GDT: Quarterfinal • Finland vs. Canada • Part IV

[NyQuil]

Russia has the longest active medal streak though...

Who cares about Russia?

This is the Finland-Canada thread.

Is it possible for you to talk about hockey without bringing Russia up?

In any event, isn't it a bit weird to be gloating after almost getting owned by Denmark?

 

[Yankees]

Virtanen and Blackwood : stars of the game!!

 

[dmacgreg37]

I'm not going to rag on Marner because for the most part he had a decent tournament.

Problem is I can't think of one player who had a solid tournament consistently. konecny was good most games but didn't really produce, the point producers were up and down with their play and pretty much all the vets/returnees sucked.

Just a poorly constructed team from players to coaches. I know many people have their team prospect agenda to push but all and all this team has to be one of the worst assemble junior efforts HC has made.

Agree on all of this. There wasn't one Canadian who was good in every game. You need a couple of guys to be consistent, that others can rally around, we just never got it. Was hoping/thinking Point would do it, before getting hurt in November. Thought Virtanen might, obviously didn't happen.

 

[H3ckt1k]

The Finnish are also kids yet they were much more disciplined. Clearly our kids could have been more disciplined if they were smarter.


So because I can't cook I should be satisfied with eating crap? I can't make movies either so I should never criticize and just enjoy the Twiilight saga? I don't play hockey therefore I should always be content unless I can play like Wayne Gretzky? What kind of logic is that?

You can criticize without absolutely ******** on something.

 

[Fantomas]

I am disappointed in Brayden Point's performance in this tournament. I expected a lot more considering the dominance he has displayed in the WHL all season.

Marner is very talented, but arrogant and undisciplined.

 

[NyQuil]

I'm not going to rag on Marner because for the most part he had a decent tournament.

Problem is I can't think of one player who had a solid tournament consistently. konecny was good most games but didn't really produce, the point producers were up and down with their play and pretty much all the vets/returnees sucked.

Just a poorly constructed team from players to coaches. I know many people have their team prospect agenda to push but all and all this team has to be one of the worst assemble junior efforts HC has made.

Does any Canadian player deserve to be a candidate for the tournament all-star team?

No.

When's the last time you can remember that?

 

[Kurtz]

Strome and Marner are good players, but those 2 Finnish kids are something else. The size and speed alone....scary.

They were dynamic. I remember when the Russians had Bure, Mogilny, and Federov as a line. They were unbelievable, as was Forsberg and Jagr when they played. That's the level these kids are playing at right now.

Strome and Marner are nice players, with great hands, but don't bring the same wow factor. These kids bring you out of your seat. I love that.

It helped that those kids got to play with each other and AHO. Strome and Marner mostly played with stiffs.

 

[jaloviina]

Kid is a stud. I'd be thrilled to have Puljujarvi or Laine. They would be a good fit with McDavid in the future

nooo not the oilers!

 

[Number 57]

I didn't like the play of Hickets and Point in this tournament, two returnees. They were jokes as leaders of this team in my opinion.

Our top forwards didn't produce enough offense. Although Strome and Marner played alright, they did nothing compared to Domi, Duclair and Reinhart last year.

Lowry wasn't that great of a coach. Konecny was one of our best forwards in this tourney and he was stuck on the 4th line. I think our top-6 should have been any combination of Crouse-Marner-Konecny-Strome-Gauthier-Barzal.

The defense lacked a true #1. Hickets and Chabot couldn't cut it as a top pairing. Sanheim and Dermott didn't bring as much offense as I thought they would. Hickey and Fleury made too many costly mistakes. McKeown was meh. Juulsen, Roy or Lauzon could have done better than some of these guys.

Also, in goal, Blackwood was very subpar. For a guy who was gift-wrapped the starting position after not having played in 3 weeks, he really didn't seem to be all that great of a tender.

The Finns deserve the win. Their top line was awesome and they played great despite many defensive turnovers and weak goaltending early on. Their depth proved too great for Canada, which is saying a lot when you compared both countries' population and registered players. When you have Rantanen and Kapanen (two 1st rounders) as ''depth'' forwards, you know your offense is great.

 

[SEALBound]

I'm sorry what? He was the only reason we were in this game. If defending himself is stupid than what do you call tossing the puck to nobody out of the zone like Strome did. We were set up with a man advantage in the ****ing offensive zone and Strome just lopped it out like he was a Finn. Forget about the fact it should of been 5 for the hit on Strome earlier, the team sucked so much that it put us in a place of needing Marner to save us, which the kid nearly did when he split their D on the PK and just about put it in.
/QUOTE]

He did very well. Very noticeable for sure. But that stupid penalty when the game was on the line...he pissed it away because he couldn't keep his cool.

Life is not all about money

Yup, and without the fans...there is no money.

 

[dmacgreg37]

Does any Canadian player deserve to be a candidate for the tournament all-star team?

No.

When's the last time you can remember that?

Probably 1998.

 

[thepuckmonster]

Does any Canadian player deserve to be a candidate for the tournament all-star team?

No.

When's the last time you can remember that?

Pretty much and that's pathetic.

HC is so complacent and lackadaisical with WJs and is more concerned with putting together the best fantasy roster than actually taking the best players with chemistry.

If their ****** politics wouldn't get to their heads so much they should have at least given Jost or Fabbro a look but we all know how HC feels about the BCHL (or any Jr A league) because of their NCAA affiliation.

 

[NyQuil]

Probably 1998.

LOL, indeed.

