US Pummels Swedes, Swiss Shock Finns at Four Nations

[A Good Flying Bird*]

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/article.php?sid=7346&mode=threaded&order=0


US wins 7-1 in a brutal game. The third period looked more like rollerderby than hockey.

Meanwhile, Reto Berra turns some heads as he nearly blanks the Fins. (The Fin-Swiss Story hasn't been posted yet). Swiss get out shot 44-21 but win 3-1.

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[cagney]

The shots on goal stats at the usahockey website don't seem to be correct. What were the shots on goal in the Sweden-USA game?

 

[ALF AmericanLionsFan]

Good to hear.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Jack Johnson seems to have run amok. What I like about him is not only does he have excellent finesse tools, but he's a real banger and likes to hit.

 

[Hab Fan]

Jack Johnson seems to have run amok. What I like about him is not only does he have excellent finesse tools, but he's a real banger and likes to hit.

I agree. His offensive skills are awesome, and his defense is really underated. This kid REALLY hits people. That's a complete package if there ever was one.

 

[A Good Flying Bird*]

The shots on goal stats at the usahockey website don't seem to be correct. What were the shots on goal in the Sweden-USA game?

Don't have the totals with me.
But if I recall, Sweden was ahead 12-7 after one (thanks to five or six US minor penalties).
The US badly outshot the Swedes in the 2nd (12 to 4, or something) and then outshot them by a solid margin again in the third.

But in terms of quality scoring chances, it wasn't close. Sweden seemed like they had to work real hard just to get any kind of shot on net.
The speedy US wingers had great success streaking down the wings and cutting to the middle for dangerous scoring chances.

 

[A Good Flying Bird*]

Jack Johnson seems to have run amok. What I like about him is not only does he have excellent finesse tools, but he's a real banger and likes to hit.

No kidding.
He goes way out of his way to lay on the hits. He has been borderline out of control so far.

His skating, puckhandling and passing are very good. Haven't seen much of his shot yet.
Defensively, he's not all tha sharp position wise. And those big hits often leave him out of position, or worse, in the penalty box.
But he's been tremendous. Probably the best player of the tourney so far, with Jack Skille and Justin Mercier right behind him

 

[Bad News Benning]

From the sounds of it, this Johnson kid is a lot like Jovo, Can't go wrong with that.

 

[Winston Wolf]

Does anybody here think Johnson has any chance of overtaking Brule for the 2nd spot in the draft?

 

[A Good Flying Bird*]

Does anybody here think Johnson has any chance of overtaking Brule for the 2nd spot in the draft?

Don't know much or anything about Brule, but Johnson can skate, move the puck, shoot, and he loves to hit ... I can't ever remember seeing a defenseman so eager to hit (Though it will be interesting to see if he's as eager against Canadians)
He's already got good size and he'll only get bigger and stronger ...
He's going to need time to learn the position, but when he's got every tool and skill you'd want in a defenseman.
That's pretty darn rare

 

[Anthony Mauro]

Don't know much or anything about Brule, but Johnson can skate, move the puck, shoot, and he loves to hit ... I can't ever remember seeing a defenseman so eager to hit (Though it will be interesting to see if he's as eager against Canadians)
He's already got good size and he'll only get bigger and stronger ...
He's going to need time to learn the position, but when he's got every tool and skill you'd want in a defenseman.
That's pretty darn rare

Do you think he needs to be reeled in just a lil? Its awesome that a guy loves to hit so much, but he could be overzealous and one day have the wrong the things happen to him. He could become injury prone as a result of his reckless style.

 

[SpaceGhost79]

Do you think he needs to be reeled in just a lil? Its awesome that a guy loves to hit so much, but he could be overzealous and one day have the wrong the things happen to him. He could become injury prone as a result of his reckless style.

I think he'll learn much of that when he start at Michigan next fall. Red has a tendancy to make sure defensemen know how to play defense first. U-M's last offensive-defenseman who they decided to turn loose his freshman season was Danny Richmond, and we all saw how that experiment turned out. Plus with the whole strict rules enforcement in college, it sounds like the refs might get whistle-happy with him, so he'll probably have to adjust his style some, or pick his spots when to hit.

 

[Hab Fan]

Don't know much or anything about Brule, but Johnson can skate, move the puck, shoot, and he loves to hit ... I can't ever remember seeing a defenseman so eager to hit (Though it will be interesting to see if he's as eager against Canadians)
He's already got good size and he'll only get bigger and stronger ...
He's going to need time to learn the position, but when he's got every tool and skill you'd want in a defenseman.
That's pretty darn rare

I'm Canadian and have seen this kid play a LOT and trust me, he'll hit everyone. I want to share a fact-last year in the Under 17 Tourney in Newfoundland, he knocked Brule right out cold! Brule was helped up and off after the hit. This kid plays like a linebacker on ice-besides incredible offensive skills. The Red Wings GM said he's a combination of Konstantinov and Lidstrom. That was said Tuesday night to me directly!

 

[Hab Fan]

I think he'll learn much of that when he start at Michigan next fall. Red has a tendancy to make sure defensemen know how to play defense first. U-M's last offensive-defenseman who they decided to turn loose his freshman season was Danny Richmond, and we all saw how that experiment turned out. Plus with the whole strict rules enforcement in college, it sounds like the refs might get whistle-happy with him, so he'll probably have to adjust his style some, or pick his spots when to hit.

Johnson will be fine, he's more like Jillson than Richmond. Richmond couldn't play D at all. Johnson is used on the PK right now besides PP. Red has a real star and will make him better! I sure hope the Habs get him. What a pair, Johnson and Komasarik!!!

 

[nomorekids]

Does anybody here think Johnson has any chance of overtaking Brule for the 2nd spot in the draft?

It depends on the needs of the team picking at number 2, really. If it's a team like Columbus, then I think it's entirely possible. They've got scorers in Nash and Zherdev, but with the clock ticking on Klesla, Johnson could provide them with the number 1 d-man they lack at the moment. Ditto a team like Carolina.

 

[X-SHARKIE]

Gosh darnit, I traded up for the likely fourth overall pick in my keeper leagues entry draft for 2005.... I figured I could steal him there... Sounds like Johnson is really really making an impression on everyone though.

 

[Funkymoses]

Johnson will be fine, he's more like Jillson than Richmond. Richmond couldn't play D at all. Johnson is used on the PK right now besides PP. Red has a real star and will make him better! I sure hope the Habs get him. What a pair, Johnson and Komasarik!!!

Neither could Jillson, IMO. He was a great, great physical, skilled player at UM with a box of rocks for a brain. Good for one or two excruciating moments a game. Still well worth the occasional pain. Richmond, on the other hand... oy.

Excited to see Johnson, Cogliano, and hopefully Kessel in Maize and Blue next year. Sounds like Bailey is really coming into his own too.