Tuesday, February 16, 2010

2010 Winter Olympics Day 5 Men's Ice Hockey Open Thread

Group A: United States vs. Switzerland 3:00 (USA - Mike Emrick and Eddie Olczyk, ItG: Pierre McGuire)
Group A: Canada vs. Norway 7:30 (CNBC - Mike Emrick and Eddie Olczyk, SR: Joe Micheletti)
Group B: Russia vs. Latvia 12:00 AM (CNBC - Kenny Albert and Joe Micheletti)

Let the World Cup of Hockey begin!

10:08 PM: We are 112 minutes away from the epic showdown. To get you all ready for Team Latvia to begin their quest for the gold here is some Latvian music to get you fired up.

First, the Latvian national anthem!



And now, Latvia's entry in the 2008 Eurovision Final, Pirates of the Sea!



Latvija par zelta medaļu. Lai dzīvo demi-Dievs Oskars Bārtulis!

186 comments:

  1. As of now, Doc, Edzo, and Pierre for USA-Switzerland is the publicly only confirmed announce pairing.

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  2. I have a more general question: is hockey like soccer in that you can have people running your program who aren't of your nationality or are you limited to people of your own country? I ask because i'm wondering why US Hockey went with Maple Laffs management in putting this team together.

    Also, the Germans took down the US in the 1st men's curling match

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  3. @ kt: He's a Canadian through and through and yet he is coaching the USA........

    Bummer about the US and curling. This game against Switzerland is by no means a lock for the US. If Hiller brings his best stuff, this game has the highest potential for an upset out of the 3 hockey games today.

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  4. @JFein Ron Wilson has dual citizenship in the US and Canada.

    and I agree. if Hiller has his A game, this could be interesting

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  5. USA! USA! USA!

    Suck it Jonas Hiller you Anaheim Duck piece of shit.

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  6. Wow, Mike Milbury, way to mispronounce "Jonas".

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  7. I'm liking the early pressure from the U.S!

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  8. What the heck was Pierre just wearing?

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  9. Please stay healthy Joe Pavelski. I don't give a shit about the rest of your teammates though.

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  10. @JFein you didn't like Pierre's sleveless vest?

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  11. Paul Holmgren helped pick Team USA?

    I never knew Olympic athletes needed no-trade clauses.

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  12. @ kt: He looked awkward....like he just got finished playing with a different sort of stick....

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  13. I liked Pierre's vest. I wish I had one.

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  14. @JFein so what do you think of Ron Wilson's assistant? ;-)

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  15. There is a girl wearing a Sharks jersey sitting behind Miller at goal.

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  16. The U.S. is not looking bad, but the longer this thing goes scoreless, the more confidence the Swiss will gain.

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  17. I love the lack of TV timeouts during Olympic hockey.

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  18. Doc just loves talking about his New Jersey Devils!

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  19. "You will notice a lot of red shirts here. Those are for Team Canada." - Doc forgetting that the Swiss also wear red.

    And let's see.....American hockey team in Canada.....no shit we're the villains there.

    Canada will learn their lesson though when they come up against the unstoppable defense of OKT later today.

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  20. I would be happy about this goal, but it's that D-Bag Ryan scoring the goal.

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  21. did they really just play 20 minutes of hockey in about 32 minutes of real time? i could get real used to this

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  22. @ 49er16: I figured you'd be that giddy about that goal.

    @ kt: It's amazing what happens when you take away TV timeouts from the middle of a period.

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  23. Why are we talking about Sidney Crosby now?

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  24. It's official: Steve Yzerman hates Flyers. First he chose a not yet 100% Getzlaf over healthy-as-an-ox Jeff Carter and now he has listed Mike Richards as a healthy scratch for the Norway game.

    Thus the only Flyer playing for Team Canada today is Chris Pronger.

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  25. @ kt: Fun news! I am (likely) going to DC on February 27!

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  26. All right! Time to start the 2nd period!

    Good grief that was a quick intermission. Olympic hockey really is awesome.

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  27. I love Olympic Hockey! Quick periods and quick intermissions.

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  28. @JFein what was quick about it? 15 minutes on the nose. and i hope you and your group enjoy DC and don't do as much damage as you did in NYC ;-)

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  29. @ kt: As opposed to the 18 minute intermissions in the NHL. The one less commercial break makes it seem so much faster.

