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DEL.ICIO.USU.S. hockey stuck between generations
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
Turin, Italy — There is little question that Don Waddell put together an Olympic hockey team capable of winning a gold medal. Maybe not in Turin, but four years ago.
The U.S. will advance to the next round of the men’s hockey tournament. It’s the residue of a generous playoff system and the good fortune of being grouped in the same pool with Latvia and Kazakhstan. So lap it up.
The Americans will advance despite Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Sweden, which left them with one victory in four games. They will advance despite scoring only two goals in the past two nights and handling the puck on the power play like it has a contagious disease.
Win the gold medal? Well, it depends. How many games can you win 1-0?
“If you look at the top-scoring Americans in the league, they’re all here,� said the Thrashers’ and U.S. general manager after Sunday’s game. “We have what we thought was the best team we could put together. We just have to find a way to score some goals.�
Here’s the problem: Doug Weight, Keith Tkachuk, Bill Guerin — they used to be NHL centerpieces. Now, more often than not, they are NHL relics. Mike Modano is hanging on, but he’s not the same player. Brett Hull is retired. Jeremy Roenick wasn’t good enough to make the team, although he’s the last to realize that.
It’s not Waddell’s fault. You can second-guess a selection here or there, but for the most part this really is as good as it gets. The U.S. was caught between generations. The group that followed the aforementioned players just weren’t exceptional goal-scorers.
“We had such a good group of forwards for so long, but we had the same guys in tournaments for seven years,� Waddell said. “Now we have new guys coming like [Brian] Gionta and [Erik] Cole, but they’re not ready yet. We’re in a transition period.�
The 2-1 loss to Sweden was a near carbon copy of the 2-1 loss to Slovakia the night before. The U.S. created scoring chances; it just couldn’t do anything with them. Worst of all, they had 5-on-3 power plays in the first and second periods for a total of 3:38 and couldn’t convert. The best scoring chance actually came from the Swedes. An errant pass by Scott Gomez was picked off by P.J. Axelsson, who was stopped on a breakaway by goalie Rick DiPietro.
Modano scored the U.S.’s only goal late in the first period off a nice feed from Craig Conroy, but it was the only shot of 25 that got past goalie Henrik Lundqvist. Sweden’s Mikael Samuelsson broke a 1-1 tie just 8 seconds into a power play early in the third. And a 2-1 deficit tends to be insurmountable these days.
“We’ve got some of the greatest goal scorers who ever played the game in our dressing room,� defenseman Mathieu Schneider said.
Well, that’s true. And if some of them weren’t still putting on an Olympic uniform, it wouldn’t be a problem. In contrast, DiPietro has played three strong games in goal. It’s ironic because he wasn’t picked to start the first game, and before the Olympics most of the nervousness seemed to be about the U.S.’s goaltending, not offense.
“We felt we put a great team together,� Modano said. “But it’s not going to come easy, and when it doesn’t come you can’t get frustrated.�
But problems won’t keep the U.S. out of the next round. With three points (two ahead of Latvia) and a game left against Russia, the worst the U.S. can do is be tied in the standings. The Americans and Latvia tied in their meeting. The next tiebreaker is goal-differential. The U.S. is plus-one and Latvia is minus-15. Even if the U.S. loses to Russia Tuesday and Latvia beats Kazakhstan, the odds of their being a 16-goal differential in the two games are remote.
The built-in comfort level led somebody to ask Weight on Sunday if U.S. players have lacked a sense of urgency in their attack. Weight said, “We have an urgent feeling. You don’t score goals because you’re not playing urgent. Maybe it means you’re playing too desperate.�
Or, you’re just not what you used to be.
Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: Jeff Schultz, Other
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By geechee
February 19, 2006 07:46 PM | Link to this
“We’ve got some of the greatest goal scorers who ever played the game in our dressing room,�
The number of goals a player has scored in his career is only memories. It has nothing to do with winning games today.
A quick look at the current top 30 NHL goal scorers finds only two of them to be Americans. Out of the top 30 only Eric Cole in 18th place and Brian Rolston in 29th place are American. The other 28 top scorers seem to be playing for other teams or not at all.
By Ex-Northerner
February 19, 2006 10:19 PM | Link to this
I miss the amateur teams of old. I miss the college athletes who were at the games just to be at the games and win for their country. I miss the 1980 Men’s Hockey Team and Herb Brooks. There will never be another story like theirs when today the athletes are all pros. I feel fortunate to have experienced those by-gone eras.
By Brendan
February 19, 2006 11:23 PM | Link to this
Ex-Northerner, we can’t be entirely sure those days are gone forever. In five year’s time, the NHL’s CBA will expire. If the next one gets ratified without an agreed upon Olympic provision, in lieu of an all-Star game, then few, if any, NHL players will play in the Olympics.
They would incur the wrath of the owners and managers of the NHL teams to which those players are attached.
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that the next CBA will probably have that “Olympic break” clause in it.
But, you never know. The players might give that up in favor of 5-year deals for rookies and “Unrestricted free agency” at 25 years of age.
From a fan’s perspective, I think most of hockey’s die-hards WANT to see EXACTLY what they’re getting: The very best players in the World battling it out.
Okay… not all of them made the trip. Kari Lehtonen stayed home, but Finland is 4-0-0 with Antero Nittimaki (Sp?).
The owners will look at the hit Finland’s Ruutu put on Jagr, and say, “This is why we DON’T want the Olympics.” Also, ask Ottawa Senators fans how they feel about Hasek’s injury, or Devils’ fans about Patrik Elias’.
By Brendan
February 19, 2006 11:27 PM | Link to this
Jeff, Hossa and Bondra have scored all four of Team Slovakia’s goals in the past two games. Bondra has a game winner, and so does Hossa. Petrovicky has played well, too.
So, will the Thrashers come off the Olympic break and go on a tear?
By David
February 20, 2006 10:30 AM | Link to this
It’s just the basics. It is very frustrating to watch how many times the US players have missed the net on good shot opportunities, many from close in. If you review the last two games, there were at least 20 shots that missed the net entirely with no deflections.
And I agree with the power play. They look lost and confused. All players and teams have practiced 5 on 3’s since they were in their early teens. I think the guys might be a little too generous and trying to feed their linemates when they should be getting the puck to the net. You don’t score if you don’t shoot.
I’ve enjoyed the physical play, but I hate to admit the clutching and grabbing they’re getting away with makes me finally appreciate today’s NHL a little more. That’s tough for an old-school player to admit.
Hopefully they use the Russia game to turn up the heat a little and play US hockey. Dump it in, work the corners and take shots when you get a chance.
By the way, am I the only guy to notice how small the US team looks (except Hatcher, who looks like he has concrete blocks tied to his feet)? Sweden won most of the physical battles yesterday and definitely towered over our forwards.
By David
February 20, 2006 03:39 PM | Link to this
Great column, many probably won’t think that because of your statement “It’s not Waddell’s fault.” People always seem to run after Waddell if the water tastes nasty. Instead of looking at the stats. The only player on the USA squad that seems to be playing with the passion needed to win games is Cole. That man seems to give everything he has each shift he is on the ice. Brenden, thrashers going on a tear will be nice to see, but we all know how they play on a long extended breaks. But, I love that Bondra is playing well. Maybe that will give him confidence and put less of a burden on trying to do too much when he comes back to the boys in blue? Hossa, best forward in the olympics.