GDT: Quarterfinal • Finland vs. Canada • Part V

[Porvari]

The whole team looked like they were playing drunk.

Make that two teams.

 

[Satan]

Jake Virtanen: "Personally, I think the refs were a little bit on their side, that's just how I think"


Personally, I think Jake Virtanen was a little bit on their side, that's just how I think

 

[llwyd]

Well, poor guy - I don't really envy Canadian elite juniors as the whole nation seems to lose all proportion with their criticisms. In that sense it is your game: even in Finland which is probably the country after Canada where hockey matters most, it's not nearly that bad for junior players. These are all very talented players but at the same time just young kids who can lose their cool in tight and all-important games. It's only sport.

 

[psycho_dad*]

This is the first time I can remember Finland actually being offensively better than Canada. Usually we excel in defense and goaltending, today defense was **** and Vehvilainen was horrible.

Once Vehvilainen was pulled, I told my canadian friends at a sports bar in canada that "you guys are done".

Great to finally see some top level Finnish prospects, Barkov was an obvious star but before and after him we haven't seen this level forwards.

 

[Pepper]

This was probably the sloppiest game ever in terms of D/G among the "big 6" teams in WJC.

This was a classic "shoot-me-dead" game for both coaches, so many mistakes at both ends.

It was a crapshoot all along, Finland had some more luck tonight.

Canada played well under their potential the whole tournament and to me it was 90% a coaching thing because we all know the talent TC has.

Lowry seemed paralyzed, unable to make the necessary changes.

9/10 times Canada would have won after getting 2-0 lead if TC had played like a normal TC.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

Jake Virtanen: "Personally, I think the refs were a little bit on their side, that's just how I think"


Personally, I think Jake Virtanen was a little bit on their side, that's just how I think

Well, he does have a Finnish surname soooooooo...........

 

[psycho_dad*]

Personally, Jake, I have to point out that the last 3 penalties Finland got (which Canada used to score 2 goals) were absolutely ridiculous and should not have been called.

 

[thepuckmonster]

Well, poor guy - I don't really envy Canadian elite juniors as the whole nation seems to lose all proportion with their criticisms. In that sense it is your game: even in Finland which is probably the country after Canada where hockey matters most, it's not nearly that bad for junior players. These are all very talented players but at the same time just young kids who can lose their cool in tight and all-important games. It's only sport.

Well said. Canadians are notoriously hard on these kids and expect them to be like grown adult players and play that way, it's often forgotten that the majority of these guys aren't even (or are just barely) legal adults in this country.

 

[llwyd]

9/10 times Canada would have won after getting 2-0 lead if TC had played like a normal TC.

And if TF would have played like a normal TF, it would have been 0-0 after the first period...

 

[Atomos2]

Biggest mistake was not benching Virtanen after his first penalty. If Lowry had a backbone, he wouldve done it.

 

[HerculePoirot]

I am willing to put money on the fact that no matter what Jim Benning wants means jack **** to Hockey Canada. They wanted Virtanen there as part of the team and likely told Benning they planned to use him in all situations as a returning player. GMJB has no ties or influence on whatever stupid things Hockey Canada does

I'm with you and that makes sense and I hope an NHL GM does mean jack to a NT. But it might affect a coach with NHL aspirations. Hopefully that wasn't the case and it was misinformation.

 

[NyQuil]

Not excusing JV but the initial penalty was on the Finn as soon as the first penalty on JV was called shouldn't the whistle have blown. Why was the Finn allowed to skate the length of the ice resulting in the next penalty since they had the first penalty?

Didn't the Finns have possession?

They don't call the play until Canada ends up with the puck.

You can keep racking up penalties while you're waiting to get possession.

Happens in the NHL too but it's pretty rare.

 

[NyQuil]

Personally, Jake, I have to point out that the last 3 penalties Finland got (which Canada used to score 2 goals) were absolutely ridiculous and should not have been called.

I thought the interference was pretty clear.

The puck was nowhere around and Stephens was checked by the Finn as he tried to skate past him.

The tripping call was not a good call.

 

[thepuckmonster]

I'm with you and that makes sense and I hope an NHL GM does mean jack to a NT. But it might affect a coach with NHL aspirations. Hopefully that wasn't the case and it was misinformation.

If Lowry is concerned with what Jim Benning wants because it may or may not affect his chances as an NHL coach down the line he's being asinine. Perhaps if this is the case he should have thought more about coaching a team well because that probably has more bearing on his future than anything else.

Not that I believe it but just for discussion sake.

 

[HerculePoirot]

If Lowry is concerned with what Jim Benning wants because it may or may not affect his chances as an NHL coach down the line he's being asinine. Perhaps if this is the case he should have thought more about coaching a team well because that probably has more bearing on his future than anything else.

