GDT: Group B • Dec. 28 • Russia 2, United States 1

[Natey]

The USA coach is brutal. USA is the better team, I think, but that was some horrible coaching.

 

[Dangles78]

I hate Galchenyuk's linemates. They can't finish it for him and it's not normal than his linemates in Sarnia are even better than those at the WJC.

They can't even handle any of his passes....passes that are crisp and right on the tape...

 

[22Brad Park]

Very entertaining game. I'd give the US a 60/40 advantage in play even though they lost.
If the US plays this way against Canada I can see a lopsided score in favour of the US. IMO Canada can't match the speed of the Americans.
Oh and there's the goaltenders. That favours the US too.

I think Canada has more size up front and that will be difference.

 

[ReppingMTL]

What was that Jones i remember you saying that you had the best team and you were the team to beat. Eat it Jones have fun playing for Bronze you plug.

Lol dude, Jones is the furthest thing from a plug. Cheering for Canada here, but what do you expect the kid to say. Canada is the best team in the tournament and we're here for second place. C'mon. Anyways, hopefully Montreal gets Jones. What a stud, and what's up with Gally not getting the puck. Poor guy just skates and skates and no one passes him the puck.

 

[Baemon Severson*]

This is where it would have made sense to select Reid Boucher. Lots of pp time and he can change a game with one shot

 

[ashs]

As a Canadian I wish we had Gibson in net

 

[Sam Spade]

Rocco Grimaldi didn't pray hard enough before the game

Not gonna I lie, I laughed.

 

[22Brad Park]

The USA coach is brutal. USA is the better team, I think, but that was some horrible coaching.

he did nothing but be a bump on a log back there.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

It's a shame we didn't have a better fate here. I wonder what the let-down if any will be against Canada? Have to get more scoring punch, but I just don't see it with this roster as is. Housley needs to do some tweaking.

 

[Dynamo81]

Russian defensive coverage and positioning was very impressive today. They gave up a couple of very dangerous chances early that Makarov bailed them out on, but after that they were very hard to penetrate.

Yep, as a lot of the Russian posters have said although we are missing Naumenkov this is the best Defense Russia has assembled in quite some time. I still expect better from them though A few of the Russian D rely too much on just giving the forward the puck and expecting magic to happen which irked me.

 

[Bure]

I have not been impressed with Canada's D, they obviously are still the favorites but I think the USA in terms of play has been the best team so far in the tournament.

Yeah the Canadian D need to tighten up. If the US forwards get going they could expose them.

 

[Exit Dose]

Holy ****, can people stop talking about Jones like he's a third pairing scrub because he made a mistake or two?

 

[22Brad Park]

Lol dude, Jones is the furthest thing from a plug. Cheering for Canada here, but what do you expect the kid to say. Canada is the best team in the tournament and we're here for second place. C'mon. Anyways, hopefully Montreal gets Jones. What a stud, and what's up with Gally not getting the puck. Poor guy just skates and skates and no one passes him the puck.

Jones is 17,lol he better now then most players there,Ask him how MacKinnon doing on bench,Jones going to go 1st overall.

 

[Yakushev72]

Great game! The US played great, and had tremendous puck possession in the Russian end in the 2nd period. The Russians looked tired in the 2nd, but then came out turbo-charged in the 3rd. I think maybe Varnakov's training camp principle of physical loading is going to work out well. If it goes as planned, the Russians will get stronger with each game in the round robin, and be ready to fly in the Medal Round. I've got to calm down, as the last 10 minutes was a nail-biter. Close win, but we'll take it.

 

[SuperUnknown]

Grimaldi has no chance of being an impact player at this tournament, or in the pro's, with how he plays the game. one of the most selfish players i've seen in a while

I think Grimaldi could become a 3th/4th liner in the NHL with his skating, work ethic and forecheck but I don't see him getting into the top 6.