    GOAL BACKES! WHAT A BEAUTY!

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  30. and the USA is on the Power Play. they could end this one early

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  31. MALONE! 3-0 USA!

    USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

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  32. Suck it Hiller!!!!!

    Pierre giving Pavelski some love.

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  33. @JFein i thought you Flyers were supposed to be rooting for Latvia?
    ;-)

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  34. Where's Martin Gerber when you need him?

    /Team Switerland'd

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  35. @ kt: We are. Lativa is hands down winning the gold this year.

    And after taking care of business twice on CNBC, they will appear on on MSNBC for their 3rd game with the hype behind them as big as Keith Olbermann's head.

    If only I had actually thought of that joke myself......

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  36. I'd worry about NBC announcers slipping and saying "GM Place" instead of "Canada Hockey Place" but seeing as NBC has never been in Vancouver before, that won't be a problem.

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  37. why the hell is Edzo prattling on about Loonies and Toonies?

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  38. @ kt: Because Edzo is a Loony Toon?

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  39. Don't want to even get close to a fight here. Fighting in the Olympics is an automatic game misconduct.

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  40. "I was hoping Ryan Miller would get credit for an assist on that goal, but I guess assists are expensive up here." Doc

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  41. U.S. has taken over the game this period.

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  42. @ 49er16: Aspeaking of Edzo's past, did you know that he was Crosby's coach for his rookie year????

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  43. McGuire's next question of Backes: Do you think Sidney Crosby can notch a hat trick later today?

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  44. @JFein good thing i'm not going to be around for the Canada/Norway matchup. sounds like NBC is already wearing the kneepads

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  45. Could we please stop talking about Team Canada?????

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  46. That is exactly what Team Canada needs, a goaltender controversy.

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  47. Oh Jeez Pavs. First that collision now a penalty.

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  48. WHAT????? OKT IS OUT FOR NORWAY TODAY AGAINST CANADA???? NOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

    /Bigger story than possible Canadian goalie controversy

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  49. Kudos to Pierre for working the word "docile" into this broadcast.

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  50. "He was hit up high and hard by Sutter" - Doc

    Score Switzerland! 3-1

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  51. Well we are 5:50 away from a U.S. win!

    USA! USA! USA!

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  52. Suck it you Commie bastards. Miracle on Ice FTW!

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  53. I'll see you guys later for Canada-Norway and don't forget the big late game when tournament favorites Team Latvia take on the underdog Russians.

    Latvija par zelta medaļu. Lai dzīvo demi-Dievs Oskars Bārtulis!

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  54. high drama in women's curling...

    Japan 8
    USA 7
    in the 10th, with the USA shooting last

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  55. Why does it take NBC forever to get a stream up on their website?

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  56. All right NBC finally decided to switch to Canada-Norway on MSNBC!

    If only they would have done so before the 13-0 game was over....

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  57. Shocking fact: Team Canada has not scored in the first 12 minutes in this game.

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  58. @JFein clear case of NBC's USA uber alles ;-)

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  59. I see curling got exciting?

    Oh fuck NBC. They take us off of MSNBC while CNBC is still at commercial.

    Good grief NBC is just dreadful.

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  60. unbelievable....your shooting last and you not only fail to score, but you allow a point to the other team? Fire the curling coach now!

    /too lazy to look up the name of said coach...

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  61. Contrary to earlier reports that he would be scratched, Mike Richards is the 13th forward for Team Canada. He made an appearance on the PP.

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  62. @JFein MSNBC is still showing Olbermann and Maddow during the Olympics, right?


    and i'm so angry i used the wrong you're. :(

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  63. MSNBC took off hockey so that Keith Olbermann could start on time at 8 PM!!!!!!!!

    Incredible idiocy. Incredible stupidity.

    Have I ever mentioned how much I despise that blowhard Olbermann? And how CNBC won't return from commercial for the life of them!!!!!!!!!

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  64. Finally! CNBC is back to live action!

    I bet Keithy-poo was upset that the Olympics might slightly preempt show. Olbermann has swing at NBC-U, do not be at all surprised if it later comes out that he was the reason we just missed 5-minutes of hockey.

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  65. The game was supposed to air on CNBC before the curling thing happened and overran the timeslot. It's NBC's fault for just chucking the game to MSNBC and then switching back while they are on commercial.

