2014 World Hockey Championships

[scotian1]

Well after an Olympic year, people wondered what kind of teams would be iced for this tournament. It seems like for both Canada and the United States, the answer is a very young group of lesser lights.
 
Canada has named 20 out of 25 roster spots:
Goal: Ben Scrivens and James Reimer
Defence: Morgan Rielly, Ryan Ellis, Tyler Myers, Jason Garrison, Kevin Bieksa, Marc Methot and Eric Gudbranson
Forwards: Cody Hodgson, Nazim Kadri, Mark Scheifele, Dave Perron, Kyle Turris, Troy Brouwer, Alex Burrows, Joel Ward, Jason Chimera, Jonathan Huberdeau and Sean Monahan.
 
U.S. Team has chosen 15 players so far:
Goal: Connor Hellebuyck
Defence: Matt Donovan, Jake Gardiner, Seth Jones, Jake McCabe, Jeff Petry and Jacob Trouba
Forwards: Jimmy Hayes, Kevin Hayes, Peter Mueller, Brock Nelson, Drew Shore, Craig Smith, Tim Stapleton and Vince Trocheck
 
Not a lot of fire power on either team.

 

[ForceAtHome]

The US is clearly giving preference to young guys who could play a future role for them. They took Bishop and Gibson last year, right? It seems to be the current strategy. A number of recent WJC team members, and guys like Jones and Trouba in particular, stand out.
 
Canada has some young talent (e.g., Huberdeau, Monahan, Rielly, Scheifele) as well, but seems to be more filled with hard working vets who will never play for important games in their adult international careers. I am very happy to see Joel Ward get rewarded after his phenomenal season. He's 33 and I don't think he's ever represented Canada before.

 

[scotian1]

Dave Tippett will be the head coach for Canada and will be assisted by Peter DeBoer and Paul Maurice. Peter Laviolette will be the head coach of the U.S. assisted by Joe Sacco, Phil Housley and Tony Granato.

 

[scotian1]

Colin McDonald, Andy Miele and Connor Murphy have been added to the U.S. roster. Seven spots left.

 

[scotian1]

The U.S. has added Tyler Johnson.

 

[PedroSpecialK]

Switzerland had 2 goals waived off on late offside calls in the 3rd period - the first looked like a blown call, the other a little closer to offside.

Regardless, US wins 3-2 to go to 2-0 in group play

 

[Senator Donut]

Any chance Krug or Smith will get an invitation for team USA? I'm not sure what the roster situation is. I suppose Lucic is a possibility for Canada too. Johnson may have merited a roster spot, but I doubt they would bring in a goalie while the tournament is in progress. Assuming the Olympians won't bother and Söderberg is dead to Swedish hockey, I can't think of anyone else.

 

[MiracleOfO2704]

..

 

[mabrowndog]

So uhhh.. They're getting waxed by Latvia, which just scored to go up 6-4 with 2:00 left. Thomas has played like dogshit and he heads to the bench.
 
EDIT - Brock Nelson scores. coming down the middle and redirecting a Johnny Gaudreau pass from the goal line. 6-5 with 1:30 left.
 
EDIT - Jesus. Gaudreau doing all he can to re-set the offense after a zone clear, and Seth Jones falls down in front of him at the blue line. Fucking klutz. That'll do it.

 

[mabrowndog]

Jesus H. Christ. 
 
Sloppy, lazy play in front of the USA net, and Starchenko scores for Kazhakstan with 6:30 left in the 3rd to tie it up 3-3.
 
They looked horrible yesterday, as did Thomas. Clearly they've learned no lessons, though this latest goal wasn't TT's fault.
 
EDIT - Headed to OT. 

 

[mabrowndog]

Seth Jones wins it in OT, averting a veritable disaster.

 

[Senator Donut]

Alexander Ovechkin had to be helped into the dressing room after receiving a hip check from a German player. He did not return.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMQElar1WY4

 

[mabrowndog]

Quarterfinals are today. USA-Czech Republic is underway now, and Canada-Finland comes up at 1 pm EDT. Both on NBCSN. The USA game broadcast is being delayed by about 30 minutes because of NBCSN's Formula One racing coverage.
 
Other games: France vs Russia at 10 am; Sweden vs Belarus at 2 pm.
 
Johnny Gaudreau had a goal & 3 assists yesterday in USA's 5-4 win over Germany.

 

[mabrowndog]

Tied 1-1 after a period. Brock Nelson with the power play goal on the doorstep 7 minutes in, screening the goalie and deflecting a Peter Mueller shot from the left about 20 feet out. 

 

[mabrowndog]

They're playing sloppy as hell today. Should be up 4-1 right now, but for a severe case of Bruins-itis: Missed open nets, failure to corral pucks cleanly, lazy passing, dumb penalties, and CZE is starting to get too many chances.
 
EDIT - And now Nelson gets a 10-minute misconduct with 13:20 left. Great.
 
EDIT - Sobotka face down on the ice after Abdelkader hammers him. Ugly hit to the head. Waiting for the call here. I'll be shocked if this isn't a game misconduct.
 
EDIT - 5:00 major and a game misconduct. This ought to open the floodgates for the Czech offense. Sobotka returned to the bench under his own power.

