Quick Slams His USA Teammates

[pilldoc]

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/GARTHS-CORNER/Selanne-Finnishes-USA/6/58143

 

NBC Sports asked LA Kings goalie Jonathon Quick for his teak on what happened to the Americans.

“It shouldn’t be too hard,” Quick told NBC Sports. “We do that all year long. We’re professionals. We play back-to-backs all year long".

“There’s no reason we show up and not piss a drop.”

The Americans suffered a huge emotional let down after Quick held them in the quarterfinals game vs. Canada. Quick made 36 saves on 37 shots, however, his teammates couldn't generate more than 9 shots on Carey Price in the third period of the 1-0 loss to Jamie Benn and Canada. On Saturday, its as if Team USA stayed at the hotel.

Quick blamed himself and his teammates for the Sochi implosion.

“My job is to stop the puck, and I didn’t do that very well,” he said. “Team effort. We weren’t good"


Good on ya, Jonny.

Your boys didn't have your back in a bar fight.

There is blame to be thrown at USA head coach Dan Bylsma for not pulling Quick after 40 minutes in order to start a fire under his arses of his listless skaters. Believe you me, if Bylsma would have started the third period with Ryan Miller in the net, it would have grabbed the immediate attention of the lethargic American forwards and D. Quick allowed three consecutive PPGs in the third period to seal the coffin on USA's bronze medal hopes. That's on Bylsma for not providing a plan of correction while his team was trailing 2-0.


In Bylsma's defense, he did bench Dustin Brown in the third period. Naturally, Brown wasn't happy about it. Too bad, Dustin. Put up or shut up time is on the ice, between the whistles. Not in the fourth place team's losing locker room.


**

Bylsma will not be second-guessing his decision to start Jon Quick vs. Finland after the kick in the stomach loss to Canada. At least that's what he said in his post game presser after losing the bronze medal.

Bylsma also said that he never considered pulling Quick and replacing him with Miller when it became abundantly clear that the Team USA forwards and D mailed in their performances in the bronze medal game.

 

Zero props, Dan.

Hockey coaching 101 suggests that in an elimination game, you empty your bullpen and play for the win. If that means yanking your starting goalie in order to grab your team by the scruff and shake them awake, you do it. The team goals come before all else.


Bylsma opted to stay married to his failed plan. He and his team leave Sochi empty handed.

 

St. Louis Blues captain David Backes stepped to the mic and admitted that his USA teammates should have played more with their hearts and less with their heads in the bronze medal game against Finland.

"We came to the tournament for gold, but we've got to get to grips with the reality that we had a chance for a bronze medal for our country and we should have laid it all on the line," said David Backes. "I'm not sure that's what happened."

Backes said that the USA squad was stymied by the Finns and their stack-em-up structure.


"They had a lot of guys back defending the blue line, and if we tried to make plays through that, there's a lot of odd-man rushes the other way, rather than getting down the wall and trying to play that NHL-style game right down their throats," said Backes. "That's what would have probably had a little bit better outcome if we'd upped our speed, made their defence go back, and tired them out by hitting them all the time."

Dan Bylsma didn't watch the Russia-Finland quarterfinals game? USA didn't scout the Finns at in this tourney?

Ignorance or arrogance?


Shoulda. Coulda. Woulda.

[fanaticV3.0]

They were outscored 6-0 in two games. He should slam them. Good for him.

[pilldoc]

They were outscored 6-0 in two games. He should slam them. Good for him.

Totally agree.  I know a certain Sabre fan is whining about goaltending, however as I posted numerous times....you don't win when you don't score!

[radoran]

The USA quit. Pure and simple.

 

They should all collectively be doing Herbies for the next six months. He benched Brown? Big whoop. Should have just told the refs that the US was forfeiting the third period due to lack of heart.

 

There was one team that showed that they cared about winning the bronze medal game - Finland. Can anyone here imagine the US team erupting in emotion for having "won" the bronze the way Finland did?

 

IMO, never. The USA looked at the game as the "second loser" game. And now they're (we're?) the third loser.

 

Very happy for Finland. Disgusted by the US players - again.

[pilldoc]

@radoran

 

well said Rad...well said......turned the game off when it was 2-0 because I knew there was no way hell this team was coming back.

[brelic]

If Canada had lost to the US, I'm sure it would have been very easy for them to fall in the same trap playing for bronze. Team expectations and the nation's expectations were higher than bronze, so it feels like a let down. I was listening to a Finnish hockey pundit this morning and he was saying that the reason the Finns get so excited about bronze is that it's their 'gold' medal. They know they can't consistently compete with countries like Canada for gold. 

