USA - Russia: Quick observations
It's not common for me to wake up at 7 a.m. on a Saturday. Then again, it's not common for the best players in the best sport to clash at such a time, either. The United States downed Russia, 3-2 in a shootout (also known as the hockey fans' eyeroll) over in Sochi as part of the Olympic tournament's preliminary round. The game had just about everything you could want, and since I'm awake - very awake - at this hour on a Saturday, here are a few notes.
1) Wake up and smell the vulcanized rubber
There's almost no way this would ever happen in the NHL, but there's something organic about early-morning hockey. The puck dropped around 7:40 a.m. here on the east coast of the United States, and by the start of the second period, a delicate batch of snowflakes began to dance and swirl outside. If you played hockey growing up, chances are you hit the rink for practice at 6 or 7 a.m., or you waddled outside, all bundled up, and skated and shot from breakfast until dinner. If the nostalgia factor isn't enough to nudge the NHL into making morning games "a thing" - thereby disrupting the routine created by heavy night-game schedules - maybe a big sponsorship deal with Tim Horton's would set the wheels in motion on this.
2) Big rinks? No big deal
A lot has been made about the Olympic tournament moving to the European-style rinks, which plays 15 feet wider with the nets bumped 13 feet closer to the blue lines. This stretches out the defense (at least laterally) and gives so-called playmakers more space to work their craft. The rink, however, played small in this game. The Russian defensemen were big and quick, and the U.S. defense corps played the Russian forwards tight. Both kind of negated the effects created by that extra space.
3) Datsyuk is good
Of course, American TJ Oshie and his four goals in the decisive shootout have stolen all the buzz coming out of the game, but Russian captain Pavel Datsyuk further established himself as one of the game's best offensive weapons. Datsyuk netted both goals for Team Russia in front of a robust Russian crowd. On top of possessing world-class talent, Datsyuk's mental operating system is on par with Peyton Manning and Mariano Rivera. He's cerebral and can break down opponents with the slightest opportunity.
4) Officiating?
In tournaments like this - or anywhere, really - no matter how much we love to complain and nitpick about it, the officiating shouldn't be judged on whether it's "good" or "bad." All you really want from the folks in stripes is consistency, and I think that's what the crew delivered in this one. There were some weak calls and a phantom penalty or two, but I don't think any one call or non-call turned out to be a huge stretch. Both teams played with a bit of a snarl, which is surprising on the Russian side traditionally known for its speed, and I thought the crew allowed the physical play to dictate the game flow.
5) Not a single commercial during periods
The NFL is notorious for allowing commercials to infiltrate and disrupt the flow of its game and, even though the NHL doesn't draw as much marketing flair, hockey fans are used to TV timeouts. Maybe sleepiness helped me ignore the commercials, but I don't remember any commercial breaks aside from those during intermissions. There were no shots of folks dunking their Chicken McNuggets and now lower-third graphics of the latest NBC drama accompanied by a scripted readthrough, and it was glorious.
6) Another conspicuous (and welcome) absence
The four goals scored during regulation didn't beckon huge foghorns and light shows and pop rock blaring though the PA system. The goal celebrations were limited to raucous cheering from the crowd. In fact, this Olympic tournament has featured less arena rock and more riffs from the organists, and it's been a real treat. I get that leagues here in the States cater to the "fan experience" and want to appeal to families with mascots and bright lights and funny videos and games during breaks in the action, but I think the experience of watching the game and feeling the excitement of a crowd carries its own appeal. It makes the hockey feel more organic, and organic hockey to a hockey fan feels oh so good.
7) Speaking of hockey fans
Hockey is a niche sport in the United States, and instead of trying to convince myself, or others, any different, I've accepted it. Hockey fans, for the most part, embrace that. They love their sport, even if the guy in the next cubicle or the barista handing you coffee doesn't enjoy it on the same level. That said, it's fun watching other people pick up the sport at times like this. I've read more than a few "I don't follow hockey, but..." Tweets over the course of the morning. There was at least one person who tweeted something along the lines of "There's apparently a hockey game going on, but I continue to not give one crap," which taking the time to make a comment shows some kind of level of care, but whatever. This morning was a great moment for hockey fans and non-hockey fans alike, and here's hoping to many more like it in the next week-plus.