 

[mabrowndog]

Heh. 10 seconds into the PP, Hertl scores. 2-1 CZE. 
 
EDIT - Another goal on the rebound by Cervenka, off his skate on the left doorstep. After a great save, a sprawled Thomas tried to grab for it. Replay is unclear on whether it crossed the goal line. Still under review.
 
EDIT - A view from the front shows the puck glanced off Thomas's right arm, and that it crossed the line before he could grab it with his left. Looks like a goal to me.

 

[underhandtofirst]

Did they ever figure out what Nelson's misconduct was for?  They had a view from behind the net and the best I can tell he might have said something to the CZE player.  That's about it.  Pretty weak call.

 

[mabrowndog]

Wow, they waved off the goal. What a lucky break for USA.
 
And no, I haven't heard them say jack squat about what prompted the misconduct to Nelson.
 
Still 4:23 left on the CZE PP. Fuck...

 

[mabrowndog]

Thomas with another huge save on Hertl. Defensemen aren't clearing ANYONE away from the crease, just letting the Czechs build condos there at their leisure.
 
EDIT - And off the next face-off, they get it in. 3-1. Cervenka allowed to waltz in unmolested for an easy wrist-in of a rebound.from the right.

 

[mabrowndog]

Novotny butt-ends Jones in the face, and he goes off for 2:00. Temporary relief for USA, but it's 4 on 4 with 11:40 left.

 

[underhandtofirst]

Wow, they waved off the goal. What a lucky break for USA.
 
And no, I haven't heard them say jack squat about what prompted the misconduct to Nelson.
 
Still 4:23 left on the CZE PP. Fuck...

Those replays were inconclusive, surprised they didnt stick with the call on the ice of a good goal.  US looks out of sorts since the game misconduct.
 
It was a big hit, but the reason Abdelkader hit his head was because the he player totally steamrolled Sobotka.  I thought he hit him in the high on the chest and when Sobotka was knocked off his feet the head contact was made.

 

[ForceAtHome]

The Nelson misconduct looked like he tried to ice shower the goalie. That's my guess.
 
On the waived off goal, I think that's the right call. The puck DID cross the line, but that was a clear kick to me.

 

[underhandtofirst]

US getting a boost playing 4 on 4.
 
Forgot about the part where he kicked in the goal, was too focused on the puck

 

[mabrowndog]

Right after Novotny leaves the box, Jagr goes off for a slash. They're bailing USA out big time.

 

[ForceAtHome]

I just went back and watched the original Nelson play. He definitely threw some ice. I'm 99% sure that's what the call was for. I assume the goal was waived off for the kick as well, though it's too bad these refs don't clarify. Call on the ice was goal, video evidence was either in support that the puck crossed the line or possibly inconclusive, but not enough to overturn. The kick would be the only correct call, and it looked like a pretty blatant kick to me. These announcers are awful not mentioning either of those things.

 

[mabrowndog]

Nelson off for tripping now. 

 

[mabrowndog]

Great. One timer by Nemec from the top set up by Jagr. I doubt Thomas saw it. 4-1, CZE.
 
Over Timmy's right shoulder and into the corner.

 

[ForceAtHome]

4-1 Czechs. Their powerplay is shortening this game in a hurry.

 

[underhandtofirst]

comcast live stream of NBCSN choked, @^%#@#%@!

 

[mabrowndog]

You're not missing much. They're 5:00 into the 3rd.

 

[mabrowndog]

Still 4-1 with 5:00 to play in the 3rd. USA has had a few decent chances, but nothing to show for them.

 

[mabrowndog]

Klepis trips Gaudreau. Power play US, and they'll pull Thomas for the 6-on-4 with 3:11 left.

 

[ForceAtHome]

Late powerplay chance for the US, but probably too little, too late. USA will go 6-on-4 here.

 

[mabrowndog]

Tyler Johnson from Jones. just over a minute left. 4-2.

 

[MiracleOfO2704]

And Johnson again!

 

[mabrowndog]

Holy shit. Johnson again with 57.8 secs left. USA down 4-3.

 

[ForceAtHome]

Whoa, USA with another quick one. 4-3 wih 57.8 left.

 

[mabrowndog]

Great hustling body & stick work along the right boards by Smith to break past the defense, and he centered it to the crease.

 

[mabrowndog]

Shit. Nice pressure there in the final minute, but it's too little too late. Where was that intensity and effort earlier? 

 

[ForceAtHome]

Holy moly. I can't believe the US had a number of good looks there to tie it. Great almost comeback.

 

[mabrowndog]

Canada gives up the tying goal just seconds into the 3rd on a soft goal that squeezed through the pads of Scrivens and trickled over the line before he could corral it.
 
Now inside of 3:00 left and Pakarinen puts Finland ahead 3-2, going 5-hole after a defensive breakdown.
 
EDIT - Fifth straight year Canada has been knocked out in the quarters. And it's official. All of North America sucks at hockey.

 

[Greg29fan]

Russia wins gold 5-2

 

[mabrowndog]

Sweden shuts out the Czechs 3-0 for Bronze.
 

Russia wins gold 5-2

 
Has Putin posed shirtless alongside the trophy yet?