[jammer2]

@brelic  I don't think Canada would have totally quit like the US did. No Gold is horrible, no medal at all is downright embarrassing. When I'm 70 and looking back on my career, an Olympic Bronze medal would look a lot better than an empty space on the wall.

 

 I feel for the US players and their fans. They lost a 1-0 game to a very talented team. One guy I don't feel sorry for is that big Irish Baffon Brian Burke. I love it when he loses, it's actually a joyous occasion for me to see him frustrated and dejected in defeat. If the US was smart, they wouldn't let him anywhere near another Olympic team or International event.

[radoran]

If Canada had lost to the US, I'm sure it would have been very easy for them to fall in the same trap playing for bronze. Team expectations and the nation's expectations were higher than bronze, so it feels like a let down. I was listening to a Finnish hockey pundit this morning and he was saying that the reason the Finns get so excited about bronze is that it's their 'gold' medal. They know they can't consistently compete with countries like Canada for gold. 

 

It's like that for a lot of countries, but that doesn't excuse that sorry excuse for a hockey game the USA trotted out there.

 

I'd rather see a bunch of college kids playing hard than a group of overpaid millionaires sulking and then whining about it.

 

The Philadelphia Metro area has more people than Finland. They shouldn't  be able to compete with us on an annual basis.

 

They have five medals since 1994. The USA has two. Go back to '88 and Finland has as many silvers - and four more bronze - then the USA.

 

And if Tuukka Rask hadn't been sidelined or Saku Koivu doesn't break a stick on a faceoff then their fortunes could be even brighter.

 

If you don't have enough pride to go out and try to win every game, you deserve what you get.

 

Which, in the case of Team USA was nothing.

[Polaris922]

The comments blaming Bylsma are laughable boys.  I'm sorry, but if playing for your country in ANY medal game doesn't spur you on then benching a guy you usually play AGAINST isn't going to do it either.  He benched Brown... for a turnover that resulted in a goal against, and THAT didn't do it.  What makes you think benching a goaltender who's played off his rocker hockey until that game would do it?  These men are professional hockey players.  Supposedly the best of the best from each nationality.  The way that team took the ice that game is embarassing.  They should be embarassed for their effort.  Blaming it on a man who stands behind the bench trying to get them to do the right things is ridiculous.  Have you ever coached hockey?  Have you ever taught players the right things to do, urged them with all your heart to invest themselves in the game and make the sacrifices to win and they go out flat and play like they don't care anyway?  There is only so much a coach can do in a single game elimination tournament.  Especially when the players know that guy doesn't sign their paychecks or change their livelihood.  I haven't heard any players saying "Boy that Dan just wasn't with us on this... he didn't give a rat's ...".   If I hear that then maybe my opinion changes.   I will gladly point the finger at Bylsma and have done so on these forums in the past.  In this case though, no coach in the world could change what the players themselves brought on.  

[flyercanuck]

@Polaris922

 

  Pildoc posted an article. Not one person who responded put the blame on Bylsma for the Bronze debacle.

 

  The team quit and I agree, they're big boys who shouldn't need a pep talk to show up against Finland for a medal. I mean did the US really go into the Olympics expecting gold? I don't think so...they may have started believing it after beating a few teams but they weren't favoured going in (though IMO he could have done a better job coaching against Canada...last change and never tried to get his offence away from the Toews Shutdown Forcefield? The knock on him over the years has been an inability to adapt to a different gameplan.... Ok, now there's a response.)

[radoran]

The comments blaming Bylsma are laughable boys.  I'm sorry, but if playing for your country in ANY medal game doesn't spur you on then benching a guy you usually play AGAINST isn't going to do it either.  He benched Brown... for a turnover that resulted in a goal against, and THAT didn't do it.  What makes you think benching a goaltender who's played off his rocker hockey until that game would do it?  These men are professional hockey players.  Supposedly the best of the best from each nationality.  The way that team took the ice that game is embarassing.  They should be embarassed for their effort.  Blaming it on a man who stands behind the bench trying to get them to do the right things is ridiculous.  Have you ever coached hockey?  Have you ever taught players the right things to do, urged them with all your heart to invest themselves in the game and make the sacrifices to win and they go out flat and play like they don't care anyway?  There is only so much a coach can do in a single game elimination tournament.  Especially when the players know that guy doesn't sign their paychecks or change their livelihood.  I haven't heard any players saying "Boy that Dan just wasn't with us on this... he didn't give a rat's ...".   If I hear that then maybe my opinion changes.   I will gladly point the finger at Bylsma and have done so on these forums in the past.  In this case though, no coach in the world could change what the players themselves brought on.  

