IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship

[adammac19]

As part of the holidays in Canada the world juniors are just around the corner :)



Canada's roster

Goalie

Chet Pickard Tri-City (WHL)
Dustin Tokarski Spokane (WHL)

Defence

Keith Aulie Brandon (WHL)
Ryan Ellis Windsor (OHL)
Cody Goloubef Wisconsin (WCHA)
Thomas Hickey Seattle (WHL)
Tyler Myer Kelowna (WHL)
Alex Pietrangelo Niagara (OHL)
P.K. Subban Belleville (OHL)
Colten Teubert Regina (WHL)

Forwards

Jamie Benn Kelowna (WHL)
Zach Boychuk Lethbridge (WHL)
Patrice Cormier Rimouski (QMJHL)
Stefan Della Rovere Barrie (OHL)
Chris DiDomenico Saint John (QMJHL)
Jordan Eberle Regina (WHL)
Tyler Ennis Medicine Hat (WHL)
Angelo Esposito Montreal (QMJHL)
Cody Hodgson Brampton (OHL)
Brett Sonne Calgary (WHL)
John Tavares Oshawa (OHL)
Dana Tyrell Prince George (WHL)

The schedule for Canada is

Dec 26 CZE, Dec 28 KAZ, Dec 29 GER, Dec 31 USA

I just finish watching the pre-tourney game vs Sweden (4-2 Win). I thought we played very hard and physical which set the tone. The second period we really took complete control despite giving up a late goal but it seems the Swedes were really not with it but that is what you expect in a pre-tourney game and I am sure they will be much better when it becomes serious.

[adammac19]

Preparations for the World Juniors continued for our boys with a 7-4 win over Finland. I didn't get to see the game as it was on TSN2 which I don't have at the moment.

http://www.tsn.ca/world_jrs/story/?id=260559&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_main

The final pre-tourney game with be Tuesday vs Slovakia.

As for some other scored of the pre-tourney game;

USA v Latvia (13-2 USA)
Czech Republic v Slovakia (5-2 CZE)
Russia v Kazakhstan (4-1 RUS)

[devioustrevor]

I don't pay as much attention to the CHL as I probably should, but on that list of forwards who besides Tavares and Esposito are proven scorers?

Perhaps as Canadians we're a little spoiled when it comes to hockey talent, but this seems to be the shallowest class of forwards I've seen in years.

Am I wrong?

[adammac19]

I seen Esposito play and he isn't a proven goal scorer, he had Radulov to thank for his inflated numbers when he was not 16 playing on the same line. He is a good player but not as good many thought he would be (he was the next Crosby)

It is true there isn't as many household names cause a lot of them are first timers. A lot of the players come from the WHL (the breakdown is WHL-12 OHL-6 QMJHL-3 NCAA-1) so I never really saw many of them play but Cody Hodgson is IMO just as good as Tavares and I heard a lot of good things about Ennis and Benn but the World Juniors is different so I am looking forward to it.

It is a shame that unlike Sweden and Russia we could get a couple of the NHL players released to play in the Tourney. Schenn (TOR), Doughtrey (LA), Turris (PHX), Stamkos (TB), Sutter (CAR), Gillis (MIN) Gange (EDM) all could of played in this competition. I think you will see a lot more of this because the NHL in this new era has become a faster and younger league to play in.

[adammac19]

Well day 1 if they tourney and Canada open up with a big win over the Czech Rep 8-1. Here is a report from TSN.

Canada 8 Czech Rep 1 (http://www.tsn.ca/world_jrs/story/?id=260908&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_main)

I was quite shocked at how poor the Czech side was. There are a traditional hockey power and the team they had out there on the ice was terrible. I dunno if it was one terrible game but really thought they would put up much more of a fight than they did tonight. When you consider their u-18 side was relegated last summer you have to wonder what kind of crisis there is.

As far as Canada goes I think they started off quite slow but really after 10 minutes started to really get their grip on the game and the goal right before the 1st period really got us going. Tavares had a very good night on the power play. I was quite impressed with DiDomenico who I seen play a few times for his club side (he is also a Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick) and was surprised made the team and was not really impressed with in the pre-tourney games but he did well. There was other half-dozen players who were really good tonight and enjoyed the balance scoring from the team as well.

