Chemistry and Discipline Lead Canadian Men’s Hockey to Gold

There’s no argument that Canada had by far the most talented group of hockey players in these Olympic games.  But, as evidenced by team USA’s unfortunate finish, talent doesn’t guarantee success.

Being such a short tournament, with little to no practice time during or even leading up to it, developing team chemistry early is vital in making a serious run for gold.  Not only did Team Canada have the talent, but they gelled as a team very quickly.

However, what made Team Canada such a success these Olympics was their discipline.  The Canadians were very disciplined on both sides of the puck, making it difficult for opponents to generate sustained offensive pressure and quality scoring chances.

While Finland and Latvia gave Canada more difficulty than was expected, the Canadians peaked at the perfect time, posting shutouts in the semifinals and the gold medal match.  They surrendered a meager three goals in six games; tallying 16 goals for.

Allowing only three goals all tournament is a testament to the defensive dominance of Team Canada.  While the scoring ability of the forwards (and many defensemen) had been well documented, their defensive structure was second to none.  You can’t be considered a true powerhouse unless you’re able to control the play both with and without the puck.

It was a rare sight to see the Canadians concede an odd-man rush.  Even when their opponent was able to gain entry into the offensive zone, they were kept to the perimeter, limited to firing bad angle shots towards Carey Price hoping for a lucky bounce.

This defensive discipline no doubt rattled Team USA, who entered their semifinal game against Canada as the top scoring team in the tournament.  Sweden was no match for the stifling defense of the Canadians either, generating just four shots in the final period of the gold medal game.

Team Canada was the class of this Olympic hockey tournament, getting the job done in all three zones.  It started with Carey Price who ended up the tournament leader in both GAA (0.59) and SV% (0.972).  The defensive core was unyielding, bolstered by the two-way efforts of forwards like Jonathan Toews and Patrice Bergeron among others, and the most prominent goal scorers in the NHL were able to take care of the rest.

Team chemistry and discipline were the two biggest factors in turning the raw talent of Team Canada into another Olympic Gold medal.

2014 Sochi Olympic Challenge

Welcome to the 2014 Sochi Olympic Challenge.

The 2014 Sochi Winter Games are officially underway with the Opening Ceremonies starting around 11 a.m. local time in Sochi, Russia on Friday. Qualifying events have started, and on Saturday the first medals will be handed out.

In total, 98 gold medals will be given out over 16 days. To make the competition that much more intense, we here at the blog has devised the Olympic Challenge.  Maybe we stole the idea, but we're making it our own anyway.

Each competitor chooses 12 athletes and/or teams.  They can be from any country or in any event.  If you pick wins a gold medal, you are awarded three points.  For a silver, two points, and for a bronze, one point.  The highest totals from their 12 athletes at the end of the Games will earn four-year bragging rights and an award to be named later.

For a the tiebreaker, playing by Price is Right rules, each contestant guessed how many gold medals they think the U.S. will take home.

Let's see what the line-ups are looking like for the inaugural Three if By Strike Olympic Challenge.

Jon
1 Shaun White - USA - M Snowboarding
2 SWE - M Hockey
3 USA - W Hockey
4 Shani Davis - USA - M Speed Skating
5 USA - M Hockey
6 CAN - W Hockey
7 Petter Northug - NOR - M XC Skiing 
8 Hannah Kearney - USA - W Skiing
9 Ted Ligety - USA - M Skiing
10 Mikaela Shiffrin - USA - W Skiing
11 Tora Berger - NOR - W Biathlon
12 Sven Kramer - NED - M Speed Skating
 Tiebreaker is 11

Petty
1 CAN - M Hockey
2 Mao Asada - JPN - W Figure Skating
3 USA - W Hockey
4 CAN - W Hockey
5 Shani Davis - USA - M Speed Skating
6 Hannah Kearney - USA - W Skiing
7 Shaun White - USA - M Snowboarding
8 Aksel Lund Svindal - NOR - M Skiing
9 AUT - M Team Ski Jumping
10 CAN - M Curling
11 NOR - W XC 4x5 Relay
12 Emil Hegle Svendsen - NOR - M Biathlon
Tiebreaker is 7

