WC: USA vs Canada Semifinals Showdown

[Mestaruus]

I'll stay with my pre playoffs gold medal prediction that USA gets the gold. I'm a Finnish guy and I've been impressed by USA ever since the FIN-USA game. Finland was very lucky to win that game, because USA had no warm up games, yet USA looked so ready. That game was a lot better than many people even realize. First game of the tournament for teams isn't supposed to be so good and high level.

So it will be a close game but I'll say USA. Riding with the 4 hour rest advantage in the final means USA > FIN/GER since little things can make the difference at this level.

 

[AmericanDream]

Damn, am I gonna be up early drinking now...can't promise straight lines when I cut the grass at noon..

U
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A

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Blackwell with the GWG

 

[Mainiac]

Just mention a couple of things...apparently the 5-1 prelim round score was the worst drubbing TC has ever had at the hands of team USA. Seems odd, considering U-18 results but regardless, nobody wants that on their record and the best way to remedy is tomorrow. Also, Team USA played Finland & TC in the first 2 games and since then have gone 6-0....but a fairly soft schedule (with all due respect to Slovakia). Last two games TC has played ROC & Finland, two of the toughest at this event. So, I'm giving the nod to the no-names considering revenge & tougher recent competition.

 

[ORRFForever]

I am going to exercise after the hockey, tonight - could be a midnight run.

By the time I get up, tomorrow, the game will be long over.

 

[Peiskos]

I've said from Day one that Canada has the best roster at this tournament. I keep reading how awful the roster is but I'm positive that is fans looking and not seeing Connor McDavid on it. Look around at the rosters in the semi's.

Germans' don't have Drai and Grubauer.. that is much harder for them.
Finn's don't have anyone from their best on best team as far as I can tell.. maybe Maata?
US doesn't have one best on best player to my knowledge????
Canada doesn't either but whenver 'who is best' comes up it is followed by Canadian HF posters saying they have the best depth in the world (very true) and they can ice 2 teams (also very true) so it's strange to me when we are a tournament with zero depth for EVERYONE that the Canadian HF posters are complaining about not having a good enough roster.lol

I didn't pick Canada because of intangibles like 'heart' (although, they have that too.lol) but becuase they have the strongest roster here. I think the posters need to stop looking at the 2022 best on best thread and comparing this Canada to THAT Canada. THink they'd be better off looking THIS Canada and their opponents rosters HERE.

Eg. only 2 NHL goalies left. Canada has the best one in Kuemper (who was outstanding yesterday. He even made an extraoridanry stop on the goal against).

How many former and current first rounders are on this Canadian team? Comtois, Perfetti, Schneider, Beaudin, Power and Foudy come to mind immediately. Name me the country at THIS tournament with more?

Also, it's now 3 of the top 6 scorers in this tourney. No other nation boasts that kind of offence HERE.

View attachment 443238

Cehlarik is done. So is Kirk. The highest .ppg is Mangiapane (who's been outstanding) but he's played 3 less games. Hoffamn and Jenson are also gone from tourney.

Of the remaining players in the tourney... Canada his 3 of the top 4 scorers at THIS tournament. They're not weak, They are not undermanned. I don't see any KHL guys in the top 10 here. I don't see any NHL Czechs up here either. I see zero Finns, zero Germans and 2 Americans (the final 4 countries).

NHL goalie with the top scorers is what this team is. Not an underdog, not a Cinderella story. A really good team that had a slow start and is now rolling.

For Canadian standards this is the weakest team we’ve possibly ever sent, that’s how it’s just viewed here. Having a number of Canadian players as the top scorers doesn’t subtract from that, it’s more impressive than anything else, this team has already gone further than a number of star studded teams that we’ve sent to this tournament. Just medaling would be an achievement after the start they had.

 

[Czechboy]

For Canadian standards this is the weakest team we’ve possibly ever sent, that’s how it’s just viewed here. Having a number of Canadian players as the top scorers doesn’t subtract from that, it’s more impressive than anything else, this team has already gone further than a number of star studded teams that we’ve sent to this tournament. Just medaling would be an achievement after the start they had.

It's the weakest team everyone has sent.

I'm not looking for comparisons between this roster and previous one or potential best on best rosters.

How does this Canada roster compare to Finland, US and Germany at this tournament?

Line it up anyway you want... Please explain why those 3 rosters are superior to Canada's roster here.

 

[jj cale]

Cripes, 4 a.m start to this game for me, better get to bed early.

 

[ORRFForever]

It's the weakest team everyone has sent.

I'm not looking for comparisons between this roster and previous one or potential best on best rosters.

How does this Canada roster compare to Finland, US and Germany at this tournament?

Line it up anyway you want... Please explain why those 3 rosters are superior to Canada's roster here.

The posters who are the hardest on Canadian rosters are... Canadians! Myself included.

 

[Faterson]

What time is this game today? Bonus points if you answer in Pacific Time

Cripes, 4 a.m start to this game for me, better get to bed early.

Guys, I regularly watch LA Kings games from Staples Center at 4 a.m. or 4:30 a.m. the whole season long, because that's the regular opening face-off time at Staples Center... so now you get a little bit of taste of that over there.

Eating breakfast while watching a Kings game live from Staples Center has been... er... a staple of my life for many years now, and it would almost seem weird to me to watch an LA Kings game in the evening rather than around sunrise.

 

[wereq]

refs from CAN and US ...

 

[jj cale]

Guys, I regularly watch LA Kings games from Staples Center at 4 a.m. or 4:30 a.m. the whole season long, because that's the regular opening face-off time at Staples Center... so now you get a little bit of taste of that over there.

Eating breakfast while watching a Kings game live from Staples Center has been... er... a staple of my life for many years now, and it would almost seem weird to me to watch an LA Kings game in the evening rather than around sunrise.

Man, that's impressive and real dedication!!


What's less impressive is why you would do that for the L.A. Kings.

 

[Faterson]

What's less impressive is why you would do that for the L.A. Kings.

How can you say that, after 2012 and 2014... Breakfast never tasted more deliciously!

Anyway, let's go! Enjoy your breakfast overseas, lunchtime here in Europe, 8 minutes to puckdrop. 3 Kings squaring off against other 3 Kings. (Too bad about Matt Roy's injury...)

 

[jj cale]

How can you say that, after 2012 and 2014... Breakfast never tasted more deliciously!

Anyway, let's go! Enjoy your breakfast overseas, lunchtime here in Europe, 8 minutes to puckdrop. 3 Kings squaring off against other 3 Kings. (Too bad about Matt Roy's injury...)

Cheers

 

[jj cale]

Pirri!!

Nice start.

 

[jj cale]

Kuemper with a big save there. Good fast paced game so far.

 

[jj cale]

Robertson is a sneaky dangerous guy, gotta keep an eye on him.

 

[jj cale]

Blackwell..............1-1

 

[ShippinUpToBoston]

Oh my god. I hope Kuemper’s ok

 

[MoeTheHobo]

And the razzie goes to...

 

[jj cale]

U.S sure has turned on the heat, heavy forecheck and Canada is just chasing the puck around out there, another minute of that and they would have gone in the lead.

Canada needs to regroup and get things under control again, should be a good game.

 

[member 305909]

Hopefully the USA abandons its very long tradition of melting at the crucial moment.

 

[Mainiac]

Like the pace so far

 

[matsqq]

Very impressed by USA:s last minutes of the period , best performance I've seen this WC

 

[jj cale]

Wake the hell up Canada!!

 

[jj cale]

2-1 Mangiapane.

We sure needed that.