With only a couple practices and all-new teammates, it was inevitably going to take a few periods to start gelling and getting comfortable.
World Cup: 4 Nations Tournament- Team USA (2025)
- Thread starter AmericanDream
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Rough start but had a good 3rd. You’d like to see a little bit more urgency from him, but that’s also just not his game
Fatass
Registered User
- Apr 17, 2017
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Actually what happened was expected in any game where one club has depth and the other didn’t. We knew the Fin top guys would play evens with the US until they ran out of gas, which happened after about 30 minutes.
CaviarAndRinkFries
Registered User
- Jan 1, 2025
- 137
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I’d sub Sanderson in for Hanifin. Not only is he a better all around D, but he can skate to the pace of the top end forwards.
How does Hanifin avoid the bad category? I thought he was by far the worst player on the US last night.
Dubi Doo
Registered User
- Aug 27, 2008
- 20,746
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He was throwing his weight around quite a bit at least.
That was a chippy game. Reminded me of playoff hockey the way teams were trying to take away space. Finland was forced to play that type of game because they don't have the firepower to run-and-gun with the stacked American roster. Man, I cannot wait to see Canada vs the US. With everything going on in the world + the two teams being absolutely loaded on talent = it could be a great, chippy game that fuels the rivalry again.
Brooklyndevil
Registered User
I’d like to see Hughes play in the middle on the second line center. He’s much better as a center. Move Eichel onto the first line right wing. How about Tkachuk- Hughes- Connor?
Why would you break up Tkachuk-Eichel-Tkachuk?
swiftwin
★SUMMER.OF.STEVE★
- Jul 26, 2005
- 24,565
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Team USA shouldn't be allowed to play Free Bird as their goal song. That's not fair. Everyone knows you get instant plot armor when Free Bird plays. That's cheating.
The line with Matthews and Guentzel was fine. Hughes was great in the first period, but kind of faded as the game went on. A couple bobbles and mis-plays. But I think they’ll just get better as the games go on.
Matthews is a beast of a player.
ORRFForever
Registered User
- Oct 29, 2018
- 20,418
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Hughes-Matthews was dynamite. As was Tkachuks + Eichel. I’d maybe move Boldy up for Guentzel bc he’s a better puck retriever than Guentzel, but then again Guentzel is a better finisher and has experience playing with elite talent.
Connor was our worst forward. Wouldn’t be surprised if he sits
Tkachuk-Eichel-Tkachuk
Hughes-Matthews-Guentzel
Miller-Larkin-Boldy
Connor/Kreider-Trocheck-Nelson
Jaykay
Registered User
Same I didn't think Faber was his best, but Hanifin was the guy I'd swap out for Sanderson if you're going to make a move.
AmericanDream
Thank you Elon!
AmericanDream
Thank you Elon!
Overall the team looked as expected. Players trying to find their roles. Linemates and pairings getting familiar with each other. Finland always plays us tough so the start of the game went exactly how it should have for anyone who follows best on best.
The depth of this team is special. Left a lot of firepower at home and still able to roll 4 scoring lines. Losing Q Hughes is a really big loss, we all know this. I think Faber gets more time to shine here and tomorrow's game is going to be wild.
This is all we have been asking a decade for. Some damn best on best hockey. Can't ask for anything else in season like this, win or lose this is going to be an exciting short ride which should pump up everyone for the Olympics coming up.
The depth of this team is special. Left a lot of firepower at home and still able to roll 4 scoring lines. Losing Q Hughes is a really big loss, we all know this. I think Faber gets more time to shine here and tomorrow's game is going to be wild.
This is all we have been asking a decade for. Some damn best on best hockey. Can't ask for anything else in season like this, win or lose this is going to be an exciting short ride which should pump up everyone for the Olympics coming up.
Not at this skill level, however Kesler. Brown and Backes played that role in 2010 but couldn't replicate it in '16.
Beerz
Registered User
- Jun 28, 2011
- 37,883
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Don't agree with Trocheck\Larkin evaluation. Trocheck lost two D zone FO clean and I barely noticed him. Larkin barely saw the ice first half of the game so almost impossible to judge him. Personally I think Larkin should be one of the 4 Centers.
McAvoy was fine.
Skating isn't Hanifin issue, its his decision making but I agree Sanderson should play in place of Hanifin and not Fox, Sanderson shoots left, not right.
Nope, Fox was worse.
Not happening and shouldn't. You don't want Hughes down low defending against McDavid or McKinnon. Just a terrible idea.
William H Bonney
Registered User
Neil Racki
Registered User
Theyre all winners
winner - winner - winner
winner - winner - winner
winner - winner - winner
winner - winner - winner
winner - winner
winner - winner
winner - winner
winner
Were gonna smoke canada on their home ice
Doubt it and a better chance Canada wins convincingly than US. Canada has the better centers for certain.
