I REALLY hope all the guys who were in the NHL and got loaned for this tourny (Canadian or not) do well when they return so GMs might be more willing to loan out in the future.
Also yeah, Connolly was the ONLY Canadian player who seemed to want to play early in the 3rd (though was toeing the line a bit). No idea why he wasn't playing a more prominent role.
They are kids but they didn't really show much heart, their lackluster 3rd period play didn't pick up until after the lucky Schwartz goal. If you need a goal to get you going... not gonna fair well in the SCF.
Sometimes thats all it takes...especially against a wall like Thomas. Get one and maybe build some confidence. Momentum can do wonderful things (and terrible things).
Sometimes thats all it takes...especially against a wall like Thomas. Get one and maybe build some confidence. Momentum can do wonderful things (and terrible things).
Anyone can get pumped up by a goal. That's easy and what we see a lot in the WJC. In the NHL Playoffs you often need to bring your game to another level BEFORE you get a goal.
It's 11:30ish and I just finished watching the game. I normally would have turned it off after the second period but it became like watching a horrible car crash... I just couldn't take my eyes off the horror.
I woke my kids up with that second Canadian goal. I would have woken them up with the other 3 as well except they didn't have enough time to fall back asleep.
Jennings spear is the goat for me. Lost his composure for a split second and cost his team a power play and a forward. Things really started to fall apart after that.
Get down early in the first, have a train wreck of a second and come back heroics in the third... (only to come up short though) Sounds like so many Canuck games I've seen.
Mark Scheifele was also a HUGE disappointment. I feel Strome could've chipped in more as well. Wedgewood got unlucky all night with Ryan Murray's hattrick.
At least we showed some heart. But it's sad the difference-maker was the goal where Beaulieu quit.
Yup. Connolly even mentioned it in his post game interview. Problem is the Canadian team only had 4 defensman they could trust.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Canucker
I thought Gallagher was a big time catalyst in the 3rd period. Really impressed with his heart.
Dominant 3rd period.
Quote:
Originally Posted by David71
brendan gallagher i thought he was gonna be this year's jordan eberle. kid's got drive and heart to score. brent connolly is good too. ryan murphy who drafted this kid? he's horrible defensively.
Horrible defensively? Are you kidding me? Did you watch any other games in this tournament.
He is excellent defensively and had an unfortunate night of puck luck.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaximLapierre
Happy to call Brett a hometown boy.
I think he wasn't utilized as much as he should've IMO, but that's just me.
There is no question he was under utilized. A guy with his shot and talent to not be on the PP, especially behind guys like Pearson and Scheifele (who both looked atrocious throughout the tournament).
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaximLapierre
Mark Scheifele was also a HUGE disappointment. I feel Strome could've chipped in more as well. Wedgewood got unlucky all night with Ryan Murray's hattrick.
Some could say Murray got unlucky too.
Strome had the post at the end, so we'll all remember that but in the first 40 he was horrible...tried dangling thru his legs on a 1-4, wide open in front of the net with time and tries a backhand one timer?
I was livid with his play and hoped so hard Connolly could have banged in his shot off the post, but it wasn't to be.
There is no question he was under utilized. A guy with his shot and talent to not be on the PP, especially behind guys like Pearson and Scheifele (who both looked atrocious throughout the tournament).
Some could say Murray got unlucky too.
Strome had the post at the end, so we'll all remember that but in the first 40 he was horrible...tried dangling thru his legs on a 1-4, wide open in front of the net with time and tries a backhand one timer?
I was livid with his play and hoped so hard Connolly could have banged in his shot off the post, but it wasn't to be.
I think Don Hay under utilized Connolly becasue he was a former PG Cougar and was bitter he wasn't on the Giants, so he got back at Connolly by not using him to the fullest.
Murray got extremely unlucky, or he was just tired of not scoring anymore.
Strome was another player that was suppose to guide this team, really thought some guys underperformed.
Incredible behind the back glove save by Visentin as the puck rolled down his back and looked to be heading into the goal. He was named Canada's Player of the Game.
Mainly impressed with Huberdeau, some of Strome and Schwarz.
