GDT: 2018 WJC • Game 12 • Group A: CAN (3) - USA (4) F/SO

[Tomas W]

Casey Mittelstadt, what a player he is, huge hockey sense and skill, and skates well too.

About the game, ouch it looked cold...wonder how the players feel today?

When USA plays on top of there game they are very good.

 

[chet1926]

So any Canada fans anyone want to explain to me why Ducharme has a vendetta against Makar?

I mean Makar along with Mete have constantly been the best dmen for Canada, but yet Makar rides the pine and watches way lesser players like Bean and Foote get consistent time.

All Makar does is produce, 3pts in 3 games with extremely limited minutes in 2 of the 3 games, that's more than any of the other dmen have produced in significantly more minutes.

I mean it just seems really short-sighted and completely moronic for a coach to basically not play one of his best dmen for no apparent reason. If Ducharme is trying to lose playing Makar less than 10 minutes is a good way to do it.

 

[Seiza]

I stopped watching the game after two periods. It was awful to watch, bad camera angles and heavy snowfall. Please let this be the first and last time playing outdoors.

 

[LiveeviL]

Good lord, the classic Baxterman posts are back.

Man, the USA were not undeserving gold medalists last year.

Out of curiosity, Baxterman?

 

[bbfan419]

First I just wanted to say I HATE outdoor games, weather can be a factor as it was this game and the camera angles are horrible. As for this game two things turned this into a USA win, first the BS 5 on 3 call for a full 2 mins, how does a Canadian player get cross checked to the face and yet not even one USA penalty, should have been 5 on 4, then the real kicker the dumb bone head penalty by Comtois, Canada was in control at that point , but the PP goal gave the USA life. If I was the coach, Comtois would be benched the rest of the tournament.

 

[HiggsBroson]

Not really since we got first anyways so the result of the shootout doesn't mean crap.

I would have said the same thing no matter what the result of the shoot out.

Canada looked a lot better all game long.

Okay and what did looking better all game do for them? Hence sore LOSER

 

[TaroTsujimoto]

Heard on the radio there was a major accident on the QE that delayed a lot of our Canadian friends from getting to the game on time. Snow, man.

Hi cousin.

 

[pigpen65]

Congrats to Canada winning the pool, apparently, that's the big deal now. The fact is it's the US that's been the dominant team in recent years and that is a trend that will continue. We are entering a new era where the USA is the top dog and Canada's heyday is long past them.

Agreed. Might be time to start talking about adding a US "B" team to makes these games more interesting.

 

[Baxterman]

Okay and what did looking better all game do for them? Hence sore LOSER

It got them 1st place in the group and a better draw in the knockout round.

 

[schnapshot]

As a Canadian from what I saw the US was clearly the better team. I don't know what happened to them against Slovakia but they rebounded today. I picked them to repeat as gold medalists and still think they will.

The US has better speed, puck control and desire than Canada. That's been evident the last few years at many under 18 and under 20 tournaments. Granted their players have a familiarity with each other because of the USNTDP.

The golden age of Canadian hockey has ended folks.
In 10 years we'll be hearing the chants USA USA a lot more.

Congrats to Canada winning the pool, apparently, that's the big deal now. The fact is it's the US that's been the dominant team in recent years and that is a trend that will continue. We are entering a new era where the USA is the top dog and Canada's heyday is long past them.

Hilarious how insecure the Americans are in this thread. Two straight wins against Canada in a shootout and you guys start showboating and saying Canada’s heyday is over. Truth is, your country is 10 times more populous and you still barely produce as many players. Let it sink in that a country less populous than California is producing as much talent as your entire country you guys must be so proud...

Come back to us when you can count your number of gold medals on more than one hand... or when you win the Olympics, or the World Cup... Or win against Slovakia

 

[PecnoTrunk]

Hilarious how insecure the Americans are in this thread. Two straight wins against Canada in a shootout and you guys start showboating and saying Canada’s heyday is over. Truth is, your country is 10 times more populous and you still barely produce as many players. Let it sink in that a country less populous than California is producing as much talent as your entire country you guys must be so proud...

Come back to us when you can count your number of gold medals on more than one hand... or when you win the Olympics, or the World Cup... Or win against Slovakia

I would love to play the Americans in the semis. I want to play the Americans in the semis

This is a wake up call to team Canada and was needed

I truely believe the team canadas game is the the fast transition game by getting the puck out of the defensive zone , this was hampered by the snow on the ice therefore slowing the game down for Canada and there fore by slowing the game down the Americans were able to play the board games

This is not a big deal it was needed and came at a prefect time.

I excpect a completely different team when we meet again and we will meet again. This time the results will be different. I have no doubt.

 

[BruinsNeedaRussian]

Hilarious how insecure the Americans are in this thread. Two straight wins against Canada in a shootout and you guys start showboating and saying Canada’s heyday is over. Truth is, your country is 10 times more populous and you still barely produce as many players. Let it sink in that a country less populous than California is producing as much talent as your entire country you guys must be so proud...

Come back to us when you can count your number of gold medals on more than one hand... or when you win the Olympics, or the World Cup... Or win against Slovakia

Step 1: Call Americans insecure
Step 2: Type an extremely insecure message
Step 3: ???
Step 4: Profit

 

[Big Phil]

I agree. The 2026 olympics won't be fun at all. @Big Phil

I know if there are the Olympics in 2022 we still have a seriously stacked team that - on paper at least - isn't challenged by anyone. 2026 is harder to tell, but if you are witnessing the NHL this year there is a major new guard breaking to the top in the NHL and half of them are still Canadian. So while we should never, ever keep our foot off the pedal, I think we are fine in 2026.

