GDT: Quarter Finals: Canada vs Czechia; Jan. 2, 2025; 19:30 EST

[TheNumber4]

Those plays exist, for sure, but that isn’t always the case. And that last one was a perfect example - hitter used an extra wide stance to make sure he’d not get walked, mainly/only ended up making contact with one of the legs. That’s, at least, a trip, and the onus for that is on the hitter.

Ain't no one playing hockey making turns at speed with their legs straight up and down though. If players are targeting body checks and trying to land them, those legs are going to be spread to get the edge work needed to land the body check. There needs to be a distinction between pivots and turns and deliberate kneeing. Since there is none, smart coaches and players realize Refs can't tell the difference and they can game this for "kneeing" penalties.

 

[Oilslick941611]

The tournament has definitely lost some luster over the years.

What were the prices like this year? I think the tournament has lost some of its charm along the way as the ticket prices soared and the moved more and more into the big cities. It feels too corporate over the last decade or so.

honestly i dont know what the prices for tickets were, i never bothered to look.

 

[DuklaNation]

Those plays exist, for sure, but that isn’t always the case. And that last one was a perfect example - hitter used an extra wide stance to make sure he’d not get walked, mainly/only ended up making contact with one of the legs. That’s, at least, a trip, and the onus for that is on the hitter.

Gimme a break. If you believe this crap, they should eliminate ALL hitting.

 

[funky]

NHL goalies let in bad goals too. It was a bad goal, imo. Either way, it's like 4GA on 25 shots. It's not good night, any way you want to slice it. He wasn't good against USA either. You simply can't win with sub .900 goaltending. Again, I'm not saying he's the reason they lost. He was their best player all tournament. I'm just saying that bar isn't exactly high. Lmao

Last 2 goals were cookie cutter well placed one timers. Second last goal his Dman threw it in the net. Thought he could have had the first one as he came across that got tipped tweeners but still a high chance play by Czechia

 

[_habsfan9]

It will be the death of this tournament if Canadians lose interest.

we wont, humans like to gawk at crash scenes

 

[D Wakaluk]

Canadian kids too used to knee/cross-check/elbow their way to victory?

They oughta change the rules so they have a chance

Dave said he can't go tell the team they can't be dirty, it wont work

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

It will be the death of this tournament if Canadians lose interest.

Probably the least likely occurrence imaginable outside of an asteroid colliding with us.

 

[LaPlante94]

I explained it several times already but I'll do it one last time for you:

There was no call because it was an accident. If you watch it again you'll see that McKenna started falling on his own. Which is the reason why there was head contact. There's no way to anticipate your opponent suddenly falling.

Hmmm but if a player going for a hit doesn't anticipate their opponent to jump out of the way last second and then getting hit in the leg area doesn't make it an accident as well? Contact to the head is contact to the head and should be a penalty when a player hits another player in the head in any manner. Isn't that part of the IIHF rules regarding head contact? Gotta be able to control your elbow a little better there don't you think?

 

[BTO]

We can whine about the reffing all we like. It's always called this way in the international game. We should have known.

And the fact is we did not score enough. We made the reffing relevant and that's on us. Boys fought hard. The Hockey Canada dudes who selected this group should be canned tonight.

Yeah? Then why was there no call on the elbow to the back of McKenna’s head? Yeah, he turned and yeah he was low, but the Czechia guys were constantly jumping out of the way of hits and getting the calls.

 

[Lawzy]

That should tell you all you need to know about Dave Cameron

Everything I know about Dave Cameron is against my will.

 

[Lou Sassole]

yup and with 3 100 point scorers sitting at home not on the team you place the blame squarely on architects of the team.

How many even strength goals did they score in the entire tournament?

 

[lancepitlick]

The tournament has definitely lost some luster over the years.

What were the prices like this year? I think the tournament has lost some of its charm along the way as the ticket prices soared and the moved more and more into the big cities. It feels too corporate over the last decade or so.

I remember going to USA Czechs for like $15 back in '08 or whatever. Pretty full big arena (18,000). Went to Czech-Sui at small arena (5000) and it is $55 and there were as many scouts as fans. Zero atmosphere.

