WJC: 2018 Team USA Roster Talk

[Xokkeu]

Great comeback effort. Tkachuk and Mittlestadt MVPS

 

[SanDogBrewin]

Now we have to wait for news on Lockwood and Brown. Lockwood did not look good being carted off.

 

[SK94]

I think outdoor game was really good for this tournament. It has been slow start and now there was over 40k in stands and atmosphere was really good. I dont say they should do this every year but for this tournament it was good thing and also game was really fun to watch even conditions were terrible. USA and Canada always delivers in Word Juniors. Even in these conditions. Many people disagree but it was good game.

Really important result for US after yesterday. Mittelstadt is awesome and Fox is really good. Top 3 D in this tournament for sure. So good with the puck. Specially today in these conditions he was even more important for US.

 

[Xokkeu]

Well they definitely won't do it next year. As BC place is a dome lol

 

[William H Bonney]

After 2 periods today, I wasn't quite sure if this team had the necessary resolve to handle the adversity of this tournament. They had basically folded up shop each time they were pushed, or didn't show up at all. They weren't playing bad today despite being down, but they didn't seem to be playing with the urgency you'd expect after that stinker yesterday. Hopefully that 3rd period will change things for them going forward.

Overall, you can't read too much into an outdoor game in those types of conditions but:

• By no means did Team USA dominate, but this team has the ability to impose their will on other teams and they were the better team today. I thought they controlled much more of the play even if it wasn't leading to a ton of high-quality offensive opportunities.
• Mittelstadt's received a lot of praise thus far, but he was just okay at best in the first two games; he was great today. His tendency to over-handle the puck wasn't there today; he kept it simple due to the conditions and the results speak to it. A good reminder for him going forward.
• Our goalies need to stop giving up weak goals. Both Woll and Oettinger gave up really weak goals in these last 2 games and it's such a backbreaker too when it's the opening goal. Besides that goal, Oettinger was good today, but he wasn't tested that much either.
• Fox was a workhorse on the backend today. Perunovich and Samberg were very good as well. Overall, the defense played pretty well in those conditions.
• Tkachuk is so much fun to watch play. Yes, his snow angel on Slovakia's game-winning goal was bad, but he's been really strong thus far. Some folks were questioning whether he should even be on the team pre-tournament, but as you watch him play, it's pretty clear why he's going to go really high in the NHL draft. He's basically a bigger, better skating version of his brother. Probably the captain of the WJC team next year.
• Motzko and company coached with no urgency against Slovakia and it helped cost them the game. They actually coached today and it worked. They shortened the bench as the game progressed and shuffled lines.

Going forward:

• The US still needs to be a lot better on the boards, especially in the offensive zone. They're losing too many board battles, and losing some of them so easily that it's killing a lot of the opportunity for sustained pressure. This needs to be a focus.
• Too many forwards are passengers right now. It's critical that some others step up. Guys like Yamamoto, Anderson, and Poehling are playing too big of roles to be non-factors offensively.
• Hopefully Lockwood and Brown are able to continue in the tournament. They need Brown's offensive capabilities and Lockwood's speed and penalty killing are important.

 

[William H Bonney]

Great comeback US. Showed character as Canada was outplaying USA until the 3rd period.

Having said that, no more outdoor games. Just dumb!

I don't think Canada was ever outplaying Team USA for any sustained amount of time.

On the outdoor game front, I agree; however, the spectacle went as well as the organizers could have hoped with the freezing, snowy conditions, and Team USA winning in a shootout, so I'd expect more of these. Credit to both teams as they still put on a well played game, especially considering the conditions, but it didn't have the typical feel of a USA/Canada game. It still went better than I expected though as it didn't feel like an exhibition, which is how most of these play out.

I will say that the USA jerseys looked better on television. When viewed through any other lens, those jerseys suck, but they looked good in that setting.

 

[Statsy]

Well they definitely won't do it next year. As BC place is a dome lol

It opens now.... somewhat. They did a semi-outdoor event in there a couple years ago. It was horrible and will not be happening again. In any case I think the WJC show runners got this out of their system and won't feel the need to try it again for quite a few years.

 

[SanDogBrewin]

I don't think Canada was ever outplaying Team USA for any sustained amount of time.

On the outdoor game front, I agree; however, the spectacle went as well as the organizers could have hoped with the freezing, snowy conditions, and Team USA winning in a shootout, so I'd expect more of these. Credit to both teams as they still put on a well played game, especially considering the conditions, but it didn't have the typical feel of a USA/Canada game. It still went better than I expected though as it didn't feel like an exhibition, which is how most of these play out.

I will say that the USA jerseys looked better on television. When viewed through any other lens, those jerseys suck, but they looked good in that setting.

From the aspect of injuries, because of the ice conditions, I was concerned. I would bet after a couple NHL prospects went down because of divets and snow on the ice, quite a few NHL GMs were already thinking what I was. No more outdoor games at the U20.

