00:00Let's start off with Team USA making their men's hockey debut in this Olympic Games.
00:06They got a Latvian team that had been a problem for powers in the past.
00:11All right, Latvia, and in fact, Latvia won a bronze medal against the United States
00:15before. Latvia beat Canada before in international tournaments.
00:20And basically, Latvia give up like 100 shots and hang on for dear life.
00:24And speaking of hanging on for dear life, so we spoke a lot about this game over the
00:28last couple of days, and I said, you know, the USA are favored by three and a half.
00:33You know, I think they're going to win by three or four.
00:35I think the number is kind of like the number is bang on.
00:39But I said, I think the way to go, because I don't think Latvia are going to be able to
00:42score much, is the under six and a half.
00:46Well, basically, it was 1-1 after a couple of minutes in this game, and the U.S.
00:50had two goals turned back in the first period.
00:54Two, all right, two.
00:56One of them was like a very bad goalie interference call, but in international play, you cannot
01:02go in the crease.
01:03So just point blank.
01:04It's different.
01:04It's not the NHL.
01:05So that wasn't a bad call.
01:07By the rules, it was what it was.
01:09And in fact, it was an NHL referee that was actually doing the game today.
01:13So you can't blame all the Euros, and they're soft, and they don't call the game the right
01:17way.
01:17It was an NHL referee, although he was working with international, with European refs, with
01:24the International League refs and stuff.
01:26And some people sort of had a theory that, you know what, I'm not going to die on this
01:33hill in the first game, right?
01:35Like the NHL refs are going to take over as it goes on and call it more the way they
01:39want
01:40it.
01:40But it is in the national tournament.
01:41It's not the NHL.
01:42So the rules are different.
01:43So long story short, anybody that had the over six and a half today in the U.S. game,
01:49and I know our boy George Kurtz did, and amongst many others, anybody that had the over, I don't
01:57like the term bad beat.
01:58That was a bad beat.
02:00Like, that was a bad beat.
02:01Like, I've been watching hockey for whatever.
02:04I don't even want to admit how long I've been watching hockey for, but a long time.
02:09And, like, that was one of those games today where I had the under six and a half, and
02:14I'm like, there's no way in hell.
02:16Like, the in-game total was like nine and a half at one point, right?
02:19I'm like, there's no way in hell this is going to happen for us.
02:22And it was just sort of like disallowed goal.
02:25USA scored, very good call by the Lafayette coach.
02:28He's like, yeah, you're offside.
02:30So he challenges the goal, and he's right.
02:33USA score again a couple of minutes later.
02:35He challenges again.
02:36He says, yeah, goalie interference.
02:39He was right again.
02:41So it was like, and then the U.S. got frustrated because they were dominating the man.
02:46It was a lot like the Sweden Italy game.
02:47Like, the U.S. are, like, out shooting them, like, 24 to 6 type thing.
02:51And it's 1-1.
02:52And you can get frustrated when that happens.
02:55And the more the game was going on, the more Latvia was getting into it, and they weren't
02:58getting dominated anymore.
03:01And then finally, the dam had to break, right?
03:04Finally, the U.S. started to score some goals.
03:06And it looked like, oh, yeah, this total is doomed if you're on the under.
03:10I had the under.
03:11And somehow, miraculously, the game stays under the number.
03:17Canada stayed under the number today as well.
03:19So Canada opened up with a tougher opponent.
03:21Like, the U.S. got Latvia.
03:23With all due respect to Latvia, they're scrappy and stuff, but it's Latvia, right?
03:28Like, they are, you know what I mean, one of the, in fact, they're, like, the third lowest
03:32ranked team as far as the rankings are concerned coming into this tournament.
03:36So, listen, the U.S. got a cupcake group.
03:39But they handle their business.
03:40And I'll tell you what, my thoughts about the U.S. team, very fast.
03:46Very fast.
03:47A little chaotic at times, I think, but the speed of the U.S. team is something, like,
03:52for real, that that is what they're going to hang their hat on.
03:56Like, if you're playing the Team USA, you better be able to skate because these dudes
04:00are flying around.
04:02The line with the Kachuk brothers and Jack Eichel is very impressive.
04:07And they caused havoc, you know what I mean, like you thought that they would, although
04:10I would split them up personally, but it is a great line.
04:14Now, Canada, on the other hand, got the Czech Republic, who are good, right?
04:18Czechia are, like, a legitimate team who I think have a chance of making the podium.
04:23And Canada just dominated them, right?
04:26So, it's basically, put it this way, almost in, like, college football terms.
04:30The U.S. are, like, a powerhouse that just opened up and played Eastern Michigan.
04:36Canada are a powerhouse and just opened up and played Oklahoma.
04:41You know what I mean?
04:41Like, Canada was, you know, 5-0 against the Czech Republic is more impressive than 5-1
04:46against Lafayette.
04:46Not that it matters, but goal differential does matter in this tournament as far as
04:51seeding is concerned as you go on.
04:54So, but Canada today, I got to tell you, like, scared.
04:57The level of hockey is being played.
04:59Like, if you're not really into the NHL, you should watch this and you will enjoy it.
05:06Like, it's a different level of hockey.
05:08Like, the NHL, basically, there's, like, six really good guys on each team.
05:14In the Olympics, like, every guy is good.
05:16Like, it's just, it's next level.
05:18It's something to behold.
05:20We all knew it was going to be a great tournament, but we're only two days in and we really
05:24haven't
05:25had any real matchups yet.
05:26It's going to get real, man.
05:27It's going to be fun over the next week and a half watching, betting, and talking men's
05:33hockey.
05:34It's going to be fun.
Comments