Ike
1 Lara Gut - SUI - W Skiing
2 Jamie Anderson - USA - W Snowboarding
3 USA - M Curling
4 USA - W Curling
5 GBR - W Curling
6 Sara Takanashi - JPN - W Ski Jumping
7 USA - M Hockey
8 USA - W Hockey
9 RUS - M Hockey
10 Shaun White - USA - M Snowboarding
11 USA - M Two-man Bobsled
12 Matthias Mayer - AUT - M Skiing
Tiebreaker is 9

Jordan
1 Bode Miller - USA - M Skiing
2 Martin Fourcade - FRA - M Biathlon
3 SUI - M Two-man Bobsled
4 CAN - M Curling
5 Charles Hamelin - CAN - M Speed Skating
6 Martins Dukurs - LAT - M Skeleton
7 Shaun White - USA - M Snowboarding
8 Kamil Stoch - POL - M Ski Jumping
9 USA - W Hockey
10 David Wise - USA - M Skiing
11 Maddie Bowman - USA - W Skiing
12 Canada - M Hockey
Tiebreaker is 12

Sam
1 Shaun White - USA - M Snowboard
2 Ole Einar Bjorndalen - NOR - M Biathlon
3 Therese Johaug - NOR - W XC Skiing
4 GER - M Two-man Bobsled
5 Max Parrot - CAN - M Snowboard
6 Viktor Ahn - RUS - M Speed Skating
7 Lindsey Jacobellis - USA - W Snowboard
8 Jamie Anderson - USA - W Snowboard
9 Gregor Schlierenzauer - AUT - M Ski Jumping
10 Meryl Davis/Charlie White - USA - Pairs Figure Skating
11 RUS - M Hockey
12 Felix Loch - GER - M Luge
Tiebreaker is 8

McNulty
1 USA - M Hockey
2 SWE - M Hockey
3 CAN - M Hockey
4 USA - W Hockey
5 CAN - W Hockey
6 GBR - W Curling
7 SWE - M Curling
8 CAN - M Curling
9 CAN - W Curling
10 Meryl Davis/Charlie White - USA - Pairs Figure Skating
11 Yuna Kim - KOR - W Figure Skating
12 Martins Dukurs - LAT - M Skeleton
Tiebreak is 8

Bill
1 NOR - M Biathlon Relay
2 NOR - W Biathlon Relay
3 CAN - M Curling
4 CAN - W Curling
5 Shani Davis - USA - M Speed Skating
6 NED - M Speed Skating Team Pursuit
7 NED - W Speed Skating Team Pursuit
8 Aksel Lund Svindal - NOR - M Skiing
9 Nick Goepper - USA - M Skiing
10 CAN - W Hockey
11 David Wise - USA - M Skiing
12 Petter Northug - Norway - M XC Skiing
Tiebreaker is 11

Span
1 SWE - W Curling
2 Gracie Gold - USA - W Figure Skating
3 Mikaela Shiffrin - USA - W Skiing
4 Ted Ligety - USA - M Skiing
5 Shaun White - USA - M Snowboarding
6 USA - M Four-man Bobsled
7 Mikael Kingsbury - CAN - M Skiing
8 CAN - M Curling
9 Kaya Turski - CAN - W Skiing
10 Charlie White - USA - M Figure Skating
11 Emil Hegle Svendsen - NOR - M Biathlon
12 Meryl Davis - USA - W Figure Skating
Tiebreak is 26

Fonz
1 Petter Northug - NOR - M XC Skiing
2 Shaun White - USA - M Snowboarding
3 Marit Bjorgen - NOR - W XC Skiing
4 Norway - M XC Team Relay
5 Sweden - M XC Team Relay
6 Sin Da-Woon - KOR - M Speed Skating
7 Sven Kramer - NED - M Speed Skating
8 Shani Davis - USA - M Speed Skating
9 CAN - M Curling
10 Germany - M Team Luge
11 Martin Fourcade - FRA - M Biathlon
12 Tora Berger - NOR - W Biathlon
Tiebreak is 10

