Gold Medal Game (Canada vs. Finland) and Bronze Medal Game (Russia vs. Sweden)

[Canesluver]

Well... with about 3 minutes gone in the 2nd period, Russia is winning, 3-0, over Sweden in the consolation game.

The announcers feel Russia is calm, controled, and focused to win today. It shows.

Gotta get ready to take Mom to brunch, so....... sorry, NCC, that's all the recap I give you. Gotta run.

Although......... we're hoping we'll back in time to a least see the 3rd period of the Gold medal game..... but...... shhhhhhhhhhh.... don't tell my Mom! :beatup:

[Canesluver]

O.K.... 2nd Intermission is winding down..... it's still 3-0, Russia.

And... my Mother just walked out of her room smelling like she'd poured a whole bottle of Jean Nate all over herself. It's going to be a long 1/2-hour drive into Charlotte (my Mom retired to Lake Norman) to the restaurant with THAT! Dear lord, I hope I don't smell like that by the time we get there.

And speaking of getting there..... my brother decided about 5 minutes ago to take a shower. He's been wondering around the house since 9:00 doing god knows what, knowing full well we were planning to leave the house at 10.

OHHH!!

While I"m typing this, the announcers don't know their mike's are live during the Intermission. They're talking about the most mundane things. One guy just said he was hungry!! It's Tripp with a deeper voice!! :lol:

[Fghtr4jc]

:laugh:

[Canesluver]

O.K.. swear to God.... my brother, towel around his waist, just pokes his head into Mom's office where I'm sitting, and says, "Hey sis-- ya got any shampoo?" And I'm like, "What the f*ck's wrong with you? What in the hell have you been doing for the past hour? Mom's all ready to go!"

He's 45-freakin'-years-old, and he's been like that FOREVER. Once when he and his wife were visiting at our house, we got in a car INCLUDING HIS WIFE, and left him w/a map, so we could make the reservation we had. He didn't show up until after we'd ordered, and we're eating our salads!!

Back to the game..... 3rd Period's started. The Swedes kind of look like they're on auto pilot, or something. You don't feel like they're trying to mount any kind of come-back at all. I'm prediciting a Bronze for Russia.

[livinthedream]

:lol: CL, you are killin' me!

[Canesluver]

Wooo! We made it back in time! 2nd Intermission is just wrapping up on the Gold Medal Game.

But first.... Russia did, in fact, win the Bronze. Final score: 3-1

Now... on to the Gold Medal game.

And what do I find, you may ask??? Well..... Canada is winning, 3-0, at the end of 2 period!!! :canada: With our very own, Cam Ward, minding the nets. :D

It looks like Finland has gotten themselves in penalty trouble-- in the box 6 times. 2 of Canada's goals are PPGs--- one by Eric Staal, with an assist by JWill!! Little bro, Jordan, got an assist on Colby Armstrong's goal. They just played the goal highlights, and some nifty saves by Ward. According to the announcers, Canada is "dictating play," so all is going good for the brothers of the Great White North.

So... while the 2nd Intermission continues.... I'm sure you'd like the Brunch Report...

I guess this thread title should really be, "Gold Medal Game (Canada vs. Finland) and Bronze Medal Game (Russia vs. Sweden) and Mother's Day Brunch with CL and Family!" :laugh:

[Canesluver]

O.K... they've just turned on the mikes again without the announcers knowing.

One guy just went, "Ohhhhh boy... dupe, dupe, dupe [kind of 1/2-way humming a song]..... where's the kiss cam? They got that goin'...." and then they just shut down the sound! :lol:

[Canesluver]

Photo and caption for you:
http://live82.ihwc.net/image/large/3894.jpg
Eric Staal put Canada up 2-0 with 6:12 left in the first period


O.K.... 3rd period's begun.

[Canesluver]

O.K.... Brunch report:

We went to Pike's Old Fasioned Soda Shop for brunch. It's near 77 and West Street in Charlotte. Decent, but not a fabulous, blow-your-socks off kind of experience or anything. I'd give it a solid "B," but since it's Mother's Day I'll give it a "B+" 'cause they were giving a long-stemmed rose to all the Moms as they'd leave. Nice touch. It was only $13.95 for a buffet set-up, so you really can't complain for that kind of price. It's in a kind of artsy part of town, adjacent to a residential neighborhood. It's in a former Rexall Pharmacy building from the 30's. It's supposed to be a popular place with locals, and I found it from a website I found of the Charlotte Sunday Brunch Club.

