Canada Five on Five

lilooet*

Guest
I'm surprised Mr Special hasn't mentioned it already, but Canada at even strength is simply not doing the job.

Sure, our record is fine thus far because we've played decent games and got some garbage or textbook point shot goals on the pp. That said, our pp is awful - the positioning is fine in most instances, but the decision making is, at times, of the lowest calibre. The cycle is good (when lead by Downie) but the cross-ice passes are weak and the point and slot shots are rarely getting through.

And here I come to my main point: though the pp is abysmal, that is the only way we have been scoring. And not just 'scoring', but scoring against weaker teams.
In the last two games, Canada has only two even strength goals, and both of these came from - that's right - a Dman. And this was against Germany and Slovakia respectively. The US game was hardly different and, against Sweden, both goals came on the pp, half of which were from the point (Bourdon).

On top of this, especially five on five, but also on the pp, I can count on one hand with a missing finger (changing room accident) the number of times a Canadian player has driven to the net from the wing or on one-on-one battles à la Mike Richards/Jeff Carter et al.

I don't mean to whine, but I am truly concerned, as such play will not hold up if we meet Russia in the Finals, or any other hot and special team in the Semis.

As I mentioned in another thread, it is extraordinarily clear that this is not a Sutter team. Some may see that as a good thing; I don't.
 

espo*

Guest
i see what you're saying and i'm concerned but on the other hand we are 4-0 in what to me is a much stronger group this year then the other side so :dunno:

if we can play a great team game and just get enough scoring we can certainly win.I've seen this before from our teams and would'nt be surprised to see it again this year.
 

UvBnDatsyuked

Registered User
Apr 30, 2005
2,186
1
As long as the same officials keep on doing the job they have been doing, Canada will get their powerplays. PK is very strong so as long as the calls don't go completely the other way, I'm sure Canada will do very well.

This has become a special teams tournament and Canada has been doing well at that type of game
 

kieley

Registered User
Sep 13, 2006
321
0
halifax, ns
4-0!? Game against Slovakia!? What the hell!? I was under the impression that the Slovakia started in a few minutes time (or the televised program by TSN anyway), this coming from Halifax. What did I miss?
 

Blind Gardien

nexus of the crisis
Apr 2, 2004
20,537
0
Four Winds Bar
I think there's still a bit of chaos and lack of chemistry on some of the forward lines, which helps explain the lack of impression made 5-on-5. Hartsburg hasn't really hit on the right combinations, and I don't know that he's utilizing the best players in the right ways all the time. It's a bit late for further experimentation, though.

But generally speaking, I think he has tried to ride the Gagner experiment too long for one thing. Of course, at the same time, I think an argument could easily be made that some players like O'Marra and Little haven't really stepped it up to make the most of what opportunity they have had, and even to a lesser extent McArdle hasn't made the most of his precious few opportunities either to try to force Hartsburg's hand into putting him on a regular line. I think it's a bit too late to hope that everything will suddenly gel now. Instead, we're going to have to keep relying on what we've relied on so far, the strong defense, the goaltending, a precious few elite individuals up front (esp. Downie and Toews) and workmanlike performances from the rest of the grinders, with the occasional clutch heroics. Hopefully that will be enough. But it might not be. A guy like Giroux, well, I wish he was there instead of Gagner right about now to help kickstart something on offense. Oh well.
 

Oilerfan120582

Registered User
Jul 9, 2005
1,350
0
Wait, they played even strength in the Slovakia game???? I must have been in the washroom when that happened.

Seriously though, Canada is not as dominant 5-on-5 as they were with Sutter, though they are generating chances. If Cogliano had finished on half of his chances he'd be leading the tournament in goals.
 

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