International TournamentsDiscuss International Tournaments like the WJC, Olympics, and World Cup, as they take place, or discuss past tournaments. performances.
Shayne Gostisbehere(USA) & Valeri Nichushkin(RUS) suspended 1 game each
the Nichushkin could have been so much worse and he could have honestly killed Wotherspoon. Anybody saying Wotherspoon saw Nichushkin coming lol it was a high hit from behind 1 game is justifiable.
The Gostisbehere play was just so stupid and that wasn't a hockey play at all. If you are going to be tough guy do it face to face and not be a B about it like that. I hate that fake tough guy crap spearing players in the nuts heck I'm happy he got suspended
Nichushkin is lucky he only got 1 game. That was right in the numbers and face first into the dasher. Wotherspoon glanced both left and right before retrieving the puck and Nichushkin moves to the left to line up directly behind him so Worherspoon can't see him. I'm sure he was just trying to elude him and maybe anticipated that Witherspoon was going to pivot left so Nichushkin could hit him flush to the shoulder, but when that didn't occur he drove him right in the numbers. Just a very stupid check. I'm glad no one was badly injured.
Gostisbehere play was dirty and normally I agree there are some things you don't do, like heavily nut someone, but he had just been slew footed by the guy he nutted. Slew footing is one of the dirtiest and most dangerous things you can do in hockey. It's totally unexpected, hard to soften the blow and you can really smash the back of your head into the ice hard. I have no problem with Gostisbehere getting a game, but am shocked that Matis got nothing.
Gostisbehere play was dirty and normally I agree there are some things you don't do, like heavily nut someone, but he had just been slew footed by the guy he nutted. Slew footing is one of the dirtiest and most dangerous things you can do in hockey. It's totally unexpected, hard to soften the blow and you can really smash the back of your head into the ice hard. I have no problem with Gostisbehere getting a game, but am shocked that Matis got nothing.
Not that it will change anything for Team USA since they are playing without him regardless. But I am really shocked that Matis didn't get anything, with how crazy the IIHF is about eveything I figured he would at least do a game especially since he got nothing in game for it. Especially since he then went on later to get a 2 and 10 for checking to the head. That guy was pretty out of control the whole game, guess you really do have to feign injury if even for a moment.
Nichushkin is lucky he only got 1 game. That was right in the numbers and face first into the dasher. Wotherspoon glanced both left and right before retrieving the puck and Nichushkin moves to the left to line up directly behind him so Worherspoon can't see him. I'm sure he was just trying to elude him and maybe anticipated that Witherspoon was going to pivot left so Nichushkin could hit him flush to the shoulder, but when that didn't occur he drove him right in the numbers. Just a very stupid check. I'm glad no one was badly injured.
Gostisbehere play was dirty and normally I agree there are some things you don't do, like heavily nut someone, but he had just been slew footed by the guy he nutted. Slew footing is one of the dirtiest and most dangerous things you can do in hockey. It's totally unexpected, hard to soften the blow and you can really smash the back of your head into the ice hard. I have no problem with Gostisbehere getting a game, but am shocked that Matis got nothing.
Plenty of other dirty stuff went on in that game that was ignored. Cole Bardreau was leveled twice long after the whistle.
If anything the the worst thing an American did in this tournament was Ryan Hartman's flying elbow to Murphy that only got a 2 and 10.
Not that it will change anything for Team USA since they are playing without him regardless. But I am really shocked that Matis didn't get anything, with how crazy the IIHF is about eveything I figured he would at least do a game especially since he got nothing in game for it. Especially since he then went on later to get a 2 and 10 for checking to the head. That guy was pretty out of control the whole game, guess you really do have to feign injury if even for a moment.
There isn't even a mention of the slew foot in the IIHF website report in the suspension. How could they not have looked at that? When they are reviewing the infraction on Gostisbehere, they have to rewind the video to the lead up to the incident to rule on it properly. Very disappointing. I was under the impression that an incident does not need to incur a penalty and the opposing team does not need to launch a complaint for a review and suspension to occur.
There was definitely a few Slovak players with questionable play down the stretch. Oh well, the IIHF doesn't exactly have the best track record on officiating in general.
the Nichushkin could have been so much worse and he could have honestly killed Wotherspoon. Anybody saying Wotherspoon saw Nichushkin coming lol it was a high hit from behind 1 game is justifiable.
The Gostisbehere play was just so stupid and that wasn't a hockey play at all. If you are going to be tough guy do it face to face and not be a B about it like that. I hate that fake tough guy crap spearing players in the nuts heck I'm happy he got suspended
I'm all for the suspension based on a dirty hit, but come on, you don't need to justify anything by being sensationalist and saying it could have killed him. I mean, ya it is possible, but thats a HUGE reach and not needed.
Yes, that would be multiple games. To me spearing a guy in the groin crosses a line somewhere and I think it was the right call to give him a game.
Did you see how softly he did it? First of all, it wasn't a "Spear" by normal definition... it was more like a hook to the groin. I wouldn't really call this "intent to injure" just because of how softly he did it. It was more like a little, "How ya doing I'm trying to get under your skin right now." The Slovak player absolutely dove and sold it hard (even though he fell down like 3 seconds later....)
That's the thing about this tournament... if you're a good enough diver, you can get the most minor stick infractions called.
Actually, I didn't want Skjei on the team in the first place.
I'm not going to ask you to prove it, but you really didn't want a Ranger's prospect to play on the biggest stage? If not either of them, who would you have preferred?
I'm not going to ask you to prove it, but you really didn't want a Ranger's prospect to play on the biggest stage? If not either of them, who would you have preferred?
Before the tournament I much preferred Gost. Skjei hasn't been doing much and was bottom pairing on the Gophers roster. He was also struggling down the stretch into the WJC evaluations and I knew he was likely going to struggle on the big stage against the best Jr. players in the world. From a pure development standpoint, it really makes little difference whether if Skjei played on the WJ team or stayed back at Minnesota. In fact, he's been getting more ice time right now with the Gophers than he would've with USA. He played really well against #1 seed BC. He's getting more ice time with Reilly at the WJC.
Before the tournament I much preferred Gost. Skjei hasn't been doing much and was bottom pairing on the Gophers roster. He was also struggling down the stretch into the WJC evaluations and I knew he was likely going to struggle on the big stage against the best Jr. players in the world. From a pure development standpoint, it really makes little difference whether if Skjei played on the WJ team or stayed back at Minnesota. In fact, he's been getting more ice time right now with the Gophers than he would've with USA. He played really well against #1 seed BC. He's getting more ice time with Reilly at the WJC.
Fair enough. As far as I've seen, Ghost has been good at times and just average at others. Like almost every player in this tournament, there will be times that he'll remind you just how young of a player he really is, but there will be others where you'll see why scouts have raved about him. All of these guys are incomplete players. It'll be another 2-3 years before you start to see a finished product out of any of them.
