world juniors

[phonak 0]

GO SWEDEN!

[MLSman 22]

Great to see the better team win tonight. Team Canada played like a bunch of dirty premadonas. Elbows, cross-checks to the head...they should be ashamed of the way they played. Congrats Sweden!

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

Great to see the better team win tonight. Team Canada played like a bunch of dirty premadonas. Elbows, cross-checks to the head...they should be ashamed of the way they played. Congrats Sweden!

olsen was brutal, he kept shoving people down from behind even throwing them on roy. foligno left his feet to hit someone in the first period I think

[flaming_june 2]

In the CA-SWE game TSN says stuff about Kassian not being there having a negative domino effect on the team that caused the loss. However if you going to allow over 40 shots against, and can't play together, there are bigger problems with the team. Some of the plays are so scrambly. Patrik Sahlin, what a player this kid. I've seen Datsyuk make those kind of moves Sahlin made.

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

In the CA-SWE game TSN says stuff about Kassian not being there having a negative domino effect on the team that caused the loss. However if you going to allow over 40 shots against, and can't play together, there are bigger problems with the team. Some of the plays are so scrambly. Patrik Sahlin, what a player this kid. I've seen Datsyuk make those kind of moves Sahlin made.

Certainly enjoyed watching him out there

[phonak 0]

In the CA-SWE game TSN says stuff about Kassian not being there having a negative domino effect on the team that caused the loss. However if you going to allow over 40 shots against, and can't play together, there are bigger problems with the team. Some of the plays are so scrambly. Patrik Sahlin, what a player this kid. I've seen Datsyuk make those kind of moves Sahlin made.

Cehlin and C. Klingberg was the two best guys for Sweden without a doubt. I thought it was funny that some people tried to say Canada lost because Kassian was suspended, when Sweden had to play without Landeskog due to ankle injury. In short, Landeskog is a greater loss to Sweden than Kassian is to Canada.

Looking forward to USA - Canada in the semis, it's gonna be a great game!

[jds 20]

Game on. TSN just ran whait I have to say is the hoakiest opening yet featuring Kassian with one arm outstretched, head down, He then lifts his head and drops the puck in slo-mo. Gawd!

[Quintin 16]

Anyone else see that blown icing call in the SWE - RUS semi final game? No idea what the ref was thinking at the time. I totally understand why Fehner was so vocal about it postgame.

[ironic_chef 0]

Saw both semis live today, but our tickets were at the opposite end of the arena (and too close to the glass) for that icing call in the SWE-RUS game. We couldn't see why it was blown off (through the crease? too slow? hit someone in the neutral zone?) and I still haven't seen the replay to know what the deal was.

However, the CAN-USA game was amazing (as a CAN supporter). Jack Campbell was hung out to dry, the atmosphere was crazy. Thought the US would have put up more of a game. I wonder if the IIHF will review the Ramage hit to Cizikas' head - broke his visor.

I'm glad I had the opportunity to watch these games in person (saw 5 over the course of the tournament). It's a mystery to me where all the USA fans were. It's too bad for the US team they didn't get the support they should have, they had some fast and creative players. I know there is a hockey community in Buffalo, where were the people?

[Cams 7]

IMO - Generally junior hockey doesn't mean much to the US. I am not surprised Buffalo would be sold out with Canadian fans being so close to the border, plus this tournament being a huge deal for Canadians. Too much college football, NFL, NBA to watch for Americans. I am not sure how other US cities do attendance-wise, but a place like Plymouth, Michigan (home of the OHL Plymouth Whalers) does not fill up for their home games. No support from the local media either apparently.

[LkptTiger 1]

Words cannot convey just how disgusted I was last night. I'm still at a loss as to how the U.S. team could have been so intimidated. There wasn't a single player on that team that looked comfortable with the puck (except maybe John Rammage - who tried to do too much on a couple of occasions, IMO). Nobody was willing to risk punishment - no working in gritty areas, no footraces to loose pucks, not even any movement through the neutral zone...and don't get me started on their inability to get into Canadian shooting lanes with any sort of dedication. Canada did a great job of coming out and setting a tone early (though they did over-commit and open-up the ice a bit too much a couple times in the first few minutes before they settled down) and the Americans just went soft.

