TJ Sochi

Charlie Merry
Blog #4
Olympic Hockey
Marketing
Prof. Popovich
2/15/14
Words: 528


Throughout my life my favorite sport has always been hockey. Growing up playing and watching the sport was a thrill and I made some of my favorite memories through hockey. Having a father that loves hockey as well as a pond in the backyard definitely helped my passion for hockey grow. I'm a huge fan of the Boston Bruins in the NHL. However, with Olympic hockey in full swing, team U.S.A has my full attention.


Olympic hockey is different than the NHL as the rink is bigger, and the stakes are different. Players aren't performing for a paycheck, but for national pride and bragging rights. These players grew up idolizing members of the national team and they know that the entire nation is watching. Players from different teams in the NHL suit up for the same team, their home country. It's always fun watching these teams assemble as some countries have the ability to create All Star teams. The heavy favorites at the Sochi games are Canada, U.S., Sweden, and Finland. Olympic hockey is when even the most casual fans pay attention to the game. The United States hasn't disappointed so far.


Coming off a silver medal at the Vancouver games, expectations are high for the U.S. squad. Every member of the United States team is an NHL player, solid players at that. The U.S. won their first game of the tournament against Slovakia. Slovakia is a solid team that came in 4th 4 years ago. Led by their goalie, Jaroslav Halak, and superstars Zdeno Chara and Marian Hossa, this game wouldn't be a cakewalk. However, the Americans made it look easy in their 7-1 rout of the Slovaks. However, things would prove to be much more difficult in their next game against Russia, the host country.


Vladimir Putin, Russia's prime minister, has made it known that hockey is the event he cares most about. Russia is a perennial powerhouse that boasts plenty of superstar talent. Led by superstars Alex Ovechkin, Pavel Datsyuk, Ilya Kovalchuk, and Evgeni Malkin, the Russians are loaded. The game was played this Saturday and it was an instant classic. Tied 2-2 late in the game, the Russians scored what appeared to be the game winner. However, the goal was called off much to the home crowd's dismay. Once overtime ended, the shootout commenced. T.J. Oshie, a questionable pick to make the roster, stole the show. Oshie scored 4 shootout goals, made possible by the different shootout rules in International competition. Oshie gained over 90,000 on Twitter and became a household name overnight.


This is why I love Olympic hockey so much. These games showcase hockey to a much broader audience and show people what they're missing out on. The Olympics definitely create more fans of the game and increases the amount of kids who want to play hockey. Furthermore, these players truly care about the outcome of the game. Their passion for hockey shines through and it shows how much they really love the game. Olympic Hockey is a great spectacle and is something that's great for the sport as a whole.