2011 World Juniors

[Skilly]

Dec 28, 2010 17:45:14 GMT -5 NWTHabsFan said:

Leblanc with some serious nice hands shorthanded to give Canada a 3-1 lead. It was huge as they were killing off a 5 minute major for checking somebody really hard (it was not a penalty, but this is IIHF hockey). Canada now in control 5-1 after two. Olivier Roy looking his shaky self in net, but the team in front of him is looking really poised.

Not only was it a penalty .. it was a 2 game suspension.

Under NHL rules, it was not a hit to the head. It was a blind side hit, but he never made contact with his head at all. But this is international hockey, and the rule in international hockey is that a hit to the head is a hit where the player makes contact to the head, or causes another object (ice, boards, another player, etc) to impact the head after the hit ... under that definition it was a hit to the head.

But as I said above, no matter how you define a hit to the head, it was a blind side hit, and the IIHF does a way better job of protecting its players than the NHL.

[blny]

Some over all notes as I watch the vs Norway:

Neither of our goalies impress me much. Roy gives way to much of his glove side, and he's been burned for it.

Ellis is super. Another Duncan Keith. After that, our D doesn't really impress me. Gudbranson can shoot, and hit, but I'm not seeing a lot of hockey IQ, and he's not that fast either.

Schenn is VERY good. Outstanding passer. Great vision.

Norway goal further cements my point about our goalies.

Leblanc is a right handed Plekanec. Skates well, quick. Smart. Plays well at both ends.

This PP is perhaps the best PP I've ever seen at the WJC. It's nearly automatic.

[seventeen]

BLNY, ya gotta pay more attention to Jared Cowan. As good as Ellis has been offensively, Cowan has equalled him defensively. He's a moose. He just takes people off the puck, moves it crisply and he can skate really well for a big guy. Tyler Myers #2. I agree that some of the defense haven't been great, but overall I was expecting less, so they haven't disappointed me. Tyson Barrie has been solid, and Despres has moved the puck well. Ellis is as expected (I was really hoping he'd fall down to #16 for us two years ago, but we ended up with Leblanc instead, not too bad either.).

Dylan Olsen has made too many mental errors for my liking. DeHaan was playing well until he got hurt. I haven't paid enough attention to Gudbranson to comment on him. NWT has watched more than me (I had to work today, rats, and missed the Norway game), so he'll have a good opinion.

It's nice to be able to see more of Leblanc. He impresses me with his work ethic, his smarts and a bit of an edge. I can see that he will need to either become quicker or stronger. He often comes away with the puck when battling in mid ice, so either his determination or his hand/eye coordination is really good. The goal he scored against the Czechs on the feed from Schenn was a good example. He also set up Schenn in the first game after stealing the puck in the neutral zone but Schenn couldn't finish off. Overall, Leblanc is having a solid tournament. I hope he keeps improving and sets new standards as the games get tougher.

[franko]

Dec 29, 2010 22:12:08 GMT -5 seventeen said:

Jared Cowan. As good as Ellis has been offensively, Cowan has equalled him defensively. He's a moose. He just takes people off the puck, moves it crisply and he can skate really well for a big guy. Tyler Myers #2.

and unfortunately, an Ottawa Senator pick.

[CentreHice]

Totally unrelated to the hockey...but I'm more than a little tired of TSN's WJC theme music. I keep forgetting to mute the volume before each commercial break, etc.

[Disp]

Not much goaltending going on today. 4-4. Not a fan of Roy, prefer Visentin. Surprisingly, and lucky for canada, Lehner hasn't been very good either.

[blny]

Both goalies have been pretty horrid. Easily our worst game of the tournament.

[seventeen]

The Swedish coach is not playing it very smart though. His post game comments? "We felt the Russians and the Czechs were harder to play against".

Maybe they were, but that's a very silly thing to say. Why not give Canada more incentive in case you play them again? Silly, silly.

[NWTHabsFan]

Gotta get Roy out of that net, as he is too small, goes down early, and has terrible rebound control. His most annoying and obscure trait is this seeming need to duck at shots that are eye level. It led to one goal and almost another against Sweden. Canada always seems to find a stud goalie or two for this tourney every year, but not this year it seems.

To carry on the defense discussion above, I am off the camp that is not entirely sure about our defensemen. Eliis' stock keeps going up and I agree that Cowen has become a very effective shut-down guy, but I keep hoping for a little more pop from Gudbranson, Olsen and Despres. DeHaan getting injured did not help things, as I think a healthy DeHaan definitely makes this group a lot better.

If the goaltending and overall defense don't improve, I think this team may end up being outside looking in at the gold medal game. Assuming a victory against the Swiss, we are on a collision course with the US in the semis. That will not be the team to have a shaky goaltender and defense against.

[Disp]

Visentin lets in a weak one, uggh, stinky.

[NWTHabsFan]

Yeah, bad goaltending rears its ugly head again for Team Canada. Not quite what we are used to hearing or seeing.

That series of two PPs was not all that cohesive either. The boys look really nervous and out of synch right now. Just need to settle it down a bit.

[franko]

is the Swiss goalie's name Tim Thomas?

lucky and good.

[NWTHabsFan]

Conz had a solid period in net for the Swiss.

The boys settled down in the second half and Johansen had a huge period.

[franko]

like that Louis shot the puck -- can AK and Gomer learn from him?