 

[Fulcrum]

Great game! The US played great, and had tremendous puck possession in the Russian end in the 2nd period. The Russians looked tired in the 2nd, but then came out turbo-charged in the 3rd. I think maybe Varnakov's training camp principle of physical loading is going to work out well. If it goes as planned, the Russians will get stronger with each game in the round robin, and be ready to fly in the Medal Round. I've got to calm down, as the last 10 minutes was a nail-biter. Close win, but we'll take it.

Kucherov breakaway was important and he didn't score. Kapustin's dumb check didn't help. Definately had a chance for a calm finish.

 

[RPGrizzly]

Great game! The US played great, and had tremendous puck possession in the Russian end in the 2nd period. The Russians looked tired in the 2nd, but then came out turbo-charged in the 3rd.

Yeah I agree the extra day of rest seemed to benefit Russia in the 3rd. They were flying, the US just looked tired and sloppy in that 3rd.

 

[Xokkeu]

Yep, as a lot of the Russian posters have said although we are missing Naumenkov this is the best Defense Russia has assembled in quite some time. I still expect better from them though A few of the Russian D rely too much on just giving the forward the puck and expecting magic to happen which irked me.

Offensively Russia were pretty disorganized and a bit dumbfounded on what to do. Defensively they were well coached and organized, but it seems like the coaching staff decided to tell the team to do whatever they wanted to once the puck got into the offensive zone. None of the Russian defenseman have looked particularly impressive moving the puck, but they look like a well coached unit. They came out a bit flat today but picked it up as the game went along.

 

[FlyingKostitsyn]

Grimaldi really reminded me of Gomez. Skates around fast with the puck but keeps it too long to create a good play.

I wish Galchenyuk played more and/or had better linemates..

 

[Dynamo81]

Yeah I agree the extra day of rest seemed to benefit Russia in the 3rd. They were flying, the US just looked tired and sloppy in that 3rd.

Where was Gally? Thought he was rested in the third period against Germany. I rate him but he disappeared completley in the third period.

 

[Bure]

Offensively Russia were pretty disorganized and a bit dumbfounded on what to do. Defensively they were well coached and organized, but it seems like the coaching staff decided to tell the team to do whatever they wanted to once the puck got into the offensive zone. None of the Russian defenseman have looked particularly impressive moving the puck, but they look like a well coached unit. They came out a bit flat today but picked it up as the game went along.

Nesterov is the only one that caught my eye in terms of breaking out of the zone. Great first pass and good speed.

 

[Dynamo81]

Offensively Russia were pretty disorganized and a bit dumbfounded on what to do. Defensively they were well coached and organized, but it seems like the coaching staff decided to tell the team to do whatever they wanted to once the puck got into the offensive zone. None of the Russian defenseman have looked particularly impressive moving the puck, but they look like a well coached unit. They came out a bit flat today but picked it up as the game went along.

You nailed it on the head.

Really glad Nichushkin had a great match, only 17 and I think he can become an elite player in the future.

USA vs Canada will be an amazing match, really want to see what the USA do with the Canadian defense.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

I wish Galchenyuk played more and/or had better linemates..

If this isn't becoming a trend for the tournament. I wished he played better as a USA fan and Montreal people would stop pretending the guy is solid gold and everything that goes wrong on his line doesn't somehow not involve him also.

 

[Seb]

Where was Gally? Thought he was rested in the third period against Germany. I rate him but he disappeared completley in the third period.

He played 9:32 TOI, the USA's coach is dumb. Unless Gally is injured.

 

[RPGrizzly]

Where was Gally? Thought he was rested in the third period against Germany. I rate him but he disappeared completley in the third period.

Russia's D really locked him down. Like the poster above said, his linemates needed to pick up some slack. He had no room on the forecheck.

He played 9:32 TOI, the USA's coach is dumb. Unless Gally is injured.

edit: Wow. Didn't know he played so little. No wonder he seemed invisible...