Russia @ Canada- Quarterfinals

[BigTuna]

What is the opening line?

What extra juice does Canada get because they are at home?

Can the evil empire strike on Canadian soil?

[Skaramouche]

is the game tomorrow? i cant wait for this one. should be one of the best games of the tournament.

i think the line will be something like canada -1 or even PK

[Frosh]

Great game to watch. Not as great to wager on in my opinion.

[vmchockey]

Bet the over, it'll probably be something like 5.5, 6.

[zigomanisinsider]

canada - 1 + 110 no ml out yet

[DennisGreen]

Bet the over, it'll probably be something like 5.5, 6.

Definitely agree with you here. If it's 5.5 I am definitely hitting it hard.

[odtw524]

This is going to be a great game.....one of the medal favorites guarenteed to be knocked out thats good for the US!!!

[Skaramouche]

i will probably go Russia ML. small bet though. this game is gonna be a coin toss most likely

[2PLAYSMAX]

There should be at least 6 goals in this matchup. Power plays will be taken advantage of.

[Retibol]

Cant wait...cant eat, cant sleep bcuz of this
Obviously a Coin toss

those looks good imo:
OVER 5.5 -124
Russia PK +127

Russia's weakness is ofcourse their defence.
Canada's weakness is Pronger, Niedermayer
And Nabokov is in better shape than Luo/Martin at the moment

[magynuck]

should be a great game to watch

[runt23]

over for sure..

[BigdaddyQH]

I like the Over, and the Russians. I'll take the ML and the goal. If Nabakov is hot, the Canadians are finished.

[cruyff]

A Russian friend of mine is guaranteeing this game goes under.... I'm tending to agree. I can honestly see either side winning this 3-1 no problem. But I could easily believe a 3-2, and then 4-2 with an empty netter. If it was 6 I'd be on under, but I'm staying away.

[KingKolzig]

Shots: Canada 38 Russia 28
Score: Canada 4 Russia 2

[The General]

Five reasons why Canada will defeat the Russians

By Greg Wyshynski / Puck Daddy

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- The chant began with around 3 minutes left in Canada's game against Germany on Tuesday, led by a guy in a red-and-white cape in the lower bowl and then spreading to the rest of Hockey Place like a fever.

"We! Want! Rush! Uh!"

"We feel the same way on the bench," said center Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks. "It doesn't matter if it's a quarterfinal game. This is huge."

The Canadians and Russians, so often tabbed for the gold medal game, meet in the quarters with something nearly as vital on the line: survival.

Team Canada tumbled to the qualifying round after a stunning loss to the Americans on Sunday, licking wounds and bruising egos during an emphatic 8-2 win over Germany. Team Russia was also stunned by Slovakia before looking every bit a champion in a win against the Czechs. They've also played the role of the big-bad foreigners in the tournament, shunning some English-language media after games, a tactic Alex Ovechkin explained in a SovSport interview via Alex Ovetjkin blog:

Can Russia win the gold?

"If we'll win three elimination games. It would be great not to look for excuses later, like, we tried, but something did not work. We must go out and play to win. And listen to no one. There is a lot of pressure on players and coaches. Everyone is expecting gold from us. The Olympics games are a great holiday for everyone worldwide. But we need to take a break in talking to media. Avoiding media saves you the energy. You must understand that you need to give yourself completely in every game, and not to leave your energy at the mixed-zones."

By Greg Wyshynski / Puck Daddy

Finally, the moment has arrived; and by that we mean the moment that ridiculous CTV Sid vs. Ovie informercial promised we'd witness. It will be an epic battle, an Olympic memory that will resonate in the hockey world long after Gary Bettman pulls the rug out from under NHL participation. And it's a battle the Canadians will win. Here's how ...

1. Mike Babcock has solved his lines riddle.

In the 8-2 win over Germany, there was only one line – Patrick Marleau(notes), Joe Thornton(notes) and Dany Heatley(notes) – that was static from the loss to the Americans. But it was the first game in which all four lines played well, thanks to Babcock's reshuffling of his deck.

Rick Nash(notes) was dropped from the Sidney Crosby(notes) line to the Ryan Getzlaf(notes)/Corey Perry duo; the result was a tough, dangerous line that could be used to neutralize the Alex Ovechkin/Evgeni Malkin(notes)/Alex Semin line. Babcock likes to use power vs. power, and the Anaheim Ducks forwards have shown they're up for that challenge; ask the San Jose Sharks about that.

Meanwhile, Crosby clicked with new linemates Jarome Iginla(notes) (two goals) and Eric Staal(notes) (three assists). "We controlled the puck a lot down low," said Crosby, and that'll be key against the Russians.

The fourth-line contributions from Toews and Mike Richards(notes) shouldn't go unnoticed either. Canada is deeper than Russia at every position, and if Babcock has in fact solved the chemistry issues, they can roll four confidently, even with Russia having the last change.

