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WJHC (World Junior Hockey Championships) 2015

Three stray observations

1. I realize it's a relatively common name but having a player on Canada's defense being referred to just as Morrissey is very funny.

2. At the risk of doing a Seinfeld impression, who are these people who take a great deal of joy out of standing up to turn towards the Camera and wave their arms like idiots while the game is going on?

3. Frederik Gauthier looks like he could be a very good 4th liner in the NHL. Admittedly that's maybe not what you want to hear about a 1st rounder but it's better than nothing.
 
If you'll forgive me getting on my soap box a moment seeing what happened with Godla tonight really, I think, spoke to what I really like about sports and, as I get older, what strikes me as a far more interesting thing that who wins and loses. Seeing him make great save after great save and then getting beat on Petan's third goal was heartbreaking. The look in his eyes that said that making those saves mattered to him despite the fact that the result of the game wasn't really in doubt and that getting beat at the end of it still was a punch in the gut...that's exceptional.

Wanting to win isn't exceptional, even being able to win isn't all that memorable. I get why we needed to see 18 billion shots of Nick Petan's parents and everything but I think Godla's play is easily the best thing I've seen in the tourney.
 
So, it's Canada vs. Russia for the Gold. The match ups with the Russians over the years have been so unpredictable.....
 
Nik the Trik said:
If you'll forgive me getting on my soap box a moment seeing what happened with Godla tonight really, I think, spoke to what I really like about sports and, as I get older, what strikes me as a far more interesting thing that who wins and loses. Seeing him make great save after great save and then getting beat on Petan's third goal was heartbreaking. The look in his eyes that said that making those saves mattered to him despite the fact that the result of the game wasn't really in doubt and that getting beat at the end of it still was a punch in the gut...that's exceptional.

Wanting to win isn't exceptional, even being able to win isn't all that memorable. I get why we needed to see 18 billion shots of Nick Petan's parents and everything but I think Godla's play is easily the best thing I've seen in the tourney.
Click to expand...

I lost interest in this tournament from a patriotic point of view a long time ago. I was rooting for him to steal them this game honestly.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Nik the Trik said:
If you'll forgive me getting on my soap box a moment seeing what happened with Godla tonight really, I think, spoke to what I really like about sports and, as I get older, what strikes me as a far more interesting thing that who wins and loses. Seeing him make great save after great save and then getting beat on Petan's third goal was heartbreaking. The look in his eyes that said that making those saves mattered to him despite the fact that the result of the game wasn't really in doubt and that getting beat at the end of it still was a punch in the gut...that's exceptional.

Wanting to win isn't exceptional, even being able to win isn't all that memorable. I get why we needed to see 18 billion shots of Nick Petan's parents and everything but I think Godla's play is easily the best thing I've seen in the tourney.
Click to expand...

I lost interest in this tournament from a patriotic point of view a long time ago. I was rooting for him to steal them this game honestly.
Click to expand...

I wanted Canada to win, but the way he was playing, 1-0 would have been fantastic.  How dumb are the Canadian/Slovakian organizations to not have Godla as the Slovakian player of the game?  He made at least 10-15 highlight reel calibre saves tonight.  He was unbelievable.  Not just making post-to-post acrobatic saves, but doing it in both directions and sometimes back to back. 

I'm not sure if he has an interest in the North American game, but he certainly has earned himself a contract somewhere moving forward.
 
Nik the Trik said:
2. At the risk of doing a Seinfeld impression, who are these people who take a great deal of joy out of standing up to turn towards the Camera and wave their arms like idiots while the game is going on?
Click to expand...

I'm getting old and crotchety but this drives me nuts. 

3. Frederik Gauthier looks like he could be a very good 4th liner in the NHL. Admittedly that's maybe not what you want to hear about a 1st rounder but it's better than nothing.
Click to expand...

Crouse, Gauthier, and Ritchie look like ugly step-sisters in terms of of the talent and speed in the Top 9, but I agree.  Gauthier is extremely good in the faceoff circle and he really does show strong defensive instincts.  He's probably a guy who could skip the AHL and not be out of place on the 4th line.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Nik the Trik said:
If you'll forgive me getting on my soap box a moment seeing what happened with Godla tonight really, I think, spoke to what I really like about sports and, as I get older, what strikes me as a far more interesting thing that who wins and loses. Seeing him make great save after great save and then getting beat on Petan's third goal was heartbreaking. The look in his eyes that said that making those saves mattered to him despite the fact that the result of the game wasn't really in doubt and that getting beat at the end of it still was a punch in the gut...that's exceptional.

