PGT: 9/14 - Exhibition: Canada 3 Russia 2 (OT)

[Alwalys]

Lol guess the shoe fit too well there eh

 

[Magua]

Stamkos/Toews/Giroux have been invisible.

Not sure what you expect from him being given 12th forward minutes and playing 6 minutes a game at evens. The other two get twice his ice time and with better players. He does look like he has some rust at times, given his major hip surgery this offseason (plus he usually starts slowly anyway), but him being given line-mates with which he has no chemistry and given no ice time is probably not going to help the visibility department. Giroux is an excellent 2-way center who thrives controlling play....so they make him wing and give him other playmaking line-mates who turn him into more of an off-puck forechecking player. You can see how awkward it is for a dynamic puck carrier to never have the puck. And Babcock has shown basically no willingness to experiment much in these exhibition games.

Hell, if they want to use him like that at ES fine, but they also happen to have one of the most dynamic PP players in the entire league (over the last 5 years, the most PP points and 2nd best in points/60)....and until halfway through this game, they chose to not use him on either main unit as a regular, except for fill-in duties. He's also an excellent PK'er, but frankly I don't want to see him have to do that. It's sort of a catch-22 with Giroux being invisible.

 

[Crotaline]

Two penalties for too many men? Really? Canada practically opened the door for Russia to steal this one.

 

[Kshahdoo]

For jetlagged Russia it was a good game. I mean, look at Sweden.

 

[Kshahdoo]

I can't understand how Orlov is considered an NHL player, if he can't get the puck out of the zone under a heavy forecheck. The same about Marchenko.

I don't understand, how Kulikov is considered young and good, to me he isn't much better, than Orlov and Marchenko. Zaitsev looks like the only solid top4 defenseman on THIS level, Russia has. Markov still has something, but his age is obvious. And I don't understand hatred to Emelin, he's an ok NHL defenseman.

 

[Paxton Fettel]

Again, Russia was heavily outplayed by Canada for 90% of this game. I can't stress "heavily" enough. Heavily like in a 5-0 game.

 

[Macman]

I'm amazed that considering how quickly Canada played in Vancouver and Sochi and at the recent worlds that management would pick a team as slow as this. They're downright glacial compared to those teams. Giroux, Toews, Couture, Thornton, Stamkos and Perry need to pick it up soon. The Crosby line can't do it alone.

 

[Bear12Good]

Again, Russia was heavily outplayed by Canada for 90% of this game. I can't stress "heavily" enough. Heavily like in a 5-0 game.

Russia can win WCup?

 

[pedis]

I actually don't think stamkos has been invisible this tourney thus far and has actually had his chances and meshed pretty well with his line mates, what am I not seeing?

 

[Macman]

I actually don't think stamkos has been invisible this tourney thus far and has actually had his chances and meshed pretty well with his line mates, what am I not seeing?

Bad penalties. Turnovers. He's seems hesitant with the puck. His shot hasn't had the usual zip and he doesn't look as quick since the broken leg.

 

[pedis]

Bad penalties. Turnovers. He's seems hesitant with the puck. His shot hasn't had the usual zip and he doesn't look as quick since the broken leg.

Yes there were some bad penalties tonight but i didn't see his shot or his quickness not up to par with other team mates. Made that almost turnover on the pp but other than that I think everyone is exaggerating on him being bad.

 

[rj]

Felt like another version of the USA-Finland game Tuesday night, except Russia were more competitive with Canada than the Finns were. Russia were nowhere to be found the first 2 periods and then started playing in the 3rd. I do think there's some truth to what Levy and Melrose on ESPN said of Russia were resting players for when the real tournament starts.

Bobrovsky had an awesome game. Considering the differences in scoring chances between the two sides he was better than Price.

 

[Curufinwe]

Hell, if they want to use him like that at ES fine, but they also happen to have one of the most dynamic PP players in the entire league (over the last 5 years, the most PP points and 2nd best in points/60)....and until halfway through this game, they chose to not use him on either main unit as a regular, except for fill-in duties. He's also an excellent PK'er, but frankly I don't want to see him have to do that. It's sort of a catch-22 with Giroux being invisible.

I thought he was on the top PP unit with Crosby for most of the game.

http://ice.wch2016.com/boxscore?id=2016080111

 

[TheMule93]

Was datsyuk playing with a coyotes logo on his helmet?

 

[pezcore]

aside from the Crosby - Bergeron - Marchand line, I havent been impressed with lines so far. Granted is only exhibition and its the first games after the summer break, so not everyone is going full throttle.

Price was solid, better than vs the U.S., happy that he getting back to game shape.