[seventeen]

Much of the team played nervously today. Visentin especially and I didn't think Ellis had his best game either. Cowen's play is much worse than it has been, too. Louis was good right from the get go, so it was good to see that even in a pressure filled game, it doesn't bother him. On the goal that Cizikas scored where Louis didn't get a point, he helped out by being the option and not skating past the net. If Conz had stopped the puck, Louis was right there for a rebound.

I sure hope the team is more composed against the US tomorrow.

On a totally unrelated note, I think you can see how the 2011 draft is shaping up. Coutourier is a good player, and he's considered 1-2-3 for the June draft. I don't think he's anywhere near the player than Taylor Hall was last year, for example. Hall was almost a year older I believe, but there's still a substantial difference in skill level and beatability.

I would bet that if Coutourier was available last year, he would have gone 6th or 7th. That makes me think the 2011 draft really isn't all that strong.

[CentreHice]

Canadian crowd chanting, "We want USA! We want USA!"

We are so flippin' cocky when it comes to international hockey.

We can thank the likes of Don Cherry for that.

So much for humility.

[NWTHabsFan]

Joonas Nattinen and the Finns are up against the Russians in their do-or-die quarter final game on TSN2 right now (one hour tape delay I believe). He has 3 goals in their 4 games and has been delivering some nice hits, as well as winning some key faceoffs.

[franko]

I don't think cocky, CH, but the opportunity for redemption.

but did I hear one of the announcers say "be careful what you wish for"?

[NWTHabsFan]

I would expect that quietly, the US big and skilled forwards are looking forward to playing against whichever Canadian goalie will be in net tomorrow night.

I think the legions of Canadian fans were all gearing up for a CAN-US rematch. Thanks to the New Year's Eve loss, it just happens one stage earlier than hoped.

[CentreHice]

Jan 2, 2011 20:57:14 GMT -5 franko said:

I don't think cocky, CH, but the opportunity for redemption.

We're a humble bunch....but not when it comes to hockey. Not each and every Canadian, certainly....but as a general sentiment, the cockiness is there.

[seventeen]

It's the goaltending that scares me. The team is a well balanced one overall, but it would sure help to have some timely saves instead of holes back there.

[halihab]

Jan 2, 2011 17:21:54 GMT -5 franko said:

like that Louis shot the puck -- can AK and Gomer learn from him?

Question for you Franko and the rest. Is it too early to call up Louis after the WJHC ? I personally can see him on the second or third line and on the PP. He definitely has talent and puck smarts. I can name 4 or 5 guys that he can replace right now. Just a thought. Other teams seem to do it, except for the Habs.

[franko]

Jan 3, 2011 10:39:19 GMT -5 halihab said:

Jan 2, 2011 17:21:54 GMT -5 franko said:

like that Louis shot the puck -- can AK and Gomer learn from him?

Question for you Franko and the rest. Is it too early to call up Louis after the WJHC ? I personally can see him on the second or third line and on the PP. He definitely has talent and puck smarts. I can name 4 or 5 guys that he can replace right now. Just a thought. Other teams seem to do it, except for the Habs.

imo, yes. other teams do it and it works for them, it seems [of course, the Oilers really had no choice], but I think that it would be a big mistake to bring him up [ [if we even can -- remember the Lats thing? bring him up and he can't go back down and can't play in the A].

while I don't want to keep LL out of the bigs, I also don't want to rush him [Lats again, and even Max]. Let him develop, keep him out of the media spotlight until he gets his game where it should be, then spring him and let him go [and that's the other reason to delay his promotion to the NHL -- he'll play on the 3rd or 4th line for 6-8 minutes a game learning that defense and JM's system win championships -- his record speaks for itself ] I tried, really I did

and he'd probably just replace Eller anyway, who needs his opportunity to learn and play.

[seventeen]

Eller is faster, bigger and stronger and reads the game just as well. Louis may shoot better than Lars, but that's about the only thing, so no, I wouldn't bring him up, even if they could, which they can't. The agreement between the juniour leagues and the NHL doesn't allow it. He needs to continue improving against guys his own age, then a year in the AHL to get used to the speed and size of the pro game. Development takes time, unless you are a prodigy.

[seventeen]

1-0 Russians so far, at the end of the 1st. Missed the goal, but both teams are going 100%. Exciting game and Kuznetsov is looking liking a keeper. As much as any Russian prospect can be a 'keeper'.

And now for something completely different. I love that Kit Kat tv ad with the crash test dummies. Great lines include "livin the dream!" from one dummy to another who has a steering wheel wrapped around his neck and the cheer when the "Days without an accident" sign goes from 1 to zero. Gotta love that imagination.

[seventeen]

It's now 2-0 Russia when the linesmen missed an obvious icing call. The Swedes did not rush back on it, a Russian forward threw it in front to a wide open team mate and he scored. Unfortunate for the Swedes, it was a really bad non call.

[seventeen]

Sweden is starting to take more of the play. Perhaps fatigue is setting in. Swedes had over 2 days off, while the Russians played 17 hours ago. The Russian goalie is standing on his head today, playing very well.

[seventeen]

2- 1 Russia. Stepped out for a minute and I missed the goal, though it came off the PP. Sweden's right back in the game.

[seventeen]

Wild game, Russia tiring and Sweden goes ahead 3-2 and then Russia ties it with 1:27 left. Last minute of play in regulation.

[seventeen]

Russia wins in shootout. Swedes missed all 3 shots. Obviously they weren't up against Olivier Roy.