Not that I believe it but just for discussion sake.

Agreed. And yes, it's a huge reach and should be considered as such.

 

[Draw Me a McElephant]

That was probably the biggest comedy of errors I've ever seen at this level. Horrible goaltending, terrible defence and some of the dumbest, most undisciplined penalties ever. Wildly entertaining though in a 3 stooges on ice kind of way. Hopefully Finland can tighten up on the back end and win the tournament at home. The Swedes will crush them if they play like they did today.

 

[canswetoxic]

both team were sloppy

PP goal wins the game.

 

[Tripod]

Biggest mistake was not benching Virtanen after his first penalty. If Lowry had a backbone, he wouldve done it.

No...he should have benched his ass in the earlier games when he played like garbage.

Lowry did not hold anyone accountable off bad play, and did not reward guys for good play. He chose to win or lose with "his favorites", and he cost Canada a possible medal.

How many posters on here were calling for Konecny to get more icetime? Yet in every game, his icetime diminished as games went along and the same old guys got double shifted. Yet he created chances, had hits, and was always skating hard.

Instead, Lowry chose to let his favorite guys have 3 minute shifts.

 

[psycho_dad*]

I thought the interference was pretty clear.

The puck was nowhere around and Stephens was checked by the Finn as he tried to skate past him.

The tripping call was not a good call.

The Finnish skater can choose his skating lane, which he did. Perfectly fine according to the rules. If the Canadian would have switched lanes again and the Finn would have blocked that, THEN it would be a penalty.

 

[NyQuil]

The Finnish skater can choose his skating lane, which he did. Perfectly fine according to the rules. If the Canadian would have switched lanes again and the Finn would have blocked that, THEN it would be a penalty.

Upon seeing the replay, he moved to intercept Stephens path.

Agree to disagree I guess.

 

[HerculePoirot]

No...he should have benched his ass in the earlier games when he played like garbage.

Lowry did not hold anyone accountable off bad play, and did not reward guys for good play. He chose to win or lose with "his favorites", and he cost Canada a possible medal.

How many posters on here were calling for Konecny to get more icetime? Yet in every game, his icetime diminished as games went along and the same old guys got double shifted. Yet he created chances, had hits, and was always skating hard.

Instead, Lowry chose to let his favorite guys have 3 minute shifts.

Yes, in-game adjustments should have been more frequent and based on play and not on merit or by playing favorites / set-in-stone lines.

 

[thepuckmonster]

Yes, in-game adjustments should have been more frequent and based on play and not on merit or by playing favorites / set-in-stone lines.

It's not even like the lines were set in stone because he hadn't figured out a single cohesive line in the RR either.

Which makes his inability to adjust even more baffling. It's not like he was being hesitant to break up a line that had shown anything in previous games.

 

[Atomos2]

No...he should have benched his ass in the earlier games when he played like garbage.

Lowry did not hold anyone accountable off bad play, and did not reward guys for good play. He chose to win or lose with "his favorites", and he cost Canada a possible medal.

How many posters on here were calling for Konecny to get more icetime? Yet in every game, his icetime diminished as games went along and the same old guys got double shifted. Yet he created chances, had hits, and was always skating hard.

Instead, Lowry chose to let his favorite guys have 3 minute shifts.

I honestly cant believe Konecny wasnt out the in the final minutes of the game. It was a ****ing joke. Point has done nothing this whole tournament and Konecny is most likely the captain of the next world junior team. Lowry just has know understanding on how to win a game. Such a terrible coach. Virtanen and Lowry deserve each other.

 

[psycho_dad*]

That was probably the biggest comedy of errors I've ever seen at this level. Horrible goaltending, terrible defence and some of the dumbest, most undisciplined penalties ever. Wildly entertaining though in a 3 stooges on ice kind of way. Hopefully Finland can tighten up on the back end and win the tournament at home. The Swedes will crush them if they play like they did today.

Absolutely agree. Neither of these teams would beat Sweden if the defense was that level.

Finland has the firepower, but unless that horrible defense becomes rock solid over night, they don't have a chance. And I'm a Finn.

 

[Del Preston]

Jake Virtanen: "Personally, I think the refs were a little bit on their side, that's just how I think"


Personally, I think Jake Virtanen was a little bit on their side, that's just how I think

I thought it was a joke at first but he actually said that. Marner also said he meant to grab the Finnish player but "it ended up being a punch."

I hated watching this team so I don't feel bad about the loss. Felt the same in 2013 after watching Scheifele dive the entire tournament. Good luck to Finland.