As far as Pegula and organizers, they must have been thrilled. If Middlestat gets hurt Peguka probably wouldn't have cared.

PS. the US game jerseys had me thinking of Frank Reich coming into the game when the US went down 2-0.

 

[jasonr90]

Well hopefully we got the one bad game out of our system and this was a turning point. Better to lay an egg in the prelims than quarterfinals anyways. Time to focus on Finland now. Hopefully they beat Slovakia tomorrow and then we can take 2nd place from them

 

[usahockey22flyers]

Honestly felt like the USA outplayed Canada throughout the game, I mean it was pretty even, but I would have given the edge to the USA.

Seriously though, resilient win from the group after losing to Slovakia, thats a serious gut check victory.

Cool game to be watch as a fan too, was anyone there? Curious to hear some stories!

Keep it going boys!

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

The team that was screwed the most by usa losing to slovkia is basically whoever ends up drawing usa in round 1.

 

[Xokkeu]

If the USA beats Finland I think it's most likely the Czechs

 

[Woodhouse]

Brown and Lockwood updates:

 

[Chainshot]

Thanks for the update Woodhouse.

 

[NTDP]

One thing I'l look for tomorrow from team USA is throwing more pucks on net. They tried to many cross ice passes in the neutral zone and especially offensive zone against Slovakia and they did it a few times yesterday to where the pass was broken up. I understand the necessity of it at times but I felt at times they forced that pass. Play a fast and simple game tomorrow and we should be okay against a good Finnish team.

 

[SK94]

If the USA beats Finland I think it's most likely the Czechs

I think its Russia if Czechs can hold their lead.

 

[SanDogBrewin]

Damn it. Lockwood played so well yesterday.

 

[Xokkeu]

I think its Russia if Czechs can hold their lead.

Well now it's a huge jumble and could be any team except Sweden at this point.

 

[William H Bonney]

Well now it's a huge jumble and could be any team except Sweden at this point.

Sweden is still a strong possibility. If the US loses to Finland then we’re the 4 seed in group A unless Denmark upsets Slovakia.

 

[EON]

Lockwood is probably done. Hopefully Brown can go again, they need his offensive threat at C.

Huge game tomorrow. A loss likely puts them 4th and a matchup with Sweden in the first round would be very unfriendly. A win gets them 2nd and a matchup with Russia or Czech Republic, potentially Sweden in the SF, and potentially Canada in the finals.

 

[Xokkeu]

Sweden is still a strong possibility. If the US loses to Finland then we’re the 4 seed in group A unless Denmark upsets Slovakia.

Yeah I meant if we beat Finland. Basically everything up in the air at this point except Belarus is likely done.

 

[NTDP]

might catch some heat for this but if I could choose I'd pick Sweden over Russia to face. We do very well against them at various tournaments at the U-20 level and below. I know past tournaments don't mean jack compared to now but we always match up well against them and they never are really able to get their speed and puck moving ability against us.

 

[NewHampshire]

According to scenario threads a US win and a Russian win by less than 4 goals gets the Americans their most favorable QF match-up against the Czechs.

A US win and a Russian loss squares those two teams up most likely. While a US loss and a Russian loss makes a date with Sweden the likely scenario. A US win and a Russian win by 4 or more also means Sweden apparently.

I'd expect Canada and Slovakia beat the Danes and the Czechs beat the Swiss - so in my mind we can remove those variables. But they do exist...

 

[William H Bonney]

might catch some heat for this but if I could choose I'd pick Sweden over Russia to face. We do very well against them at various tournaments at the U-20 level and below. I know past tournaments don't mean jack compared to now but we always match up well against them and they never are really able to get their speed and puck moving ability against us.

I think it’s hard to say this year which team would be the most favorable QF matchup. Tomorrow will help clear things up a bit more, but outside of maybe Sweden there hasn’t been a standout team thus far and Sweden has played the softest schedule by far.

 

[canuck2010]

Hope you guys don't mind. I copied this from another thread. I thought it important.

Just back from Christmas travels and couldn't wait to comment.

The IIHF should be embarrassed about this travesty in Buffalo. Any organization that puts their profit motive ahead of their product and the safety of the people involved needs a good slap in the head or a big-time lawsuit. Unreal that they would play a game in the World Championship game in such a way. Hockey Canada and USA Hockey should refuse to ever participate in such a pathetic and harebrained scheme again.

I would hope that NHL players would have walked off the ice and refused to play. At least they get paid the juniors don't. These kids supply free labour so that these pricks can be kept in cigars. The greed involved in this situation makes my blood boil.

I watched the last 10 minutes of the third period and watched two players trip in ruts or holes in the ice and fall. Luckily neither were hurt, both could have torn up their knees, broken their necks falling into the boards or been seriously concussed. Look at the play where Dube was injured, just beyond belief.

When they first announced this game I was incredulous that they would actually go ahead. Mr. Fasel you owe everyone involved an apology and the promise to never ever again put your greed ahead of player safety.