GDT: Group B • Dec. 31 • Canada 5, Sweden 6 (SO) • Part 3

[FrankMTL]

I'm very dissapointed by the lack of foot speed for Canada's defenceman. Against average teams it doesn't show as much, but against good teams, it's really exposed. This particular Swedish team is extremely fast, and they seem to have no problem getting around our defenceman. That's 2 games in a row that the Swedes have carried the play against us. If we can control their speed game through the neutral zone especially, then we'll have a better chance. Also, we can't have Roy giving up bad goals left and right..

Overall good game by the Swedes, they deserved to win. The sore winners and sore losers on these boards cancel each other out....and frankly, it's annoying as hell to read these boards after any game.

Hopefully we get another crack at them, but we have to fix a few things first.

Hopefully we get a repeat of 2008

 

[BlackAces*]

At some point there has to be a progression, though. Canada didn't play great but still beat Russia. The other games weren't big challenges. Canada didn't play great but still took Sweden to a shootout? When is the team suddenly going to step up? Maybe it won't/can't? Anyway, it's getting late for things to come together. Fingers crossed. But I don't see any reason for Canadian fans to be confident. Hopeful, sure. But confident, not at all.

Kassian back will help. Imagine if the Kings hadn't sent Schenn back, though, yikes....

Cautiously optimistic? This team reminds me on a late 90's Team Canada team in their composition. We had other players available that could be on this team, and help them, but clearly the management had a vision in mind.

Tournament begins tomorrow, so we will see what kind of Team Canada we really have.

 

[marty 4 hart*]

Canadas best players are in the NHL. Imagine how good we could be. But Canada is still the best. I sure hope that the Swedish fans dont think that they are better than Canada.

 

[BlackAces*]

Canada didn't take anyone to a shootout, Lehner and that freak bounce did that just fine.

You create your own luck, I guess.

LOL...because Sweden didn't benefit from any flukey plays...right.

 

[Your old Jofa helmet]

Then what does that say about sweden it took them to over time to win.They played a solid game but some are getting a bit carried away.

It was a close game but Swedes were overall better and showed they are more skilled, the control the puck better, they are stronger on the boards, they pass better and they are quicker. They did not dominate but it was clear they were better in all the aspects but for hitting.

 

[Minister of Offence]

Nice game Sweden. I think their skill has been undersold a little all tournament. Canada needs a goaltending change as Roy's athleticism just isn't making up for his size. Sweden can ride Lehner, I doubt he got this far giving up to many of those softies, and it was only one bad one...he bounced back and shut the door.

 

[Phil McKraken]

Don't feed marty 4 hart..

 

[FrankMTL]

Canadas best players are in the NHL. Imagine how good we could be. But Canada is still the best. I sure hope that the Swedish fans dont think that they are better than Canada.

Stop taking things so personally... Yes they were better then us for that game and so far this tournament. It doesn't mean much outside of that. They have reason to be happy as we would have been had we won.

 

[Your old Jofa helmet]

Canadas best players are in the NHL. Imagine how good we could be. But Canada is still the best. I sure hope that the Swedish fans dont think that they are better than Canada.

Oh, come on. That is lame. We all know you can do better. Switch your accounts and start a Lidstrom thread, you gotta try harder

 

[FrankMTL]

Before the tournament started, I though our defence would be our strength..but honestly, I'm just shocked at how bad they are. Even in the first period against Norway...they we're giving up so many shots. The only ones on defence that have been ok are Cowen and Gudbransson....the rest have been awful. Yes I find even Ellis sucks on defence. The worst have been Olsen and Despres though...Was expecting much better from them..

 

[Trotzig]

LOL...because Sweden didn't benefit from any flukey plays...right.

Theres a difference between "flukey plays" and freak accidents with a repeat chance of 1 in a trillion.

 

[BlackAces*]

Theres a difference between "flukey plays" and freak accidents with a repeat chance of 1 in a trillion.

I would say our defenceman scoring on himself cancels out a lucky bounce.

 

[wjhl2009fan]

Canada didn't take anyone to a shootout, Lehner and that freak bounce did that just fine.

You create your own luck, I guess.

Swedens 4th goal was a freak bounces.

 

[Phil McKraken]

I would say our defenceman scoring on himself cancels out a lucky bounce.

No that cancels out our defenceman doing the exact same thing on the first goal.

 

[King In The North]

I mean we really shouldn't expect Canada to be undefeated, especially when playing Sweden.

 

[Trotzig]

I would say our defenceman scoring on himself cancels out a lucky bounce.

And Couturier had a lot of help from Dahlbeck scoring his goal.
Not only did Dahlbeck score on himself, he also had a secondary assist on the play. Atrocious shift by Dahlbeck

Swedens 4th goal was a freak bounces.

It most certainly wasn't. You are delusional.

 

[BlackAces*]

No that cancels out our defenseman doing the exact same thing on the first goal.

The entire game was full of flukey goals on both sides, and horrible goaltending. Outside of their goalie, Sweden played better than Canada did, nobody is denying that.

Bottom line, Canada always finds a way to give themselves a chance to win, even playing like crap from top to bottom.

 

[Phil McKraken]

The entire game was full of flukey goals on both sides, and horrible goaltending. Outside of their goalie, Sweden played better than Canada did, nobody is denying that.

Bottom line, Canada always finds a way to give themselves a chance to win, even playing like crap from top to bottom.

Well, I actually expect Canada to win gold in this tournament in the end. However this particular game in itself was Sweden's.

 

[Very Stable Genius]

Lehner had a shaky first, although I think only one goal was truly bad other ones were freak chances, he was able to bounce back and be clutch the rest of the way. Great to see the mental strength to come back and help his team win. Something current Sens goalies lack and have lacked in the past.

 

[Rust Cohle]

A nice win for Sweden but I'd be very surprised if Canada doesn't find a better way of controlling Swedens game if we are to meet again.

 

[canuck2010]

I'm very dissapointed by the lack of foot speed for Canada's defenceman. Against average teams it doesn't show as much, but against good teams, it's really exposed. This particular Swedish team is extremely fast, and they seem to have no problem getting around our defenceman. That's 2 games in a row that the Swedes have carried the play against us. If we can control their speed game through the neutral zone especially, then we'll have a better chance. Also, we can't have Roy giving up bad goals left and right..

Overall good game by the Swedes, they deserved to win. The sore winners and sore losers on these boards cancel each other out....and frankly, it's annoying as hell to read these boards after any game.

Hopefully we get another crack at them, but we have to fix a few things first.

Hopefully we get a repeat of 2008

Agree across the board FrankMTL, especially disappointed with Olsen, Despres and to some degree Gudbranson. Gormley of course is injured but would make a big difference. I thought we gave Sweden far too much room and respect overall. I feel for Roy but man he's been terrible in each of his games. In my mind that makes poor goalie play 3 years in a row.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I'm still trying to figure out why Cameron keeps playing Olsen on the top pairing.

In every single game this tournament, Olsen has been Canada's worst defenseman (sometimes by a wide margin). There's no question that his performance has earned him 7th defenseman status, yet there he is on the ice every time Ellis goes out.

That, and keeping Roy in the net are the two areas I'm questioning Cameron's decision-making after the end of the round-robin.

 

[Booom]

Whats the age cut off for the tournament? As in how many returners could there be next year? I wanna know how many get to defend their gold medals

 

[Murphy9]

All this bickering about what Nation is better is stupid and reminds me of Spaceballs. I see your schwartz is as big as mine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S25Zf8svHZQ

They've gone to plaid

 

[tv14]

Who was the one crushing Larsson into the net?

ummm... Johansen? I think.