 

GARTH (the only guy who actually criticized Byslma) does go IMO a little too far. As I stated, the team just outright quit. No heart. No pride. They really should have just gone home and forfeited the medal to Finland. That would have been less embarrassing that what they went out and did.

 

Second outright disgrace for the "professional" Team USA following the shenanigans in Nagano. I don't care if the NHL shuts down the league or not, I'd rather see the college kids back in the Olympics and leave out the entitled whiny millionaires. You don't want to play for the bronze? You don't deserve to represent this country.

 

Period.

[flyercanuck]

Prediction.  Bylsma will NOT be coaching team USA in S Korea.  I doubt anyone here will argue that.  Ron Wilson is looking better by the minute

 

 

 

 One can only hope.

[Polaris922]

@Polaris922

 

  Pildoc posted an article. Not one person who responded put the blame on Bylsma for the Bronze debacle.

 

  The team quit and I agree, they're big boys who shouldn't need a pep talk to show up against Finland for a medal. I mean did the US really go into the Olympics expecting gold? I don't think so...they may have started believing it after beating a few teams but they weren't favoured going in (though IMO he could have done a better job coaching against Canada...last change and never tried to get his offence away from the Toews Shutdown Forcefield? The knock on him over the years has been an inability to adapt to a different gameplan.... Ok, now there's a response.)

 

 

I hate to even say this to you but... you sound like Rick.     I disagree about getting your offense away from Toews...   which line are you considering your offense?  Which line would you put them up against?  Say you have one great offense line, which in the Olympics they can ALL score or they wouldn't be there...  would you prefer to line them up against Crosby?  Bergeron?  Getzlaf and Perry?  Who is the weakness?  There really aren't any.  Which defensive pairing do you avoid?  Is there an Option D (ALL OF THEM) available?  

 

That game wasn't about a chess match.  I think both teams played a great game in the US / Canada game and they all tried their hearts out.  Benn had a nice deflection and that was the game.  

 

There were comments against Bylsma made by a few writers and hence my saying they're laughable.  I believe the remarks were more on point over the game against Finland... and of course one poster here who we know not to put much merit in.  To say the coaching was a fault with the Finland game is ridiculous.  As many here have stated.. these men are pros in a single elimination tournament.  You shouldn't have to send a message.  Even so, benching Brown was a good coaching move...  he turned the puck over and it immediately went into our net.  But if that didn't send a message, benching Quick wasn't going to send one either.  And Quick was the best player on your squad the game before...  earning every minute he played.  

[Polaris922]

@hockeyJunkie   Please impress me with your wisdom of what Bylsma could have done differently that would have made the difference.  

 

@flyercanuck  Don't encourage him!!  You want Wilson so we lose worse!   LOL 

[flyercanuck]

@Polaris922

 

 I sound like Rick? My team actually won.

 

 If I was Bylsma and I had last change i would have tried to utilize Kessel/JVRs speed against the much slower Getzlaf/Perry line. I agree it may not have mattered a whole lot, especially the way Canada was playing and how solid the D was. But when what you've drawn up isn't working, you have to try something.

 

 Or not, if you're Bylsma.

 

 And yes, as a Canadian, I'd LOVE Wilson to coach the US team.

[Polaris922]

@Polaris922

 

 I sound like Rick? My team actually won.

 

 If I was Bylsma and I had last change i would have tried to utilize Kessel/JVRs speed against the much slower Getzlaf/Perry line. I agree it may not have mattered a whole lot, especially the way Canada was playing and how solid the D was. But when what you've drawn up isn't working, you have to try something.

 

 Or not, if you're Bylsma.

 

 And yes, as a Canadian, I'd LOVE Wilson to coach the US team.

 

 

I said SOUND like him, not predict like him     LOL 

[jammer2]

  At this point, I'm wondering if RIck can predict his birthday successfully??  

