Did Montoya **** the bed?

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Rabid Ranger

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Alexander Steen said:
http://www.hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=118495

The problem I have with his performance is that apparently he didn't work hard and expected to role over the competition.


I would agree that Montoya's taken a somewhat cavalier approach, and that has cost him and the team. I can't believe some of the goals he's letting in. I think one of the worst things that could have happened is that 5-4 victory over Russia in the first game. I wouldn't be surprised if he and his teammates thought they could out-gun everyone. I have a news flash for you guys: YOU'RE NOT THE 1980s OILERS!!!!!
 

Brock

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Rabid Ranger said:
I would agree that Montoya's taken a somewhat cavalier approach, and that has cost him and the team. I can't believe some of the goals he's letting in. I think one of the worst things that could have happened is that 5-4 victory over Russia in the first game. I wouldn't be surprised if he and his teammates thought they could out-gun everyone. I have a news flash for you guys: YOU'RE NOT THE 1980s OILERS!!!!!

It doesn't help that half of the forward unit seems disinterested in the game as well. In order to play a run and gun style, the whole offensive unit has to be on all cylinders. The only ones who appear to be motivated are Kessel, Fritsche and Stafford, at least in my two viewings of the US.

Personally, I think you can trace these problems to the coaching staff, as well as the players. Blame can certainly be laid upon the coaching staff (Sandelin in particular) for not preparing these kids mentally and physically for the tournament. Motivation is a factor lacking in this team.

But then again, this tournament is far from over.
 

Hawker14

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this won't be a popular post, but maybe the US isn't better than their competition this year.

good teams find ways to win. last year they were a good team and won it all.

this year, they're not.
 

koivu_11

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hawker14 said:
this won't be a popular post, but maybe the US isn't better than their competition this year.

good teams find ways to win. last year they were a good team and won it all.

this year, they're not.

agreed.
 

leafaholix*

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hawker14 said:
this won't be a popular post, but maybe the US isn't better than their competition this year.

good teams find ways to win. last year they were a good team and won it all.

this year, they're not.
If it hadn't been for horrendous goaltending and defense, this team would be 4-0.

I have no doubt Montoya could have played much better, but the defense pretty much played up to my expectations.
 

Rabid Ranger

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hawker14 said:
this won't be a popular post, but maybe the US isn't better than their competition this year.

good teams find ways to win. last year they were a good team and won it all.

this year, they're not.


I think the U.S. as a team (in particular Montoya) is better than what they've shown thus far, which makes the current situation all the more frustrating. Going into this tournament, I thought the clear number one was Canada, with the U.S. and Russia battling it out for the second spot. Now, it seems the U.S. more middle of the pack, and potentially worse. There is no way this team should have lost to Belarus, sputtered against the Swiss, and came up short against the Czechs, but full marks to those teams for coming to play and getting the job done.
 

The Old Master

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Alexander Steen said:
If it hadn't been for horrendous goaltending and defense, this team would be 4-0.

I have no doubt Montoya could have played much better, but the defense pretty much played up to my expectations.
thats why you have to play the games instead of mailing it in. the best team dose not allways win.
 

Reilly311

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Alexander Steen said:
If it hadn't been for horrendous goaltending and defense, this team would be 4-0.

I have no doubt Montoya could have played much better, but the defense pretty much played up to my expectations.


It's not just the defense and goaltending. The forwards have been making dumb plays as well. I'd say Montoya has been more inconsistant than he has been "****ting the bed". There are times when he looks amazing. I'd say every game he's given his team a chance to win even after giving up some bad goals.
 

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Alexander Steen said:
If it hadn't been for horrendous goaltending and defense, this team would be 4-0.

I have no doubt Montoya could have played much better, but the defense pretty much played up to my expectations.

So basically you're saying that if they had a completely different team, they would be 4-0. Aside from the forwards, you've pinpointed poor goaltending and defence, that's all that's left. Bottom line is that this team is not as good as the one from last year. Many people knew this going into the tournament and is proving true. You said they would be 4-0, well ya, that's quite possible. But they could also be 0-4. The Russian game could have went either way and the Swiss deserved to beat the Americans so that could have went either way. So really they could be 1st place, all the way through to the relegation round at this point.