Besides, we lost the gold medal game last year, we are still going to finish 1st in our pool this year unless we somehow lose to Denmark today. No one has lost this tournament yet. I mean come on, we lost a game in a shootout where the snow was falling on the ground as we played. That was horrible conditions.

 

[Cotton]

Step 1: Call Americans insecure
Step 2: Type an extremely insecure message
Step 3: ???
Step 4: Profit

People are being stupid on both sides, what is odd is this thread was pretty great during the game, as soon as there was a winner all the stupidity came flowing from poor winners and sore losers.

 

[Kyndig]

I hope the players and fans there enjoyed it because I didn't enjoy the game on TV. Puck bouncing all over, couldn't ring around the boards at all, Canadian coaches chitter chatting all day with the refs hoping for snow to build up even further and protect their lead (cmon you know its true), constant stoppages to clear the ice, the silly switching sides halfway through a period, terrible camera angle...etcetc. Not something you want to see in a tournament setting.

 

[schnapshot]

Step 1: Call Americans insecure
Step 2: Type an extremely insecure message
Step 3: ???
Step 4: Profit

How is my message insecure? I really don’t believe the U.S are surging. If any country is, it’s either Finland or Sweden.

I’m just tired of the showboating and poor sportsmanship after two straight shootout wins (the shootout should be abolished too). Some people have been salty for too long and have now become sore winners.

 

[Orfieus]

It was a OK game to watch. I really enjoy this tournament and I honestly don't care if Canada takes gold or not.

Last year CANADA-US gold game was amazing and I do wish the OT was longer (a rule they just changed) but in a tournament like this I understand and agree that games have go end in a timely manner.

 

[bobber]

After watching some of these outdoor spectacles it's a gimmick. Why have an outdoor game in a football stadium in the middle of a tourney? First it generates a ton of cash and secondly they really believe that it will sell the game of hockey to the US market. Lets face it Americans love sports but hockey , Junior in particular is not even found in most newspapers in the sports section. Here in Canada we only focus on winning the Gold Medal anything less we are losers and look for someone to blame. Both these squads have great junior age players that any CHL franchise would love to have on their rosters. In an outdoor game during a snow storm it does turn into a game of shinny.
The team that takes advantage of the others mistakes wins. Canada did take a couple of dumbass penalties against a skilled US team and they took advantage of it. The shoot out was one sided. A lot more games to go. I wouldn't put money on any of the top squads to win gold. There are always surprises and upsets.

 

[Baxterman]

So any Canada fans anyone want to explain to me why Ducharme has a vendetta against Makar?

I mean Makar along with Mete have constantly been the best dmen for Canada, but yet Makar rides the pine and watches way lesser players like Bean and Foote get consistent time.

All Makar does is produce, 3pts in 3 games with extremely limited minutes in 2 of the 3 games, that's more than any of the other dmen have produced in significantly more minutes.

I mean it just seems really short-sighted and completely moronic for a coach to basically not play one of his best dmen for no apparent reason. If Ducharme is trying to lose playing Makar less than 10 minutes is a good way to do it.

Based on selections and the coaching so far it seems as though Ducharme wants to coach his way and is going to ignore what the players are and instead stubbornly go with the style and guys he wants rather than adapt to the team he has.

I imagine it has helped him in a long season when he has time to use that to develop the team and its style but in a short tournament it seems like a pretty stupid way to run the team and one based more on ego than smarts.

 

[NyQuil]

There was going to be chest thumping no matter who won.

This is HF.

As it is, it’s good for the US to regain confidence after choking to Slovakia and it’s good for Canada to get a wake up call before the elimination round.

 

[EON]

I wouldn't judge either team too much from yesterday's games, those were tough conditions to play in.

I get that it's a bit of a gimmick but I went and thought it was a ton of fun. Between tailgating and the overall atmosphere it was a great time and I'd absolutely do it again. I hope it generates a little more interest in the WJC and hockey in general in the US.

 

[chaosrevolver]

Out of curiosity, Baxterman?

Just look through the thread and who I quoted

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Did they?

i had thought they lost that game as they were such a pile of garbage. I guess i just assumed based on how terrible that US team was.

It seems to legitimately hurt you to know that USA was the better team last year, the year before, and last night.

[MOD]

 

[Baxterman]

It seems to legitimately hurt you to know that USA was the better team last year, the year before, and last night.

[MOD]

It doesn't hurt at all.

They haven't been the better team in any tournament that I have watched since around 94.

 

[WaW]

Canada is and always will be to hockey what Brazil is to soccer. It's good to see the quality in other countries (ie Sweden, Finland, USA) increase to match Canada at least at the junior level (hell you can argue that all 3 + Russia have been better in this tournament over the past 7 years). As we see in most sports, junior success seldom translates to senior success (ie look at all of the random crap that happens in the U-20 and U-18 FIFA events. The scope and culture is so different. So because of that there is no need to be insecure about anything. If anything we Canadians should look to do some problem solving at this level, because something clearly isn't working. It isnt a talent issue either, its definitely systemic, and everyone can clearly see that.

Canada also went through a dark period in this tournament from 1998-2004 so this dip in quality isn't unheard of. In 2005 we won on overpowered quality of talent alone, but from 06-09 I'd say we were really only the best team twice (07 and 09) and we kept winning anyways because systemically something was clicking. This kind of thing happens to everyone and we need to figure out how to make things click again. The best team only actually seems to win this tournament about half the time.

USA appear to have a better team again this year, but they'll have to go on a hell of a run to get to back the gold medal game. We'll see what happens from here on out.