Alpine Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Curling, Daily Olympic Reviews, Ice Hockey, Olympics, Short Track Speed Skating, Skeleton, Ski Jumping, Sochi 2014, Speed Skating

February 15th – Sochi 2014 – Daily Review

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Another disappointing day as the US only managed to pick up one medal and wasn’t real close in most of the events. The highlight of the day though was an amazing hockey game between the US and Russia.

Alpine Skiing

Events:

  • *Women’s Super-G

There were 50 women scheduled to start the women’s super-G and only 31 completed the course. That’s how difficult the course was this morning. Leanne Smith was the first to go for the US and the only of the first eight skiers to finish the course. She finished in 1:28.38 and was 18th. Laurenne Ross was next to go for the US and while she made it through the early tough portion where many skiers succumbed she did have problems near the end and got too wide and lost the race line taking a DNF. Julia Mancuso was able to finish the course without too many difficulties but she finished 8th in 1:27.04. The final American was Stacey Cook and her run didn’t last long as she DNF’d in the treacherous early steep section.

Results Summarized:

  • Laurenne Ross – Made it through much of the course but missed a gate near the end and was a DNF.
  • Stacey Cook – Missed a gate in the earl portion and was a DNF.
  • Leanne Smith – Finished 18th with a time of 1:28.38.
  • Julia Mancuso – Finished 8th with a time of 1:27.04.

Cross-Country Skiing

Events:

  • *Women’s Relay 4x5km

The women’s relay team started with Kikkan Randall who posted a 14:45.2 and was in 12th by the first exchange. In portion two Sadie Bjornsen raced the 5km in 14:31.8 and moved the US up to ninth. Liz Stephen was next as the style switched to free and she clocked in at 12:44.2. Jessica Diggins brought it home in 13:32.2 as the US finished ninth

Results Summarized:

  • US Team – Finished 9th. Was at 14:45.2 after first leg (12th), 29:17 after leg two (9th), 42:01.2 after leg three (9th).

Curling

Events:

  • Women’s Round Robin – USA vs. Sweden

The 1-5 US women needed a win over Sweden on Saturday to stay alive in the quest to make the playoff. They weren’t able to get that done despite playing a really good match with Sweden. The Swedes needed two in the final end to win it and with one in position already that just barely put one closer than the US, it had to be measured, to win 7-6 and eliminate the US. The US faces Canada in their second to last match in Sochi at 5 AM ET on Sunday.

[table]Teams, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Total
United States, 1, 0, 1, 0, 2, 0, 0, 2, 0, 0, 6
Sweden, 0, 1, 0, 2, 0, 2, 0, 0, 0, 2, 7[/table]

Results Summarized:

  • US Women – Lost to Sweden 7-6. Eliminated from playoff contention. Face Canada at 5 AM ET Sunday.

Ice Hockey

Events:

  • Men’s Preliminary Round – Group A – USA vs. Russia

Expectations were high for a great game between the US and Russia as Saturday began and the game totally delivered. After a scoreless first period Russia went up 1-0 in the second period before Cam Fowler tied things up with 3:26 left off assists by James van Riemsdyk and Phil Kessel.

In the third period the US killed off two penalties before getting a power play of their own that led to a Joe Pavelski goal (assists to Patrick Kane and Kevin Shattenkirk) with 10:33 to go. That lead didn’t last long as Russia equalized on the power play three minutes later. Russia appeared to take the lead late in the period but the goal was disallowed because the net had ever so slightly come loose.

After a scoreless five minute OT the teams went to a three-round shootout. Except it went eight rounds as the two teams could not be seperated for quite a while. T.J. Oshie went first for the US and scored. After a US miss by van Riemsdyk and two saves by Jonathan Quick the US had a chance to win it in three but Pavelski was denied. In the extra rounds the US always turned to Oshie and he had chances to win it stopped in the fourth and seventh round and kept the US alive in the fifth and sixth rounds. Finally in the eighth round he won it for the US. Oshie scored on four of his six chances while Quick saved five of the eight he saw. Quick made 29 saves in the game.

The US picked up two points and is now top in Group A with five while Russia sits second with four. The US can win the group by beating Slovenia on Sunday at 7:30 AM ET and that would give them a bye into the quarterfinals.

Results Summarized:

  • USA Men – Beat Russia 3-2 after a shootout victory 4-3 in eight rounds. Face Slovenia on Sunday at 7:30 AM ET.

