GDT: 5/4 • United States 3, Switzerland 4 (OT)

[PaulieVegas]

Won't he be back at the start of the season? That's 4 months of playing in the NHL.

Yeah but USA will hold a training camp in August and at that time he will not have played. Brian Burke says he expects to invite 26-30 players to camp. Do you want to spend one of those spots on a kid who will be so far out of game shape that he won't put forth any kind of showing that would warrant his being on the team?

I tell you what, based on what I've seen out of the defense so far in this tournament, I'm not opposed to making Erik Johnson a part of the team after all. Even at less-than-top shape, he would be playing better than Ryan Suter right now, and I expert Suter to make it. Right now I'd have these seven guys going:

Rafalski
Komisarek
Hainsey
JMFJ
Suter
Orpik
Martin

Three guys who can move the puck (Rafalski, Suter, Hansey), two guys who can flatten forwards (Komisarek, Orpik), and two guys that can do them both (Johnson, Martin). A pretty good mix. But, when you compare it to Canada's defense, we don't look so hot. They'll end up leaving guys like Pronger, Neidermeyer, Wideman, Keith, and Souray at home, any one of which could be our #1 or #2 defenseman.

 

[Chimpradamus]

I love how the next two lines from that very same rule are simply ignored:

"However, there is also a responsibility on the player with the puck to avoid placing himself in a dangerous and vulnerable position. This balance must be considered by the Referees when applying this rule."

Because it's irrelevant in this situation? It's not like the Swiss player consciously placed himself on his knees 1.5 meters from the boards.

What should the Swiss player have done to avoid the situation? What could Backes have done to avoid the situation? It's quite clear who is responsible for the incident.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

It would be nice if the U.S. has a switch that can be turned going into the quarters.....It seems like they've done just enough to make it. They do get the "favorable" match-up against Finland (instead of Canada), but that's not going to be an easy game either. Hopefully they can come up with a complete effort and make it to the semis.

 

[DevilsFan38]

Anyone think there's a chance Clemmensen plays in the next game? Since he didn't start today I'm guessing not, but I haven't seen how Esche has played at all so I thought I'd ask.

Off the top of my head; Langenbrunner, Gionta, Drury, Gomez, Weight, Guerin, Rolston, Schneider, Parrish are all I can come up with

Note: Just realized most of the guys on my list are former Devils players, except Schneider, Parrish and Drury.

The Devils love their US players. They *could* send up to 6 guys (Parise, Martin, Langenbrunner, Gionta, Rolston, Clemmensen). Obviously those last 2 or 3 are somewhat/very questionable, but they should contribute at least 3 guys to the team.

Yeah but USA will hold a training camp in August and at that time he will not have played. Brian Burke says he expects to invite 26-30 players to camp. Do you want to spend one of those spots on a kid who will be so far out of game shape that he won't put forth any kind of showing that would warrant his being on the team?

I tell you what, based on what I've seen out of the defense so far in this tournament, I'm not opposed to making Erik Johnson a part of the team after all. Even at less-than-top shape, he would be playing better than Ryan Suter right now, and I expert Suter to make it. Right now I'd have these seven guys going:

Rafalski
Komisarek
Hainsey
JMFJ
Suter
Orpik
Martin

Three guys who can move the puck (Rafalski, Suter, Hansey), two guys who can flatten forwards (Komisarek, Orpik), and two guys that can do them both (Johnson, Martin). A pretty good mix. But, when you compare it to Canada's defense, we don't look so hot. They'll end up leaving guys like Pronger, Neidermeyer, Wideman, Keith, and Souray at home, any one of which could be our #1 or #2 defenseman.

If he has the potential to be better than some of the other guys making the team, yeah. They don't need to make the decision in August, they can look at more defensemen than they'll actually take and decide in December who looks the best during the season.

 

[Systemfel]

Anyone think there's a chance Clemmensen plays in the next game? Since he didn't start today I'm guessing not, but I haven't seen how Esche has played at all so I thought I'd ask.

I doubt it. Would be weird to throw a guy who hasn't played for a while right into an elimination game. If anything, he should have started today.

 

[cska78]

wow, did US come to play or just to show up? they better put up a fight vs. the Finns.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

Because it's irrelevant in this situation? It's not like the Swiss player consciously placed himself on his knees 1.5 meters from the boards.

What should the Swiss player have done to avoid the situation? What could Backes have done to avoid the situation? It's quite clear who is responsible for the incident.

Is that what the rule says? It says nothing about consciously putting oneself in a vulnerable position, just that he has a responsibility to avoid putting himself in a vulnerable position. It's not like Backes said "OMG he's in a vulnerable position I'm going to hit him" either...

It's not as cut and dry as you seem to argue.

 

[PaulieVegas]

Does anyone know who it was for Team USA that was offsides on the empty net goal?

 

[Fortheloveofthegame]

Does anyone know who it was for Team USA that was offsides on the empty net goal?

Pretty sure it was Blake

 

[cagney]

It would be nice if the U.S. has a switch that can be turned going into the quarters.....It seems like they've done just enough to make it. They do get the "favorable" match-up against Finland (instead of Canada), but that's not going to be an easy game either. Hopefully they can come up with a complete effort and make it to the semis.

I looked through the US world championship record for the past five years and in addition to finding that they were 3-13-1 against other "top 7" nations, they were 15-0-1 against every other team. Today was the first "upset" loss they've suffered since before the 2005 tournament.

