World Junior Hockey Championship

Didn't see Luch's name on any of the rosters but he has been a mercenary before.

 

Last year's two US-Canada games were two of the best I saw all year, any level. I love the WJHC and the fact the US has a competitive team should only help the event game more exposure.

Canada will always be good. The names change but the beat goes on. I'd be shocked if they weren't in the final yet again.

 

I'd be an idiot to say he's without warts (I actually think it was me who linked the drinking game last year or the year before). But I also don't think that he just shows up at the rink the day of the tournament and starts talking. He's at the summer camps, he's at the selection camp, he talks to scouts/coaches/etc. I think he's reasonably informed. Or else he's a really good improv guy.

 

Is the TSN.ca stream going to be only for Canadians again this year? Hey, share up there. You are our hat after all.

 

I think NHL Network may be taking the TSN feed of the Canada games as they have done in recent years. I know not everyone like McGuire, but I find him quite informative.

 

USA!

 

For those who want to warm up by watching a replay of last year's tournament:

In the U.S., the NHL Network is replaying the medal round games involving Team USA from last year's WJHC. Right now, the US leads Finland 2-0 at the end of the 1st period. Still to come is Team USA's win vs. Sweden in a Semi-Final game (12:00 p.m. EST) followed by the USA Gold medal winner vs. Canuckistan at 2:00 p.m. (EST).

 

Canuckistan's opener against Russia will be a really critical game. The Russian team that came over for the CHL-Russia Challenge last month was easily the best one they have sent for that fiasco and they traditionally don't fill it with all their best players.

This Canuck team reminds me of some of the past ones that have been underdogs going in. They should be stronger in goal this year than last and the blue line is big and should be pretty solid. (Although Erik Gudbranson, who would be playing in Florida right now if they could have come to teams over bonuses etc., has to be better than he was in the pre-tourney games.)

Guys like Kassian and Foligno can be very effective up front if they can play their aggressive, physical game to open up room for others and stay out of the penalty box.

Yanks would have to be the faves but as McKenzie said on the TSN preview last night, that also means everybody is gunning for you. The flood of Canuckistanis to Buffalo for the tourney - my FB news feed is littered this morning with friends heading to today's game - will wipe out any home-ice advantage the Americans think they might get if they meet Canada along the way.

Swedes looked pretty good the other night against the Canucks. Goalie Robin Lehner is a good one who currently plays in the A. He could steal a game or two for them and they have some pretty high-end forwards.

 

All tied at three at the end of the second between the Russians and Canada.

Lots of physical play by the Canucks but the team sure misses natural goal scores like Hall, Seguin, Eberle & Duchene.

Turnovers are going to kill Canada. Sloppy play

Update: Canada wins 6-3. Six different Canadians scored.

 

US beats Finland in OT but the US were outplayed for big chunks of the game. The Finns also play a very physical game. At one point Dave Randorf, the pbp guy for TSN said, "The Finns treat their bodies like rental cars"

The Americans better pick up their game. They sure as hell didn't look like the favourite in the tourney tonight.

Also, in this tournament, a regulation win gets you three points but an OT or SO win only two. Can be a big deal at the end of the round robin because the two first place teams get a bye into the semi final games

 

That's a novel idea...Maybe the NHL should do that instead of having some games be worth three points and other games worth two.

 

That would make too much sense.