World Junior Hockey Championship 2006

[ToRontoRon]

Just wanted to start a thread for this great, traditional holiday tournament.




GO CANADA GO!!!

[ToRontoRon]

So Russia and the U.S. are supposedly the 2 teams to beat, and I know it was only a pre-tournament game but... 8-1 Canada over Russia!!! Sweet.

I'm officially excited about Pogge being a Leafs prospect. He's been the best junior goalie this year, and based on the game against Russia, I can see why. He was fantastic.



GO CANADA GO!!!

[outsyder]

If anyone has the potential to upset the States, it's Canada.

[ToRontoRon]

Well, a good start for Canada. I do think the 5-1 score flattered us a bit, but we were definately the better team. Switzerland will be a bit of a test, then we get to beat up Norway. The tournament starts for real on New Year's Eve against the Yanks. Here's my prediction for the next two games:

Canada 4
Switzerland 1

Canada 8
Norway 0


GO CANADA GO!!!

[ToRontoRon]

Most of the time I love Pierre McGuire, but tonight I sure didn't.

I don't know what his problem was with the ref, but the ref really didn't do that bad a job. Often times McGuire was complaining about calls that were extremely obvious. At one point he claimed the Swiss player skated into Pouliot's elbow when Pouliot clearly skated into him. Then he laughs at a very obvious tripping penalty that Marc Staal delivered. On that one, Gord Miller even had to step in and say that it was definately a good call. On and on it went. I'm not saying the ref was great, but I do think he did a solid job in the game. Once McGuire gets something in his head, he's very stubborn and biased and refuses to see the other side of things. I still like him as a colour man, but he took a big step backwards tonight in my book.



Oh, and Canada beat Switzerland 4-3. Not a Gold Medal calibre effort at all.

GO CANADA GO!!!

[horrorfreak13]

Watched most of the Canada-Swiss game and man do the Swiss ever like to dive or what I liked the fact that the Swiss player got called for a dive with a minute left in the game.

Pogge didn't play too good but Boyd and Downie are playing very good.

And I like the way Marc Staal and Pouliot are playing the 2 Sudbury Wolves guys.

What pisses me off is why couldn't the Canada-US game be tonight and not fucking New Year's Eve I have to work bastards.

Back to taping the game again

[ToRontoRon]

Sub par effort against a sub par team. If Canada plays like this, we'll be smoked by the U.S. on Saturday. However, I don't think we will play like this.

My prediction:

The U.S. will slightly outplay Canada, but Pogge will be the difference in a 3-2 Canada win.


GO CANADA GO!!!

[outsyder]

Swiss tied the States 2-2.

Great news for Canada fans out there.

My prediction on saturday: 4-3 Canada.

[leafboy]

great news? i think not.. now the aermicnas are pissed off and will take their aggression out on canada and dominate them

of course i want canada to win but im not going to pick against this american team

usa 7 canada 3

[outsyder]

Canada wins 3-2. Chipchura with the empty netter.


And Jack Johnson is a dirty motherfucker. Chipchura scores the empty netter, Johnson then comes over an elbows Steve Downie in the jaw, he gets the major but not the game, which means no suspension.

FUCK YOU IIHF.

Although Steve Downie is a little shit himself, he doesn't deserve a cheap shot like that.

[ToRontoRon]

Way to go Canada!!! Great job.

Sorry to see Switzerland lose to Finland. Switzerland has become one of my favourite countries now. Army knives... chocolate... watches... banks... Chalets... (I just had the festive special for lunch today in fact ;)). Is there anything this country can't do?

If the U.S. would have won, we'd have had the Czech Republic in the quarters, then Russia in the semis. Instead, we have a bye in the quarters, and either Sweden or Finland in the semis... Hmm, it's close, but I think I'd rather have the path we have.

I'm surprised, but it was a pretty even game. Shots were 25-25 and the chances must have been really close too.

As for the elbow, it looked as though Johnson mostly missed him, but the intent was certainly there. Downie looked like he was in bad shape when it happened, though. Downie passed the puck up to Chipchura, Johnson skated after him down the ice, slashed him pretty hard, Downie gave him a minor slash back, then the blatant elbow. Even though Downie apparantly wasn't that hurt after all, the intent was to seriously injure, and I don't think there's much doubt he should have been suspended at least one game, if not kicked out of the tournament.

