Well, as hard as it is to believe, Team Ontario will not be playing for a medal this year.
Hats off to the Quebec goaltender, he played really well. That being said there was a lot of sloppy play from Team Ontario tonight as well as some selfish and costly penalties. There is so much talent on that roster but when adversity struck, it seemed that far too many players were looking for someone else to step up and bail the team out.
McDavid played well as usual. Ho-Sang seemed to generate some scoring chances in the first half of the game but unfortunately his play didn't carry through. Forgive me for singling him out, but I thought Roland McKeown was terrible. I only bring him up specifically because I was expecting so much more from him. His poor puck control and some questionable decisions wasted far too many good scoring opportunities. I can only assume that his shoulder is still not 100%. While I bring up McKeown because I feel more should be expected from him, too many players lacked precision in their game tonight and it cost the team dearly.
I think we will look back at the roster for this team and wonder how on earth they didn't go undefeated, destroying teams en route to the gold medal.
They could be back for Friday's games as they lost tonight and their last game is Thursday at 1:30 in the 5th place game.
I spoke to soon obviously, assuming they would get to the Gold medal game. They must be devastated. Im shocked. I assumed it was gold all the way. Thats the heartache and beauty of hockey, u never know.
Sure this was a solid team with rock solid players but the problem was its depth. If we are to win this tournament and become the dominant force that we should be; Hockey Canada has got to start taking the best players available at that particular time, independent of where they were drafted last April. How can you expect kids that have been "riding the pine" at the OHL level for the last four months step in and compete at this level. Would have been better off filling the bottom spots with role players that might not have necessarily been 1st rounders' or even Tier 1/2 player that are actually playing a regular shift in their league.
Sure this was a solid team with rock solid players but the problem was its depth. If we are to win this tournament and become the dominant force that we should be; Hockey Canada has got to start taking the best players available at that particular time, independent of where they were drafted last April. How can you expect kids that have been "riding the pine" at the OHL level for the last four months step in and compete at this level. Would have been better off filling the bottom spots with role players that might not have necessarily been 1st rounders' or even Tier 1/2 player that are actually playing a regular shift in their league.
Or Maybe they should get a better coaching staff. The last half of the game they went with 6 forwards and 3 maybe 4 defence and they ran out of gas. Thought they would have learned after the loss to the U.S. game.
Or Maybe they should get a better coaching staff. The last half of the game they went with 6 forwards and 3 maybe 4 defence and they ran out of gas. Thought they would have learned after the loss to the U.S. game.
As I said before depth was there problem, hence why the coaching staff had to go down to 6 Forward and 4 Defence.
Or Maybe they should get a better coaching staff. The last half of the game they went with 6 forwards and 3 maybe 4 defence and they ran out of gas. Thought they would have learned after the loss to the U.S. game.
Very well said. The short bench was a mistake. The coaching was terrible. Even in a 8-1 game a few days ago, they were running there first PP unit. The US game the bench was too short when things got close. I think they could have had 4 lines running most of the game, wearing down other teams.
As I said before depth was there problem, hence why the coaching staff had to go down to 6 Forward and 4 Defence.
The depth was fine. There was balanced scoring in the other games. McDavid + Bennett didn't get a point in one of the blow outs. They played the crap out of the same 5 guys and filled in with 5 more. The pp was on for a full 2 min every time and did nothing, Ekblad almost never left the ice. Maybe should have mixed it up a bit? Maybe put McDavid with a couple of other wingers? Nothing wrong with MDC or McCann etc.
McDavid played well as usual. Ho-Sang seemed to generate some scoring chances in the first half of the game but unfortunately his play didn't carry through. Forgive me for singling him out, but I thought Roland McKeown was terrible. I only bring him up specifically because I was expecting so much more from him. His poor puck control and some questionable decisions wasted far too many good scoring opportunities. I can only assume that his shoulder is still not 100%. While I bring up McKeown because I feel more should be expected from him, too many players lacked precision in their game tonight and it cost the team dearly.
I'm not really sure how McKeown is your main target in a 2-1 loss. You realize he is a defenceman, right? And his primary goal is to keep the puck out of his net, rather than score goals, which based on the 2 goals against he succeeded. Furthermore, I'm not sure how you can say McDavid played well, when he is a forward and your big gun, who had ZERO points when you needed him the most.