Hockey in general has priced itself out in Canada and the game has changed a lot. New immigrants do not care, at all.

 

[Mehar]

We can whine about the reffing all we like. It's always called this way in the international game. We should have known.

And the fact is we did not score enough. We made the reffing relevant and that's on us. Boys fought hard. The Hockey Canada dudes who selected this group should be canned tonight.

Took he words out of my mouth. No point in blaming the refs, when the calls has been this way in international hockey. Hockey Canada management sealed their fate with the horrible roster they constructed. The amount of talented offensive players not invited or selected to this team was laughable. Hockey Canada dinosaurs wanted "Grit" over players that could actually help to put the puck in the net. One of the Worst performance by Team Canada, right next to the disastrous 1998 Team.

 

[Three On Zero]

I explained it several times already but I'll do it one last time for you:

There was no call because it was an accident. If you watch it again you'll see that McKenna started falling on his own. Which is the reason why there was head contact. There's no way to anticipate your opponent suddenly falling.

Was a good non call

 

[BTO]

The refs didn’t throw the puck into the net.

Hence the “bad tournament” for Team Canada.

 

[BMN]

Hopefully this is a learning lesson to Hockey Canada to not galaxy brain the roster selection. Pick your most talented players ...

You can skip 95% of this thread because this is the story of Canada's run in the tournament.

Good work by the Czechs getting into the game right away. Don't sleep and maybe you'll get slept on...

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

No, let him go on please, i never want to forget this tournament.

You guys deserve legitimate coaching. I feel bad for those Canadian players. Losing the biggest game of their lives in front of 20k home fans, feeling like you let your country down. 17-19 is really young to have to deal with that sort of thing.

 

[DackellDuck]

The tournament has definitely lost some luster over the years.

What were the prices like this year? I think the tournament has lost some of its charm along the way as the ticket prices soared and they moved more and more into the big cities. It feels too corporate over the last decade or so.

Prices for Canada games were outrageous. Plus the team really had zero charisma. No one to get excited about going to watch. McKenna could be that guy next year, but he’s not there now. Cowen, Yager, Bonk..? C’mon now.

They should try putting together a team that can score and is fun to watch next year. And please get rid of Voldemort behind the bench.

Not having Yakemchuk in Ottawa was a miss as well.

 

[TheNumber4]

No "Head Scout" hired by Team Canada due to budget constraints after the WJC Scandal by the way. And it showed.

 

[Oilslick941611]

How many even strength goals did they score in the entire tournament?

It doesn't matter, Hockey Canada clearly wanted 4 3rd lines for this tournament and it backfired.

 

[King'sPawn]

George should have had that last one, which sucks.

There was a missed elbow right before the kneeing call. It's unfortunate, but refs are human, and calls will be missed. But Canada's penalties were more blatant.

Either way, it wasn't a well-constructed team. Too much emphasis on grinding and defense; some high-end talent was passed on.

 

[PanniniClaus]

It was a massive hit when it was in Halifax the whole city was buzzing

It should always be in non NHL cities. That's where the buzz is.

 

[wmupreds]

Crazy how unhinged canadians get about 18 year olds losing a game

 

[Hinterland]

I don't even think it was a selection issue for Canada. They probably could have selected better players or a better mix of players but a Canadian team is never gonna be bad, no matter the selection.

The problem was that they weren't prepared. Czechia came to play...Canada only started playing when it was almost too late already. They proved they're good enough to play in the later parts of the game but when they finally started playing their margin for error was already used up and the Gibson penalty was too much. Discipline has been a major problem for them all tournament long though which is surprising. You don't see that very often with Canadian teams.

 

[Vipers31]

I disagree. Both kneeing penalties the only reason knee contact was even made was the Czech players trying to jump out of the way of the hit. This isn’t a poke your knee out to take the guy down situation.

They are allowed to jump out, and they were only hit because the leg was stuck out. Not in response to the attempted evasion, not in a dirty way IMO, but clearly to augment the space the other guy would have to evade beyond your torso if/when that misses.