    What pillocks.

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  66. Thank God for Mookie, the voice of sanity.

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  67. Maybe I have, kt, maybe I have.

    But they really could not have preempted Keith for 5 minutes while CNBC ran commercials or CNBC could have just known that MSNBC was leaving for Olbermann and not have an extended commercial break where America would miss hockey for 5 minutes.

    There is incompetence across the board with this company.

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  68. @ kt: I just said don't be surprised if he had some pull. I never said he did, I just said don't be surprised if that comes out in the following days.

    His ego would not be a fan of a sudden preemption.

    Alas, NBC does have far greater problems than Olbermann right now, including finding a way to coordinate so that we don't miss 5 minutes of hockey over a political show and a long commercial break.

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  69. LOL Roenick and Milbury arguing over Crosby and Ovechkin!

    Another problem NBC has: Finding treatment for Mike Milbury when JR knocks him out. You know it's going to happen.

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  70. Canada has no chemistry right now.

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  71. The US will win gold. On the day before the game we'll put in the....lucky Sacajawea silver dollar!

    Honestly Norway is not a pushover. I expect Canada to struggle.

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  72. Chris Pronger just passed a puck to Sidney Crosby.

    A part of me just died inside.

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  73. In a surprise they gave Gord Miller and not Cuthbert this game.

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  74. @ SSR: I guess they fell into the trap of thinking Norway would be a pushover....

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  75. Weak goal call by Emrick. 2-0 Pronger scores.

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  76. Cot damnit Dany Heatley! How dare you redirect the puck and steal that goal away from Pronger!

    Heh. Richards missed that. Not as shocking as you might think.

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  77. I can understand if Mike Emrick were to mispronounce the name of the Norwegian with 20-some letters in his last name, but is there really an excuse for mispronouncing "Thoresen"?

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  78. Emrick and Olczyk have been terrible today. They aren't even talking about the game.

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  79. 3 goals for Team Canada and the 2 Nazis, er, Flyers, on the team each have a point, not bad.

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  80. LOL Doc completely lost the puck on that shot.

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  81. My brother is at the Sixers game today against the Heat.

    They are currently mailing in a stinker for him, down by 29 to the Heat.

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  82. Can't wait to watch speed skating tonight. That's my favorite event of the Olympics that isn't hockey. Too bad it's tape delay and I know who won the women's 500 meters.

    That may be the most annoying part. It's a school night and they've delayed everything.

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  83. Wow. That movie with Tracy Morgan and Bruce Willis could be a disaster.

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  84. JR going at Milbury all the time = 100% awesome. Get him, JR!

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  85. @ SSR: I love speed skating as well. That and men's hockey are my 2 favorite Winter Olympic sports as well.

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  86. Am I the only one that heard a whistle before Getzlaf punched that home?

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  87. Apparently I am because no one else is talking about it and it's not getting reviewed.

    Norway has clearly not been as effective as they would have been had OKT been playing today.

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  88. "Here comes Crosby, open ice, what will he do?" - Doc

    The answer: A bad pass!

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  89. This is going downhill real fast for Norway.

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  90. I think we can eliminate this new Norwegian goalie from ever winning the Vezina Trophy.

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  91. Marty Brodeur has just surpassed Roberto Luongo in camera time this game with that last shot.

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  92. Hat trick for Iginla. 8-0 Canada.

    The only salvation for Canada is that they are not the Slovakian women losing 18-0 to the Canadian women.

    And to think that same women's Slovakian team beat Bulgaria 82-0.

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  93. We are under 120 minutes away from the big game.

    Crank up the Final Countdown because in a couple of hours the showdown is on in a couple hours.

    Latvija par zelta medaļu. Lai dzīvo demi-Dievs Oskars Bārtulis

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  94. We're 7 minutes away from the showdown!

    LET'S GO LATVIA!

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  95. sorry, JFein, but i'm Rocking the Red late night!

    and if you think NBC is full of monumental incompetence now, just Comcrap gets a hold of them ;-)

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  96. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  97. HOW DARE NBC NOT SHOW THE START OF THE LATVIA GAME!!!!!!!!

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  98. how the hell is this game 2-1 when Finland has seemingly outshot China 500-4?

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  99. Kenny Albert HAS to be better w/out the Moose and Goose, right?

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  100. Latvia is just setting up for the dramatic comeback.

