GDT: Pre-tournament • Dec. 20 • Canada vs. Czech Republic

[jacks*]

There's no point for Virtanen to play on the edge in pre tournament games....he'll step it up in the tournament

Lets hope he can.I mean if he's not/can't be playing on the edge in per-tournament games how do we know he can/will step up his game during the tournament?
Maybe what we are seeing is all he can give.

 

[Icebreakers]

Lets hope he can.I mean if he's not/can't be playing on the edge in per-tournament games how do we know he can/will step up his game during the tournament?
Maybe what we are seeing is all he can give.

Because pre tournament games dont matter, why would you risk injury for no reason. You dont see people playing with this kind of intensity in pre season games or even regular season games. Everyone has that extra gear. Going all out against Belarus or Czech who arent even top 5 teams in this tournament is dumb.

 

[weems]

Pretty amazing how many people said Barzal is better than Zacha based on their production in juniors. Barzal should be the 13th forward IMO. Zacha, on the other hand, is a beast, looked great in this game. Easily the Czechs best player.

Zacha definitely had a strong game and was very noticeable.

He's now had 2 very good games against Canada (this one and last season in the U18's).

Everytime I watch him he keeps getting better and his supposed weakness's show up less and less.

Kid is going to be one heck of a pro.

 

[RSeen]

Pretty amazing how some people use one pre-tournament game as evidence to support their (homer) opinions that Zacha is better than Barzal. I liked Barzal better at the draft, and I still like him more now. One game doesn't change ****. \

It is not only based on one game, but this game supports my opinion. I thought Zacha was better even before the draft when this was debated on Devils boards.

 

[nelsojc]

Zacha was invisible for the most part...he's also an idiot he pushed the ref at the end of the game

 

[RSeen]

Zacha was invisible for the most part...he's also an idiot he pushed the ref at the end of the game

How was he invisible? He must have had at least 4 chances to score. He was the biggest threat for the Czechs. And yeah he was the idiot that pushed the linesman but that doesn't mean he wasn't a factor in the game.

 

[D0ctorCool]

Lets hope he can.I mean if he's not/can't be playing on the edge in per-tournament games how do we know he can/will step up his game during the tournament?
Maybe what we are seeing is all he can give.

As a Canuck fan I will say this much... Virtanen may have his flaws... But you do not have to worry about whether he will play on the edge or not. He's an angry, angry man on the ice and I think he's going to hurt some people before the tournament ends.

 

[MackAttack26]

It is not only based on one game, but this game supports my opinion. I thought Zacha was better even before the draft when this was debated on Devils boards.

I mean that's great...but you saying stuff like it's "Pretty amazing that most people had Barzal over Zacha because of their production in juniors" (Essentially acting like those people have been proven wrong) seems quite ignorant .

 

[sda]

Not gonna praise him at all, but I watched both games, and focused on JV every shift.

And he was no worse then the rest of the players minus a few, the problem I have with JV is that he is not crashing and banging, and is playing way to much in the perimeter, in the third he drove the net, that's what he HAS to do to be successful.

His defensive game has come a long way, but overall I have been unimpressed with him as a whole.

Calling him a 3rd liner, and terrible tho like that poster was complete ********, and is just looking to start drama.

oh and also, please don't assume I am some big virtanen supporter, I was screaming for Nylander when we were drafting.

Just remember that king joffrey is not actually a leaf fan

 

[PKSpecialist]

Will Zacha be suspended? I mean rule 116 of the IIHF handbook clearly states that any contact with an official is a Match penalty, so I'm assuming it will at least be looked at? I can't find a box score of the game to even see if he was assessed the match penalty(rule is pretty clear though, so he should have).

 

[czechcanadian]

Will Zacha be suspended? I mean rule 116 of the IIHF handbook clearly states that any contact with an official is a Match penalty, so I'm assuming it will at least be looked at? I can't find a box score of the game to even see if he was assessed the match penalty(rule is pretty clear though, so he should have).

Yeah he got suspended for one game. Thankfully it's only against Denmark in an exhibition.

 

[KurtSloan]

Will Zacha be suspended? I mean rule 116 of the IIHF handbook clearly states that any contact with an official is a Match penalty, so I'm assuming it will at least be looked at? I can't find a box score of the game to even see if he was assessed the match penalty(rule is pretty clear though, so he should have).

He won't play the Tuesday's match against Denmark.

 

[KurtSloan]

Yeah he got suspended for one game. Thankfully it's only against Denmark in an exhibition.

you was first..

 

[Tretyak 20]

From a Devils fan perspective it sounds like a great game. Blackwood and Zacha apparently two of the best players on the ice and Quenneville still looking like a possibility for the final roster. Can't complain about that!

 

[Scotty B]

Will Zacha be suspended? I mean rule 116 of the IIHF handbook clearly states that any contact with an official is a Match penalty, so I'm assuming it will at least be looked at? I can't find a box score of the game to even see if he was assessed the match penalty(rule is pretty clear though, so he should have).

Sometimes IIHF officials turn a blind eye, even when they shouldn't. Remember when Rick Nash blatantly hooked a ref at the World Championships? No penalty and/or suspension resulted...