2015 World Junior Championship

cshea

cshea

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WJC gets underway today. Always a great tournament to follow. This year it's being held in Toronto and Montreal which is perfect for TV viewing. NHL network usually has coverage in the US.

Today's games:

Russia v. Denmark 1:00
USA v. Finland 3:00
Czech Replubic v. Sweden 5:00
Slovakia v. Canada 8:00

McDavid (Canada)and Eichel (USA) are the headliner prospects. The Bruins have 3 prospects participating- David Pastrnak (Czech Republic), Anton Blidh (Sweden) and Peter Cehlarik (Slovakia).

Should be fun. Canada is playing on home ice and hasn't medaled in 2 years with a 6 year gold medal drought. US has a formidable squad with Eichel, Auston Matthews and Noah Hanifin leading the group.
 
Stanley Steamer

Stanley Steamer

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People are getting excited up here in Canadia. Many feel it's their favorite sporting event of the year.
TC looks good going in, having beaten Sweden handily then smoking the Swiss in their warm up games.
I don't know how the rest of the teams stack up, but the US should be quite strong too, as you say cshea.
 
TomBrunansky23

TomBrunansky23

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The best context I have ever heard regarding the World Juniors is that it is the equivalent of March Madness for Canadians.
 
Don Cherry also once made the argument that rather than having NHLers in the Olympics they should cancel the World Juniors every fourth year and have that be the Olympic tournament.
 
McDrew

McDrew

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Things I'd like to see:
Best of the Canadian Minors vs Best of the NCAA as game 1 of All Star Weekend
Best of the AHL as game 2 of All Star Weekend
NHL vs NHL as game 3 of All Star weekend.  Keep the captain's picks though, that's been amazing. 
 
Things I'm happy I see:
NHL people in the olympics.  Olympic hockey is on par with the Stanley Cup Finals.  The US-Canada game for the gold in 2010 was some of the best hockey I've ever seen. 
 
The game last Saturday with BU vs the US team was all the confirmation anyone needed that Eichel has been carrying the team and will continue to do so all year.  Eichel played for the US in that game, and was the best player on the ice, and BU was good, but not the #1 caliber team that they are with Eichel.  He has nothing left to learn hockey-wise at BU.  I'm usually for college athletes continuing their education, but Eichel needs to go to the NHL so he can be challenged. 
 
PedroSpecialK

PedroSpecialK

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Great feed by Eichel to set up Tuch as the penalty expired, bad coverage by the Finns though. Demko looking shaky early
 
cshea

cshea

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Bylsma seems real thrilled to be doing this broadcast. From NHL and Olympic head coach to color guy on NHL Network in 10 months.
 
cshea

cshea

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USA wins 2-1 in a shootout. 
 
The Fins sure do know how to develop goalies. Husso was fantastic for them. 
 
Dummy Hoy

Dummy Hoy

Angry Pissbum
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I was very impressed with the Finnish PK as well.

Real solid game, good back and forth.

Denmark (?!) took Russia to a shootout before falling.
 
scotian1

scotian1

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Have watched McDavid in the three exhibition games and the opening game last night and although you see moments of excellence, he is far from being totally back from his injury layoff. What concerns me about his play is he does not seem to relish the physical play at the moment. Being more exposed to the QMJHL and not seeing very OHL games is this a result of the injured hand or is it just his style?
 
scotian1

scotian1

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In action today, the Swedes downed the Danes 5-1, Slovakia beat Finland 2-1, the Swiss over the Czechs 5-2 and Canada shutout the German 4-0. McDavid much better in this game with new linemates but Max Domi was the best player on the ice.
 
cshea

cshea

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I haven't been able to watch, but judging my Twitter feed, Pastrnak has been dazzling for the Czech's today.
 
TheRealness

TheRealness

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That second vine is more impressive than the first.... filthy hands (check), quickness (check), willingness to go to the net and try to decapitate the goalie off of his post (CHECK!!!).
 
scotian1

scotian1

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Here are some stores on the leadup to this afternoon's matchup between Canada and the U.S. Amazingly the way thing are playing out, the loser of the game may have an easier road to the final although it s dangerous to play that kind of thinking.
http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Scott+Stinson+Canada+undersells+showdown+with/10691571/story.html
 
A story on U.S. player Auston Matthews.
http://montrealgazette.com/sports/hockey/world-juniors/from-arizona-desert-to-world-juniors-for-team-usas-youngest-player-auston-matthews
 
Dummy Hoy

Dummy Hoy

Angry Pissbum
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Love that first story. It's so funny how coaches need to talk the game down- placing too much emphasis on the result (either way) can really throw the team off going forward. But you know both coaches are wired as fuck and sitting on 3 hours of sleep.
 
Can't wait for this one.
 
twibnotes

twibnotes

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Jul 16, 2005
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Total bullshit.

These refs earned themselves a lifetime supply of Tim Horton's donuts and a Betamax copy of "Strange Brew"
 
kenneycb

kenneycb

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Dec 2, 2006
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BCsMightyJoeYoung said:
Looked like he tried to bunt it and missed .. It hits his thigh and bounced into the net. No way it's not a goal.
Click to expand...
It also looked like Demko saved it and then he ran Demko over into the net while having the puck hit his body.
 
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