U18: Hlinka Gretzky Cup 2024

[jj cale]

You're being too hard on the U.S. team. I thought they hung in well. It was 3-1 until late in the game.

I thought they played pretty well for what they had on hand.

 

[ORRFForever]

I thought they played pretty well for what they had on hand.

While I never worried Canada would lose, the U.S. certainly hung in there. It was a fun game to watch.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

1- Love USA

 

[ORRFForever]

1- Love USA

I missed the U.S. goal but it's been all Sweden since.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

I missed the U.S. goal but it's been all Sweden since.

Harenstam made a save but kicked the puck way off to his right to a US player who pretty much had an empty net.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

You're being too hard on the U.S. team. I thought they hung in well. It was 3-1 until late in the game.

But you were right that Canada didn’t even play their best and they still won by 4 goals. That game was winnable for a team that can contend with Canada. This US team can’t, even if they kept it close. Canada’s talent and depth was far too superior. Maybe Czechia gives Canada a game today.

 

[kudla]

is the swe-usa game streamed?

 

[jj cale]

But you were right that Canada didn’t even play their best and they still won by 4 goals. That game was winnable for a team that can contend with Canada. This US team can’t, even if they kept it close. Canada’s talent and depth was far too superior. Maybe Czechia gives Canada a game today.

The Czechs will give us a game, quite sure of that.

 

[McMozesmadness]

That was a nasty rush from Lansing

He's been great. Most consistently dangerous American forward this week

 

[jj cale]

is the swe-usa game streamed?

Yes

 

[Steve Kournianos]

USA unsurprisingly got routed against Canada. Can’t beat such a strong team with a team like this with no depth. Our Hlinka team always has a few good players, but like half the team isn’t even good enough for junior hockey yet. We field like a Slovakia level team for this tournament honestly. It is what it is.

Cameron was totally weak. We were somewhat competitive, but their goalie was so much better than ours. The difference between a goalie that’ll go top 2 rounds and one who won’t get picked. Might’ve actually been close with different finishing results (we also hit like three posts). And that’s all part of hockey. No one really stood out for us in the Canada game. Not many guys had their stock rise in this tournament. Whatever, onto winning what would be an undeserved bronze I guess.

This tournament field was extremely weak. Hoping we can get Russia back for next year and Finland ups their game. This US team did not deserve to be playing for a medal.

I get being disappointed when your country doesn't win but these kids were a C-team on paper and played their guts out. They gave up nine goals in four games until an empty-netter and a garbage-time PPG with 12 seconds left. Their 5v5 defense and goaltending were excellent the entire tournament until running out of gas against Canada's best. The Czechs and Canadians had their sloppiest games against them and turned pucks over like mad. Five games in six days and Hockey Canada/TSN f***ed them over by giving them an early afternoon start after a night game on 5 games in 6 days. The fact that they're hanging with Sweden today is a testament to the group. I'm not so sure they hurt their respective draft stocks in this tournament. They were an unheralded group and gave it a good run. My assessment will be very glowing of this team, and that's after being quite critical of many recent U.S. Hlinka entries.

 

[ORRFForever]

Sweden is doing everything in their power to lose this game.

 

[JackSlater]

I get being disappointed when your country doesn't win but these kids were a C-team on paper and played their guts out. They gave up nine goals in four games until an empty-netter and a garbage-time PPG with 12 seconds left. Their 5v5 defense and goaltending were excellent the entire tournament until running out of gas against Canada's best. The Czechs and Canadians had their sloppiest games against them and turned pucks over like mad. Five games in six days and Hockey Canada/TSN f***ed them over by giving them an early afternoon start after a night game on 5 games in 6 days. The fact that they're hanging with Sweden today is a testament to the group. I'm not so sure they hurt their respective draft stocks in this tournament. They were an unheralded group and gave it a good run. My assessment will be very glowing of this team, and that's after being quite critical of many recent U.S. Hlinka entries.

