonyvu]

GOALLLLL

[Ford_Fanatic]

GOoooooooaL!

[wahyinghung]

1-0 Canucks!!!!!!!!

[LUUUUUUUU]

the only time iginla will hear the crowd in this building cheer for him

[Not really racist!]

GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

[sunny_j]

2-0
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[Manic!]

2-0 yaaaaa!!!!!!!!

[wahyinghung]

2-0!!!!!!!!

[HondaGuy]

2-0 CANADA!!!!

[LUUUUUUUU]

HEATLEYYYYYYY

[Wongtouski]

Time for a rout.

[TRD Rs200]

2-0!!!

[tonyvu]

2-0!!!!!

[sunny_j]

So close
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[Not really racist!]

fucking crazy game now

[LUUUUUUUU]

o god.... 5on3 PK

[Not really racist!]

goalll

[sunny_j]

3-0
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[wahyinghung]

3-0

[TRD Rs200]

3-0 RIGHT AFTER THE PK

[tonyvu]

what a bitch move HAHAAAH

[way2quik]

1-0 Canucks!!!!!!!!

say what? :haha:

[Harvey Specter]

Awesome period, hopefully we can net a few more in the 3rd period.

[HonestTea]

why the fuck are their so many empty seats?!! :(

[Hondaracer]

They are all groups of empty seats so obviously corporate

Lu needs a few good scoring chances/saves and needs to maintain the shutout
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[Not really racist!]

goallll

[sunny_j]

4-0
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[Wongtouski]

Random, didn't know olympic team has 2 extra guys on the active roster.....

[wahyinghung]

4-0

[tonyvu]

WOOHOOOO 4-0

[Not really racist!]

GOALL

HEATLEYYY

[sunny_j]

5-0 woooo
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[C.Dub]

my CTV stream is like 2 minutes behind wtf

[BlackV62K2]

Damn, nice shot Heatley

[wahyinghung]

5-0

[TRD Rs200]

ok 5-0 now!!!

[Not really racist!]

GOALLL
IGGY

[wahyinghung]

6-0

[LUUUUUUUU]

i feel like we're in montreal

OLE OLE OLE OLE OLE

[sunny_j]

6-0 Iginla 2x
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[TRD Rs200]

6 zip!

[LUUUUUUUU]

lol corey perry

[TRD Rs200]

hopes lou gets shoutout!

[tonyvu]

FTW!!!

[Not really racist!]

GOALLLL

[wahyinghung]

7-0

[sunny_j]

7-0

[TRD Rs200]

seven now!

[orange7]

I think their first golie is better than the current one.

[murd0c]

I think their first golie is better than the current one.

yep but they dont want to burn him out as they said.


Is the Russia game on tv?

[seakrait]

is it un-patriotic to feel bad for the Norweigians? :p

[murd0c]

is it un-patriotic to feel bad for the Norweigians? :p

them and the swiss are ok. If you said that about the US then we would need words :D

[Not really racist!]

GOALL

8 - 0

[sunny_j]

8-0

[wahyinghung]

8-0

[Not really racist!]

hat trick iginla

[sunny_j]

iginla hat trick

[LUUUUUUUU]

wooo expensive hats

[hal0g0dv2]

fucking rape

[TRD Rs200]

8!

[sunny_j]

smiling like a butchers dog lol

[Gh0stRider]

Fuck yaaaaaaaaaa
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[BlackV62K2]

Come on....double digits lol

[murd0c]

The only 2 weeks I will be chearing for iginla. I kinda feel dirty about it LOL

[seakrait]

them and the swiss are ok. If you said that about the US then we would need words :D

hahaha amen

[LUUUUUUUU]

LUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU WITH A SHUT OUTTTTTTTTTTTT

[sunny_j]

shut out luuuuuuuuuuuu

[seakrait]

ha. almost a breakaway for that norwegian player...

but canada wins 8-0!

[TRD Rs200]

8 zip! woot. look at iggy. hatrick, too bad hes in cal with no one to set him up like crosby

[carisear]

Iggy has a HOWITZER!!!

Shutout for LUU!!!

good start team canada! :)

[RRxtar]

WOOOOOOO!!!!!!

[HonestTea]

IGGGGGGGGGGYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BlackV62K2]

Russia vs Lativa later tonight

[murd0c]

Russia vs Lativa later tonight

is it on tv?

[HonestTea]

If you throw your hats, do you get it back after wards?

[lacubrious1]

love the lines now

[BlackV62K2]

is it on tv?

According to www.ctvolympics.ca it'll be on CTV and of course, on ctvolmpics.ca. Starts @ 9pm.

[murd0c]

If you throw your hats, do you get it back after wards?

of course not, Im sure they donate them to a good cause.

Or sell the new ones back to the public :haha::haha::haha::haha::haha:

[Durrann]

i wanna get ignlia jersey now

go canada go ! whoo

[murd0c]

According to www.ctvolympics.ca it'll be on CTV and of course, on ctvolmpics.ca. Starts @ 9pm.

awesome I thought so but was not too sure.

[Armind]

GO
http://www.appliedlanguage.com/flags_of_the_world/large_flag_of_canada.gif
GO!

