• Congrats to USA Hockey on both the men's and women's sides for a golden Olympics in Milan, Italy, capped by Jack Hughes' fine finish in overtime yesterday against Canada.
I have much joy to share ...
I'm happy for Bill Guerin, one of the game's great humans. I didn't agree with a good many of his roster choices, but winning's inarguable. He'll now be correct for all eternity.
I'm happy for Mike Sullivan. Good coach. Good man. Represented our country with class, as I'd told him knew he would upon wishing him well the most recent time I saw him in New York.
I'm happy for Jake Guentzel, who ... didn't play well at all. But he deserves all the good things.
I'm happy, posthumously and with immense respect, for those with Pittsburgh ties who paved the path for an American ascension to gold, beginning, of course, with Herb Brooks and continuing 'Badger' Bob Johnson, who helped build up the Mike Modano generation, and Ray Shero, who drafted Guentzel and loved, loved, loved seeing the U.S. succeed.
Finally, I'm happy for another gentleman, who's been part of all of the above, beginning with being Brooks' assistant coach for the Miracle: Craig Patrick's engaged in a serious health fight right now, but I'll bet he found a way to savor every second of this scene.
Here's offering best wishes on that front.
• I want to hear exactly zero whining from north of the border.
Not about the general dominance that Canada's skaters had. Last I checked, the goaltender's the most important player on the team for a reason, and the Americans showed up with the best of the best in Connor Hellebuyck.
Not about how they should've somehow been rewarded for artfully they played. The Olympics have enough sports determined by judges. Ice hockey's a hard no on that count.
And definitely not about three-on-three overtime. There were two high-grade scoring chances in OT, both belonged to the Americans, and only Jordan Binnington's glove kept Quinn Hughes from ending it a couple minutes before his brother did.
Besides, the format didn't require Cale Makar and Connor McDavid both to butcher the decisive sequence the way they did.
Watch this from a bunch of angles, specifically those two:
I mean, come on.
• McDavid's a titanic talent, and no one can question that. But he's now lost back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals and this, sandwiched around his winning goal in the manufactured (but fun) 4 Nations tournament. Players at his level -- and there haven't been many through hockey history -- tend to be more decorated from a team perspective.
• Which is to say, Sidney Crosby he ain't:
GETTY
And will never be.
Awful as it is to see Sid appearing so ... uncomfortable in accepting that silver medal yesterday, I'll be the one who says it: His legacy's only fortified by this outcome.
In fact, Canada flat-out can't win without a Pittsburgh leader at the helm: In 2002, Mario Lemieux captained Canada to its first Olympic gold in 50 years. In 2006, Wayne Gretzky omitted an 18-year-old Sid from the roster, saying he preferred veterans, and Canada wound up finishing ... uh, seventh. In 2010, Sid was Scott Niedermayer's alternate when scoring the OT gem and, in 2014, Sid captained Canada to another gold.
Now, this.
Just saying.
• Man, there'd better not be anyone up there questioning Sid's desire to play not just the gold-medal game but also in the semi. Not one citizen among Canada's 41.6 million could've wanted that more than he did. Trust me on that.
• That said, imagine how apoplectic they'd all go if he laces 'em here Thursday night against the Devils. It'd be awesome unto itself.
• As it is, I'm not envisioning that at all. And actually, I'm kinda hoping that Sid and Kyle Dubas, who also was over in Italy as part of Canada's management, as well, have already resolved to spelling him for a stretch, even if he was a full practice participant Saturday, and even if he described himself after the gold-medal game as having been "pretty close" to playing.
Take the time that's needed to get the knee right. Be patient. Be smart. Let the Penguins who've had most of the month off here pick up their leader and take care of some business.
• Not to be forgotten ...
USA HOCKEY
... even beyond Megan Keller's brilliant cut-to-the-inside OT special of her own, the U.S. women, dare I say, have ascended above the men. Nothing about their overall tournament looked like a team relying too much on a goaltender. They were just better than everyone, including Canada, and even once Canada got Marie-Philip Poulin back.
They'll have to find their next Hilary Knight, of course, but the pool's never been bigger. And the gradual growth of the PWHL sure won't hurt. (Including coming to Pittsburgh.)
For the men ... yeah, I'll save that for another full column someday, but there's work to do.
For now, savor the scenes coming from all over our country of all these celebrations, both men and women, on top of Matt Boldy's epic rush, Dylan Larkin fronting a perfect penalty-kill, Hellebuyck's still-surreal stick save, Zach Werenski's bullet feed to Hughes, and the resultant rip that'll resonate for decades to come:
Next time I'm at a rink, Pittsburghers will be cheering that dude in a New Jersey sweater.
THE ASYLUM
Grind: A golden Olympics for our guys (and gals)
Good Monday morning!