Your tinfoil hat Hockey Canada/TSN posts make you look ridiculous. Looking forward to the next edition come WJC time. I suppose the evil coalition (Hockey Canada, TSN, the IIHF) should have placed the bronze game after the gold medal game so that USA could be better rested for a tournament it can't be bothered to even try to win.

 

[jj cale]

I get being disappointed when your country doesn't win but these kids were a C-team on paper and played their guts out. They gave up nine goals in four games until an empty-netter and a garbage-time PPG with 12 seconds left. Their 5v5 defense and goaltending were excellent the entire tournament until running out of gas against Canada's best. The Czechs and Canadians had their sloppiest games against them and turned pucks over like mad. Five games in six days and Hockey Canada/TSN f***ed them over by giving them an early afternoon start after a night game on 5 games in 6 days. The fact that they're hanging with Sweden today is a testament to the group. I'm not so sure they hurt their respective draft stocks in this tournament. They were an unheralded group and gave it a good run. My assessment will be very glowing of this team, and that's after being quite critical of many recent U.S. Hlinka entries.

I've seen this act from you before.

Grow up.

 

[jtechkid]

the kid murphy is usa best dmen - playing the most but he’s 5’8 so nobody cares lol but he’s great player -

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

Swedes takes bronze, 6-3 win.

 

[czechcanadian]

Sweden has a Novotny??

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

I've seen this act from you before.

Grow up.

Canada can complain that Czechia has more rest than them. I hope Canada doesn't run out of gas.

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

Sweden has a Novotny??

Yes, late add after Skarby got injured. Strong game vs USA.

 

[jj cale]

Cabada can complain that Czechia has more rest than them. I hope Canada doesn't run out of gas.

I am much more concerned with trying to combat guys like Benak, Pavlik and Novotny along with the rest of what they present.

They come into this game on a roll and confident.........................and the confidence is warranted.


People talk about Mckenna and how many points he has or doesn't as but I could care less if he gets 6 or 60, his job is simply to help the team win games, nothing more nothing less. He's shown some encouraging signs of good defense and he's a skilled guy. He's one of the guys skilled enough to maybe make life difficult for guys like benak etc if he understands it's not all about scoring points but just doing the things to help your team in games in whatever manner.

Keep focus and play sound hockey.

 

[kudla]

Sweden has a Novotny??

slovak father

 

[Wooren]

Really pleased that our younger sides now regularly are medal contenders at these types of tournaments. No lucky victories and dodgy ref decisions, the team deserves to be in the final. Of course Canada are favourites in the gold medal game but I consider the tournament a real success already for us no matter what happens in the final game.

The odd thing is how unexpected this was. Starting with the 03-born generation led by Jiricek and Svozil, they were hardly average throughout U16 till U18, then something switched and suddenly they were able to go head to head with the very best, capturing a well deserved silver medal in the process. Since then, every age group has had some success of some sort.

Is this here to stay? I don't know, but I hope it is.

 

[TheCrease]

USA unsurprisingly got routed against Canada. Can’t beat such a strong team with a team like this with no depth. Our Hlinka team always has a few good players, but like half the team isn’t even good enough for junior hockey yet. We field like a Slovakia level team for this tournament honestly. It is what it is.

Cameron was totally weak. We were somewhat competitive, but their goalie was so much better than ours. The difference between a goalie that’ll go top 2 rounds and one who won’t get picked. Might’ve actually been close with different finishing results (we also hit like three posts). And that’s all part of hockey. No one really stood out for us in the Canada game. Not many guys had their stock rise in this tournament. Whatever, onto winning what would be an undeserved bronze I guess.

This tournament field was extremely weak. Hoping we can get Russia back for next year and Finland ups their game. This US team did not deserve to be playing for a medal.

Agreed. This USA team was tough to watch. Had no chance of winning.

It seems like they take 4-5 guys with "first round potential" and the rest of them are big or nepotism babies. They need to scrap this model.

 

[FLAMESFAN]

Time for McKenna to step up

 

[macbowes]

Nice to see some people in the stands, it's been a ghost town for every other game.