GDT: Quarterfinal • Finland vs. Canada • Part IV

[Incognito]

It's heartening and disheartening at the same time to know that despite being possibly the worst Team Canada ever sent to the WJC, this team could have just as easily come out on top today had they not pissed the game away with a lack of discipline.

 

[Swervin81]

Losing to Switzerland in the Olympics is something I'll never live down.

To be fair, that tournament in general (especially that loss).. it exposed a massive problem with the selection committee. Everyone got **** canned and who knows if we win the next 2 golds without that disaster.

 

[ViD]

Poor roster that was poorly coached. Canada just wasn't a good team this year.

Funny the hate Canada gets though. A lot of people definitely salty about the countries success in international hockey over the years.

Maybe next year we will send our women's team to give em a what for.

well there certainly hasn't been too much success at WJC for Canada in the last few years

 

[LemurFromTheId]

Very exciting game, but not a very good game. Too many goals scored in both ends because of defensive mistakes and bad goaltending instead of creative offensive play.

Just my opinion, of course - many will disagree.

 

[Divine]

How many points did Marner and Strome end up with?

Both had 4G-2A - 6P.

 

[CanadienShark]

Lowry created a "me" attitude in a "we" tournament.

Double shifted favorites.
Had guys playing 2-3 minute shifts.
Did not reward players playing well.
Never benched guys who were un-disciplined.
Never benched guys playing bad.

When Canada rolled 4 lines and 3 pairings, we looked fast and good. As soon as he double shifted his favorites or let them gave 2 minute shifts, they looked awful. And today, his favorites looked good at times, and lost us the game at other times.

Agreed. Lowry did an abysmal job.

That said, Finland has a really, really good team so I'm not going to blame coaching for the loss.

 

[BobDobolina]

Hockey is Finland's game

 

[EK65IsAGod]

I'll give you sample size. 5+10 in five games, 3 against yours

Nice 5 game sample size, you sure proved a point.

 

[SladeWilson23]

Why should we adapt and not just start our own tournament with legit reffing?

I never understand this thinking from international apologists like Ferraro.

If the ref is crap then it should be changed especially when the IIHF would be nothing without Canada and we would be just fine if we started a new, non-corrupt organization.

Today the Perlini, 3 Virtanen calls and the Marner calls were all horsecrap calls. The Hicketts call was a joke because there is no way they should be playing in a joke of rink with that glass but not the refs fault.

The Finns won pretty much 100% to PP goals scored on those calls. The Finns didn't make good plays, didn't force Canada into mistakes didn't play better in any way.

Those calls changed the game and the outcome of the game and saying "they should adapt to the crappy, biased reffing" seems moronic to me. There shouldn't be crappy and biased reffing to start with if this is supposed to be a world Class organization.

You can't be serious.

 

[carlweezer*]

Love the Virtanen hate !! It fuels a kid like this.

He will be even more hated in the NHL when he is actually allowed to mack truck some of these midget prospects.

 

[Finnsane]

USA since that would be a game that all 3 top picks next summer will play.

Make that top 4 with the way Juolevi is playing

 

[MarkovsKnee]

This was an awesome game. The 3rd period the crowd was going absolutely nuts. I put the speakers on loud for this one. Great crowd.

It's disappointing for Canada. So many stupid penalties. Goaltending wasn't great, but then neither was Finland's. Hard to know how any of these kids will do in the NHL. Some good players, but no one dynamic.

Finland's trio of Laine, Puljujarvi, Juolevi were outstanding. Just didn't see any Canadian equivalents.

It's been a long time since I've seen a Canadian jr team lose their composure like this one did.

 

[Divine]

Love the Virtanen hate !! It fuels a kid like this.

He reads HfBoards?

If that's true, I think this guy has bigger problems than his play on the ice...

 

[Brewsky]

Losing to Switzerland in the Olympics is something I'll never live down.

Losing to Finland in the Quarterfinals of the WJC is no big deal, especially after that group stage performance.

I can't speak for Virtanen or Blackwood.

Losing to Swiss? I barely remember it probably because of the back to back gold medals obstructing my eyesight.

 

[paragon]

Ref had his arm up FAR before he could've seen blood.

His hand was up, because we took a holding penalty.

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

Barzal,Gauthier and Konecny showed as much with a quarter of the opportunity. That's why Canada was in this sh**** situation to begin with. It was the Strome and Marner show and then everyone else.

Barzal showed as much flash as Marner without the turnovers and yet never played.

Barzal had his moments early on in the tournament, but he looked quite slow and ineffective in the latter part, especially in today's game. IMO ofcourse

There wasn't a real standout on this team. Marner looked great today and perhaps he'd carry that on vs Sweden and USA. Oh well..

 

[Lennu32]

It almost feels like a movie, where Virtanen will be revealed as a Finn in an epic plot twist.

Well, he does have a Finnish Lion-tattoo...

 

[Canadian Finn]

He reads HfBoards?

No, maybe not.

But I bet he reads social media....and it all points to him (whether right or wrong).

 

[dmacgreg37]

His hand was up, because we took a holding penalty.

Wrong. Watch the replay from behind the net. TSN showed it. The close ref is calling that, and the trailing ref has no arm in the air, as soon as Marner punches, his arm goes up.

 

[spiller19]

Lowry created a "me" attitude in a "we" tournament.

Double shifted favorites.
Had guys playing 2-3 minute shifts.
Did not reward players playing well.
Never benched guys who were un-disciplined.
Never benched guys playing bad.

When Canada rolled 4 lines and 3 pairings, we looked fast and good. As soon as he double shifted his favorites or let them gave 2 minute shifts, they looked awful. And today, his favorites looked good at times, and lost us the game at other times.

Completely agree. Missed the Swiss game but watched every other game start to finish and I can not understand his love for Hickets. Sanheim should have played more he was good in his limited role

 

[scotian1]

There were weak penalty call on both teams. Referees were not to blame for this anyone who thinks so is reaching for unrealistic excuses. The Finns played well and although for the most part Canada played well weak goaltending and bad penalties helped with the loss.

 

[xIsle]

Agreed
Especially considering stromes comments he should be embarrassed

What did Strome say?

 

[BDizzle*]

Terrific interview by hicketts

 

[Breakers]

He reads HfBoards?

I'm pretty sure every media outlet in Toronto is going to remind him of this game.

TSN (toronto sports network)

 

[H3ckt1k]

That's what happens when you blow a tournament single handledly

He played terribly in net? He made terrible decisions as the coach? Interesting.