• Congrats to USA Hockey on both the men's and women's sides for a golden Olympics in Milan, Italy, capped by Jack Hughes' fine finish in overtime yesterday against Canada.
I have much joy to share ...
I'm happy for Bill Guerin, one of the game's great humans. I didn't agree with a good many of his roster choices, but winning's inarguable. He'll now be correct for all eternity.
I'm happy for Mike Sullivan. Good coach. Good man. Represented our country with class, as I'd told him knew he would upon wishing him well the most recent time I saw him in New York.
I'm happy for Jake Guentzel, who ... didn't play well at all. But he deserves all the good things.
I'm happy, posthumously and with immense respect, for those with Pittsburgh ties who paved the path for an American ascension to gold, beginning, of course, with Herb Brooks and continuing 'Badger' Bob Johnson, who helped build up the Mike Modano generation, and Ray Shero, who drafted Guentzel and loved, loved, loved seeing the U.S. succeed.
Finally, I'm happy for another gentleman, who's been part of all of the above, beginning with being Brooks' assistant coach for the Miracle: Craig Patrick's engaged in a serious health fight right now, but I'll bet he found a way to savor every second of this scene.
Here's offering best wishes on that front.
• I want to hear exactly zero whining from north of the border.
Not about the general dominance that Canada's skaters had. Last I checked, the goaltender's the most important player on the team for a reason, and the Americans showed up with the best of the best in Connor Hellebuyck.
Not about how they should've somehow been rewarded for artfully they played. The Olympics have enough sports determined by judges. Ice hockey's a hard no on that count.
And definitely not about three-on-three overtime. There were two high-grade scoring chances in OT, both belonged to the Americans, and only Jordan Binnington's glove kept Quinn Hughes from ending it a couple minutes before his brother did.
Besides, the format didn't require Cale Makar and Connor McDavid both to butcher the decisive sequence the way they did.
Watch this from a bunch of angles, specifically those two:
I mean, come on.
• McDavid's a titanic talent, and no one can question that. But he's now lost back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals and this, sandwiched around his winning goal in the manufactured (but fun) 4 Nations tournament. Players at his level -- and there haven't been many through hockey history -- tend to be more decorated from a team perspective.
• Which is to say, Sidney Crosby he ain't:
GETTY
And will never be.
Awful as it is to see Sid appearing so ... uncomfortable in accepting that silver medal yesterday, I'll be the one who says it: His legacy's only fortified by this outcome.
In fact, Canada flat-out can't win without a Pittsburgh leader at the helm: In 2002, Mario Lemieux captained Canada to its first Olympic gold in 50 years. In 2006, Wayne Gretzky omitted an 18-year-old Sid from the roster, saying he preferred veterans, and Canada wound up finishing ... uh, seventh. In 2010, Sid was Scott Niedermayer's alternate when scoring the OT gem and, in 2014, Sid captained Canada to another gold.
Now, this.
Just saying.
• Man, there'd better not be anyone up there questioning Sid's desire to play not just the gold-medal game but also in the semi. Not one citizen among Canada's 41.6 million could've wanted that more than he did. Trust me on that.
• That said, imagine how apoplectic they'd all go if he laces 'em here Thursday night against the Devils. It'd be awesome unto itself.
• As it is, I'm not envisioning that at all. And actually, I'm kinda hoping that Sid and Kyle Dubas, who also was over in Italy as part of Canada's management, as well, have already resolved to spelling him for a stretch, even if he was a full practice participant Saturday, and even if he described himself after the gold-medal game as having been "pretty close" to playing.
Take the time that's needed to get the knee right. Be patient. Be smart. Let the Penguins who've had most of the month off here pick up their leader and take care of some business.
• Not to be forgotten ...
USA HOCKEY
... even beyond Megan Keller's brilliant cut-to-the-inside OT special of her own, the U.S. women, dare I say, have ascended above the men. Nothing about their overall tournament looked like a team relying too much on a goaltender. They were just better than everyone, including Canada, and even once Canada got Marie-Philip Poulin back.
They'll have to find their next Hilary Knight, of course, but the pool's never been bigger. And the gradual growth of the PWHL sure won't hurt. (Including coming to Pittsburgh.)
For the men ... yeah, I'll save that for another full column someday, but there's work to do.
For now, savor the scenes coming from all over our country of all these celebrations, both men and women, on top of Matt Boldy's epic rush, Dylan Larkin fronting a perfect penalty-kill, Hellebuyck's still-surreal stick save, Zach Werenski's bullet feed to Hughes, and the resultant rip that'll resonate for decades to come:
Next time I'm at a rink, Pittsburghers will be cheering that dude in a New Jersey sweater.
• Thanks for reading.
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