Wanting to win isn't exceptional, even being able to win isn't all that memorable. I get why we needed to see 18 billion shots of Nick Petan's parents and everything but I think Godla's play is easily the best thing I've seen in the tourney.
Click to expand...

I lost interest in this tournament from a patriotic point of view a long time ago. I was rooting for him to steal them this game honestly.
Click to expand...

I think you're just used to cheering for the team that gets heavily outshot.
 
L K said:
Gauthier is extremely good in the faceoff circle and he really does show strong defensive instincts.  He's probably a guy who could skip the AHL and not be out of place on the 4th line.
Click to expand...

Corey Pronman (I think it was) in his ranking of Leafs prospects said of Gauthier:
Gauthier is a big, fast center with very good defensive skills. Considering his age and experience, he is uniquely advanced in his own end. Gauthier's positioning, awareness, and commitment to get back are impressive. He is an agile big man with good power in each pushoff, as well as a clean stride.

While also going on to echo comments about his lack of offensive upside.  He said he could be a 2C who logs tough defensive minutes.  And I think the Leafs continue to prove that offensive production alone isn't going to get you far enough.
 
Final score:  Canada 5  Slovakia 1

Perhaps the credit for this semi-final victory should go to Team Canada coach Benoit Groulx, who chose Nic Petan to take the spot alongside the line of Connor McDavid and Curtis Lazar.  That move turned out to be magical as Petan had a hat trick (3 goals), while McDavid & Lazar contributed 3 assists each (for a combined line total of 9 points on the night).


Shea Theodore and Anthony Duclair scored Canada's other goals.

For Slovakia, well, give Denis Godla credit.  The Slovak netminder stymied the Canadian shooters in the first period, before Canada got on the scoreboard.  Godla faced a total of 44 shots and was easily the star of his squad to many.

... .when Godla was, shockingly, not named player of the game for Slovakia, fans started to chant for him, and he acknowledged the crowd. "It was overwhelming," he said. "I will remember it for the rest of my life."

The lone Slovakia goal was scored by David Soltes.

With the win over Slovakia in the semi-final, Canada marches on to the Gold medal match against old hockey nemesis, Russia, set for Monday night in Toronto.

Source:  Sportsnet, IIHF WJC 2015
 
In the Relegation round, Switzerland defeated Germany 5-2, and took the best-of-three series 2 games to 0.

Source:  IIHF WJC 2015
 
Get ready for a Canada-Russia Gold medal matchup 2015 edition:

History is not lost on these two rivals...

"This is something I dream of, getting this opportunity," said McDavid..."Have this in front of us tomorrow, can?t look too far ahead. You have a great Russian team ahead of us."

"That rivalry that?s been together since the ?72 Summit Series that I?ve been told about and see highlights of all the time, it?s going to be something special," defenceman Joe Hicketts said. "It?s an honour for me to get to wear the Maple Leaf in that game."

Russian coach Valeri Bragin said facing Canada was "the best thing for all of the hockey community" and called Russia-Canada a "hockey classic"."

That?s going to be a tough game," Russia?s Rinat Valiev said. "I saw a couple games, they?re very skilled. But we played against Canada before so I?m not scared to play against (them)."


http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/canada-sets-up-gold-medal-showdown-with-russia/
 
Potvin29 said:
While also going on to echo comments about his lack of offensive upside.  He said he could be a 2C who logs tough defensive minutes.  And I think the Leafs continue to prove that offensive production alone isn't going to get you far enough.
Click to expand...

I think he has the makings of an excellent #3C. He has enough offence for that kind of role, and seems like he can excel with the defensive side of the role. I know, to some, that's underwhelming for a 1st round pick, but, a real high-end 3rd line centre is an important piece of a successful team.
 
For what it's worth, when I described Gauthier as such I didn't mean to say that I thought that was his ceiling but rather that I was seeing legitimate NHL skills from him in a defense first role. I don't think I've seen enough offense from him to say that I think he could easily be a #3(and certainly not a #2) but I wouldn't bet heavily against those things either.
 
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