It's nice to see that people are finally putting some criticism on Montoya like they did with Fleury last year. All we've heard since last year is how Fleury blew it for Canada, which isn't true, but nonetheless it was talked about. This year is no different. Montoya is one of the major reasons the US has struggled to this point.

But as someone else mentioned, this tournament is far from over. Anything can happen in the playoff round.
 

leafaholix*

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Reilly311 said:
It's not just the defense and goaltending. The forwards have been making dumb plays as well. I'd say Montoya has been more inconsistant than he has been "****ting the bed". There are times when he looks amazing. I'd say every game he's given his team a chance to win even after giving up some bad goals.
He's been brutal.
 

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Alexander Steen said:
If it hadn't been for horrendous goaltending and defense, this team would be 4-0.

I have no doubt Montoya could have played much better, but the defense pretty much played up to my expectations.

:joker:

Last time I checked goaltending and defense were a pretty important part of the game. Therefore they are not as good as last year.
 

Rabid Ranger

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Alexander Steen said:
He's been brutal.


He has made some brutal plays, no doubt about that. I think the worst part is the laughers he let's in are usually back breakers, which they so often are. :mad: :banghead: :dunce:
 

Rabid Ranger

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Tuggy said:
:joker:

Last time I checked goaltending and defense were a pretty important part of the game. Therefore they are not as good as last year.



True, although I don't think many people expected Montoya to implode like he has. If he was on top of his game from the get go, I think the U.S. would be 4-0, despite the struggles of much of the defense.
 

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Rabid Ranger said:
True, although I don't think many people expected Montoya to implode like he has. If he was on top of his game from the get go, I think the U.S. would be 4-0, despite the struggles of much of the defense.

You're right I don't think you could have predicted that he would be this bad but it's not like he was red hot coming into the tourny. And the fact is they are 2-2 not 4-0, good teams find ways to win.
 

Bad News Benning

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I just don't see any leadership on this years team. I mean talent wise they are right up there, but they don't have good leadership from the coaches on down. Last year they had great leadership from the coach Eaves, and a core group of guys like Kesler, Brown, Parise, Stuart, etc. This year nobody has really stepped up in that department, and it shows, they haven't dealt with adversity well at all. Last year they dealt with adversity in the gold medal game, and overcame it, due to heart and leadership they (leaders) showed in the lockerroom in the 2nd intermission, and their play in the 3rd.
 

Rabid Ranger

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Koltsov said:
I just don't see any leadership on this years team. I mean talent wise they are right up there, but they don't have good leadership from the coaches on down. Last year they had great leadership from the coach Eaves, and a core group of guys like Kesler, Brown, Parise, Stuart, etc. This year nobody has really stepped up in that department, and it shows, they haven't dealt with adversity well at all. Last year they dealt with adversity in the gold medal game, and overcame it, due to heart and leadership they (leaders) showed in the lockerroom in the 2nd intermission, and their play in the 3rd.



That's a great point. I don't think there are a ton of fiery personalities on this team, and IMO, while Ryan Suter is a great player, he doesn't seem like the take-charge type, which is a nice quality for a captain to have. I'm also a bit puzzled by Sandelin's approach. He does realize this isn't still the NCAA right? He doesn't seem to be projecting much of a sense of urgency.
 
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Puckhead

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Rabid Ranger said:
That's a great point. I don't think there are a ton of fiery personalities on this team, and IMO, while Ryan Suter is a great player, he doesn't seem like the take-charge type, which is a nice quality for a captain to have. I'm also a bit puzzled by Sandelin's approach. He does ralize this isn't still the NCAA right? He doesn't seem to be projecting much of a sense of urgency.
I agree completely! The problem I have is with the coaches awarding guys jobs on the team and on certain lines on merit. I don't pretend to know the ins and outs of the US hockey system, but from what I have read and seen in this tourney, things just don't add up. The Schremp situation is one that baffles me. Here is quite possibly the most talented guy in the room, and he is the 13th forward? Then you have Chris Bourque on the first line? What the? Other that speed and being Ray's son, what else has he got?

