USA Adds 2 more: Howard out with injury

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Rabid Ranger

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cagney

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Terrible news. As bad as Howard was at last years WJC I still think he was the best option available. I am not sold on Montoya and there is a reason Vicari wasn't even drafted last year.
 

Funkymoses

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This makes Team USA almost exactly like The Avs. All the talent in the world outside the crease, but a big question mark in it.

uh... geez, Montoya hasn't been stellar yet this year but it was just a few months ago that he outdueled Howard in a terrific NCAA tourney game that Michigan won 2-1. And he's still probably going to be a first rounder... second maybe. I don't think all is lost.
 

Rabid Ranger

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Funkymoses said:
uh... geez, Montoya hasn't been stellar yet this year but it was just a few months ago that he outdueled Howard in a terrific NCAA tourney game that Michigan won 2-1. And he's still probably going to be a first rounder... second maybe. I don't think all is lost.



I don't think all is lost either. It's not like Montoya has stunk the place up this year. I think he'll be fine.
 

Douggy

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Why not take Gerald Coleman of the London Knights?? The Knights are on pace to set and OHL record for least goals against and Coleman has been playing half of their games.
 

SpaceGhost79

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Team USA will be fine with Montoya. For some to give up already is ridiculous. But I guess these days if you're not playing in the NHL and posting shutouts every game by the time you're 18 years old, all is lost, huh? I'm not saying he's perfect...he's had his ups and downs like most young goalies do...but he tends to play up in the big games.

As for Vicari, did he even opt-in to this past summer's draft? Central Scouting has him rated for next summer. I'm a lot less sold on Vicari than I am Montoya.
 

Rabid Ranger

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SpaceGhost79 said:
Team USA will be fine with Montoya. For some to give up already is ridiculous. But I guess these days if you're not playing in the NHL and posting shutouts every game by the time you're 18 years old, all is lost, huh? I'm not saying he's perfect...he's had his ups and downs like most young goalies do...but he tends to play up in the big games.

As for Vicari, did he even opt-in to this past summer's draft? Central Scouting has him rated for next summer. I'm a lot less sold on Vicari than I am Montoya.



Good points. Let's face it, there aren't that many Marc-Andre Fleury's floating around there. Besides him, all of the other goalies aren't that far apart, and anything can happen in a tourny like this.
 

Brock

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I don't really think it's a huge deal to be honest.

Montoya and Howard were probably pretty likely to split the round robin games in order to see who would start in the playoff round.

This is a good chance to see what Montoya is made of.

However I agree with Douggy that maybe they should have looked at Gerard Coleman whom has been outstanding for the Knights this year.
 

Rabid Ranger

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Brock said:
I don't really think it's a huge deal to be honest.

Montoya and Howard were probably pretty likely to split the round robin games in order to see who would start in the playoff round.

This is a good chance to see what Montoya is made of.

However I agree with Douggy that maybe they should have looked at Gerard Coleman whom has been outstanding for the Knights this year.


Well, Coleman wasn't at the evaluation camp held in August, so maybe that factored in? Let's face it, Coleman didn't exactly light the world on fire last season. How has Mike Brown looked this year with Saginaw? He was at the camp. Interesting Vicari got the nod, he's been good for Michigan State this year, and was the USHL goalie of the year last season.
 
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SpaceGhost79 said:
As for Vicari, did he even opt-in to this past summer's draft? Central Scouting has him rated for next summer. I'm a lot less sold on Vicari than I am Montoya.

He was undrafted last year. He's a good one...not great...but good.
 

Brock

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Rabid Ranger said:
Well, Coleman wasn't at the evaluation camp held in August, so maybe that factored in? Let's face it, Coleman didn't exactly light the world on fire last season. How has Mike Brown looked this year with Saginaw? He was at the camp. Interesting Vicari got the nod, he's been good for Michigan State this year, and was the USHL goalie of the year last season.

While Coleman did struggle last year, before that unforgetable season he was being considered as a top 20 selection for the 2003 draft. He was thought to be an excellent goaltending prospect, a guy with a lot of size and a lot of potential. He struggled and him simply getting drafted (by Tampa in the 7th) is a testament to the fact that he really did have potential. This year he's been very good splitting time with a rookie named Ryan Macdonald.
 

cagney

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SpaceGhost79 said:
Team USA will be fine with Montoya. For some to give up already is ridiculous. But I guess these days if you're not playing in the NHL and posting shutouts every game by the time you're 18 years old, all is lost, huh? I'm not saying he's perfect...he's had his ups and downs like most young goalies do...but he tends to play up in the big games.

As for Vicari, did he even opt-in to this past summer's draft? Central Scouting has him rated for next summer. I'm a lot less sold on Vicari than I am Montoya.

I'm not giving up, I just don't have the same confidence in Montoya that I would have in Howard. One thing about Howard is that he's proven himself on the international scene before as he backstopped the US U18 team to the gold a few years back so I was hoping that he could prove last year's WJC was just a fluke. I also must admit that I really haven't been impressed with Montoya the times that I've seen him this year (I just can't forget him in the game vs. Quinnipiac that I saw, it was brutal). All it takes is one bad game to be out of a tournament like this. Montoya just seems like the kind of goalie who is capable of great things in one game but also capable of being downright awful in the next. It's possible (maybe even probable) that I'm overreacting but I can't deny my feelings on the matter. I would love nothing more than to be proven wrong.
 