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  101. The refs are clearly trying to handicap and stack the deck against Latvia.

    This game is a sham.

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  102. Ovechkin playing in front of the goal on the Power Play? has the Russian coach ever watched the Caps play? put him on the point!

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  103. i do like the Latvian coach's mullet and thick 'stache.

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  104. Nice chance for my boys in the maroon, black, and white!

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  105. @ kt: And the greatest Latvian defenseman of all time Oskars Bartulis. So far he and the rest of the feared Latvian defense have shut down all of Russia's NHLers cold.

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  106. how did the Latvians not score on that?

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  107. Latvia has a lot of the recent momentum. If they can score before the break while containing the Russians.....

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  108. and the Russians get a PP chance during the commercial.

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  109. HOW DARE THEY PENALIZE OSKARS BARTULIS!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS THE BIGGEST SHAM SINCE TIM DONAGHY WAS HIRED BY THE NBA!!!!!! IT'S A SHAM I TELL YOU, THIS IS HIGHWAY ROBBERY!!!!!

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  110. @JFein it isn't easier to just blame Putin?

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  111. On the plus side though, any time a Flyer takes out Kovy, it's a good penalty, even if there is no way on earth that the refs should call such a penalty on Latvia's demi-God, Oskars Bartulis.

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  112. The period ends in the middle of a Latvian 2-on-1.

    I'm just numb to this. These refs belong in jail, not in the olympics.

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  113. @JFein the timekeeper is now against the Latvians too?

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  114. Roenick only seems slightly better than Brett Hull to me. I don't think Milbury or Edzo have to worry yet.

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  115. Es ienīstu, Krievija

    That is all for now.

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  116. This has been a real solid power play.

    OH! And nearly a goal!

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  117. And yes, kt, the timekeeper is against Latvia as well. The whole world is against them, robbing them of their talent in the process.

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  118. this side of you is hilarious, JFein

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  119. If Latvia could have more crisper passing, they would be right in this game.

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  120. As much as I've joked and been sarcastic about Latvia, they really have been outplaying Russia in this 2nd period.

    If only they did not give up that goal to Ovie at the end of the 1st, they would have a legit chance of winning this thing.

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  121. the Latvian goalie is playing a really nice game

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  122. Russian interference on Morozov

    and I agree completely with youtr analysis. maybe Dick Ebersol should hire you. Micheletti is putting me to sleep.

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  123. Nabby's had to pull out the leather larceny in this 2nd to keep Latvia off the scoreboard.

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  124. 5th Russian PP of the night upcoming

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  125. Attaboy! Look at Bartulis getting in there and fighting for the puck on the PK! That's some Flyer toughness for you right there!

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  126. Latvia really needs a goal before the intermission to have a chance of springing the upset

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  127. and Malkin makes it 4-0

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

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  128. and I am done for the night. i hope Latvia doesn't make the dramatic comeback

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  129. Why does Nabokov have to be so good? Why couldn't Russia play Bryzgalov today and throw Nabby against Slovakia?

    4-0 Russia at the end of the 2nd. All in all our boys are playing well.

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  130. Good night, kt!

    If they do, you'll hear me scream.

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  131. I'll be honest, I was not sure how much I would like staying up real late like this to watch hockey games, but this has been real fun and even though it's a 4-0 score, this one has been the most entertaining game thus far.

    The knockout round will be a blast when it comes down to it.

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  132. LATVIA SCORES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HERBERT VASILJEVS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  133. As soon as Latvia scores Russia gets 2 goals right back. 6-1 Russia.

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  134. WE SCORE AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LATVIA!!!!!!!!!!! THE HEART OF A CHAMPION!!!!!!!!!!!!! GIRTS ANKIPANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  135. HOLY CRAP WHAT A SAVE BY MASALSKIS ON THE MALKIN BREAKAWAY!

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  136. I'm telling you, if our passing was on, the Latvians would be right in this game.

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  137. In a tournament that will surely see it’s share of romps (see Canada 8, Norway 0), a 5-goal loss is not the worst thing in the world by any stretch of the imagination.

    As soon as I type that Russia scores one last goal. 8-2 Russia is the final but my Latvian boys made it a lot closer and more competitive game than that score indicates.

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  138. Ar labunakti. Satiksimies rīt vairāk hokeja

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