Hiller never failed to impress.

The Americans routed the Swiss in a low scoring 2-0 game. Scoring would not come until the third period when Zach Parise of the New Jersey Devils would put the puck behind Jonas Hiller Hiller was absolutely stellar in the game, despite the loss. Luca Sbisa also did well making seamless defense plays, blocking shots and players from getting through. After the Parise goal against Hiller, in the birdseye view Hiller would lay on the ice in devastation and become nearly emotionally after the goal. Yet Hiller never ever lost an edge after the goal from Parise. Parise also scored an empty netter an  a excellent play.


People said, the Swiss aren't that great of a team. They do lack NHL players and are definitely an underdog compared to other countries.  They also do allow tons of shots to get through defensively, as the Americans put 44 shots through the Swiss. Hiller stopped all shots that went towards him expect for one, possibly two if the goal was not waved off which was in the case of Ryan Kesler taking an interference penalty on a Swiss player, hitting him in the head and knocking off his helmet.

There comes a source of denial when people say the Swiss aren't good. Their penalty kill was impressive for lack of a better word. The Swiss bring the most important thing to a game. Heart. They had massive heart all though the tournament and they didn't let any loss get to them. Hiller did keep his country in the game. Hiller doesn't like the skill as a goalie his weakest area is probably playing the puck, which he tried to do throughout the tournament but allowed some bad turnovers which also resulted in at least one goal against. Ducks goalie coach, Pete Peeters has encouraged more puck handling from Anaheim's netminders. He worked on various exercises with former Ducks goalie Giguere and Hiller in training camp.

Hiller is clearly making an attempt at handling the puck more.In an effect, trapezoid or no trapezoid really did not help Hiller. Most of the younger goalies coming in are forced in the restrictions of the trapezoid behind the net. Thus, where upcoming goalies merely rarely work on their puck handling skills. Martin Broduer, Marty Turco are a couple goalies who are strong at handling the puck and they wouldn't mind of the trapezoid just went away. (Although Brodeur's puck handling skills weren't exactly his best when the US routed Canada just before the elimination rounds)

Ryan Miller the US starting goaltender has nothing but pure respect for Hiller; a goalie who he rarely opposes in the NHL. Miller and Hiller exchanged words in the handshake line, hugged, and patted each other on the back more than once.

Then, you have the teammates. Bobby Ryan and Ryan Whitney on Team USA who routed the Swiss twice. The first game against the Swiss was Bobby's first Olympic goal. The Men's  hockey team  of the United States is 4-0 in the tournament. It's more than obvious that Bobby and Whitney have tons of respect for their teammate on the opposing team. He all Ducks fans are accustomed to, frustrated the United States and every other country he played as they came so so close to scoring a goal only to see Hiller had covered it up, steered it to the side, or it was in his glove hand.

Bobby wrote about Hiller in his blog and provided this photo as the starting photo in it he also included a phto with teammate Whitney

Bobby Ryan hugs Anaheim Ducks teammates Jonas Hiller after the

US beat the Swiss in a 0-2 win. Sending the US to the Semi-Finals

against Finland.

The United States will face Finland as four Ducks battle it out to advance to the Gold Medal Round; Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne for Finland and Bobby and Whitney for the USA. 

Three other Ducks will also advance to the Semi-Finals against Slovakia. Slovakia upset Sweden to advance to the semi-finals.Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, and Captain Scott Niedermayer would  help rout Russia in a big rivalry game  7-3. Perry had two goals and Getzlaf had an assist on a beautiful play to his Ducks teammate Perry scoring who scored on an over committed Evgeni Nabokov. Perry would have right side of the net completely available to him. Getzlaf also had a goal and two other assists in the game. The mens hockey tournament is down to four teams as they will face each other on Friday: 

Men's Hockey Olympic Schedule:

FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 26, 2010

All times Pacific

USA vs. Finland-12PM

Canada vs. Slovakia-6:30PM

A positivity for Hiller is he has a week to rest before he and the Ducks take on the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday .It'll be god to see some good ol Ducks hockey after the two week break from the NHL. Hiller will come out strong for Anaheim after the heartbreaking loss to the Americans. He played extremely well in the Olympics and he most likely will take that experience with him. Hiller was part of Team Switzerland in 2006 in Tornio, Italy but did not stay long, just about three days before they sent him home. 

Hiller has more than the veteran emotional experience and a lot of it he's received from the Ducks and the Olympics for the Ducks it was win he showed all against the President Trophy winning Sharks, helping the Ducks knock out their rivals in five games. Then he helped the Ducks taking the Red Wings to Game 7 in Round 2 but Dan Cleary would score the winning goal with less than 5 minutes remaining. A nearly tearful eyed Hiller tried to tell the referee that it was goaltender interference; which Clearly did have some contact with Anaheim's goatender, surely, it was a makeup call for the Wings from a earlier arisen penalty. 

There is the absolute unforgettable scene on the Ducks bench as Giguere comforted Hiller immediately  after the loss to the rival Red Wings. Giguere knew all too well of the emotional reckoning a game can take on fellow goaltenders. In 2003 the Ducks game so close to the Stanley Cup but fell to S. Niedermayer and the New Jersey Devils. Giguere did get the Conn Smyth Trophy in that series, one of the few players to do so on a losing team.