Next we play Kazakhstan on Sunday which should be another game we should win and really with the American pounding Germany 8-2 it looks like top spot will come down New Years Eve when Canada play USA.

Other scores were

Russia 4 Latvia 1
Sweden 3 Finland 1
USA 8 Germany 2

[adammac19]

Well last night was one for the record books as Canada really gave Kazakhstan a pounding 15-0, which ties the record for the best win in a shutout (we beat France 15-0 in 2002). Here is the TSN report.

Canada 15 Kazakhstan 0 (http://www.tsn.ca/world_jrs/story/?id=261093&lid=sublink01&lpos=headlines_world_jrs)

Really nothing that exciting about this game though the Kazakhstan goalie Yankov played quite well and it could of been a lot worst in the first period but he made dozen good saves. It really doesn't answers any questions for me as far as if this team is good enough to win gold, we are simply going to have to wait until we play the Americans on new years eve.

Other scores

Saturday

Slovakia 7 Latvia 2
Germany 9 Kazakhstan 0

Sunday

USA 3 Czech Rep 3
Russia 5 Finland 2
Sweden 3 Slovakia 1

Standings

Group A

Canada 2-0-0
USA 2-0-0
Germany 1-1-1
Czech Rep 0-2-0
Kazakhstan 0-2-0

Group B

Russia 2-0-0
Sweden 2-0-0
Slovakia 1-1-0
Finland 0-2-0
Latvia 0-2-0

[adammac19]

Well now that the group stage is over the real action happens. Canada played the Americans yesterday in what was a classic which decided the bye. So the final standings of the group goes as;

Canada 4-0-0
USA 3-1-0
Czech Rep 2-2-0
Germany 1-3-0
Kazakhstan 0-4-0

Sweden 4-0-0
Russia 3-1-0
Slovakia 2-2-0
Finland 1-3-0
Latvia 0-4-0

So Sweden and Canada got the bye into the semi finals while the QF America will play the Slovak's and Russia will play Czech Rep. The rest of the teams will be fighting to avoid relegation to division 1.

[adammac19]

Well after a few crazy days and a lot of great action the final games are set with Canada vs Sweden for gold on Monday after a crazy game vs Russia.

I thought we played quite average and lacked real intensity for the most part during the game but shown great fight to get the equalizer with 5 seconds left and end up winning it in the shootout. There is a couple of questions about this team before the gold medal game like;

- Dustin Tokarski has been really shakey letting in a lot of weak goals. He seems to be the starter but I really hope that Pat goes with Chet Pickard because last couple of games Tokarski shown he is good enough to handle the pressure.

- Shut down guys have been very poor, Hickey who was one of the players coming back looks lost out there and Teubert his partner doesn't look much better. PK Subban has been okay, Mayers/Aulie pairing has been the most consistent thus far. If we are going the gold they all need to be much better.

As far as the rest of the competition Slovakia who has upset Finland and USA will play the Russia's for bronze, USA vs Czech for the all important 5th place game and relegation round continue which looks like Germany who lost to Latvia will be going down with Kazakhstan to Div 1 next year.

[devioustrevor]

I agree that Hickey has been quite underwhelming for the entire tournament. Other than one big hit in the 2nd Period against the Russkies, Hickey has been a negative sum player for the entire tournament in my opinion.

We still may win the Gold Medal this year, but in all honesty this year's team is not too inspiring. In fact I feel this may be the weakest team we've sent since the debacle in '98. Tavares is a phenom, Esposito has had flashes of brilliance, Ellis has been a revelation, Kane has been impressive, Hodgson looks every bit the professional he'll turn out to be and Eberle will never have to pay for drinks again in this country, other than that this team doesn't seem to be all that tremendous.

[adammac19]

Watching TSN they said Quinn is going with Dustin Tokarski for the final :eek:

[adammac19]

http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20090105/Team_82456.jpg


The drive for five was a success with Canada putting in a great performance in the final beating Sweden 5-1. It means we are level with the USSR/Russia for gold medals in the u-20 and with 9 players (Myers, Pietrangelo, Teubert, Cormier, Eberle, Hodgson, Tavares, Della Rover and Kane) able to come back next season could we see number 6 in a row in Regina?