1) Wake up and smell the vulcanized rubber
There's almost no way this would ever happen in the NHL, but there's something organic about early-morning hockey. The puck dropped around 7:40 a.m. here on the east coast of the United States, and by the start of the second period, a delicate batch of snowflakes began to dance and swirl outside. If you played hockey growing up, chances are you hit the rink for practice at 6 or 7 a.m., or you waddled outside, all bundled up, and skated and shot from breakfast until dinner. If the nostalgia factor isn't enough to nudge the NHL into making morning games "a thing" - thereby disrupting the routine created by heavy night-game schedules - maybe a big sponsorship deal with Tim Horton's would set the wheels in motion on this.
2) Big rinks? No big deal
A lot has been made about the Olympic tournament moving to the European-style rinks, which plays 15 feet wider with the nets bumped 13 feet closer to the blue lines. This stretches out the defense (at least laterally) and gives so-called playmakers more space to work their craft. The rink, however, played small in this game. The Russian defensemen were big and quick, and the U.S. defense corps played the Russian forwards tight. Both kind of negated the effects created by that extra space.
3) Datsyuk is good
Of course, American TJ Oshie and his four goals in the decisive shootout have stolen all the buzz coming out of the game, but Russian captain Pavel Datsyuk further established himself as one of the game's best offensive weapons. Datsyuk netted both goals for Team Russia in front of a robust Russian crowd. On top of possessing world-class talent, Datsyuk's mental operating system is on par with Peyton Manning and Mariano Rivera. He's cerebral and can break down opponents with the slightest opportunity.
4) Officiating?
In tournaments like this - or anywhere, really - no matter how much we love to complain and nitpick about it, the officiating shouldn't be judged on whether it's "good" or "bad." All you really want from the folks in stripes is consistency, and I think that's what the crew delivered in this one. There were some weak calls and a phantom penalty or two, but I don't think any one call or non-call turned out to be a huge stretch. Both teams played with a bit of a snarl, which is surprising on the Russian side traditionally known for its speed, and I thought the crew allowed the physical play to dictate the game flow.
5) Not a single commercial during periods
The NFL is notorious for allowing commercials to infiltrate and disrupt the flow of its game and, even though the NHL doesn't draw as much marketing flair, hockey fans are used to TV timeouts. Maybe sleepiness helped me ignore the commercials, but I don't remember any commercial breaks aside from those during intermissions. There were no shots of folks dunking their Chicken McNuggets and now lower-third graphics of the latest NBC drama accompanied by a scripted readthrough, and it was glorious.
6) Another conspicuous (and welcome) absence
The four goals scored during regulation didn't beckon huge foghorns and light shows and pop rock blaring though the PA system. The goal celebrations were limited to raucous cheering from the crowd. In fact, this Olympic tournament has featured less arena rock and more riffs from the organists, and it's been a real treat. I get that leagues here in the States cater to the "fan experience" and want to appeal to families with mascots and bright lights and funny videos and games during breaks in the action, but I think the experience of watching the game and feeling the excitement of a crowd carries its own appeal. It makes the hockey feel more organic, and organic hockey to a hockey fan feels oh so good.
7) Speaking of hockey fans
Hockey is a niche sport in the United States, and instead of trying to convince myself, or others, any different, I've accepted it. Hockey fans, for the most part, embrace that. They love their sport, even if the guy in the next cubicle or the barista handing you coffee doesn't enjoy it on the same level. That said, it's fun watching other people pick up the sport at times like this. I've read more than a few "I don't follow hockey, but..." Tweets over the course of the morning. There was at least one person who tweeted something along the lines of "There's apparently a hockey game going on, but I continue to not give one crap," which taking the time to make a comment shows some kind of level of care, but whatever. This morning was a great moment for hockey fans and non-hockey fans alike, and here's hoping to many more like it in the next week-plus.