I understand your statement regarding Sandelin and him having no urgency. This is a ten day tourney, and you don't have a lot of time to find things out, or let guys play themselves into a role. These are things that have to pretty much worked out before Christmas day. I would like your take on this Rabid Ranger, you seem very level headed, and intelligent. Can you make sense of these things? Or is it just me commenting from the outside looking in?
 

Levitate

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i have to agree on the comments about coaching...the players just haven't seem prepared in the games i've seen. the teams they've played have had very good game plans (except the russians) and the US has looked the same game in and game out...they always did the same thing and didn't really change when that didn't work. they just didn't look prepared. and in my opinion, it's up to the coach to prepare the players for the games, especially in a short tournament like this.

and yeah...chris bourque isn't really proving he deserves to be thought of so highly at this point. after the russian game, i didnt' see him do much of note. i didn't see the czech republic game (was traveling at the time) but in the swiss and belarus game...dunno, wasn't impressed.

the US just hasn't looked ready to play and on some level, that does have to reflect on the coach...i dont' want to blame it all on him cuz the players arent getting it done, but he he has to be the one to get them in the frame of mind to get out there and play hard. and i haven't seen any real urgency from the US
 

chicpea*

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Rabid Ranger said:
He has made some brutal plays, no doubt about that. I think the worst part is the laughers he let's in are usually back breakers, which they so often are. :mad: :banghead: :dunce:

I know what you mean, but that tends to be the case because laughers like those can be totally demoralising for the entire team. The one that the Belarus goalie let in on Brown the other night should've sealed the win for the US. That's how bad it was. But somehow, they held out.
 

Rabid Ranger

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Puckhead said:
I agree completely! The problem I have is with the coaches awarding guys jobs on the team and on certain lines on merit. I don't pretend to know the ins and outs of the US hockey system, but from what I have read and seen in this tourney, things just don't add up. The Schremp situation is one that baffles me. Here is quite possibly the most talented guy in the room, and he is the 13th forward? Then you have Chris Bourque on the first line? What the? Other that speed and being Ray's son, what else has he got?

I understand your statement regarding Sandelin and him having no urgency. This is a ten day tourney, and you don't have a lot of time to find things out, or let guys play themselves into a role. These are things that have to pretty much worked out before Christmas day. I would like your take on this Rabid Ranger, you seem very level headed, and intelligent. Can you make sense of these things? Or is it just me commenting from the outside looking in?


I hate to say this, but the U.S. team is reminding me of the New York Rangers of much of the past seven or so years. Alot of offensive talent, little defensive accountability across the board, streaky goaltending, and questionable coaching. I'd love to talk to Coach Sandelin and actually confirm he had a pulse, because he doesn't indicate that he does on the bench, and his post-game comments are always the same. I really think this team thinks that it can meet it's maker in the eye, say piss off, and turn the lights on at a moments notice. The team hasn't started well since the Russia game, and the personnel moves have been puzzling to say the least. Despite all that, the U.S. still has a chance! :amazed:
 

The Old Master

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Rabid Ranger said:
I hate to say this, but the U.S. team is reminding me of the New York Rangers of much of the past seven or so years. Alot of offensive talent, little defensive accountability across the board, streaky goaltending, and questionable coaching. I'd love to talk to Coach Sandelin and actually confirm he had a pulse, because he doesn't indicate that he does on the bench, and his post-game comments are always the same. I really think this team thinks that it can meet it's maker in the eye, say piss off, and turn the lights on at a moments notice. The team hasn't started well since the Russia game, and the personnel moves have been puzzling to say the least. Despite all that, the U.S. still has a chance! :amazed:
naw they don't have that big of payroll :lol:
 

Kovy274Hart

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I agree on the lack of leadership part. I thought Suter and O'Sullivan were supposed to be the guys who stepped up when things went wrong. But this team doesn't seem to have a leader who can right the ship. Montoya also was supposed to be one of those guys and he's stunk. I saw better goaltending from the Michigan backup the other night :banghead:.

The defense stinks and the forwards just want to play offense. The goalie is out to lunch and has lost his confidence.

Doesn't say much for Sandelin's coaching ability? How is all that going to change vs Sweden tomorrow night?


And yes, they do remind me of the Rangers :madfire:. It's bad enough I root for them. Now our goalie looks like a misfit and the entire team plays like :deadhorse.
 
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