Rabid Ranger

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cagney said:
I'm not giving up, I just don't have the same confidence in Montoya that I would have in Howard. One thing about Howard is that he's proven himself on the international scene before as he backstopped the US U18 team to the gold a few years back so I was hoping that he could prove last year's WJC was just a fluke. I also must admit that I really haven't been impressed with Montoya the times that I've seen him this year (I just can't forget him in the game vs. Quinnipiac that I saw, it was brutal). All it takes is one bad game to be out of a tournament like this. Montoya just seems like the kind of goalie who is capable of great things in one game but also capable of being downright awful in the next. It's possible (maybe even probable) that I'm overreacting but I can't deny my feelings on the matter. I would love nothing more than to be proven wrong.


I share your concerns, but I hope Montoya realizes a couple things:

1) He is counted on to be "the man" as the U.S.'s number one goalie. Without Howard as a challenge, he's "it".

2) This is a great opportunity to hush any critics, and greatly enhance his draft status.
 

SpaceGhost79

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Howard isn't the only one to prove himself on the international scene.

Looking at Montoya's bio on Michigan's website, "Led the team to the gold medal at the [2002] World Under-17 Challenge ... Helped the U.S. Under-17 Select Team to a gold medal at the 2001 Four Nations Tournament in Slovakia."

A pair of goal medals. I'd say he's done fairly well internationally.
 

Rabid Ranger

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SpaceGhost79 said:
Howard isn't the only one to prove himself on the international scene.

Looking at Montoya's bio on Michigan's website, "Led the team to the gold medal at the [2002] World Under-17 Challenge ... Helped the U.S. Under-17 Select Team to a gold medal at the 2001 Four Nations Tournament in Slovakia."

A pair of goal medals. I'd say he's done fairly well internationally.


You're right, he has done well internationally. He also has played with several of the guys on the WJC team before, so there's that continuity. I look forward to seeing him rise to the challenge.
 

VOB

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Call me somewhat of a pessimist but I was not happy to learn of Howard's injury in the least bit.

I will make a prediction right now (I'm sure this will make funky foam at the mouth) but Montoya has not been playing well this year and was clearly inferior to Vicari during last week's Michigan Michigan State match up. I think Vicari will pull a Bobby Goepfert and take the number 1 spot away from Alvero, much the same way Bobby took it from Howard last year.
 

Rabid Ranger

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VOB said:
Call me somewhat of a pessimist but I was not happy to learn of Howard's injury in the least bit.

I will make a prediction right now (I'm sure this will make funky foam at the mouth) but Montoya has not been playing well this year and was clearly inferior to Vicari during last week's Michigan Michigan State match up. I think Vicari will pull a Bobby Goepfert and take the number 1 spot away from Alvero, much the same way Bobby took it from Howard last year.



That's very possible. Vicari has been under the radar thus far, but that doesn't mean he won't be properly motivated and seize the opportunity. He has as much to gain from a good showing at the WJC's as Montoya does.
 

Hockeypuck

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Funkymoses said:
uh... geez, Montoya hasn't been stellar yet this year but it was just a few months ago that he outdueled Howard in a terrific NCAA tourney game that Michigan won 2-1. And he's still probably going to be a first rounder... second maybe. I don't think all is lost.
Not that it matters,but Doyle played net in that game not Howard.
 

Funkymoses

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Hockeypuck said:
Not that it matters,but Doyle played net in that game not Howard.

My bad. Montoya still stole that game. He's capable of great things... I think it'll go one of two ways: Montoya goes nuts and catches fire or he falters badly, and everyone will jump to huge conclusions about him. Then he'll either be taken way too high or way too low in the draft. He's talented but very young and streaky.
 

cagney

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SpaceGhost79 said:
Howard isn't the only one to prove himself on the international scene.

Looking at Montoya's bio on Michigan's website, "Led the team to the gold medal at the [2002] World Under-17 Challenge ... Helped the U.S. Under-17 Select Team to a gold medal at the 2001 Four Nations Tournament in Slovakia."

A pair of goal medals. I'd say he's done fairly well internationally.

Neither of those tournaments are as competitive as the IIHF U18 tourney.
 

cagney

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Funkymoses said:
My bad. Montoya still stole that game. He's capable of great things... I think it'll go one of two ways: Montoya goes nuts and catches fire or he falters badly, and everyone will jump to huge conclusions about him. Then he'll either be taken way too high or way too low in the draft. He's talented but very young and streaky.

One thing that I should make clear is that my lack of confidence in Montoya for this tournament has little to do with my expectations for him long term. He probably has the better part of the next decade to work the kinks out of his game. I won't hold a bad performance in the WJC against him as far as the draft goes (although a great performance could certainly help).
 

Douggy

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Rabid Ranger said:
Well, Coleman wasn't at the evaluation camp held in August, so maybe that factored in? Let's face it, Coleman didn't exactly light the world on fire last season. How has Mike Brown looked this year with Saginaw? He was at the camp. Interesting Vicari got the nod, he's been good for Michigan State this year, and was the USHL goalie of the year last season.
Wasn't Coleman in net when the US won the U18 a couple years ago?? :teach:

Does the U18 mean anything to the selection of these teams? The winning goaltenders from the last two years (Ryan Munce - Canada, and Gerald Coleman - USA) won't be going to the U20s.
 

Rabid Ranger

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Douggy said:
Wasn't Coleman in net when the US won the U18 a couple years ago?? :teach:

Does the U18 mean anything to the selection of these teams? The winning goaltenders from the last two years (Ryan Munce - Canada, and Gerald Coleman - USA) won't be going to the U20s.



Well, I can't speak for Canada's selection process, but for the U.S. it appears there is a a distinct level of favoritism shown towards NCAA players, especially those who played on the USNTDP. On the same token, there appears to be a bias against CHL players, although there are a few on the U.S. squad this year. Coleman, Hennessey, and Schremp should be on this team, and they aren't. We'll see how those decisions play out at the WJC's.
 
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