 

[ViD]

That save by Price on Ovechkin on the power play in the first period was unreal

 

[Ziggyjoe21]

I was at the game. My thoughts:

-Bergeron is REALLY good. Can we get him on the Pens?
-As much as it hurts to say it, Marchand was really good too. I still hope Neal has another knee for him though
-Crosby was typical Crosby. Sid and Bergeron were the 2 best forwards, IMO.
-Shea Weber is a very aggressive and mean player. Is he always like that? Reminds me of Burns in the cup finals.
-Malkin was invisible. I think he forgot how to skate in 2015 and never relearned.
-Bobrovsky was incredible
-Canada is so much better than Russia it's almost not fair. Too bad they stopped trying halfway through.

This game was a Canadian NHL dream... boring conservative defensive hockey with limited scoring chances.

 

[puckluck33*]

Weber not being used properly by Babcock,he needs to be on the PP with his cannon of a shot in Montreal this year Weber will easily get between 25-30 goals.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Weber not being used properly by Babcock,he needs to be on the PP with his cannon of a shot in Montreal this year Weber will easily get between 25-30 goals.

Doesn't suit that 1 - 3 - 1 system. You need puck a handler, distributor.

They may change that to a more traditional pp system and Weber would be in there.

 

[Sensinitis]

Whats weird to me is that people fail to mention how much Ovie has slowed down. I know he scored, and his shot is still somewhat a threat (hard to be a threat when he barely moves or creates anything else), but he is really not that good of a hockey player anymore. Reminds me of Sheldon Souray on the Habs offensively. Outside of his canon shot, there isnt much to write home about.
Very disappointed, what an exciting player he used to be.

 

[Kshahdoo]

I was at the game. My thoughts:

-Bergeron is REALLY good. Can we get him on the Pens?
-As much as it hurts to say it, Marchand was really good too. I still hope Neal has another knee for him though
-Crosby was typical Crosby. Sid and Bergeron were the 2 best forwards, IMO.
-Shea Weber is a very aggressive and mean player. Is he always like that? Reminds me of Burns in the cup finals.
-Malkin was invisible. I think he forgot how to skate in 2015 and never relearned.
-Bobrovsky was incredible
-Canada is so much better than Russia it's almost not fair. Too bad they stopped trying halfway through.

This game was a Canadian NHL dream... boring conservative defensive hockey with limited scoring chances.

Well, you can say, that jet lagged Russia took 1,5 periods to get going, and then the game was more or less equal. And if Canada stopped trying, leading 1-0, it doesn't speak any good about the team.

 

[Frank the Tank]

If they play again, I'll take a game where Canada pretty much doubles the Russians in shots.

Bobrovsky stood on his head and kept the game close until Canada's penalty troubles in the early 3rd. Credit to the Russians for capitalizing on the 5-on-3 followed by some strong play to take the lead. It was good practice for Canada to comeback from behind and grab the win in OT.

 

[Yakushev72]

I'm amazed that considering how quickly Canada played in Vancouver and Sochi and at the recent worlds that management would pick a team as slow as this. They're downright glacial compared to those teams. Giroux, Toews, Couture, Thornton, Stamkos and Perry need to pick it up soon. The Crosby line can't do it alone.

The Canadian forwards are big and strong, but I also noticed that they seemed to lack speed. With the defensive weakness of Russia on display last night, the Canadians should have built an insurmountable lead early. As always, Crosby was the most dangerous man on the ice, and generated most of the good chances they had.

 

[winnipegger]

Weber not being used properly by Babcock,he needs to be on the PP with his cannon of a shot in Montreal this year Weber will easily get between 25-30 goals.

Want to bet?

 

[Yakushev72]

I can't understand how Orlov is considered an NHL player, if he can't get the puck out of the zone under a heavy forecheck. The same about Marchenko.

I don't understand, how Kulikov is considered young and good, to me he isn't much better, than Orlov and Marchenko. Zaitsev looks like the only solid top4 defenseman on THIS level, Russia has. Markov still has something, but his age is obvious. And I don't understand hatred to Emelin, he's an ok NHL defenseman.

Overall, Russia's defense can be described as small and slow. Those are fatal traits in a tournament where they will face a lot of big, quick and skilled forwards. There is no real cure for a lack of adequate size and skill at the blue line, but Znarok might consider paring down the defense to Emelin, Markov, Zaitsev, and Kulikov. Orlov is probably the best and fastest skater, but he's too small and makes too many blunders to cope with the kind of opposition he will face. Marchenko doesn't belong out there under any circumstances - I am mystified as to why he was picked.

Using 4 defensemen has been done before, and they may be better off with tired defensemen than with those who are repeatedly victimized.