Alex's Sochi Predictions
Next month Russia will have a contagious case of Winter Olympic fever as the 2014 games roll into Sochi! While many if us will be routing for the returning Jamaican Bobsled Team or praying that Team GB wins any kind of medal! But to us hockey fans, there us only one event that matters!
But which of the great teams on display will take home the gold medal? And more importantly, can the thrill level go beyond the epic Canada v USA final of Vancouver 2010? Here are my main contenders,
Gold - Canada: The clear early favourites and my personal pick for the games! Their roster alone gives us goosebumps with the sheer level of quality and with offensive starlets Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toes and Corey Perry among others on display- they will be a sure bet to rack up the goals and assists. But they have also defensive quality by the bucketful, and although goalie selection has raised a few eyebrows, Carey Price will be a great starter. On paper, this team will be hard to stop!
Silver - Sweden: Either way we are mostly likely to see a Canada v Sweden final at this games and the Scandinavians represent the biggest European threat at Sochi and with Henrik Zetterberg captaining this well oiled machine, this will be a fascinating match up. This along with other offensive threats such as The Sedin Brothers and Henrik Lundqvist in net, they will be eager to make up for their disappointing 2010 games. If my dream final does come true, this game will not be a one sided after!
Bronze - Russia: The home team will be keen to score a medal in one their premier events and I think 3rd place represents their best chance. Ovechkin, Datsyuk and Malkin will cause havoc for defenses as usual and performing on home soil may elevate this team to perform better. But although I wish this team the best for the games ahead and hope some of the NHL's finest get what they deserve-I can't help feeling they are just shy of the quality needed to win.
Mike's predictions: Sweden to beat Canada in final.
But which of the great teams on display will take home the gold medal? And more importantly, can the thrill level go beyond the epic Canada v USA final of Vancouver 2010? Here are my main contenders,
Gold - Canada: The clear early favourites and my personal pick for the games! Their roster alone gives us goosebumps with the sheer level of quality and with offensive starlets Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toes and Corey Perry among others on display- they will be a sure bet to rack up the goals and assists. But they have also defensive quality by the bucketful, and although goalie selection has raised a few eyebrows, Carey Price will be a great starter. On paper, this team will be hard to stop!
Silver - Sweden: Either way we are mostly likely to see a Canada v Sweden final at this games and the Scandinavians represent the biggest European threat at Sochi and with Henrik Zetterberg captaining this well oiled machine, this will be a fascinating match up. This along with other offensive threats such as The Sedin Brothers and Henrik Lundqvist in net, they will be eager to make up for their disappointing 2010 games. If my dream final does come true, this game will not be a one sided after!
Bronze - Russia: The home team will be keen to score a medal in one their premier events and I think 3rd place represents their best chance. Ovechkin, Datsyuk and Malkin will cause havoc for defenses as usual and performing on home soil may elevate this team to perform better. But although I wish this team the best for the games ahead and hope some of the NHL's finest get what they deserve-I can't help feeling they are just shy of the quality needed to win.
Mike's predictions: Sweden to beat Canada in final.
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