U18 WJC Gold Medal GDT - USA vs. Canada

[bhar]

Canada missing Crosby is as much a factor as if Kessel was missing for USA. And, if he was, Team USA would be a bronze or silver team for sure.

Either way, it doesn't matter. Canada could have won this game but they didn't capitalize, and Team USA was just better overall.

 

[VernonForrest]

Agreed. According the the latet ISS rankings, Canada was missing four of the top 9 draft eligable players in the world - Crosby, Brule, Staal, Bouret.

That's pretty significant. Not significant enough for me to say 'Canada would have won easily with those players' but certainly significant enough to realize it would have been a very different game.

Congrats to the US team though, they were above everyone else in this tournament and what else can be said about Kessel - he's a star.

Bourret = late 86, not eligible to play in u-18

 

[Le Golie]

Bourret = late 86, not eligible to play in u-18

Sorry, my bad.

 

[FLYLine27*]

Canada missing Crosby is as much a factor as if Kessel was missing for USA. And, if he was, Team USA would be a bronze or silver team for sure.

Either way, it doesn't matter. Canada could have won this game but they didn't capitalize, and Team USA was just better overall.

Lets not go overboard...yes if Crosby was on Team Canada then that last game could have been very differernt..but not "Team USA would be bronze or silver for sure"

 

[LaLaLaprise]

Lets not go overboard...yes if Crosby was on Team Canada then that last game could have been very differernt..but not "Team USA would be bronze or silver for sure"

Kessel had 2G and 2A in the gold game. Take him away and the US are in a world of hurt. It isnt that far out in left field. Think of it as a compliment to the talent of Phil Kessel.

 

[SwisshockeyAcademy]

Canada played a solid game and could have been right in the hunt had a couple of their great chances gone in. They were not as sharp on their PK as usual and i'll give credit to the US for having a fine, well coached outfit. Thanks to TSN for the coverage, hope its not a one shot deal. Tremendous silver medal no matter what anyone says.

 

[HabLover]

Here's where Kessel fits in the tournament scoring history FYI (it's been around since 1999 I think).

Points
18 - Alexander Ovechkin (8 games 2002)
16 - Konstantin Zakharov (6 games 2003)
16 - Phil Kessel (6 games 2005)
15 - Andrei Kastsitsyn (6 games 2003)
15 - Ilya Kovalchuk (6 games 2001)
15 - Alexander Semin (8 games 2002)
15 - Patrick O'Sullivan (8 games 2002)

Goals
14 - Alexander Ovechkin (8 games 2002)
11 - Ilya Kovalchuk (6 games 2001)
9 - Alexander Ovechkin (6 games 2003)
9 - Konstantin Puskharev (6 games 2003)
9 - Phil Kessel (6 games 2005)
9 - Kevin Romy (8 games 2002)
9 - Brett Sterling (8 games 2002)
8 - Vadim Karaha (6 games 2003)
8 - Alexander Semin (8 games 2002)
8 - Sean Bergenheim (8 games 2002)

Ovechkin was 16 in 2002 when he put up 14g and 18pts. He had 9g and 13pts points the following year in 2003, the year Canada won gold.

 

[HabLover]

agreed on all counts, but i wasn't going to comment. even before the game, there were statements being made by some(but not all, most canadian fans have been classy about the loss) that if canada lost, it would only be because it wasn't the best team they could field.

both teams were missing guys that could have helped. let's leave it at that.

It was definitely a good game and Team USA did what they needed to do to win. No one can argue with what they did at the tourney, going undefeated on the way to the gold.

You can say both teams were missing players and the same can be said for some of the other countries as well, Zagrapan from Slovakia and Kindl from the Czechs come to mind, but Canada was clearly missing players that would have made a HUGE difference at this tourney! You can see what they did at the U18 World Junior Cup last August on their way to gold, with no game really being close.

The USA may have been missing a few guys, but no one really comes to mind other than Bobby Ryan and possibly Brian Lee. Personally I don't think Ryan would have stood out at this tourney with his average skating abilities and as for Lee, he would have possibly added some depth at D.

As for Canada, they were missing several key players from the Gold medal winning team last August. Starting with leading scorer Andrew Cogliano, one of the top 87's in NA right now, Gilbert Brule - could go #2 in '05, Bryan Little - a potential top 5 pick in '06, Brock Bradford - a top recruit for BC, Kendall McArdle - leading scorer for Moose Jaw/WHL, Daniel Ryder - potential 1st rounder in '05, Chris Durand - another potential 1st rounder in '05 and four guys from back on the blueline who would have pretty much been locks for this team, Patrick McNeill, Kris Russell, Ryan Wilson and Marc Staal. A few other guys who come to mind and would have been nice additions are, Steve Downie and Scott Jackson.

And if you thought that was enough, well, I haven't even mentioned Mr. Crosby yet, and we all know what he can do!

With all those guys put together, that is like 2 superstar forward lines and 4 out of a possible 7 D-men.

 

[Captain Leaf]

Congrats to the USA ..they deserved Gold and it was alot easier losing to that team than it would of been losing to a bunch of fakers wearing Czeck uniforms .
The USA were a class act all tourney and were decidely the best team .
the fact two North american teams made it to the final with those biased refs was a miracle in itself .
Jack Johnson being tossed because he hit someone TOO hard ..whew .

 

[time]

No disrespect to a deserved win by the red white and blue, but. . .

Can you imagine Crosby setting up Brule? Oh well, maybe we'll all be lucky and the NHL will stay locked-out until the New Year.