Huberdeau - has the ability and brains to take over the game.
Schwarz - was slick and very smart, heads up... but didn't force the issue enough occasionally. Needs more drive to the net, at least in this tournament.
Strome - is not as smart as Schwarz, needs to be better positionally, but he has great ability and skill.
'Good' - with reservations.
Connolly - has all the tools, but is a puck hog and has tunnel vision when the puck is on his stick. Sure, maybe his game is a powerforward/sniper type, but really need to learn to use his linemates better. Also, not the smartest player out there.
Hamilton - has all the tools again... yet sometimes he makes some pretty baffling decisions. A bit like a slicker and smoother Phaneuf without as much physicality, could've taken over games.
Ryan Murray - is too tentative until the game got to a point where there's nothing to lose - then he finally got better. But still needs to be way more assertive on the defensive end - passive and sits back too much sometimes, doesn't tie up his man in front of the net, let's people walk out of the corners too easily, though he does have good positioning and a good stick, along with phenomenal skating.
Mark Stone - good complementary offensive player, smart enough. He needs a good playmaker who can generate things.
Bad.
Howden - might be still injured - he played like a sack of crap.
Jenner - was slow and useless except for his work in the faceoff circle.
Schiefiele - didn't play up to his potential - tentative, not assertive, and picked up goals that were gifts. When he was on the same line as Pearson, it seems that Pearson was the one doing more of the work down low instead of Schiefiele.
Gormley - ugh, has good skating and tools, but didn't use it and gets into turnover mode ala Ballard, when the other team actually has skill and speed coming in on the forecheck. Figured he would be better as an older defenseman... but no.
Oleksiak - big, can skate... and needs to learn how to play defense better. Massive brainfarts on occasion, didn't use his assets well.
I don't like the lack of speed and grit in the 3rd and 4th lines on this team. Sure, most of the top 9 can skate in this group, but we needed forecheckers who can get in fast and hit more, and this year's version didn't deliver on that. Our backend was also too passive and not physical enough.
The consensus Number 1 pick for the 2012 draft, Nail Yakupov will be out for an indefinite period of time after the Sarnia Sting forward suffered a left knee injury in the overtime period of Thursday's gold medal game at the World Junior Hockey Championship.
Yakupov joins a long list of of 2012 prospects that have been or still are on the injured list, which includes Sarnia's Alex Galchenyuk and Moose Jaw defenceman Morgan Rielly (ACL injuries), Everett blueliner Ryan Murray (high ankle sprain), Halifax forward Martin Frk (concussion), and Peterborough Petes defenceman Slater Koekkoek (dislocated shoulder).
Mrazek was unbelievable. Some weren't impressed by his antics, but hey, it's a kid on a big stage doing an unbelievable thing almost by himself. Let him have his moment for now, and just tell him to tone it down for later.
Howden looked out of sorts to me...didn't seem as aggressive and as effective a forward as he was last year, where you could really see him coming in hard on the back-check.
Stone was another that coming into the tournament I could see as one who could contribute well. Was definitely there at the beginning, but didn't seem noticeable when push came to shove and Canada were down. Solid player, but definitely has some things he has to work on to move his game to NHL level...or he might just be known as "that other junior star who never made it to the NHL." Don't think that's going to happen with him though.
Jaden Schwartz and Brendan Gallagher really impressed me. Schwartz showed poise and played with heart and soul, just like a captain should. Gallagher was right behind him, and they were great in the third period of the Russian game. Seemed like Connolly and them were really hungry to get back into the game.
Strome was inconsistent. Coming in, it seemed like he had played himself out of the 1C spot, and that he was going to be the 2C, not the 1B I guess a lot of people had him pegged to be. Great at times, but at other times, didn't show up.
Huberdeau impressed me with his high skill level. He was a lock even after the broken foot, and he was great. This guy is a real stud and it seems like Saint John Sea Dogs are going to make a real good case for keeping the Memorial Cup for another year.
All in all, a decent World Juniors. Not the best, but not as heartbreaking as the Russian comeback last year. Maybe it's because we were on the other side of the comeback and we fell just short.