Jay

1 USA - M Hockey

2 CAN - W Hockey

3 Alexis Pintaurault - FRA - W Skiing

4 Bode Miller - USA - M Skiing

5 Ole Einar Bjorndalen - NOR - M Biathlon

6 Marit Bjorgen - NOR - W XC Skiing

7 CAN - W Curling

8 Yuna Kim - KOR - W Figure Skating

9 Felix Loch - GER - M Luge

10 J.R. Celski - USA - M Speed Skating

11 Noelle Pikus - USA - W Skeleton

12 Shaun White - USA - M Snowboard

Tiebreak is 9

Cara

1 SWE - M Hockey

2 RUS - M Hockey

3 Mikaela Shiffrin - USA - W Skiing

4 Ted Ligety - USA - M Skiing

5 Olga Zaitseva - RUS - W Biathlon

6 Kikkan Randall - USA - W XC

7 GBR - W Curling

8 Mao Asada - JAP - W Figure Skating

9 Kate Hansen - USA - W Luge

10 CHN - M Speed Skating Relay

11 Lizzy Yarnold - GBR - W Skeleton

12 Sarah Hendrickson - USA - W Ski Jump

Tiebreak is 10

Jim

1 USA - W hockey

2 USA - M hockey
3 Aksel Lund Svindal - NOR - M Skiing

4 Petter Northug - NOR - M XC Skiing
5 Gregor Schlierenzauer - AUT - M Ski Jumping

6 Felix Loch - GER - M Luge

7 Natalie Geisenberger - GER - W Luge
8 J.R. Celski - USA - M Speed Skating

9 Shani Davis - USA - M Speed Skating

10 CAN - M Curling

11 SWE - W Curling

12 Anna Gasser - AUT - W Snowboard

Tiebreak is 31...hahahahahahaha

Dan

1 Petter Northug - NOR - M XC Skiing

2 Shaun White - USA - M Snowboarding
3 Gregor Schlierenzauer - AUT - M Ski Jumping

4 Shani Davis - USA - M Speed Skating

5 Hannah Kearney - USA - W Skiing

6 CAN - W Two-man Bobsled

7 Emil Hegle Svendsen - NOR - M Biathlon

8 Aksel Lund Svindal - NOR - M Skiing

9 Marit Bjoergen - NOR - W XC Skiing

10 Charles Hamelin - CAN - M speed skating

11 Martin Fourcade - FRA - M Biathlon

12 Jorrit Bergsma - NED - M Speed Skating
Tiebreak is 10

Pat

1 RUS - M Hockey

2 USA - W Hockey

3 CAN - W Hockey

4 Shaun White - USA - M Snowboarding

5 Sven Kramer - NED - M Speed Skating

6 Charles Hamelin - CAN - M Speed Skating

7 Shani Davis - USA - M Speed Skating

8 Ted Ligety - USA - M Skiing

9 Julia Mancuso - USA - W Skiing

10 Kikkan Randall - USA - W XC Skiing

11 Mikaela Shiffrin - USA - W Skiing

12 USA - Four-man Bobsled

Tiebreak is 16

Max

1 USA - M Hockey

2 USA - W Hockey

3 Shaun White - USA - M Snowboarding

4 Shani Davis - USA - M Speed Skating

5 Lindsey Jacobellis - USA - W Skiing

6 Germany - M Two-man Bobsled

7 Eric Frenzel - M Nordic Combined

8 USA - Team Nordic Combined

9 Yuna Kim - KOR - W Figure Skating

10 Aksel Lund Svindal - NOR - M Skiing
11 Mikaela Shiffrin - USA - W Skiing  
12 NOR - Team Nordic Combined  
Tiebreak is 10

