U18: 2018 U18 WJC's Magnitogorsk & Chelyabinsk Russia.

[FinPanda]

I was sure Canada was going to win the whole thing. Now this is probably USA's to lose again.

 

[SK94]

I was sure Canada was going to win the whole thing. Now this is probably USA's to lose again.

This tournament has been USA's to lose all the time.

 

[FinPanda]

This tournament has been USA's to lose all the time.

Yeah true but I still thought after the first games that they aren't as dominant as thought.

 

[JLFGoNicsGo11]

Yeah true but I still thought after the first games that they aren't as dominant as thought.

Defense & goaltending has got a lot better as the tournament has gone on

 

[Mirinho]

Nuts,...i can-not recall this kind of upset at u18 worlds, like ever.....nuts.

Czech's at these u18 worlds:

5 goals against Slovakia (L), 3 goals against Russia (L), 4 goals against Finland (L)
2 goals against France (W) = 1 W 3 L , 14 goals against (3.50 goals against per game)

Beats the favorites Canada 2-1.

Sport has no logic ... And especialy team sports.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Finland-USA in the gold medal game again?

 

[hawkeerox]

Don Hay, coach of Canada, made some tremendous errors and looked like a rookie coach.
He fell in love with certain players, and kept going back with them.
Hillis who played a ton had no goals and took 6 minor penalties in the tournament. One against Swedes to allow them to force overtime with 1:30 left and 2 penalties at inoportune times today.
Aidan Dudas played all pp and pk had 1 goal in 3 games no assists and 4 total shots.
Smith who played better today had a horrendous tourny and had zero points.
Hay broke up the Noel, Veleno, McBain line to get Dudas into lineup and that ended up doing nothing.
Veleno played 4 games, got zero goals and 3 assists.
I could go on.
I liked the play of Lafrenière, LAVOIE, McBain, Byram, Rodrigue, Dellandrea (although he played too much) Bahl and Foudy.
Really strange coaching for someone as tenured as Hay.

Well, not sure he fell in love, he just went with what he believed would work best. He needed a center to replace Ail Thomas, I think, so he moved McBain to center that line, unless he made the move before Akil's injury...

The team did not play with focused aggression in the Czech end, I guess - probably the worst game they have played. 16/17 year-olds, eh!

 

[hawkeerox]

I was sure Canada was going to win the whole thing.

Maybe the team thought the same thing, so they kind of entered some alternate zone that half-froze them. They looked stunned.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Finland-USA in the gold medal game again?

Hopefully not.
Finland isn't never win USA in U18 WJC gold medal game.

Finland and USA are faced each others in U18 WJC gold medal game twice ( 2015 and 2017).
And as you probably remember Finland has lost both games.

Finland's only win vs USA was 2016 U18 WJC semifinal in Grand Forks

 

[hawkeerox]

It's a new game, new teams - score starts 0-0, so anything can happen. Just ask Team Canada.

 

[Whalers Fan]

The Czechs beat Team USA at the U18 Five Nations tournament here in February, so Saturday's semi-final game is anything but a lock. The US did look very good today against Russia, though. Some excellent goaltending kept the game close until those 3rd period goals.

 

[SanDogBrewin]

Putting Knight in goal was a good move. Farabee had a real good game.

 

[razor ray]

 

[FinPanda]

But haven't they always done poorly in the preliminary round? I wouldn't be surprised if they play in the semifinal.

They always do poorly in preliminary round just to get spanked in the quaterfinals and go home. Czech U18 always goes from being somewhat of a contender at the Hlinka to hot garbage at the U18 WJC. This year is (will be) no different.

Called it.

 

[Czechboy]

The Czechs beat Team USA at the U18 Five Nations tournament here in February, so Saturday's semi-final game is anything but a lock. The US did look very good today against Russia, though. Some excellent goaltending kept the game close until those 3rd period goals.

I've got the States as massive favourites in this one... they dominate the U18 like no other and just beat a very good Russian side 5-1. Having said that, all the pressure is on them to win and these Czechs were silver at Hlinka and now in Semi's here. Still, US should dominate this game.

