[GDT] Canada vs USA - Gold Medal Game - Men’s Hockey

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Eubee

Thanks for clarifying why I personally feel that McDavid was busting his ass trying to win because hes the best offensive player in the world and its 3 on 3 with a lot of open ice. I really couldn’t put it together without your royal proclamation, that Im a devils advocate! At least now I know!

Tongue and cheek, of course but I really dont blame him. Ans I absolutely hate the Oilers, and thus really dislike anything about McDavid. I was on my feet with anticipation when he was making that last rush, not yelling that hes a low IQ idiot that needs to wait for teammates and be ready to protect the house. But I can see why some do feel it was his fault as well, as hes not known for being a reliable back-checker.

I just knew he'd do what he always does, and already did numerous times that game. Run himself out of room and skate it into the goalies pads without getting a shot off

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

A bounce away. Who can fault the effort.
SMH at McDavid. That dude is never going to win.
A billion points v bad teams in games that don’t matter. When the pressure ramps up his hockey sense goes down and dude just dead ends himself and coasts back to no man’s land.

[Looch City]

Can't blame McDavid really.

Instinct takes over and his mind just thinks he's gotta do it himself since the rest of his team sucks.

Probably thought he was on the Oilers or something and didn't realize he's got Canada's best behind him.

Bad habits from being on a bad, terrible, no good team.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

If you told me Matthews and both Tkachuks were out hurt I’d have believed you. All 3 were completely invisible. The Americans had two players, Hughes and Helly.

[cam_calderon]

Matthews defended well but had no offence. Tkachuks had the invisibility cloak on.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Eubee

Thanks for clarifying why I personally feel that McDavid was busting his ass trying to win because hes the best offensive player in the world and its 3 on 3 with a lot of open ice. I really couldn’t put it together without your royal proclamation, that Im a devils advocate! At least now I know!

Tongue and cheek, of course but I really dont blame him. Ans I absolutely hate the Oilers, and thus really dislike anything about McDavid. I was on my feet with anticipation when he was making that last rush, not yelling that hes a low IQ idiot that needs to wait for teammates and be ready to protect the house. But I can see why some do feel it was his fault as well, as hes not known for being a reliable back-checker.

Fully agree. Though on McKinnons missed shot on the first shift he was back and prevented a 2 on 1 and McKinnon slow getting back almost had Hughes score that shift.

Again, when Makar went for the blue line pinch McDavid had to hold up in case Makar did intercept the pass.
Would have to see iso video of th full back check but Hughes would’ve been skating full speed. That said I would presume it wasn’t a disconnect controller type effort from McDavid, and any way you slice it, he is behind Makar and McKinnon if we are playing the blame game for that sequence.

[trackercowe]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

If you told me Matthews and both Tkachuks were out hurt I’d have believed you. All 3 were completely invisible. The Americans had two players, Hughes and Helly.

Slavin had an excellent game. Just a terrific all-around defender. He doesn't make any mistakes. One of the most underrated players in the game imo.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by browna

Fully agree. Though on McKinnons missed shot on the first shift he was back and prevented a 2 on 1 and McKinnon slow getting back almost had Hughes score that shift.

Again, when Makar went for the blue line pinch McDavid had to hold up in case Makar did intercept the pass.
Would have to see iso video of th full back check but Hughes would’ve been skating full speed. That said I would presume it wasn’t a disconnect controller type effort from McDavid, and any way you slice it, he is behind Makar and McKinnon if we are playing the blame game for that sequence.

All 3 are at fault for the reasons you outline. McDavid still carries blame for trying to go 1 on 3.

And he does coast for a good part of the back check. He's not going hard.
My read is he was hoping it would turn back over and he'd have a breakaway

He played 3 on 3 like it was a regular season overtime.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

All 3 are at fault for the reasons you outline. McDavid still carries blame for trying to go 1 on 3.

And he does coast for a good part of the back check. He's not going hard.
My read is he was hoping it would turn back over and he'd have a breakaway

He played 3 on 3 like it was a regular season overtime.

Exactly.
In the NHL, the Oilers are happy to play OT that way. Win most, take the loser point if not.
But when a gold is on the line & going end to end is such a low % play, with massive risk on the counter, it's a mind blowing decision (and he did it twice).

[SuperMatt18]

It's all 3 of them, but not for the 1 on 3 rush IMO

Makar for the ridiculous pinch attempt and then poor back check.

McDavid for a lazy back check followed by covering nobody.

MacKinnon can't lose that puck battle so cleanly that Werenski had a free lane and body to make that pass.

Those three were all just terrible on that sequence.