Richard  
1 Patrick Chan - CAN - M Figure Skating  
2 Mikaela Shiffrin - USA - W Skiing  
3 Shani Davis - USA - M Speed Skating  
4 Aksel Lund Svindal - NOR - M Skiing  
5 Shaun White - USA - M Snowboarding  
6 USA - M XC Relay  
7 USA - M Hockey  
8 Ted Ligety - USA - M Skiing  
9 Kikkan Randall - USA - W XC Skiing  
10 Li Nina - CHN - W Skiing  
11 Hannah Teter - USA - W Snowboarding  
12 Kim Yuna - KOR - W Figure Skating

Tiebreak is 11

Pete  
1 Shaun White - USA - M Snowboarding  
2 NOR - W 4x5 XC Relay
3 Marit Bjorgen - W XC Skiing

4 GER - M Team Luge

5 Natalie Geisenberger - GER - W Luge

6 GER - M Luge Doubles

7 Sven Kramer - GER - M Speed Skatin

8 Martina Sablikova - CZE - W Speed Skating

9 Lee Sang-Hwa - KOR - W Speed Skating

10 Netherlands - M Speed Skating Team Pursuit

11 Sara Takanashi - JPN - W Skiing
12 Canada - M Curling

Tiebreak is 12

Noah
1 Wolfgang Kindl - AUT - M Luge
2 Shaun White - USA - M Snowboarding
3 USA - Two-man Bobsled
4 Ted Ligety - USA - M Skiing
5 Ole Einar Bjorndalen - NOR - M Biathlon
6 CAN - M Hockey
7 NOR - W Curling
8 Robert Kranjec - SLO - M Ski Jumping
9 Todd Lodwick - USA - M Nordic Combined
10 Christoph Beller - AUT - M Nordic Combined
11 Charles Hamelin - CAN - M Speed Skating
12 Dara Howell - CAN - W Snowboarding
Tiebreak is 15
 
Stay tuned, we'll be keeping up with medal counts as often as possible.

Why Is Everyone Mad That Lolo Jones Made the U.S. Olympic Bobsled team?

As Team USA gets set for the Sochi Winter Olympic Games, sizing their ugly sweaters and finalizing their rosters, one sport has already seen its fair share of controversy.

With the Opening Ceremonies scheduled for Feb. 7, Team USA has been hard at work to put together a collection of world-class athletes to represent the red, white and blue in Russia.  USA Bobsled and Skeleton Federation CEO Darrin Steele has probably worked the hardest.

Steele completed a four-woman bobsled team to head to Sochi, placing USA Track and Field star Lolo Jones in the third and last available push athlete spot on Sunday. In doing so, he kicked up quite a media storm.

Critics, athletes and fans alike took to their preferred method of slander, blasting the team's decision on Jones, calling it a publicity stunt and insinuating that the team was playing favorites.  Jones is no stranger to the spotlight. She's been featured in ESPN's The Body Issue magazine, is sponsored most prominently by McDonald's and ASICS, and oh yeah, has competed in the Summer Olympic Games twice.  Which is a good jumping off point for critics.

Jones, heavily favored in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, finished seventh after hitting the next-to-last hurdle in the 100m hurdle final.  In the 2012 London Olympic Games, she finished fourth in the event.  She has never won an Olympic medal.

However, she has won three World Championship gold medals. Her latest? In 2013, she competed at the FIBT World Championships in the mixed team bobsled, and secured gold for the U.S.

"I haven't heard anyone making the argument about Lolo not being a better athlete right now, a better brakeman for the team," Steele told The Associated Press. "I don't think I've come across that one time.  I've heard a lot about history and all that's nice. But who's going to provide the best results for the U.S. team in Sochi? That's the bottom line. And I'll have that debate with anyone who wants to have it."

Tough to argue that.  But that won't stop people from trying, especially the athletes in competition with Jones.

"I should have been working harder on gaining Twitter followers than gaining muscle mas," said Emily Azevedo.  Her and teammate Katie Eberling were "snubbed" from Team USA.

At first, it was thought Jones was attempted bobsled as a publicity stunt of her own.  She made the roster in 2012, and has put in the work to be where she is at today.  Jones is marketable, and Jones is proven.  She has made Team USA, and should be more determined than ever to bring home the gold.  So what's the issue here?