[Canada just made it thru an easy penalty kill. Finland only got off 1 shot on goal, I think.]

We were sitting down only 3.46 minutes before Mom said, "When are you going to cut your hair. You're too old to wear your hair that long." I think that's a new record! I felt my husband squeeze my knee under the table which is our code for, "Just smile and change the subject." :lol:

[Oops! C'mon Canada! Stay out of the box!! Lombardi's heading off for high-sticking. Fortunately-- Finland's PP looks anemic and Canada's PK looks awesome]

Let's see.... what else?... Oh... Mom didn't like that the waitress (who I thought was great-- friendly-- attentive--- yadda, yadda) 'cause she put all the straws in a pile in the middle of the table, rather that offering her one personally..... or something like that..... I don't know.

[Oooo! Justin with a breakaway in the PK!!..... but... Lehtonen said, "No!"]

[Canesluver]

And, we're 1/2-way thru the 3rd period. Score's still 3-zip, Canada. Canada looks to me like they're really putting on the defensive clamps on the Finns.

Oops! While I was typing..... the Fins squeeked one past Wardo, high glove side.

Score's now 3-1...... nullifying the shut-out for Cam.

About 8 minutes left in the game. Nice no-call on the trip on Lomabardi! :p

[Canesluver]

Oooooo!! Justin! Nice little assist helping Wardo clear away a bad turnover!! That was a close one! :eek2:

C'mon Canada!! Sharpen up!! You're getting a tad soft!! ONly 3 minutes left!

(I love no commercial time-outs. It makes for a speedy game.)

[Canesluver]

Oh no!!! Finland just scored.... caught Ward high, as he was going side-to-side low.

:eek2:

Only about 2 minutes left! C'mon Canada, use your time-out!!!

With 2:16 left, it's 3-2, Canada!! Fins are not ready to go down with the ship!

[Canesluver]

Wooooooooooooooooooooooo!!

Rick Nash in a 1-on-1!!! His 2nd goal!!! It's 4-2!!!!

It was an Erik Cole kind of a goal, with a defender hanging all over him. The ref's arm was up for interference, but Nash scored!!!

Sweet, sweet goal!! :D

[Canesluver]

About 20 seconds left, and everyone on the Canadian bench is standing up smiling! :D

Finland calls a time-out.

[Canesluver]

And Canada wins the Gold!! :canada:

And the team swarms Ward!!! Big smiles all around!!! Cam's getting major face time on the broadcast. The announcer just said, "Another strong performance by Cam Ward. But you'd expect nothing less from last year's Conn Smythe winner."

[Canesluver]

It looks like the Fins get a cup that's solid silver, and the team cup for Canada is a bit bigger and lined in Gold.

The medals that will go around the guys' necks are beautiful. They just showed a close-up on them.

Oh, how funny! The ref and linesman get some kind of medals.

[Canesluver]

Rick Nash was just presented MVP!!! A beautiful cup!! It's kind of big... I hope that comes with a case to get it home on the plane! :lol:

And now the Finns are being awarded their silver medals, one-by-one.

Vili Koistinen was Findland's Player-of-the Game.

Kari Lehtonen was named the Best Goalie of the Tournament.

Poor Fins... sad faces as they get their medals. Didn't they get silver at the last Olympics, too?

[Canesluver]

And now Team Canada gets their medals.

Big smile on Staaly's face. He's looking down on it, flipping it over. Jordan's right beside him.

And now the anthem. Commie looks like he's singing really full-out! :lol:

Oh, cool! They just turned a mike on them!! Stick to your night job, guys!!! :laugh:

At the end of the song, Justin let out a big "Wooooo!' which was quickly matched by those around him.

And now the mad, mob around the cup for the team photo (that's one of my favorite parts!) all holding up the medals around their necks.

:nanner:

(I was saving the nanner dance for last! :beatup:)

[puck_it]

Oh, cool! They just turned a mike on them!! Stick to your night job, guys!!! :laugh:


or apply for our anthem singer! no talent needed!

[Canesluver]

And this concludes your World Championship coverage.

A strong performance by Canada throughout the tournament sees them rewarded with a Gold Medal.

And the shortbread with butterscotch chips is a tasty desert on the Sunday brunch buffet at Pike's Old-Fashioned Soda Shop in Charlotte.

Good night, folks! And keep America in your thoughts and prayers!!