I'm not really sure how McKeown is your main target in a 2-1 loss. You realize he is a defenceman, right? And his primary goal is to keep the puck out of his net, rather than score goals, which based on the 2 goals against he succeeded. Furthermore, I'm not sure how you can say McDavid played well, when he is a forward and your big gun, who had ZERO points when you needed him the most.
Did you watch the game??
If you know McKeown, you'd know that he is a catalyst for the offense (especially on the PP). I'm a really big fan of his. I think he will be an excellent NHLer one day. So, I was quite surprised at how poorly he played given what we should expect from him. Like I said, I would assume his shoulder is still bothering him.
McDavid can't do it all himself. Other players need to step up as well and that team was loaded with talented players that could have/should have done so. Aside from the untimely penalty in the 3rd, McDavid played well in spite of the fact that he didn't make the score sheet. If you really watched you would have determined that as well.
If you know McKeown, you'd know that he is a catalyst for the offense (especially on the PP). I'm a really big fan of his. I think he will be an excellent NHLer one day. So, I was quite surprised at how poorly he played given what we should expect from him. Like I said, I would assume his shoulder is still bothering him.
McDavid can't do it all himself. Other players need to step up as well and that team was loaded with talented players that could have/should have done so. Aside from the untimely penalty in the 3rd, McDavid played well in spite of the fact that he didn't make the score sheet. If you really watched you would have determined that as well.
That's pretty funny, when he has Bennett and Watson as his linemates. The fact is he is their star player and he failed to come through when it mattered. Scoring chances are nice and his flash is great but they needed goals and he didn't deliver.
I don't mean to pick on McDavid, the rest of the offence didn't come through. It just boggles my mind when you pinpoint McKeown and expect him to be the one running the offence and getting them on track. Maybe I watch too many OHL games, but you shouldn't be blaming the Dman when the offence sucks.
That's pretty funny, when he has Bennett and Watson as his linemates. The fact is he is their star player and he failed to come through when it mattered. Scoring chances are nice and his flash is great but they needed goals and he didn't deliver.
I don't mean to pick on McDavid, the rest of the offence didn't come through. It just boggles my mind when you pinpoint McKeown and expect him to be the one running the offence and getting them on track. Maybe I watch too many OHL games, but you shouldn't be blaming the Dman when the offence sucks.
I did watch the games and the coaching was terrible. This team had enough good players to roll 4 lines and 6 D, yet he did not he used 6 forwards and 3-4 D. To blame Mckeown is brutal remember Ekblad was ES last year.
I did watch the games and the coaching was terrible. This team had enough good players to roll 4 lines and 6 D, yet he did not he used 6 forwards and 3-4 D. To blame Mckeown is brutal remember Ekblad was ES last year.
I think if you re-read my initial post about McKeown, you'll see that in no way have I tried to lay the blame of the loss on him. I said the whole team lacked precision and it cost them dearly.
I have said all along that McKeown is a great player and I brought him up specifically because I expected him to dominate that tournament and was quite surprised, given my HIGH expectations for him, that he played so poorly in the Quebec game.
If you saw the game then I'm sure you would agree that McDavid did not have a bad game simply because he did not make the scoresheet.
And give me a break with this "brutal" nonsense. Man, all of this fake outrage is just ridiculous.
I think if you re-read my initial post about McKeown, you'll see that in no way have I tried to lay the blame of the loss on him. I said the whole team lacked precision and it cost them dearly.
I have said all along that McKeown is a great player and I brought him up specifically because I expected him to dominate that tournament and was quite surprised, given my HIGH expectations for him, that he played so poorly in the Quebec game.
If you saw the game then I'm sure you would agree that McDavid did not have a bad game simply because he did not make the scoresheet.
And give me a break with this "brutal" nonsense. Man, all of this fake outrage is just ridiculous.
I reread your original post and you said Mckeown was terrible, Ontario gave up 2 power play goals and lost 2-1. I think the coach is to blame for the loss for not using all of the players available to their fullest, you think otherwise so we will agree to disagree on this. Cheers.
The lines combo's never had a physical, checking presense. Bourne and Lindo can be relentless on the forecheck and be a physical presence. They cause turnovers and make D guys panic. Lindo with Mcdavid, Bennett. Bourne or Hargrave or even both with Fabbri. These guys played 80 games together in the last year on the same lines and even more in past years. The top lines had too much skill and not enough muscle. Burning out your Dmen with a short bench. The size they had all stacked on a 4th line that rarely saw ice. The coaching was to put it mildly, Horrible.
