[GDT] 2026 Olympics Game #5: Semi-final- Canada vs. Finland

[N-E-B]

I’m struggling to pick a guy that’s going and we could try riding for a bit this morning. Nobody has brought their A game.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Individual efforts from MacKinnon, McDavid, Makar and Marner are actually fine. Those guys CAN score on those individual efforts. Sometimes that's the only thing that works when a team is trapping - someone like Mack going "I'm the best player on the ice and I'm just going to skate full speed at you, good luck". Even if it doesn't work it puts them on their heels and can create a momentum shift where you score 30 seconds later.

Overall though their strategy of taking shots from everywhere is the right one. A bounce, a rebound, something's going to give.

Gotta get those shots on net though.

[JayP]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

A short handed breakaway from center isn't just going to happen. That is the result of a very bad error.

Agreed. Still need to make a save.

5 goals against on 35 shots in the knockout games now. Not going to cut it for any team, even Canada.

[Monahammer]

Mackinnon in particular looks like an absolute shadow of himself right now. Someone feeding him carbs??

[AFireInside]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

It wasn't really a breakaway from center though, he was coming off the wall at the blue line. It's not a "you should stop that" situation or anything but it's a situation where he's either going short side or cutting across the crease and going backhand. There are only a couple of realistic possibilties; it's not unstoppable.

He went far side and roofed it on the backhand, that's an incredibly difficult save to make.

[Rhett44]

Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard.

[MrMike]

Can’t win it with speed when they’re closed up.

Need to come up as a full group and have outlets options.

[Table 5]

Just need one goal to loosen things up, and we're good to go.

[Infinit47]

Jesus Christ. You don't beat the trap with individual efforts.

Dump, battle and get an ugly goal. Cooper can do some god damn coaching at some point.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Mackinnon in particular looks like an absolute shadow of himself right now. Someone feeding him carbs??

He's skating OK but just not making good passes or shots.

[MRCboicgy]

Okay, no shortie.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by AFireInside

He went far side and roofed it on the backhand, that's an incredibly difficult save to make.

I agree. Great move, great finish. I don't blame the goalie. I'm just saying it's not the same thing as a breakaway from centre where the shooter has endless options.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard.

I think they are working hard but they need to be more assertive.

Still trying to be a bit too cute offensively. Take the puck to the net aggressively and just get shots on net. Finland is not going to give you passing lanes across the royal road. A pure shooter like Bedard would be nice right now.

Need to score on this PP.

[Rejean31]

We have to score here.

[Itse]

I think Canada scores here.

[GioforPM]

They need to score on this PP.

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Fully agree prior to the tournament. But of all the goals given up this tournament, between this game and the last none of the goals were his fault. I didn't like him named on the team but he’s worked out fine.

Yeah but I still would have taken a Marc Andre Fleury pole check pad stack on the breakaway goal

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by JayP

Agreed. Still need to make a save.

5 goals against on 35 shots in the knockout games now. Not going to cut it for any team, even Canada.

I think sometimes the stats don't tell the whole story. He had huge saves in the late stages of the quarters. And in terms of why Canada is down 2-0, I put him way down the list of who's to blame.

Big moment here.

[woob]

Need a goal here!

[Jiri Hrdina]

There we go.