U18: GDT: Hlinka Gretzky Cup Gold Medal and Bronze Medal Games

[Marc the Habs Fan]

Sick steal, sick speed, sick patience by Spence.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

So I am often an underdog guy, but the level of favouritism by these refs is a disgrace. Makes me want Canada to win, which I rarely do in these tournaments.

It was disgraceful. They should never let the home country's refs referee a final. What an idiotic idea.

 

[ORRFForever]

That was truly the dullest 3 on 3 OT I've ever seen. I was actually bored.

Amazing shot to win it. I knew once Czechia did not score on their 4 on 3, Canada would win.

Sorry to @Czechboy. Once, again, your country deserves better.

 

[Dominance]

Sick steal, sick speed, sick patience by Spence.

He’s done it all tournament. We could be looking at three or even four of the 2025 top-10 (if not top-5) in Misa, Spence, Martone, and McQueen.

 

[King Makar19]

Ice was a jome
Crooked refs

Looked like a C.Tier tourney

 

[Junohockeyfan]

The Czech coach was consoling the refs after the loss. You don't see that often.

 

[Czechboy]

Before I say anything else...

One of the refs was from

Thunder Bay...
Which is in Ontario...
Which is a province...
In Canada

 

[ORRFForever]

Ice was a jome
Crooked refs

Looked like a C.Tier tourney

I agree. It needs an upgrade.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

Before I say anything else...

One of the refs was from

Thunder Bay...
Which is in Ontario...
Which is a province...
In Canada

Did you feel the game was called evenly?

 

[ORRFForever]

Before I say anything else...

One of the refs was from

Thunder Bay...
Which is in Ontario...
Which is a province...
In Canada

The penalty in O.T. HAD to be called because it led to a breakaway - the refs had NO choice but to call it.

I only saw the 1st period and the O.T. Everything looked fine to me.

 

[Czechboy]

The entire OT I kept thinking Kos was taking too many risks (him and galvas).. he would either be a hero or a zero. Sure enough.. zero. I do admire that he was going for it and his Moxy though.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

I agree. It needs an upgrade.

Cheap tournament. They are even too cheap to pay someone to run the website. I wonder how much money they rake in for this tourney?

 

[ORRFForever]

He’s done it all tournament. We could be looking at three or even four of the 2025 top-10 (if not top-5) in Misa, Spence, Martone, and McQueen.

 

[Czechboy]

Congrats Canada... You always pull through when it counts! Gorgeous steal and goal to win. I think this win gives you 80 percent of the gold's in this history of this tourney. Amazing. You are also on three U20s in a row.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

The penalty in O.T. HAD to be called because it led to a breakaway - the refs had NO choice but to call it.

I only saw the 1st period and the O.T. Everything looked fine to me.

They had a choice. They ignored a penalty on the Czechs right before that that could have led to a goal. If you don't call the 1st you MUST ignore the 2nd one.

 

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

MALCOM SPENCE!

What a team!

 

[ORRFForever]

It amazing...

OT's were 4 on 4 (in the NHL - IIRC) but teams found a way to slow everything down and play defensive hockey - and it got boring.

OT's are now 3 on 3 and they've done the same thing - found a way to defend to the point where it gets SLOW.

Again, that 3 on 3 was a snoozer.

They had a choice. They ignored a penalty on the Czechs right before that that could have led to a goal. If you don't call the 1st you MUST ignore the 2nd one.

That's true but the first one did not lead to a breakaway.

They should have just halted the play and had a faceoff.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

I had no issue with the calls on Canada. I had issue with the non-calls on the Czechs. It wasn't called evenly in my opinion.

Putting that aside, the Czech goalie was brilliant. If not for him, the score could have been 7-2.

 

[ORRFForever]

Canada dominated the O.T. so the right team won.

Kudos to Czechia. They had a great tournament.

 

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

It amazing...

OT's were 4 on 4 (in the NHL - IIRC) but teams found a way to slow everything down and play defensive hockey - and it got boring.

OT's are now 3 on 3 and they've done the same thing - found a way to defend to the point where it gets SLOW.

Again, that 3 on 3 was a snoozer.

and people want 3 on 3 for the stanley cup playoffs

 

[ORRFForever]

I had no issue with the calls on Canada. I had issue with the non-calls on the Czechs. It wasn't called evenly in my opinion.

Putting that aside, the Czech goalie was brilliant. If not for him, the score could have been 7-2.

All true.

 

[karlstegger]

Congrats Canada... You always pull through when it counts! Gorgeous steal and goal to win. I think this win gives you 80 percent of the gold's in this history of this tourney. Amazing. You are also on three U20s in a row.

Isn't is "just" two U20 in a row?

 

[ORRFForever]

and people want 3 on 3 for the stanley cup playoffs

But how the heck are they slowing down 3 on 3? They're killing it. At the World Juniors, without Bedard's team deke, the game against Slovakia(?) might still be going on.

It's like they say, lesser teams will ALWAYS find a way to defend and smother - even 3 on 3.

 

[Czechboy]

It was disgraceful. They should never let the home country's refs referee a final. What an idiotic idea.

But best on bests in Canada with Canadian refs are okay? Right?

Or 80 percent of world Juniors in Canada or a border town.

Or the fact that this tourney used to only be in Czech and Slovakia and the name Gretzky was added to it and it it is now split between Canada and Czech and Slovakia.


Also... One of the refs was Canadian. One was Czech. Not sure how you are missing that detail. No idea where the third ref was from... I'm guessing not Czech though...

It was a glorious final... Almost went to double OT
.. you won gold and have done nothing but complain.

Also... Find me one NHL playoff thread where both fanbase aren't bitching about the refs. Or world Junior thread. Or world championships thread.

 

[Old Man Jags]

Aw well. It hurts given how close it was, but overall the better team won so fair enough! Congratulations to the gold medalists.