They're usually good enough to beat the teams they should beat but they pretty much always manage to lose to the teams that matter. 2 of those wins and the one tie date back to the 2005 tournament. Sine then, they only beat the Slovaks.

Last year was frustrating because the team controlled play against the lower level teams with ease but simply couldn't compete with a team like Finland, who beat them twice. This year, they don't look very good against anyone from what I've seen (though I missed some games).

Does anyone know who it was for Team USA that was offsides on the empty net goal?

I'm pretty sure that was Captain Dustin Brown.

This team has been a huge dissapointment to me so far. I think most of the guys I got to see this year looked a good bit better with thier NHL teams. I don't know what to make of that.

 

[Systemfel]

Does anyone know who it was for Team USA that was offsides on the empty net goal?

Dustin Brown. It was Blake who shot the puck in.

 

[Boyesfan]

is there a video of the Backes hit? I sort of want to see what happened..

 

[Raymo]

.

 

[Konk]

.

It looks like Springer's gonna cry.

Some of these guys, and this isn't even hockey related, need to learn how to act like men and not little boys. Springer's one of them.

 

[Raymo]

It looks like Springer's gonna cry.

Some of these guys, and this isn't even hockey related, need to learn how to act like men and not little boys. Springer's one of them.

Yeah, he almost made it look like he couldn't move his legs and arms or something.

 

[WeberStreit]

Yeah, he almost made it look like he couldn't move his legs and arms or something.

Actually, he couldn't move his arms and legs at the time. That just came back in the hospital or something.
That could have ended really bad for him.

 

[Zorkan]

It looks like Springer's gonna cry.

Some of these guys, and this isn't even hockey related, need to learn how to act like men and not little boys. Springer's one of them.

He was temporarily paralyzed, what did you expect? I hope you'll never be in a position where you have to believe that you will be paralyzed for the rest of your life. Maybe a little compassion would be in order here.

 

[Konk]

He was temporarily paralyzed, what did you expect? I hope you'll never be in a position where you have to believe that you will be paralyzed for the rest of your life. Maybe a little compassion would be in order here.

I have compassion for the Dallas Cowboys scout who is paralyzed for the rest of his life.

From everything I've read, he was taken to the hospital with a neck injury, but from the video replay it looks like the impact is mostly to his back. Is there an actual source somewhere regarding his "temporary paralysis"?

 

[Zorkan]

I have compassion for the Dallas Cowboys scout who is paralyzed for the rest of his life.

From everything I've read, he was taken to the hospital with a neck injury, but from the video replay it looks like the impact is mostly to his back. Is there an actual source somewhere regarding his "temporary paralysis"?

There was an interview on Swiss TV with the head MD of the tournament and he said that when the helpers approached Sprunger, he was conscious, but couldn't move his arms and legs. Thereupon they put him on a stretcher and got him to the hospital. He said that it is possible that it is a spontaneous shock reaction of the nerves that might go away later on and luckily he was right.

I think the head MD is a pretty credible source.


PS: It doesn't matter whether Sprunger is permanently paralyzed or not if you judge his immediate reaction. He couldn't move his arms and legs and it's not like he would have been the first hockey player to be paralyzed after something like this.

PPS: Are you only able to feel compassion for one guy at the time? ;-)

 

[klikkar]

That hit was just stupid and dirty. Yes, he hitted a guy with possesion of the puck(arguable), he has the right to hit him by the rules, but the guy is just regaining balance, facing the ice, after being tripped(arguable again) 3 feet away from boards, facing them backwards. Guess whats gonna happen if you hit that guy.

This clearly shows the difference between Euro and NHL hockey.

In NHL, you can just do pretty much any stupid, dangerous and unnecesary thing and hide behind the rules, repeating the "he shouldn't put himself into vulnerable position"(he DIDN'T) and anything that happens is just "unfortunate". Its so easy to blame the boards (yes, those boards are very dangerous) or the guy who's being hit, because you just played "by the rules", and nothing else matters to you.

In Europe, you are responsible for what you do, and you need to think about what can happen that guy.

Don't get me wrong, I love hard hits in hockey and the physical play in NHL, and I agree that Euro refs are absurdly hard on calling those sometimes, but some hits are just stupid and way too dangerous and should be called and punished even if they are "fine" by the rulebook. This, is one of them.

Just stop using the rulebook to excuse being stupid.

 

[krax]

Sprunger underwent surgery on his spine. It was a preventive action in order to stabilize his back.

Source (in french):
http://www.lematin.ch/sports/championnat-monde-hockey/sprunger-opere-117261

 

[MasqueOfTheRedDeath*]

With the way Sprunger was barely on his skates to begin with Backes should have pulled up.

 

[bolt thrower]

It looks like Springer's gonna cry.

Some of these guys, and this isn't even hockey related, need to learn how to act like men and not little boys. Springer's one of them.

his name is Sprunger and not Springer!
Your comment is just plain stupid and I really hope you will never ever find yourself in such a position
Show some class and use your brain next time you leave a comment!

 

[DevilsFan38]

That was a disgusting hit by Backes. There's no need for that kind of play.

 

[Chimpradamus]

Is that what the rule says? It says nothing about consciously putting oneself in a vulnerable position, just that he has a responsibility to avoid putting himself in a vulnerable position. It's not like Backes said "OMG he's in a vulnerable position I'm going to hit him" either...

It's not as cut and dry as you seem to argue.

Again: how could Sunger have avoided being boarded in that situation? Answer: He couldn't.

OR

How could Backes have avoided almost paralyzing him? Answer: Don't hit defenseless players close to the boards.