[GT] 2018 WJC Day 1: CZE vs RUS, BEL vs SWE, CAN vs FIN, and DEN vs USA. TSN

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Locke

Wasnt that also during the lockout though?

Originally Posted by transplant99

That was a much smaller venue though...no?

Yes to both of these. A much smaller venue in the middle of the lockout, which led to some stacked rosters.

Even then, there were only three games with more than 10,000 people in attendance: Canada-Sweden preliminary round; Canada-Czech semifinal; and Canada-Russia final. The final was the only sellout.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

My Bud glass isn't lighting either for Canada's goals.



Now i almost want another Finland goal and I'll pay attention to the song. Almost!

Thanks for the info...maybe a 3rd party app? Will do some digging

[Beninho]

Excited to watch Fox, last year he was sheltered but I believe he will be used in all situations this tournament from watching the summer showcase. Should be interesting

[Ashasx]

woah empty rink in Buffalo

[getbak]

That was a nice goal.


That crowd size has to be really disappointing for the organizers. Sure, it's the opening game, but that's awful.

[Beninho]

Americans are gonna win this tournament, such a strong team below the hash marks.

[timbit]

Originally Posted by Beninho

Americans are gonna win this tournament, such a strong team below the hash marks.

They are playing Denmark.

Maybe “hold your horses” for another couple of games.

[Blaster86]

Originally Posted by timbit

They are playing Denmark.

Maybe “hold your horses” for another couple of games.

The Skip Bayless impression has been his MO though. He can't stop now.

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by timbit

They are playing Denmark.

Maybe “hold your horses” for another couple of games.

They look amazing right now regardless the opponent, the Hughes kid looks extremely dynamic.

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by Blaster86

The Skip Bayless impression has been his MO though. He can't stop now.

Alrighty then

[getbak]

Nice side-of-the-net photo of Canada's first goal today.

Spoiler!

Even under the NHL rule, where the posts can be off the ice so long as the pegs are still in place, it shouldn't have been a good goal. Under the IIHF rule, where the posts must be flush with the ice, there's really no justification for it being called a good goal.

[getbak]

USA outshoots Denmark 13-4 and leads 5-0 after one.

They could have kept their goalie off the ice and still be leading the game.

[N-E-B]

The quality of this tournament (and others like it) would greatly improve if it were only 6 teams.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

The quality of this tournament (and others like it) would greatly improve if it were only 6 teams.

Keeping it bigger gives those teams a reason to compete in the group B. Plus you'd end up with Finland or someone good demoted. Worse in a junior tournament since outside of Canada (and probably the US now), talent can by cyclical. Finland has won two golds, but in a smaller tournament they'd have been demoted and playing group B both years they won because they were no good the year before.

Even Demark who's getting pumped tonight had three players drafted in 2016. And if they get stuck playing Norway and Latvia every year - do they produce guys like Ehlers and Bjorkstrand who's debuted in the NHL in the past few years.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Fox has great instincts, but he really does need to work on his straight line speed. He was skating back on a play and the Denmark forward skated right past him like it was nothing. It's not like the Denmark player was speedy either. It's nothing that some power skating training couldn't fix, but it does need to be fixed before he gets to the NHL.

Honestly, I had flashbacks to Dennis Wideman in his prime just now. Great offensive player, but struggles with foot speed and is just "ok" in his own end.

I'll be watching him closely through the rest of this tournament when the U.S. faces tougher competition.

[Strange Brew]

Denmark finished 5th last year. If the goal is to grow the game, you can’t have only half a dozen countries playing in tournaments like this IMO.

[dash_pinched]

@patersonjeff
early candidate for #WJC2018 MVP is guy behind penalty box

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Fox has great instincts, but he really does need to work on his straight line speed. He was skating back on a play and the Denmark forward skated right past him like it was nothing. It's not like the Denmark player was speedy either. It's nothing that some power skating training couldn't fix, but it does need to be fixed before he gets to the NHL.

Honestly, I had flashbacks to Dennis Wideman in his prime just now. Great offensive player, but struggles with foot speed and is just "ok" in his own end.

I'll be watching him closely through the rest of this tournament when the U.S. faces tougher competition.

Cheap Dennis Wideman on an ELC is a great asset. Expensive old Dennis Wideman is a problem.

[trublmaker]

wow Denmark looks terrible with a really good US team hammering on them

[N-E-B]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Denmark finished 5th last year. If the goal is to grow the game, you can’t have only half a dozen countries playing in tournaments like this IMO.

From that standpoint I would agree, but as it stands now there's probably only 8 countries that can ice a competitive team consistently: Canada, USA, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Switzerland. So 6 teams was a lowball on my part.

I just feel bad for the "throwaway" teams like Belarus, Denmark, Latvia, and Germany who come to the tournament and win 0 games and lose by 5 or 6 goals every games. It can't be much fun for those kids, can it? It's not fun as a fan watching it.

But I guess it's not a huge deal, I don't watch the powerhouse vs underdog games anyways.