Toggle sidebar

GDT: U-18 WJC medal round games

  • Xenforo Cloud will be upgrading us to version 2.3.5 on March 3rd at 12 AM GMT. This version has increased stability and fixes several bugs. We expect downtime for the duration of the update. The admin team will continue to work on existing issues, templates and upgrade all necessary available addons to minimize impact of this new version. Click Here for Updates
  • We're expecting server maintenance on March 3rd starting at midnight, there may be downtime during the work.
Oh well, I think this was kind of inevitable, congratulations USA! But how nice to see our young talent - I think the dark years are really history now, excellent!
 
I'm strangely sated by this. Must be because I hate upsets that are completely one-sided and the "undeserving" side only wins by the skin of their teeth.

It's one thing to play cool, let the other guy have the control and generate your offense when you can, but this was not it. Bottom line: If you wanna win, be better, just not more lucky.
 
Jussi said:
With Juolevi and Vaakanainen healthy, our defense could have improved our offense as well. Maybe next year...
Click to expand...

Yep. Välimäki, Mattila and Niemeläinen played really well on the defensive end but lack of offense from the back end really cost us.
 
Vainio only played a few shifts in this game, even with Finland having a massive difficulties with the first passes. Kinda tells how much the coaches trust him.
 
Better team won, nothing to say about that.

Team Finland got lost somewhere between 1st intermission and 2 round.
It's going to be hard to win, when we lose most battles at boards. USA had very impressive team, every four lines keep coming on.
 
How many of the USA players have already committed to NCAA schools?

I know Auston Matthews is still uncommitted with a good chance he ends up in the CHL.
 
Last edited:
The kids are still young, so the late OT game the previous night and playing through the whole tournament got them totally gassed. After the first period they were focusing 100% on defence and just going through the motions after that. How many first passes from the Finnish defenders made it in the 2nd and 3rd periods? You can probably count them with one hand. Any Finnish player getting closer than 1.5 meters to any American player resulted in an instant turnover. Then the Vehviläinen show was something else. Our goalies get so much exercise every time they're on the ice, that's why they're so good. :laugh:

Puljujärvi seemed to adjust as the game went on. In the third period he even managed to take the puck from the D-zone and get a shot on goal! All in all it's a good forecast on how Finland is going to approach Canada in the adults' games.
 
I should really stop watching this tournament. It always looks like Canada has a shot compared to the other teams (except USA), then they face the USA in the Quarters, Semis, or Finals and get crushed. Oh well at least Canada will get it's revenge at the Ivan Helinka Tournament and they win most of the time against the USA at the WJC.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Top Bottom