GDT: 2018 WJC • Game 23 • QF2: CAN (8) - SUI (2) F

[Woodhouse]

Quarterfinal #2:

Canada vs.

Switzerland
Jan. 2 • 16:00 ET • 22:00 CET
Key Bank Center — Buffalo, NY
TV: CMore Hockey, NHLN, RDS, TSN 1/4/5, TV12

Canada
(Confirmed lineup per IIHF.)

9 Dillon Dube - 23 Sam Steel - 25 Jordan Kyrou
12 Boris Katchouk - 27 Robert Thomas - 16 Taylor Raddysh
14 Maxim Comtois - 21 Brett Howden - 24 Alex Formenton
11 Jonah Gadjovich - 20 Michael McLeod - 19 Drake Batherson
17 Tyler Steenbergen

7 Cale Makar - 3 Connor Timmins
10 Kale Clague - 8 Dante Fabbro
2 Jake Bean - 6 Cal Foote
28 Victor Mete

31 Carter Hart
1 Colton Point

Switzerland
(Confirmed lineup per IIHF.)

11 Marco Miranda - 23 Philipp Kurashev - 22 Nando Eggenberger
24 Andre Heim - 14 Ken Jager - 9 Nicolas Muller
18 Valentin Nussbaumer - 19 Axel Simic - 10 Guillaume Maillard
28 Dario Rohrbach - 13 Justin Sigrist - 20 Sven Leuenberger
26 Marco Cavalleri

12 Tobias Geisser - 16 Nico Gross
17 Elia Riva - 4 Simon LeCoultre
21 Tim Berni - 27 Dominik Egli
8 Davyd Barandun

30 Philip Wuthrich
1 Matteo Ritz
29 Akira Schmid
​

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[TruePowerSlave]

Makar probably plays 5 minutes

 

[Statsy]

I was going to pick the Swiss for the upset, but then I saw that Christian Wohlwend interview!

 

[BigBadBoar]

I was going to pick the Swiss for the upset, but then I saw that Christian Wohlwend interview!

I suppose that interview to be rather smart. Those are psychological pre-games, you try to take the pressure down from your team and put the opponent under pressure a little bit more. He probably sees his players being seriously afraid of Canada (no wonder) and attempts to tell them "heads up, guys, everybody expects us to lose, we can only surprise, don't shiver with nerves and simply focus on the game shift by shift. We come there to enjoy it." Sometimes this helps.

 

[Peanut]

When’s the last time Canada choked in the quarters?

 

[Statsy]

When’s the last time Canada choked in the quarters?

Depends on what you mean by "choked". Our last QF loss was just a couple of years ago, but that was to a stacked, gold medal winning Finnish team and even then it went right down to the wire. Not sure we've ever lost to a low ranked team in this situation.

 

[Ivan13]

#FreeMakar!

 

[King Weber]

Switzerland with the upset, 3-1, with the third goal being an empty netter.

 

[BigBadBoar]

Switzerland with the upset, 3-1, with the third goal being an empty netter.

That would be stunning indeed, but don't believe this.

 

[Simplicity]

A couple of people want the glory of predicting an upset, but it says it all that only a couple of people are making that claim. Should be an easy, stat padding game.

 

[Canuckistani]

Canada 5-2 is a safe bet.

Canada is 21-0 all time vs Switzerland, including QF wins in 2000 (8-3), 2011 (4-1) and 2014 (4-1), plus SF in 2002 (4-0) and 2010 (6-1).

The Swiss are getting better and their first WJC win vs Canada is just a matter of time. But I doubt it will be today.

 

[Ararana]

How many points will Makar get this game with his < 7 minutes of ice time. #BooToYouDucharme

 

[900]

I laughed when I saw the Swiss coach interview

 

[DJJones]

What's up with Makar anyway? From what little I've seen he's looked good.

 

[tony d]

Canada-6 Switzerland-1.

 

[Iapyi]

canada will throttle them. 8-2

 

[a mangy Meowth]

What's up with Makar anyway? From what little I've seen he's looked good.

He's had an inexplicably short leash. He's looked great offensively and at the very least - passable to good - on defense. But Ducharme is playing political hockey or something.

 

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaa]

I've seen a million interviews by coaches in my life, many using reverse psychology, and that was not one of them. He was just being honest. As amazing to many of us as it seems, sometimes people just say what they are thinking.

 

[Statsy]

Lots of people still asking about Makar. The deal is that Ducharme had originally not wanted him to kill penalties, so when we're short, he sits. However the coach has since said he wanted to work him in if it's a game where we take a lot of penalties. Not to mention the fact that other D are banged up and Makar could definitely help take pressure off playing those guys. Should get decent minutes together today.

 

[Ivan13]

There's no reason for him not to kill penalties. The whole roster decisions are out of whack, they now have 5 healthy D, one of which they refuse to play.

 

[Skip2myBordyloo]

Wonder with Mete out if they put Makar with Timmins.

 

[Ararana]

Wonder with Mete out if they put Makar with Timmins.

If they do I'll have to bring an extra pair of pants.

 

[Advanced stats]

Incredibly easy path to the finals now...let's hope we don't blow this..

 

[LeafChief]

Seems Mete will not be playing.

 

[snipes]

Just win.