Comments on: Russian Hockey Meets Its Waterloo

By: garbage_goal

garbage_goal — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 04:28:56 +0000

My 2 cents on Nabokov, who I see a lot of because I live in San Jose: he’s very much a goaltender who thrives on structured hockey. He’s excellent at reading the play, getting in the right position, and anticipating follow-ups etc. But when it gets too scrambly, that’s just not his thing.

And things were scrambly, to say the least. Other goaltenders thrive in situations like that (like, let’s say Theodore). Nabby’s not that great when the rubber is coming from all angles, again and again.

By the time he gave up his last goal – caught waaaaay out of the paint – he’d just lost his game completely, and I find it hard to blame him.

By: VanZabDan

VanZabDan — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:25:59 +0000

Enjoyed the article. My one clarification would be that Semin was actually the one Russian that hit throughout the game. That of course stood out for me as it isn’t what I’m accustomed to see having watched him for the last 6-7 years. Good on him for playing hard from the start to the finish and I hope it continues in Washington.

BTW, Stan, even Milbury said the hit was clean but that at that point in the game Boyle was justified to retaliate. Doesn’t pass the common sense test but that is what he said.

By: Sonja

Sonja — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:28:04 +0000

That hit on Boyle was clean … watch the re-run tapes. And for a moment let’s imagine that it wasn’t, that does not justify the slew-foot move. As my mother used to tell my brothers and I (and mothers for centuries have told their offspring) two wrongs don’t make a right. The truly grievous act about that whole drama was how quickly the penalty was called on Semin, and how long it took the refs to make up their minds about Boyle. Once the penalty was determined for Semin, Boyle’s should have been a no-brainer.

What I’ve been wondering about the whole travesty is how much it hurt the Russian team that their best players are now over here for 10/12 of the year. And when they are in Russia, they are vacationing; not available for TeamRussia practices, etc. History shows that change does not come easily and is not welcomed to those from Russia. Changing their system will be a difficult pill to swallow.

By: pucksandbooks

pucksandbooks — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 03:37:03 +0000

Stan,

Boyle’s interpretation of the hit carries far more weight with me than your pussified one. Grow a pair, will you?

By: The OFB Team

The OFB Team — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 03:06:52 +0000

Boyle admitted in a post-game interview that the hit by Semin was clean.

By: Sherrie Van Houten

Sherrie Van Houten — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 03:04:12 +0000

OrderedChaos–right on line with what I thought. Because if that WASN’T the reason, punishment up to and including a firing squad should be in his future…..as a coach, you have to put your players in the best position to win. Bykov let his team down big-time.

By: Stan

Stan — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 02:26:19 +0000

No defense for Boyle’s slewfoot retaliation against Semin. But at least get your facts straight: the Semin hit on Boyle may have been “devastating” but it was officially deemed not “clean”: he drew a penalty on the play (next time, check the boxscore before you write).

While your general argument against retaliatory mayhem has merit, how would you suggest players respond to illegal (see above) and dangerous hits like the one Semin leveled on Boyle?

By: Angie

Angie — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:11 +0000

Bykov made some statements about the NHL players ‘style’ Ovie in particular. He said that they waste energy and risk energy going around hitting and finishing checks. I wonder if he coached the team that they shouldn’t hit? It was a sad site to witness and I hope that the defeat(s) doesn’t carry over into Capitals business!

By: OrderedChaos (Mike Rucki)

OrderedChaos (Mike Rucki) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:28:53 +0000

So who thinks the USSR’s 1980 decision to pull Tretiak influenced Bykov? ‘Cause that’s about the only reason, stretch though it may be, that I can see for starting the 2nd period with Nabby still in net. It is otherwise inexplicable.

Yes, the D was sieve-like, but what happened right after the goalie switch? Russia got a spark, scored, and played with energy (if only for a bit). If they’d done that at 4-1 instead of 6-1, the game might at least have been entertaining.

By: Hittman

Hittman — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 20:09:16 +0000

The Semin hit was clean, and to borrow a line from Pete Rose, “I didn’t know it turned into girls softball between 3rd and home (just after he ran the catcher in an all-star game).” I’m with Pete on that one: Boyle has a history of being a poor sport when it comes to getting hit. And let’s face it: if Semin cleans you out, then imagine what a physical player would have done…Olczyk’s comment as well as JR’s and Milbury’s reek of xenophobic BS. There’s no other explanation.