:beatup:

[Canesluver]

A small photo - hope to find some better ones:

http://live82.ihwc.net/image/large/3898.jpg

[Zamboni]

Thank you for the colorful coverage, CL!

It sounded like good chemistry on the Eric Staal-Justin Williams line throughout the tourney.

[nccanes]

Fantastic CL. I might purposely not watch games next season if you'll keep this up! :D

[Fghtr4jc]

I feel like we have all bonded during this tourney.

[SoCalcaniac]

What a great game for Canada! and CL, I totally should have been on to read your play by play- you did GREAT!

Having watched the last 3 WC's online and adding this year's to the list, today was nice. Great to see Cam and Shane Doan head butt each other after the win; and it's really scary to see Jordan and Eric play on the ice together, because you can't really tell who's who until you look at the jersey number, but to see them standing in the line and looking down at their medals was even spookier, they look so much alike. and I will always love JWill because he does the WOOO! with such enthusiasm:lol: - it's the best. Totally forgot that Cam & Dion Phaneuf played for Red Deer together, and they stood together during the anthem, bonding..... and is it me or does Stevie Y look like 10 years younger now that he's retired?

Rick Nash has returned to Rick Nash form. That final goal he scored, holy cow; CL was right, very EC-like, but really it's the 'old' Rick Nash that scored 40 goals a couple years ago. Beauty.

The Finns really took the loss hard. I was especially happy to see all our guys win Gold for Canada, if only to lessen the sting of not making it to the playoffs this year after having the year of their lives and winning it all. This was a great experience for them.

Oh, and since Calgary seems to think Matthew Lombardi isn't 'gritty' enough and wants to trade him, I personally have been a fan of his for awhile, and think he'd make a nice 3rd line center. He'd ironically be very Cullen-like and with his speedy skating, he'd fit Peter's requirements very nicely. ;)

Here's a nice post game clip from TSN with Eric singing the praises of his baby bro, who drew two penalties that they cashed in on the PP:

http://broadband.tsn.ca/?vid=7654
Congrats to Canada!

[Canesluver]

Fantastic CL. I might purposely not watch games next season if you'll keep this up! :D
:laugh:


Here's a few more images:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/tonka1960/_MG_5447.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/tonka1960/_J0H7509.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/tonka1960/_J0H7482.jpg

[nccanes]

So, since I didn't watch a second of this event... I have a question. It seemed like Roloson got most of the early games, right? Or was I not paying attention? I'm thrilled for Cam, but just curious if the switch was expected or what?

[SoCalcaniac]

E- they did a tandem thing; Murray had them switch off; it was Roloson, then Cam, then Roloson; and I personally thought he'd alternate all the way to the GM game, but was secretly hoping Cam would get the nod again today - and he did. :D

It seemed Murray was looking to do the tandem all the way, and if we believe what the media was speculating about, neither goalie had "run away" with the job I guess until yesterday....... go Cam!

The TSN interviews are fantastic, so much whooping and hooting. I don't know why I'm always so happy for the Canadians when they win it all, it should be un-American or something; I know why and I've said it before- it just means so much to an entire nation to win these things. Not that our guys don't care, or any other country doesn't care, but for Canada, it's everything.

[toastmasterbone]

http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/gallery/051307worldhockey/final6.jpg

http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/gallery/051307worldhockey/final4.jpg

http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/gallery/051307worldhockey/final5.jpg

http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/gallery/051307worldhockey/teamcanada051307.jpg


... and in other news, Hasek's drunken audition for the part of the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz goes poorly.


http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070514/capt.c68cced7b82346c1ae765d840b451d41.addition_duc ks_red_wings_hockey_dta103.jpg

[goalie33]

This ain't perfect, but here's a Coach's Corner with a nice montage of the final over top of the Canadian team singing their anthem, along with a comparison of Nash's incomprehensibly awesome goal to one in the Summit Series:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYgksOhZNYc

[puck_it]

LOL while watching the video g33 linked i saw this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM2ja_ZFFy8
:lol:

[livinthedream]

There's an article on NHL.com today about the benefits of playing in the Worlds:

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=307735

Carolina players Cam Ward (http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=PlayerDetail&playerId=8470320), Justin Williams (http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=PlayerDetail&playerId=8468508) and Eric Staal (http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=PlayerDetail&playerId=8470595) skated home for the summer with smiles on their faces, something that might not have been thought possible after the Hurricanes failed to make the playoffs one year following their glorious run to the Stanley Cup last June.

[puck_it]

why they gotta forget Commie :(