Short Track Speed Skating

Events:

  • Women’s 1500m Heats
  • Men’s 1000m Quarterfinals
  • Women’s 1500m Semifinals
  • *Women’s 1500m Finals

In the women’s 1500 m heats Alyson Dudek was unable to advance after finishing fourth but Jessica Smith advanced from her heat in second and Emily Scott advance from the sixth heat in first. In the semifinals Smith finished fourth in her heat but qualified for the B Final while Scott finished fifth but was advanced to the final after it was ruled that she was obstructed. In the B Final Smith finished second to grab seventh overall while Scott fell and finished fifth in the final.

The men’s 1000 m continued at the quarterfinal stage Chris Creveling and Eddy Alvarez were knocked out after third place finishes in their heats including a fall by Alvarez. J.R. Celski fell and finished fourth in his heat and was eliminated.

Results Summarized:

  • Alyson Dudek – Finished fourth in her 1500m heat and was eliminated.
  • Jessica Smith – Finished second in her 1500m heat to move into the semifinals. In the semifinals she finished fourth in her heat and made the B Final. In the B final she finished second to place seventh overall.
  • Emily Scott – Won her 1500m heat to move into the semifinals. In the semifinals she finished fifth but was obstructed and advanced to the final. In the final she fell and finished fifth.
  • J.R. Celski – Fell and finished fourth in his 1000m heat and was eliminated.
  • Chris Creveling – Finished third in his 1000m heat and was eliminated.
  • Eduardo Alvarez – Fell and finished third in his 1000m heat and was eliminated.

Skeleton

Events:

  • Men’s Heat 3
  • Men’s Heat 4

In heat three John Daly went third and put up a solid 56.99 run that was eighth fastest in the heat. Matthew Antoine went next and was even better with a 56.69 that was fourth fastest in the heat and moved him back in front by .04 seconds. Later on Kyle Tress finished in 57.76, his best run of the event and the 17th fastest in this heat. That left him in 21st with a total time of 2:53.74 and since only the top 20 make the fourth heat he was finished.

In the fourth heat Daly went with four riders left. His sled got caught up in the groove and slid sideways as he was trying to get on it. It was a terrible moment and you knew five seconds into his run he had no chance at a medal but he still had to get down the whole track. He ended up with a 58.54 which was the worst time in the final heat. His total time of 3:49.11 dropped him all the way to 15th. Antoine then had all the US medal hopes on him and delivered with a solid 56.73, sixth best in the heat and good enough to win bronze by 0.34 seconds with his total time of 3:47.26.

Results Summarized:

  • Kyle Tress – Was 17th in heat three (57.76) and finished 21st with a time of 2:53.74 (only top 20 make final heat).
  • Matthew Antoine – Finished 3rd in 3:47.26. Was 4th in heat three (56.69) and 6th in heat four (56.73). Won bronze medal.
  • John Daly – Finished 15th in 3:49.11 after having problems getting on the sled in heat four. Was 8th in heat three (56.99) and 20th in heat four (58.54).

Ski Jumping

Events:

  • Men’s Large Hill Individual First Round

Nick Alexander was the first to go and scored a 87.0 and was eliminated in 48th. Anders Johnson went next and put up a score that would not have reached the final before being disqualified anyways because of his suit. The final American, Nicholas Fairall, put up a competitive score of 108.3 but he still missed the final in 35th.

Results Summarized:

  • Anders Johnson – Was disqualified and did not make final round.
  • Nicholas Fairall – Finished 48th in the first round with a 87.0. Did not make final round.
  • Nick Alexander – Finished 35th in the first round with a 108.3. Did not make final round.

Speed Skating

Events:

  • Men’s 1500m

Wearing their new suits the US hoped to medal for the first time in Sochi in the men’s 1500m. Jonathan Kuck was the first to go but finished 37th in 1:50.19. Brian Hansen went next and made a good run at a medal but finished seventh in 1:45.59. Shani Davis was next to go and couldn’t top Hansen as he finished 11th in 1:45.98. The final one to go was Joey Mantia who placed 22nd in 1:48.01

Results Summarized:

  • Jonathan Kuck – Finished 37th in 1:50.19.
  • Joey Mantia – Finished 22nd in 1:48.01.
  • Shani Davis – Finished 11th in 1:45.98.
  • Brian Hansen – Finished 7th in 1:45.59.

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