[cam_calderon]

Toronto fans will lose their minds if Matthews wins gold and they miss the post season lol.

[Mathgod]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

Exactly.
In the NHL, the Oilers are happy to play OT that way. Win most, take the loser point if not.
But when a gold is on the line & going end to end is such a low % play, with massive risk on the counter, it's a mind blowing decision (and he did it twice).

Only counter argument is that it worked out fine for Marner in the quarters and saved his team from an early exit.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

All 3 are at fault for the reasons you outline. McDavid still carries blame for trying to go 1 on 3.

And he does coast for a good part of the back check. He's not going hard.
My read is he was hoping it would turn back over and he'd have a breakaway

He played 3 on 3 like it was a regular season overtime.

Any blame with McDavid imo is if the backcheck wasn’t as good as he did the first shift of OT.
Trying to score 1 on 3, sure. But you had guys changing, and, he got to the net and forced a saved, not like he blasted it wide or didn’t even get close to the net.

He also fully knows he had guys changing and thus guys back if it did not work out, just like when Celebrini went 1 on 3 a shift earlier, I won’t blame him for that.

Makar made the critical decision to not retreat and took the risk that the puck would not get past him, but that decision to try that in the offensive zone had no dependency on what McDavid had done 1 on 3 10 seconds earlier.

[dirk diggler]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

It's all 3 of them, but not for the 1 on 3 rush IMO

Makar for the ridiculous pinch attempt and then poor back check.

McDavid for a lazy back check followed by covering nobody.

MacKinnon can't lose that puck battle so cleanly that Werenski had a free lane and body to make that pass.

Those three were all just terrible on that sequence.

that really sums it up. blame for all 3 on that sequence unfortunately.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

Originally Posted by browna

Fully agree. Though on McKinnons missed shot on the first shift he was back and prevented a 2 on 1 and McKinnon slow getting back almost had Hughes score that shift.

Again, when Makar went for the blue line pinch McDavid had to hold up in case Makar did intercept the pass.
Would have to see iso video of th full back check but Hughes would’ve been skating full speed. That said I would presume it wasn’t a disconnect controller type effort from McDavid, and any way you slice it, he is behind Makar and McKinnon if we are playing the blame game for that sequence.

He didn’t have to hold up at all. In fact it was dumb. 3-3 is about possession and he’s the fastest player on the planet. He doesnt need to float for a head start.
You’re right MacKinnon and Makar whiffed. I just have way more tolerance for players trying the right thing and failing than a guy who is wrong all over the ice. It was a brain dead shift and his team mates failed to bail him out.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by Bend it like Bourgeois

He didn’t have to hold up at all. In fact it was dumb. 3-3 is about possession and he’s the fastest player on the planet. He doesnt need to float for a head start.
You’re right MacKinnon and Makar whiffed. I just have way more tolerance for players trying the right thing and failing than a guy who is wrong all over the ice. It was a brain dead shift and his team mates failed to bail him out.

Exactly

MacKinnon tried to go 1 on 3 earlier and was lucky, got through and got a whistle. If he would have turned it over with the McDavid result I would be just as mad at him. McDavid effed up, he should wear it.

[fotze2]

Blame game never helps anything. Mcdavid makar toews binnington mckinnon. They won so it means the US deserbed to win. Its an insanely dynamic bame with millions of micrdecisions based on what they se. Its not 3 on 3 its not the refs. They gave us a hell of an entertaining run. I will be forever grateful for this fun weekend.

US won outright even steven.

[the-rasta-masta]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

One thing about the coaching is I didn't love how they managed OT.

97-29-8 didn't look good in OT all tournament.

They almost lost against the Czechs when those 3 got lost in coverage. They almost lost on the first OT shift today where Binnington made a good save. And then finally caught up to them on those guys second shift of OT (which also was too quick as it seems like Cooper didn't trust anyone else)

McDavid with Celebrini or Marner probably made more sense as those guys had shown more chemistry in the past

There's only so much opportunity to coach in a tournament like this. Coaches can't really build systems or do anything more than try to find players with chemistry. And if they do get lines with chemistry it's like finding lightning in a bottle. If Canada didn't throw out those three in overtime and lost, we'd be lamenting that they didn't put the best players on the ice.

[fotze2]

The gaudreau thing definitely takes the sting out somehow.

[zuluking]

I don't understand this "well, Celebrini..." comment. Celebrini does NOT try to go 1-3. He carries the puck in the zone, nothing there, leaves the zone, enters again, cycles with his linemates and get a shot off from the middle of the ice trying to use a couple US defenders as a screen. Helllybuck makes the save and US gains possession, but no danger and easy to defend. It was a really smart shift with everyone supporting each other.