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WC: TEAM USA

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- Where to find goal scorers? Tuch and Garland were excellent against Finland, but something has been missing from their game since then.

- I didn't expect after the Finland match that the next four would be such uninspiring performances. I expected them to be able to use their speed better and put their opponents to penalty trouble.

- You always have to criticize the coaching when it comes to USA Hockey. It is completely unacceptable that the PP is still a complete thrash.

- Goaltending has been a strong point.
 
People can complain all they want, but it's a Team USA at the World Championship. They have a clean record and that's all you can really ask for. The game against Sweden will be big as the loser of that is looking at a likely Quarterfinal against Czechia, or possibly even Canada. People forget that a year ago, the team USA brought needed an empty net goal to ice the game against Norway in the last day of the group stage, where they came into the day not guaranteed to advance to the Quarterfinals (entered the day 2 points ahead of Latvia). The notion that USA should beat every team besides Canada, Russia, Sweden, Finland and Czechia 7-1 may be true at the U20 level, but has never been the case in the World Championships.
 
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I have to admit that my expectations grew a little too much after the game against Finland.
 
I'm most interested in whether the coaching staff actually realizes these have been uninspiring efforts and is willing to shift things around a bit in an attempt to find some chemistry again. In no way should the lines be untouched for this long given how they've been playing.

There have still been bright spots each game, such as DeSmith, Gauthier, Samberg, etc. today, but the team just looks disjointed. Full credit as they're still winning but they need to get things back on track. Just shake up the lines to see if that jumpstarts the team.

I don't think people should expect them to win in a blowout every game. But they should absolutely expect that the team won't come out flat every game or will start to show some juice on the PP.

It's one thing to be winning close games when the team is playing really well; it's another when the team is winning close games and playing flat for the most part. Either way, you would take a 5-0 start no questions asked. The biggest positive is there is untapped potential here. If they can get back to the effort they showed in the final 40 against Finland, they should be a tough out for anyone.

Also, even if you showed me a video of them practicing the PP the whole time, I still wouldn't believe it.
 
"coaching staff actually realizes these have been uninspiring efforts and is willing to shift things around a bit in an attempt to find some chemistry again. In no way should the lines be untouched for this long given how they've been playing"

Why pretty everyone sighed heavily when Quinn was named coach.
 
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SanDogBrewin said:
"coaching staff actually realizes these have been uninspiring efforts and is willing to shift things around a bit in an attempt to find some chemistry again. In no way should the lines be untouched for this long given how they've been playing"

Why pretty everyone sighed heavily when Quinn was named coach.
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I said it way before this tournament began...if this team wanted to honor the tradition of "Bronze or bust" then hiring a coach like Quinn was the perfect move.

He was the same coach who oversaw our Olympic meltdown against Slovakia for gods sake, why bring him back after that?
 
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Zero Pucks Given said:
I said it way before this tournament began...if this team wanted to honor the tradition of "Bronze or bust" then hiring a coach like Quinn was the perfect move.

He was the same coach who oversaw our Olympic meltdown against Slovakia for gods sake, why bring him back after that?
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Our coaching depth still sucks. I am not a fan of this choice either but least he had some previous international experience. That said, this should be his last shot with USA Hockey if he fails again. Problem is that he is a man of the federation and we are probably going to see him again next year even if they suck rest of the tournament.
 


An interesting decision to give Bonino and Hutson a day off. Injuries?
 
Don’t see a GDT but much more pep in the step in the first period today. I think the evening game slot maybe helps?
 
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Now the game looked more like what I have come to expect from these matches. When they find their feet from the start, these teams can't keep up.
 
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I'm glad that now only the real games are left. I definitely think that four groups with four teams in each. The top two go to the quarterfinals.
 
We hopefully came out injury free and that is all you can ask for after a game like this.

Definitely want to win Tue so we can keep the top seed. Makes a world of a difference come medal round.
 
That was a poor skating French team, which helped a lot, but it was also a much better effort. Hopefully something they can build on for the big game against Sweden. Nice to see O'Connor, Garland, Tynan, and Perunovich all rack up some points to hopefully get them confident.

Taking the 1st seed is critical. It likely means playing Latvia in the QFs instead of Canada or Czechia.
 
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William H Bonney said:
That was a poor skating French team, which helped a lot, but it was also a much better effort. Hopefully something they can build on for the big game against Sweden. Nice to see O'Connor, Garland, Tynan, and Perunovich all rack up some points to hopefully get them confident.

Taking the 1st seed is critical. It likely means playing Latvia in the QFs instead of Canada or Czechia.
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If there ever was a Canadian team we could actually beat instead of choke against in the knockout round of these WCs, it would be this year's team.
 
wmupreds said:
Or Slovakia

If Slovaks beat Norway and Latvia loses to Switzerland (in regulation) then Slovakia goes on a tiebreaker
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Slovakia already up 3-1. Probably a really good chance the Swiss win. Crazy last day of regulation play. Haven't found this years WC to be boring even without more NHLrs.
 
Tuch is such an effective player when he is moving his feet. i like him to make the next US Olympic team over one-dimensional guys like Gaudreau, Caufield, Zegras etc
 
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