[jammer2]

I hate to even say this to you but... you sound like Rick.     I disagree about getting your offense away from Toews...   which line are you considering your offense?  Which line would you put them up against?  Say you have one great offense line, which in the Olympics they can ALL score or they wouldn't be there...  would you prefer to line them up against Crosby?  Bergeron?  Getzlaf and Perry?  Who is the weakness?  There really aren't any.  Which defensive pairing do you avoid?  Is there an Option D (ALL OF THEM) available?  

 

That game wasn't about a chess match.  I think both teams played a great game in the US / Canada game and they all tried their hearts out.  Benn had a nice deflection and that was the game.  

 

There were comments against Bylsma made by a few writers and hence my saying they're laughable.  I believe the remarks were more on point over the game against Finland... and of course one poster here who we know not to put much merit in.  To say the coaching was a fault with the Finland game is ridiculous.  As many here have stated.. these men are pros in a single elimination tournament.  You shouldn't have to send a message.  Even so, benching Brown was a good coaching move...  he turned the puck over and it immediately went into our net.  But if that didn't send a message, benching Quick wasn't going to send one either.  And Quick was the best player on your squad the game before...  earning every minute he played.  

 

 Nice post pols. Agree with all of that. The Benn deflections was nice, but the shot/pass by Bouwmeester was a masterful veteran play. Bouws was quietly efficient in this tourny. I was among the people questioning the pick, which is why Stevie.Y is picking this stuff and not me.

 

 Back to Blysma, I don't fault him one iota. That Canada vs USA game certainly could have gone either way. One deflection the other way, and all of sudden Blysma is a hero, and held on par with the legendary Herb Brooks. Having said all that, it was one of the the most lopsided 1-0 games I've seen in quite a while, but that was due to the Canadian defense outright controlling the flow of the game rather than anything Blysma did wrong. The guy was coaching against one of the greatest defensive squads ever assembled, and held his team right within striking range for the entire game....what is not to like?

 

  The only thing I question a bit is starting Quick instead of Miller in the Finland game. He poured his heart and soul into the canada game, gave everything of himself he had to offer. He was tired and weary. Did he deserve to start the Bronze game based on his play, damn straight...so it is a tricky call, but in retrospect, I don't think Quick had much left in the tank and a fresh Miller could have really helped. But, Quick certainly *deserved* to start, so a very tough call.

[hf101]

The only thing I question a bit is starting Quick instead of Miller in the Finland game. He poured his heart and soul into the canada game, gave everything of himself he had to offer. He was tired and weary. Did he deserve to start the Bronze game based on his play, damn straight...so it is a tricky call, but in retrospect, I don't think Quick had much left in the tank and a fresh Miller could have really helped. But, Quick certainly *deserved* to start, so a very tough call.

 

I think Blysma should have set the agenda for his goalies at the start of the tournament.  "Quick you are the Starter as long as you play well".  "Miller you will play in the back to back games without a day of rest"   Thus when it came down to the Bronze Medal game or the Gold Medal game.  Miller would start the Bronze Medal game or Quick would start the Gold Medal game.  Miller's play in his earlier game of the tournament was solid enough to just go with that type of  preordained plan.

[jammer2]

@hf101  Sounds logical. The handling of the goalies was perhaps the only real weakness on Blysma's part. I thought he did a solid job of matching lines and making pairs etc. The fact that Patrick Kane outright SUCKED made his job tough. You kinda have to keep going to the guy cause he is one of the most prolific scorers of his day. He was basically forced to keep playing him and hope he came up big....but he was so bad defensively, he hurt any line he was on. Total lack of effort from Kane, he seemed to be sulking and refused to let hard work carry him out of the slump. What a loser.

[Polaris922]

@hf101

@jammer2

So you guys feel the reward Quick earned for stopping 36 shots of 37 is sitting the bench in the Bronze game??

[hf101]

@Polaris922

 

I do get what you are saying, but Miller also only gave up one goal in the win over Slovenia.  Having either Miller or Quick starting the Bronze medal game wouldn't necessarily be a wrong choice.  But the games were back to back with less than 24hours in between them and it may have been a better choice going with a rested Miller.  If I give Blysma a bye for choosing to start with Quick, why not pull him after Finland went up 2 - 0.  His team needed a wake-up call and he didn't appear to have a read on it.

[flyercanuck]

@hf101

 

 Which was my point about the only knock on Bylsma...he doesn't adapt very well. He just keeps things status quo. You see it with the Pens every year postseason.

 

 And again, I'm not knocking him for the players mailing it in.

[B21]

  At this point, I'm wondering if RIck can predict his birthday successfully??  

 

Sure he can.

 

February 30th.