[sunny_j]

If you throw your hats, do you get it back after wards?

im not sure about the olympic games but for the canuck games you can get them back from the lost and found i think

in Columbus the Blue Jackets put all hats into this
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk184/djsunny1/misc%20forum%20postings/4058825323_331fb6cea7.jpg

[wahyinghung]

Good Game and Shut Out for Lu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RevYouUp]

Does anyone know how fast or slow the security screening is at Canada hockey place, Im watching the Sweden vs Germany game tmr

[Manic!]

im not sure about the olympic games but for the canuck games you can get them back from the lost and found i think

in Columbus the Blue Jackets put all hats into this
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk184/djsunny1/misc%20forum%20postings/4058825323_331fb6cea7.jpg


http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Hockey-mystery-What-happens-to-hats-thrown-for-?urn=nhl,167824
Hockey mystery: What happens to hats thrown for hat tricks?

By Greg Wyshynski

There have been 69 hat tricks in the NHL this season, from the three goals scored by Fabian Brunnstrom(notes) of the Dallas Stars back on Oct. 15, 2008, to the trio of tallies for Evgeni Malkin(notes) of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference finals.

Therefore, there were also hundreds of fans who left hockey arenas without the head gear they walked in wearing.

One of hockey's greatest traditions, the tossing of hats on the ice when a player scores thrice evolved from local businessmen handing out fedoras to players about 90 years ago. During the 1970s, fans built on that tradition by tossing hats on the ice, and the NHL eventually amended its rule book to say that "articles thrown onto the ice following a special occasion (i.e. hat trick) will not result in a bench minor penalty being assessed" to the home team for delay of the game.

For years, fans have seen arena workers -- and more frequently, and thankfully, Ice Girls -- shoveling dozens of hats into large plastic bins to be removed from the ice.

Which got us thinking: Where do all of these hat-trick hats eventually end up?

We asked a few team executives around the NHL what their franchises do with the hats tossed on the ice, and discovered four primary destinations for the projectile headgear.

1. The players keep them: In many cities, the hats are collected by team staff and presented to the player who scored the hat trick in the dressing room. "If the player who achieved the hat trick wants them, they're his," said Jason Rademan, media relations for the Dallas Stars.

Alexander Ovechkin(notes) of the Washington Capitals had four hat tricks this season, including one in a Stanley Cup Playoffs classic that also saw rival Sidney Crosby(notes) tally one. He's one of the players who checks the hats before they're shipped away.

"Ovie has asked before where the hats were, and he's grabbed a hat or two," said Nate Ewell of the Capitals. "He even grabbed a red Caps hat at one point."

2. The garbage: Remember what mom used to say about wearing other kids' hats back in elementary school? Turns out that health concerns about the indiscriminate origin of the hats is a consideration.

Mike Sundheim, media relations for the Carolina Hurricanes, said that a portion of the hats that are in decent shape are given to the players, but that "the majority of the older, well-worn ones pretty much have to go in the trash because of health concerns."

That was echoed by VP of communications Tom McMillan of the Pittsburgh Penguins, although he said a student once did a project with the Penguins in which he took hats thrown on the ice, had them "cleaned and medically approved" and then donated them to charity. Which brings us to ...

3. Donations: Teams that don't trash the hats give them to any number of local charities. Some teams are a bit more discerning, like the Carolina Hurricanes, who only "donate any new-looking ones, i.e. tags are still on, to charity," said Sundheim.

If for some reason you thought the homeless population in your city had embraced hockey, now you know the real story.

Finally, the most exciting trend in the NHL when it comes to hat tricks ...

The giant transparent hat bin: The Columbus Blue Jackets have a giant case on the main concourse of their arena that houses all the hats the team has collected since the franchise's first hat trick, according to Karen Davis of the Jackets. That means every trick from Geoff Sanderson(notes) in February 2001 through Rick Nash(notes) in March 2009.

McMillan of the Penguins said that his organization has donated hats in the past to the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, which houses a similar bin.

The trend is catching on: The Washington Capitals have been saving hats for more than a year now, planning their own transparent bin on the concourse of the Verizon Center in D.C.

"So people can see their hats, and encourage fans to throw more for the next hat trick," said Ewell.

Provided, of course, that Ovechkin doesn't dive in and snag a few for himself.

[Tegra_Devil]

goo IGGGYYY GO!

GO CANADA GO!

FUCK YOU USA!

[punkwax]

Even when he's a Lame, I can't help but like Iginla. The guy is awesome.

[Harvey Specter]

Shit, I can't wait for the game on Thursday and I can't for the Russia game tonight.

[Not really racist!]

thinking of grabbing a canada jersey with a name on the back

any suggestions of places where i can get one for not too expensive and good quality?
im hearing that everywhere is sold out :(

[keitaro]

watching iggy getting a hat trick, it reminds me of this

nike's force fate commerical /w iggy

YouTube- Nike - Destiny - Force Fate

[Hondaracer]

thinking of grabbing a canada jersey with a name on the back

any suggestions of places where i can get one for not too expensive and good quality?
im hearing that everywhere is sold out :(

the Bay olympic store had the cheapest i've seen

189 for a name on the back

Nike store on robson is 200 even, i paid about 235 for mine buying the jersey from hockey shop + getting them to put the numbers on, but my numbers are higher quality then the jerseys that come with them on them, mine looks exactly like the one Lu wears while i find the store bought ones have thicker black stiching

[raygunpk]

thinking of grabbing a canada jersey with a name on the back

any suggestions of places where i can get one for not too expensive and good quality?
im hearing that everywhere is sold out :(

whose name you getting?

[raygunpk]

http://twomanymonkeys.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/img_2352.jpg

Ovechkin's car

[1exotic]

Yeah they were showing him and his house/cars couple weeks ago on some show... he's got this black series + several other benz + porsches.... hes balling with his 8.5 mil a year contract.

[maxxxboost]

Awsome game!!!
started off a bit slow but picked up in the second.