I think you said it best, outsyder... FUCK YOU IIHF.

[ToRontoRon]

Well. Canada was pretty solid tonight against Finland.


The Gold Medal game against Russia is gonna be a tough one. This isn't the same team that we beat 8-1 in pretournament play. The keys will be staying out of the box, yet physically intimidating them. Tough to do. I'm hoping the U.S. ref that called tonight's game is doing the Gold Medal game too.

(As I type this, it's after the 1st period and it's only 1-0 Russia, but the U.S. have no chance in this game. It's their 4th game in 5 nights. As much as I love the U.S. losing, it really is unfair scheduling. They should have an extra day off between the quarter and semi finals. The early polls are in, and I'm calling it. Gore is presi... I mean Canada/Russia final.)

[leafboy]

I gotta tell you... Rusk is going to be amazing. Too bad he had no one in front of him. I'm going to make a guarantee... he will be a Vezina trophy winner!!!

[ToRontoRon]

My prediction tonight:

Canada 4
Russia 3



GO CANADA GO!!!

[outsyder]

Hooray. Canada wins the gold.




:D

[mrdeeds]

Canada caught a break when the Russian goal was missed, but I give them full marks. The Russians kept coming but our boys weathered the storm. YEAH BABY!!

[daddiefatsacks]

does anyone other than canadians care about this?

mmm pogge and rask!!!

go leafs

[ToRontoRon]

OH CANADA!!! :D


Congrats boys, job well done. Brent Sutter did an absolutely fantastic job with this team, start to finish.

Not overly intelligent for the Russians to say they had "more skill", would "dominate", and "easily" beat Canada... Not too bright at all.

The missed goal for Russia was a real shame, (especially for Canada since it gives Russia an excuse for losing), but hey, things happen. Only one referee, the goal judge missed it, the puck was dropped before anyone noticed... Shit happens. Canada has faced adversity many times in the past from horrid calls, but we fight through it. Russia faced the adversity, and folded like a cheap suit. It's a huge stretch to say that that one goal was the reason they lost by five. If one bad break forces you to lose a game by 5 that you otherwise would have won, you can't really handle adversity, and you don't deserve any medal, let alone the Gold.

Marc Staal and Ryan Parent were awesome against Malkin, Barker and Russell weren't on for a single goal against all tournament, Downie showed the heart of a lion, Chipchurra was a great captain, and last but not least, Pogge was awesome. If you ask me, he got robbed for the goalie of the tournament award. Sure, Rask was great, and the defence in front of him was nowhere near as good as Canada's, but part of the reason Rask faced so many shots is that his rebound control is somewhat poor. Rask would make a save, then have to stop the rebound, then another one for 3 saves, whereas Pogge would just make the first stop and gobble up the puck. Pogge handles the same play better, but Rask's save % goes up more. The only question mark for Pogge becoming a superstar goalie is how he'll play once he has to use standardized goalie equipment, because his pads are well above regulation. If he adjusts relatively well, and if he stays healthy, I can't imaging him not being one of the best goalies, if not the best, in about 5-10 years.

With the emergence of Tellqvist this year, and Pogge and Rask on the horizon, we're going to have the same great problem in goal that the Sabres currently have in a few years. Go Leafs Go!



And WAY TO GO CANADA!!! :D :D :D

[leafboy]

WOOOOOOO!!!! :cool: That was a dominant contest. Pogey and Rusk are going to be amazing goalies for the Leafs. We are set for goaltending after Belfour retires. A couple of my Sen fan friends are really jealous about us having both of them.

[outsyder]

Originally posted by leafboy
A couple of my Sen fan friends are really jealous about us having both of them.


They're damn good goalies. Guess we'll wait and see. Not so sure about Tellqvist's ability to be a #1 though.

But the Sens goaltending prospects are nothing to laugh at either. Last years Gold Medal winner Jeff Glass, and 2004 Memorial Cup MVP Kelly Guard, along with Ray Emery.


Should be an interesting duel the next few years.