The three guys I was hoping would be difference-makers tonight - Morin, D'Amigo and Palmieri - were arguably the worst three on the ice. Morin was uninspired, Palmieri was shaky and D'Amigo was invisible. I was really expecting more.

As for the crowd - I knew it was going to be lop-sided...but I had no idea it would be that bad. There were probably 500, MAYBE 1,000, Americans in a building that holds 18,000+. People in Buffalo have tried to proclaim the area something of a hockey haven - this was their chance to establish that status on a global scale and they failed miserably. There are a lot of good hockey players in the area...but that's the extent of Buffalo's "hockey madness". I was embarrassed.

[bandits_5 18]

Anyone else see that blown icing call in the SWE - RUS semi final game? No idea what the ref was thinking at the time. I totally understand why Fehner was so vocal about it postgame.

Possibly the worst call of the tournament. But considering the Russians get the short end of the stick , on any calls ( in north america ), I think they deserved a break for once. It all evens itself out , and im sure Russia will get screwed on some calls agains Canada......they always do.

A bad non call last night in the can./u.s. game too , foligno should've been called for roughing after his 3rd push sent a u.s. player into the bench. At that point the game was still 3-0 , and a pp goal could have got the usa back in it. Instead Canada scores to make it 4-0 , GAME OVER

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

I expected Jerry to light it up again like last year. It's too bad he didn't really do much

[hyprlte 0]

I can't believe that John Rammage's (i think it was him, correct me if im wrong) on Casey Cizikas went unnoticed.. it was clearly a headshot. IMO he should be suspended for the next game. Why isn't anything going to come of it though.. because the Canadian player bounced right back up.

On another note however, it was a great game to watch. Good fast, hard hitting hockey. Made the Leafs vs Bruins game look like timbits hockey lol

[flaming_june 2]

Yeah but you can't call all contact to the head as a minor or major. Let's call it for what it is in hockey, which is a good clean open ice check when our player had his head on the puck.

Possibly the worst call of the tournament. But considering the Russians get the short end of the stick , on any calls ( in north america ), I think they deserved a break for once. It all evens itself out , and im sure Russia will get screwed on some calls agains Canada......they always do.

A bad non call last night in the can./u.s. game too , foligno should've been called for roughing after his 3rd push sent a u.s. player into the bench. At that point the game was still 3-0 , and a pp goal could have got the usa back in it. Instead Canada scores to make it 4-0 , GAME OVER

I think the ref's should've been more vocal in telling the players that icing was waved off. However you can't just go to sleep like that. Any time when the puck is close to the goalie like that the ref's has to wave icing off. I think the Swedish players just lost their concentration instead of being prepared and mentally alert for that play.

[ironic_chef 0]

Cams, I know it's not an easy sell, but this is an international tournament lasting a couple of weeks, not something that requires sustaining over a season. There is hockey in WNY/Buffalo: there are minor teams, university and college teams, and adult leagues and tournaments. The media was reporting HSBC consisted of a 60% Canadian audience based on ticket sales for the USA-CAN semi, but there was no way it was that low - I'm thinking 80%+. It's too bad there were not more hometown or even homecountry fans for that US team.

A bad non call last night in the can./u.s. game too , foligno should've been called for roughing after his 3rd push sent a u.s. player into the bench. At that point the game was still 3-0 , and a pp goal could have got the usa back in it. Instead Canada scores to make it 4-0 , GAME OVER

You're right, and Cizikas actually grabbed that player's jersey to pull him in even further. Conversely, the US caught a nice break on the "slash" on Campbell in the second, when it was actually a US player that hit his own goalie. It was still 3-0 then and the US didn't capitalise on that gimme when they should have.

Which brings up the other non-call - the hit to the head by Ramage on Cizikas, that broke Cizikas' visor. flaming_june, I found this on the IIHF website (from 2009, but the rule hasn't changed):

Hits to the head are dealt with by the IIHF using one criterion only — the area of the body to which a hit or blow is delivered.