# Player Pos GP G A P PIM
21 Josh Holden F/A 7 4 0 4 14
10 Daniel Tkaczuk F/A 7 2 1 3 4
19 Alex Tanguay F/A 7 2 1 3 2
15 Daniel Corso F/A 7 0 3 3 4
12 Matt Cooke F/A 6 1 1 2 6
14 Vincent Lecavalier F/A 7 1 1 2 4
16 Brett McLean F/A 7 1 1 2 4
28 Matt Bradley F/A 7 1 1 2 2
7 Sean Blanchard D 7 0 2 2 8
3 Eric Brewer D 7 0 2 2 8
24 Brian Willsie F/A 7 0 2 2 4
20 Jason Ward F/A 7 1 0 1 2
22 Cory Sarich D 7 0 1 1 6
2 Brad Ference D 7 0 1 1 10
5 Zenith Komarniski D 7 0 0 0 26
11 Steve Bégin F/A 7 0 0 0 10
26 Mike Van Ryn D 7 0 0 0 4
18 Jean-Pierre Dumont F/A 7 0 0 0 0
6 Manny Malhotra F/A 7 0 0 0 0
4 Jesse Wallin D 4 0 0 0 4


# Player Pos GP MIN GA GAA SO W-L-T
32 Mathieu Garon G 5 283 9 1.19 2 2-3-0
1 Roberto Luongo G 3 146 9 3.70 0 0-2-0

 

[Kelly]

Completely disagree on Marner. Had a good final game but was totally absent or mostly a negative before that. Constantly tried to do it all himself and often lost the zone and/or momentum because of it. Certainly not the only player to do this - seems to have been encouraged by Lowry - but worst offender to my eyes.

Led the team in scoring I think with Strome, and I agree he had some off games/periods but when that was happening he wasn't a liability in the slightest. He had some turnovers but that comes with having the puck as much as highly skilled forwards like Marner do.

I think he started off the tournament slow, but definitely picked it up and was the biggest reason we had a chance to win today. It's unfortante because I think he's too good for Junior but isn't strong enough to play in the NHL next year. It wouldn't surprise me to see him playing on the team next year, as I think he'll be playing minuscule minutes in Toronto.

 

[stavs*]

I am disappointed in Brayden Point's performance in this tournament. I expected a lot more considering the dominance he has displayed in the WHL all season.

Marner is very talented, but arrogant and undisciplined.

disciplane falls under coaching and the player. Lowry was evidently a moron for not telling the players to control their emotions

 

[Canada4Gold]

Virtanen, even if you're thinking it, you probably shouldn't say it in the media

 

[McAsuno]

The D on the team was underwhelming at best. Other than Chabot and Hicketts, I can't say any of the rest played to expectations. Fleury and Dermott were beyond mediocre. Sanheim's a strong offensive d man, but he didn't get going. Cutting Chychrun was a poor decision.

 

[Maplebeasts]

We haven't had a number 1 goalie since Price. Why can't Canada produce goalies?

Pinning my hopes on Cater Hart. Should be the starting goalie at the WJC next year barring something unforeseen.

 

[McClelland]

Its normal with home advantage with the refs! Look at all the times Canada hosting the Wjc.

Pondhockey 2.0 fun to watch but will be punished against a organized swedish team who also has the best defense(including goalies) in the championship.

Finland+homeadvantage(refs)- Sweden 2-4

I think russia beats usa despite it doesnt looks that way, but the skills are there and soon they play 3 periods.

And the winner is ........................

 

[Menzinger]

Some of these kids are 17. I feel for them, they must feel just awful.

Yep - the thing is, they shouldn't have nearly this much pressure forced on them.

If people/media treated the tournament for what it is - a fun series of some of the most exciting hockey you'd see all year it would be fine. Except we treat it as "Gold or Bust" and talk of "failure" when that doesn't happen.

 

[NeverForget06]

Led the team in scoring I think with Strome, and I agree he had some off games/periods but when that was happening he wasn't a liability in the slightest. He had some turnovers but that comes with having the puck as much as highly skilled forwards like Marner do.

I think he started off the tournament slow, but definitely picked it up and was the biggest reason we had a chance to win today.

I agree. In such a short tournament it is really what have you done for me lately. I would much rather have a player stink in the round robin and show up when it matters than vice versa

 

[86Habs]

I'm not going to rag on Marner because for the most part he had a decent tournament.

Problem is I can't think of one player who had a solid tournament consistently. konecny was good most games but didn't really produce, the point producers were up and down with their play and pretty much all the vets/returnees sucked.

Just a poorly constructed team from players to coaches. I know many people have their team prospect agenda to push but all and all this team has to be one of the worst assemble junior efforts HC has made.

The head coach I agree with. Lowry turned out to be a horrible choice as head coach with his refusal to hold players accountable after poor performance or undisciplined penalties, failure to reward players who were competing hard and creating opportunities, and letting his "stars" get away with selfish play. The 1:30 shifts by Point, Strome and Marner, and Hicketts playing 4:15 in OT against the Swiss were indicative of Lowry's lack of control over his players and very poor bench management.

In terms of players, there was no one left at home who would have been a difference maker for us. Not Hawryluk, Merkley, Juulsen, or Dubois.

 

[sooni]

There is only right way to say it... Better team won.

 

[McAsuno]

Virtanen, even if you're thinking it, you probably shouldn't say it in the media

Holding a player's stick and then slashing another makes the ref biased? Virtanen played with a lot of stupidity this game.

 

[Fonzerelli]

cringe

Listened to the Lowry interview, the Hicketts interview, the Point interview, the Marner interview and the Strome interview post-game.

Showing their immaturity, Strome whined about officiating and Marner referenced it. (No coincidence both took dumb penalties during the game)

Lowry, Hicketts and Point showed more class, but through the 5 interviews, not one of them credited the Fins with playing well or congratulated the Fins on playing well.

Come on boys, show some class!