World Junior Hockey Championship

[cbuckser]

Canada trounced Finland 8-1 today to finish 4-0 in its pool.  In round-robin play, Canada outscored its opponents 32-5.  Canada advances to the semifinals, which will be played on Sunday.

[Canada]

US loses to Belarus 5-3 .... ouch!

Ari, seems like US goaltenders need to be questioned .... Canadian goaltenders will do just fine.

[calgARI '07]

Canada's goaltenders will do just fine because they have an unbelievable team.  They would win with a bucket in net.
Also, future Flame Dion Phaneuf is going to win Norris Trophies.  Totally dominant in every aspect of the game and definitely above Coburn and Suter who were both drafted ahead of him.

[cbuckser]

[Q]calgARI '07 Wrote:
Also, future Flame Dion Phaneuf is going to win Norris Trophies.  Totally dominant in every aspect of the game and definitely above Coburn and Suter who were both drafted ahead of him.[/q]
I agree that Phaneuf is a phenomenal prospect.  Since he lit up Rostislav Olesz in last year's WJC, I have thought the world of him.  A defenseman with his mobility and ability to make the big hit does not come along often.  And, he supplements that with pretty good offensive abilities.

In the USA-Czech Republic game, Casey Borer is dressed, but Chris Bourque is scratched.

[jk500]

Is tonights game on tv?

[cbuckser]

The Czech Republic beat the United States 3-1 tonight.  Team USA finishes third in its pool.  By my calculations, Team USA plays Sweden, which I believe won the tiebreaker to finish in second place in its pool, on Saturday at 8:30 EST in the quarterfinals.

Tonight's game was televised in Canada, but not the United States.  ESPN2 will carry Team USA's medal-round games.

[Canada]

I agree, Phaneuf is gonna be the next Scott Stevens with offensive ability.  He's unbelievable.  How about Sidney Crosby though, he is seventeen years old and leads the tournament in goals, this guy is something else.

Canada is absolutely stacked.  Here are some players that should be in the NHL, if it was still on:

-Jeff Carter - Philly - 5 Goals in the tourney
-Patrice Bergergon - Boston - played for Bruins last year as an 18 year old, leads tourney in scoring
-Phaneuf - Calgary
-Ryan Getzlaf - Anaheim - Big, mobile, power forwards forechecker ... imagine him and Shane Hynes on the same team or same line ... punishing
-Braydon Coburn - solid defenseman

This team is just full of talent, best team Canada has ever iced at the World Juniors.

However, Russia and US are no pushovers.  US has just been unfortunate the last two games and seemed to lose a psychological edge after seeing their highly touted goalies playing bad.  But I am confident they can knock of the Swedes and hopefully we will see a Canada-US showdown again.

[Josh '99]

Scott Stevens is a thug.

[cbuckser]

Today, the Czech Republic shut out Finland 3-0 to advance to tomorrow's semifinal against Canada.   The game will be played at 4 pm EST.   It will be broadcast on TSN, and not be shown in the United States.

Team USA came to life and beat Sweden 8-2.  USA led by a goal after two periods before a five-goal outburst in the third period put the game away.   Phil Kessel netted a hat trick, which included a goal on an end-to-end rush and another spectacular goal.  The United States and Russia play tomorrow night at 8:30 EST.  The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.

[Josh '99]

The USA lost to Russia 7-2 in the semifinals earlier tonight, and will face the Czech Republic in the bronze medal match on Tuesday.  Russia will face Canada in the championship match after that.

(7-2 sounds pretty ugly but the match was 4-2 before two empty-net goals and one more after the USA stopped pulling the goalie.)

[cbuckser]

The Czech Republic defeated Team USA 3-2 in overtime today to capture the bronze medal.  The goal-medal game between Canada and Russia begins in 15 minutes.

[Ken71]

Canada 6 - Russia 1

http://www.iihf.com/news/iihfwj1205.htm

We've been grateful for all the hockey on TV lately - too bad the final WJC games weren't among them.

Ken '71