In applying this rule to the game, the IIHF doesn’t care if a hit is in open ice or along the boards, whether the recipient has the puck or doesn’t have the puck, has his head down or not. The IIHF doesn’t care if the aggressor uses his shoulder or elbow or big toe to deliver a check, doesn’t care if he leaps at his opponent or hits him with no speed from close range. If a player receives a hit to the head, the opponent receives a major penalty, game misconduct, and further suspension. End of story.

I just did a quick Google, and didn't see anything from the IIHF about Ramage's hit, specifically.

The refs obviously aren't perfect but I didn't feel like they ruined the game. Even that brutal icing in the RUS-SWE game - awful, but rewatching it, you could hear the ref yelling "NO NO NO" for whatever reason, and SWE still evened it up anyway. For the goalie to blame the ref for Sweden's loss is a bit of a stretch.

[phonak 0]

Possibly the worst call of the tournament. But considering the Russians get the short end of the stick , on any calls ( in north america ), I think they deserved a break for once. It all evens itself out , and im sure Russia will get screwed on some calls agains Canada......they always do.

That call ended the tournament for maybe the best team of the tournament so far, so yeah it's a horrible call. Do you think the Swedish players cares if it evens out in the next game? Everything has been against the Swedes the whole tournament. First the airline lost their gear and they got it the day before the first game, then the best players gets injured in the first game, and finally the ref gives Russia a goal. That being said Sweden probably played their worst game of the tournament. Still thought they would win after scoring 3-2 with 2 min left..

I think the ref's should've been more vocal in telling the players that icing was waved off. However you can't just go to sleep like that. Any time when the puck is close to the goalie like that the ref's has to wave icing off. I think the Swedish players just lost their concentration instead of being prepared and mentally alert for that play.

Well you could hear one of the linesmen yell, but obviously it's hard to hear with 18k+ in the stands. The other linesman also had his arm up for icing and you can clearly see in the replay that both the goalie and defender is looking at that referee until the puck goes behind the goal.

American and Canadian linesmen btw??

[flaming_june 2]

Were the refs in the CA game also North American? If that's the case i'd understand them not following the IIHF rules regarding headshots.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Were the refs in the CA game also North American? If that's the case I'd understand them not following the IIHF rules regarding headshots.

The refs in the US/Can game were: FRANO Martin (CZE) , LEVONEN Jari (FIN)

Linesmen were also European: KEKALAINEN Mikko (FIN) , WINNEKENS Felix (GER)

[ironic_chef 0]

Well you could hear one of the linesmen yell, but obviously it's hard to hear with 18k+ in the stands. The other linesman also had his arm up for icing and you can clearly see in the replay that both the goalie and defender is looking at that referee until the puck goes behind the goal.

In that semifinal, there were significantly fewer people - I'd say less than 10K. The place was so quiet as well, the game - in the first two periods anyway - was a complete snorefest. Or that's how it felt, anyway.

[phonak 0]

In that semifinal, there were significantly fewer people - I'd say less than 10K. The place was so quiet as well, the game - in the first two periods anyway - was a complete snorefest. Or that's how it felt, anyway.

Ok but considering that I'm having trouble hearing my coach during practices with nobody else in the rink but players and coaches, I'm sure it's not that easy to hear who's yelling what on ice level.. Anyway you can easily tell that none of the Swedish players heard it until it was too late.

[Larry54 243]

How did the Russians know that icing was called off but the Swedes didn't? After all, the Swedes stopped playing but the Russians didn't. You should never assume anything and just keep playig until you hear the whistle.

[Quintin 16]

Well that's that folks. Since when did Team Canada become the Toronto Maple Leafs?

[NextBobbyOrr 0]

Huh..oh well. Pretty good I guess when Canada wasn't expected to run straight through the tournament like other years. Especially considering how we didn't have that wealthy spread of future stars.

A funny thing my friend said though, made me feel a fair bit better.

"Where's Jordan Eberle when you need him?"

Edit: Dunno why I put popcorn.

[shotty 7]

that was brutal. i didnt get to watch the first two periods on tv, but i sat down dedicated to the 3rd period and within a minute i said to myself "this isnt good", then watching as russia tied it up in less than 5 minutes. what a collapse.