2. Canada can match Russia physically.

Someone on the Canadian side is getting Ovechkin'd, as Jagr did on Sunday. When the Washington Capitals star is this motivated, it's just going to happen.

But overall, Canada can handle the Russians' physical game. The size of their forwards and defense could actually allow them to dictate that facet of the game. As Iginla said Tuesday: "We can play rough-and-tough-style. I'm not worried about that."

As for team speed: Yes, it's a concern. The Americans exposed the Canadians in this department, and the Russians are just as fast.

3. Roberto Luongo(notes) will out-duel Evgeni Nabokov(notes).

To hear Babcock talk about Luongo is to hear a coach who's finally comfortable with "his guy" between the pipes, and one who isn't going to listen to criticisms about his accomplishments.

"It's really easy to say he didn't do this or he didn't do that. I think his bank account shows he's a pretty good goalie," said Babcock. "I know every time we play him, he puts up this wall."

Again, no wall required for Luongo. Neither goalie needs to "steal" this game. Both need to eliminate momentum-shifting mistakes, and I'm confident Luongo can do that better than Nabokov.

4. The Russian power play is stunningly awful.

Too many czars in the palace. The Russians are 2-for-16 on the power play in this tournament; only Norway, Germany, and Latvia have been worse. They overpass, they look disjointed, and there's no correlation between how good they look on paper to how they execute. Plus, Canada has killed 11 of 12 power plays – although staying out of the box is paramount against the Russians.

The Canadians have faced the same problems on their power play, but converted once against the Germans. If the forward lines have been sorted out, the power play will improve.

5. The home ice advantage.

The X-factor. As the Americans showed, the unbelievable atmosphere inside Hockey Place can bea sphincter-clenching stress factory with an early goal by the "visitors." But when the Canadians are rolling, the crowd is the wind at their backs, the ultimate motivator.

The fans wanted Russia. They got Russia. In the end, they'll say goodbye to Russia and hello to the semifinals.

By Greg Wyshynski / Puck Daddy

[Jaug]

Five reasons why Canada will defeat the Russians

By Greg Wyshynski / Puck Daddy

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- The chant began with around 3 minutes left in Canada's game against Germany on Tuesday, led by a guy in a red-and-white cape in the lower bowl and then spreading to the rest of Hockey Place like a fever.

"We! Want! Rush! Uh!"

"We feel the same way on the bench," said center Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks. "It doesn't matter if it's a quarterfinal game. This is huge."

The Canadians and Russians, so often tabbed for the gold medal game, meet in the quarters with something nearly as vital on the line: survival.

Team Canada tumbled to the qualifying round after a stunning loss to the Americans on Sunday, licking wounds and bruising egos during an emphatic 8-2 win over Germany. Team Russia was also stunned by Slovakia before looking every bit a champion in a win against the Czechs. They've also played the role of the big-bad foreigners in the tournament, shunning some English-language media after games, a tactic Alex Ovechkin explained in a SovSport interview via Alex Ovetjkin blog:

Can Russia win the gold?

"If we'll win three elimination games. It would be great not to look for excuses later, like, we tried, but something did not work. We must go out and play to win. And listen to no one. There is a lot of pressure on players and coaches. Everyone is expecting gold from us. The Olympics games are a great holiday for everyone worldwide. But we need to take a break in talking to media. Avoiding media saves you the energy. You must understand that you need to give yourself completely in every game, and not to leave your energy at the mixed-zones."

By Greg Wyshynski / Puck Daddy

Finally, the moment has arrived; and by that we mean the moment that ridiculous CTV Sid vs. Ovie informercial promised we'd witness. It will be an epic battle, an Olympic memory that will resonate in the hockey world long after Gary Bettman pulls the rug out from under NHL participation. And it's a battle the Canadians will win. Here's how ...

1. Mike Babcock has solved his lines riddle.

In the 8-2 win over Germany, there was only one line – Patrick Marleau(notes), Joe Thornton(notes) and Dany Heatley(notes) – that was static from the loss to the Americans. But it was the first game in which all four lines played well, thanks to Babcock's reshuffling of his deck.

Rick Nash(notes) was dropped from the Sidney Crosby(notes) line to the Ryan Getzlaf(notes)/Corey Perry duo; the result was a tough, dangerous line that could be used to neutralize the Alex Ovechkin/Evgeni Malkin(notes)/Alex Semin line. Babcock likes to use power vs. power, and the Anaheim Ducks forwards have shown they're up for that challenge; ask the San Jose Sharks about that.

Meanwhile, Crosby clicked with new linemates Jarome Iginla(notes) (two goals) and Eric Staal(notes) (three assists). "We controlled the puck a lot down low," said Crosby, and that'll be key against the Russians.

The fourth-line contributions from Toews and Mike Richards(notes) shouldn't go unnoticed either. Canada is deeper than Russia at every position, and if Babcock has in fact solved the chemistry issues, they can roll four confidently, even with Russia having the last change.