 

[razor ray]

 

[Mestaruus]

I've got the States as massive favourites in this one... they dominate the U18 like no other and just beat a very good Russian side 5-1. Having said that, all the pressure is on them to win and these Czechs were silver at Hlinka and now in Semi's here. Still, US should dominate this game.

Two goals on empty net in that 5-1.

Doesn't USA U18 have their national team playing together the entire season in some league. I don't give any respect to that. It's almost like cheating. No other nation does that. Of course USA has advantage over any team with this system even if their team would otherwise be worse than some other team in talent.

 

[firstemperor]

I was sure Canada was going to win the whole thing. Now this is probably USA's to lose again.

So was I....but mostly teenagers playing a tournament, anything can happen sometimes in a best-of-1.

 

[Jez]

Finland and USA are faced each others in U18 WJC gold medal game twice ( 2015 and 2017).
And as you probably remember Finland has lost both games.

Third time's the charm...maybe! That's a game I'd like to see. Pretty evenly matched teams. Also Hughes and Turcotte vs Kakko would be a great opportunity to see 3 players who will – in my opinion – go in the top 5 in 2019!

 

[Whalers Fan]

Two goals on empty net in that 5-1.

Doesn't USA U18 have their national team playing together the entire season in some league. I don't give any respect to that. It's almost like cheating. No other nation does that. Of course USA has advantage over any team with this system even if their team would otherwise be worse than some other team in talent.

Other countries are beginning to consider the USA model - - I think Belarus is already doing something similar. Don't get mad just because USA Hockey had a good idea.

 

[Tutu to]

Don Hay, coach of Canada, made some tremendous errors and looked like a rookie coach.
He fell in love with certain players, and kept going back with them.
Hillis who played a ton had no goals and took 6 minor penalties in the tournament. One against Swedes to allow them to force overtime with 1:30 left and 2 penalties at inoportune times today.
Aidan Dudas played all pp and pk had 1 goal in 3 games no assists and 4 total shots.
Smith who played better today had a horrendous tourny and had zero points.
Hay broke up the Noel, Veleno, McBain line to get Dudas into lineup and that ended up doing nothing.
Veleno played 4 games, got zero goals and 3 assists.
I could go on.
I liked the play of Lafrenière, LAVOIE, McBain, Byram, Rodrigue, Dellandrea (although he played too much) Bahl and Foudy.
Really strange coaching for someone as tenured as Hay.

I thought Veleno was Canadas best forward today.

 

[Rocko604]

Doesn't USA U18 have their national team playing together the entire season in some league. I don't give any respect to that. It's almost like cheating. No other nation does that. Of course USA has advantage over any team with this system even if their team would otherwise be worse than some other team in talent.

In previous years, the USA had separate U18 and U17 teams that played a half season in the USHL. This year, the USNDP fielded a U17 team in the USHL for the full season, and are currently in the USHL playoffs. However, the utilize a huge roster, so half of them are at the U18s, the other half are in the USHL playoffs. (I think I got that right)

Slovakia uses a similar model with their U20 team, as they play in the Slovakian Extraleague, albeit only 20 games per season.

 

[Mestaruus]

In previous years, the USA had separate U18 and U17 teams that played a half season in the USHL. This year, the USNDP fielded a U17 team in the USHL for the full season, and are currently in the USHL playoffs. However, the utilize a huge roster, so half of them are at the U18s, the other half are in the USHL playoffs. (I think I got that right)

Slovakia uses a similar model with their U20 team, as they play in the Slovakian Extraleague, albeit only 20 games per season.

It makes it more fair that half of the players aren't in U18 WHC then. I didn't know that so good to know.

 

[Uncle Rotter]

In previous years, the USA had separate U18 and U17 teams that played a half season in the USHL. This year, the USNDP fielded a U17 team in the USHL for the full season, and are currently in the USHL playoffs. However, the utilize a huge roster, so half of them are at the U18s, the other half are in the USHL playoffs. (I think I got that right)

The better (and older) half
USNTDP Juniors

 

[Rocko604]

It's an interesting model, but I don't know if something like this would work in Canada, or even work logistically, given how hand in hand Hockey Canada and the CHL are.