OFFICIAL HOCKEY THREAD: NHL, KHL, NCAA, IIHL

[rolaholic]

this.


We had close games on paper but if you watched the games you witnessed total dominance.

Exactly. Had a blast watching it ,and to think that everyone here was panicked about the lack of offense early on and about Price's ability before the tourney

Just read that allergy meds are the reason why Backstrom is out of this game? Sheesh...

Apparently he failed a drug test because of it :\,really sucks for Sweden. Could've definitely used him out there

 

[sea manup]

 from this and waking up to a foot of snow (almost never happens in vancouver), great start to the canadian morning 

finishing with more total golds than our friends in the south 

 

[DeadsetAce]

congrats canada. total domination today.

 

[sosly]

congrats canada

 

[Bad Religion]

Report on the news just came up.

Apparently in my city of 60,000, every bar and pub with the exception of 2 were at capacity as of 5:30 am.

Amazing to see people just wasted at 7 am. I was nursing a hangover or Id have joined.

Defensively, that's our best team to ever play at the Olympics.

And I know the pain is real for our American friends, but I found this pretty funny.

 

[DeadsetAce]

@ the kessel meme

 

[proshares]

Congrats to the Canadian team!

Now back to the NHL

 

[DeadsetAce]

Nicklas Backstrom tests positive
Updated: February 23, 2014, 3:50 PM ET
ESPN.com news services


SOCHI, Russia -- Sweden center Nicklas Backstrom failed a doping test at the Sochi Games, testing positive for a substance found in an allergy medication, a spokesman for the country's Olympic Committee said Sunday.

"I got the message 2 hours before the game that something was wrong," Sweden coach Par Marts after his team lost 3-0 to Canada in the gold-medal game.

Backstrom, who plays for the Washington Capitals in the NHL, was scratched just before the game began.

"I was very sad and obviously ... I felt bad for the guys, lots of guys were in the locker room when they called me out," said Backstrom, who watched the game on TV.

Marts criticized the International Olympic Committee's timing, telling reporters Backstrom was tested in connection with Sweden's game against Slovenia, but that he was told only 20 minutes before the final that Backstrom couldn't play.

"I think it sucks," Marts said. "It's like kindergarten."

Asked about Merts' criticism of the doping process, IOC spokesman Mark Adams said, "We will not comment on any potential process until it has concluded."

Backstrom was listed in the lineups distributed before the game, and forward Daniel Alfredsson said the team was told he wouldn't play just before it started.

"It's too bad he couldn't play," said Sweden winger Carl Hagelin. "We lost a really good player."

The failed test won't affect Sweden's silver medal. Violations from two or more team members need to occur before disqualification or other disciplinary action would take place, according to the IOC rules document.

"It was a shocking message to get," goalie Jhonas Enroth told the Swedish news agency TT after the final.

Swedish Olympic Committee spokesman Bjorn Folin said the banned substance was in an allergy medication that Backstrom has taken for the past seven years.

It is unlikely that Backstrom will face any discipline from the NHL.

"We understand that Nicklas Backstrom tested positive for a substance banned 'in competition' by the International Olympic Committee," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement. "It is our further understanding that the positive test was the result of a common allergy medication taken by the player knowingly, with the approval of the team doctor and without the intention of gaining an illegal or improper performance-enhancing benefit. In addition, the specific substance that resulted in the positive test is not currently on the League's Prohibited Substances List.

"Subject to confirmation of the facts as we understand them, and given the fact that the substance is neither prohibited in the NHL nor was used in an improper manner here, we do not anticipate there being any consequences relative to Nicklas' eligibility to participate in games for the Washington Capitals."

The Capitals acknowledged in a statement of their own that Backstrom was taking the medication this season while playing for Washington.

Furthermore, "the medicine was approved by the Swedish national team. It is not anticipated that this will impact his participation in NHL games," the team said.

Backstrom is the sixth athlete to fail a doping test at the Games. Five of the six, including Backstrom, tested positive for minor stimulants that are often found in food supplements.

Several of Backstrom's teammates declined to comment on his positive test after the loss to Canada, with Hagelin saying only that he thinks "it's a bit strange."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

kind of odd

 

[theenorthstar]

Deadline..

 

[jewseejay]

Claritin. I know backstrom.is crushed, thats awful. Swedish trqining fail. I didnt know their was roids n claritin either.

Does he still getta silver i wonder

 

[jjs07]

Check this out:

Lubomir Visnovsky was found with over 200 μg/mL in Vancouver 2010 and was allowed to re-test and let off with a warning.

Something is definitely fishy about the Backstrom story.

 

[mrdango09]

Check this out:
Something is definitely fishy about the Backstrom story.

agreed, he got the shaft big time.  There was plenty of time for ioc to inform him and allow a retest which is protocol in this type of situation. Why they waited until the day of the game is beyond me. I believe Backstrom is owed an apology from the ioc for robbing him the chance to rep his country on the biggest stage.  Did it truthfully impact the outcome of the game... probably not but he was on Sweden's top line.  

 

[jewseejay]

did it impact the game? U serious haha canada was always gunna win but cmon that was the thirddd 90 pt centerman they lost. Take crosby. Getzlaf and toew off team canada and run that back haha would me a muchhhh closer game

I believe theres something we dont know as well... OEL sat until the third despite his replacement Ericsson easilyyy being the worst player on the ice and litterally handing crosby his goal.

 

[solemate96]

That Keith/Weber D pairing was just unfair.

 

[DeadsetAce]

weber
keith
doughty

:x

 

[Bad Religion]

Yea... when PK Subban and Dan Hamhuis are fighting to even dress, you know you probably are set on the back end.

 

[DeadsetAce]

it's crazy how the league's best defenseman can't even crack the team canada lineup. color me shocked

 

[jewseejay]

Erik karlsson when asked how much winning a silver medal meant to him.. "youll see when i put it on ebay"



The gawddd

 

[mrdango09]

yeah i heard about that. I love the winning spirit but it's still an honor to rep your country and a silver is nothing to be ashamed of.  Maybe i'll buy his metal off ebay and sell it back to him when he's older and  realizes that a silver in the olympics is special!

 

[jewseejay]

Lol no doubt he will regret it but that was a refreshing *** answer.... 99.9% of hockey players woulda gave the PC. "Oh im just happy to be here and be selected"

EK like naw. I came here to win... im a senator. This was my shot hahaha

Highly doubt he goes thru with it but i could see his parents silently winning it and givin it back to him one day

 

[DeadsetAce]

EK

but yeah, he's not going to sell that thing. especially with the chance of the NHL returning to the olympics being so low

 

[fraij da 5 11]

 

 

[mrdango09]

that's a pretty cool helmet! Good idea to get those crazy steeler fans on your side too

 

[osh kosh bosh]

EK.

 

[dmxfury]

Yeah that helmet is pretty BA besides the mouth at the bottom