2. Canada can match Russia physically.

Someone on the Canadian side is getting Ovechkin'd, as Jagr did on Sunday. When the Washington Capitals star is this motivated, it's just going to happen.

But overall, Canada can handle the Russians' physical game. The size of their forwards and defense could actually allow them to dictate that facet of the game. As Iginla said Tuesday: "We can play rough-and-tough-style. I'm not worried about that."

As for team speed: Yes, it's a concern. The Americans exposed the Canadians in this department, and the Russians are just as fast.

3. Roberto Luongo(notes) will out-duel Evgeni Nabokov(notes).

To hear Babcock talk about Luongo is to hear a coach who's finally comfortable with "his guy" between the pipes, and one who isn't going to listen to criticisms about his accomplishments.

"It's really easy to say he didn't do this or he didn't do that. I think his bank account shows he's a pretty good goalie," said Babcock. "I know every time we play him, he puts up this wall."

Again, no wall required for Luongo. Neither goalie needs to "steal" this game. Both need to eliminate momentum-shifting mistakes, and I'm confident Luongo can do that better than Nabokov.

4. The Russian power play is stunningly awful.

Too many czars in the palace. The Russians are 2-for-16 on the power play in this tournament; only Norway, Germany, and Latvia have been worse. They overpass, they look disjointed, and there's no correlation between how good they look on paper to how they execute. Plus, Canada has killed 11 of 12 power plays – although staying out of the box is paramount against the Russians.

The Canadians have faced the same problems on their power play, but converted once against the Germans. If the forward lines have been sorted out, the power play will improve.

5. The home ice advantage.

The X-factor. As the Americans showed, the unbelievable atmosphere inside Hockey Place can bea sphincter-clenching stress factory with an early goal by the "visitors." But when the Canadians are rolling, the crowd is the wind at their backs, the ultimate motivator.

The fans wanted Russia. They got Russia. In the end, they'll say goodbye to Russia and hello to the semifinals.

By Greg Wyshynski / Puck Daddy

Agree with a lot of this but you cannot underestimate Russia. A true world class team.

[Fishhead]

This is going to be a thriller............WOW

[alex81]

This game can go either way. There is no question about that. Canada will need the same kind of production offensively it had yesterday and Luongo will have to be at his best... Fortunatley he seems to play well in Vancouver

[Rediscoveryx]

No one has put forward the possibility of a draw...

[1UP]

Someone please talk me out of the Over, ASAP.

I haven't been following the Olympics much, but how does this not hit 7 or 8? I see Crosby and Ovechkin by itself, and 5.5 becomes an automatic joke. I didn't even want to consider the Under. What am I missing that has this line so "low"?

[Powderguy]

OVER is the play, WAY too much firepower to stay under

[HSP]

OVER is the play, WAY too much firepower to stay under

This game is going to be GREAT! OVER OVER OVER

[bigmike273]

Great game, can't wait.

[maseda17]

I think there is some value on the under at +125. This game is going to be played like the gold medal game. The loser of these two proud hockey nations will be medal-less. I know the Russian D leaves much to be desired but they have some good two way playing forwards and I see a physical close game with less scoring than could be expected.

[DennisGreen]

I see a ton of goals in this one, 4-3 type final at least.

[killawookie]

I doubt it will be a shot for shot game .. one team will be owning all the shots on goal just like every game in the olympics so far. Canada is not going to win 8 - 2 but it SHOULD be 5-3

[HSP]

Over over over

6-5

[Nomocino]

Ovechkin will bring the Hammer and the sickle down on Crosby and the rest of the Canadians.

RUSSIA 5
CANADA 3

[DennisGreen]

Line just moved to 6 on Pinny, get the 5.5 while you can. I'm on this big.

[Jaug]

3-2, 2-2 or 2-1 either way I think. Games like these are so competitive and every shot is contested.

[Skaramouche]

Russia wins this one SU. Canada got beat by US and US has not looked very impressive against the Swiss.

i know canada will be motivated to play against Russia and for their survival, but beleive me, the Russians will be even more motivated, they always get fired up when the game is against such a power as canada.

it will be a close game though. i dont know about the over/under

[DennisGreen]

3-2, 2-2 or 2-1 either way I think. Games like these are so competitive and every shot is contested.

Way too much firepower in this one for 5 goals or less. Nabokov lets in 1-2 weak goals every game.

[maseda17]

I'll probably go with a no play and just enjoy the game. Was only going to go 1x anyway. I just don't have enough confidence in the over 5.5 for -145 at my book.

[BrUno0]

benching martin brodeur can never be right, i don't care what anyone says. i expect (and hope) luongo chokes. i'll take the russians here and i think its an obvious play, canada is switching around lines, benching the best goaltender in the game, and already with a loss to the US.