Ryan Miller And The Olympics: What To Expect Afterwards

by Zachary Zielonka on Mar 2, 2010 9:00 AM EST

Dear Buffalo Sabres,

Thank you for sacrificing the rest of your season so that we may have a chance at winning.

Love,
Team USA Fans

-Shamos

That was a comment from the USA/Canada round robin game thread from the mothership. But, can we really expect to have issues from Miller as we go down the stretch of the NHL season. With playing in the gold medal game, Miller played all six games for the United States and captured the attention of the country. But, can those extra games and the weight of the world affect how Miller plays at the end of the season.

The Sabres ran into this situation 12 years ago as well with goaltender Dominik Hasek and the Czech Republic. During the 1998 games, Hasek played in all six games on their way to a gold medal in those games. After the jump, we examine if there was an effect on Hasek and what it could mean for Ryan Miller.

During the 1998 Games, Hasek played a total of six games and a total of 369:36 minutes. Before the Olympic break that season, Hasek played a total of 72 games that season, 49 before the break and 23 after. Before the break, Hasek went 20-17-10 and the Sabres sat at 22-21-12, good enough for eighth in the conference at the time. He had a save percentage of .924 and a goals against average of 2.34. After the break, the Sabres went 14-8-5 while Hasek was 13-6-3 during that stretch. The Sabres went up to sixth in the conference and Hasek had a 1.56 goals against average and .948 save percentage.

The Sabres went to the conference finals during the 97-98 season and Hasek's gold medal gave him added confidence to carry the team basically on his back. Miller's loss in the gold medal game may make him more confident or it may rattle his confidence as the Sabres head into the final twenty games of the season. Miller has played 52 games thus far with a record of 30-14-7 with a 2.16 goals against average and a .930 save percentage.

Miller had that look after he lost the gold medal game like he would never let that happen again. For Sabres fans, we hope this motivates him for the rest of this season and gives him that fire to carry this team on his back to the Stanley Cup.

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Comments

Man

I agree. i hope that his loss in the Gold medal game fires him up. And as a side note is it just me or does Crosby absolutely own Miller?

by mob16151 on Mar 2, 2010 9:21 AM EST reply actions

Crosby owns a lot of goalies. He leads the league in goals! (tied)

Not even the Toronto Maple Leafs could kill my optimism

by Ubiquitous on Mar 2, 2010 1:36 PM EST up reply actions

Sneaky Luck

I heard a recap of an interview saying that Miller essentially thought crosby was going to skate it in further so he was beginning to prep for a poke check when he quickly tossed it on goal…squarely in the hole vacated by his paddle.

I’d like to think this was blind luck as it didn’t seem like a intentional placement just a snap shot with a prayer, but with Crosby’s track record he gets the benefit of the doubt. Funny how the best defenseman winner Rafalski was the one trailing the goalscorer as the puck crossed the line.

It was heartbreaking seeing miller’s face as they gave him the silver. I don’t want to imagine how many times he’ll see that goal replayed in his head as he goes to bed…or even worse as crosby bears down on him in the future.

Hope that sports psychologist is doing their job.

by killabstingz on Mar 2, 2010 11:53 AM EST reply actions

Crosby actually said he was just trying to shoot as fast as possible and hoped it was on net.

Not even the Toronto Maple Leafs could kill my optimism

by Ubiquitous on Mar 2, 2010 1:36 PM EST up reply actions

Eh,

Except for the two Canada games Miller really wasn’t overworked or tested. 14 shots, 10, 19, 18… an extra day off by being the #1 seed… Harrington said it best, he gets worked harder in practice.

All your tshirt needs.

by twoeightnine on Mar 2, 2010 11:54 AM EST reply actions

I’m less concerned about the physical aspect – much more so about the mental. You may only face 10 shots in a game but Miller still has to mentally focus for the full 60 minutes. And then there’s the fear that losing that last game will shake his confidence or something. I’m not saying it’s going to happen, in fact I think it’s kind of unlikely – the problem is we don’t know what’s going to happen, and that’s the part that is kind of scary.

In the end – I’m actually glad he played in all six games. I think it will probably help more than it hurts.

"The horse jumped over the f#@king fence."
- KV

by TEMSON on Mar 2, 2010 1:51 PM EST up reply actions

I am very optomistic that Miller will be even better after the Olympics than he was before. I think, and this just my idea, that his erratic play for the month prior to the Olympics was due to subliminal cognitive dissonance. I think he can now set his sights on getting the Sabres into the playoffs. Additionally, Miller is much younger than Hasek was after his Olympic victory.

I also hope that Miller’s play in the Olympics will inspire his team mates to play with greater dedication and teamship.

by Geolover on Mar 2, 2010 2:43 PM EST reply actions 1 recs