It never ceases to amaze me how much people care about this tournament. How the players under a certain age (who aren't quite good enough to be where they really want to be) perform is of little value to national pride. Blame? Dave Lowry is a good coach with some things to learn about a completely unique circumstance which he will likely never be part of again. Virtanen is a skilled teenager who needs to learn to play smarter in emotional circumstances. Maybe he never will, but it will have nothing to do with this tournament.
If Sam Bennett were involved in this tournament and took some penalties out of emotion (I don't think he would take them in the same manner as Virtanen, but it's still possible), and a newspaper tried to make it seem like he ruined an entire nations Christmas, I'd be livid.
It's a fun tournament people. One where we can get a glimpse of a bunch of drafted and pre-drafted players and wonder what their future beholds. Despite what TSN tells you, it is of actual 0 consequence to the hockey world.
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