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

[littlereddevil]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

The biggest difference is the goalie pipeline. USA has 3 goalie options (+ at least wolf) who are all better than any goalie canada can ice. This should be a major prerogative for the whole nation. We need to develop goalies again.

Hellebuyck was amazing, but let's not act like Binnington lost this game for Canada. He made great saves as well.

You could put prime Luongo, Brodeur or Fleury in net and Canada would have still lost because of that dumb turnover by McDavid in a 3 on 3 OT where puck possession is what matters the most.

[Sofa GM]

Originally Posted by browna

Nah last man back McKinnon was hesitant and not strong on the puck. It was there for either getting the puck in possession or at very least just knocking it That is not on McDavid because Hughes jumped up right away in the break. He or any forward was going to be a few steps behind in that situation.

The decision by Makar to pinch was really risky and put McKinnon in a tough situation, who himself isn’t 100%, but McDavid on that sequence is the least guilty of the 3 skaters.

Maybe try using some of that “generational” speed on a back check for a change. Absolutely 100% on McDavid, zero possession, dogged the back check.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by habernac

Can’t win on a Flames board where you all hate the guy already. McDavid is hardly the only guy making a mistake on that goal. Most points in the tournament, they don’t get to the gold medal game without him.

Not all on him for sure but he tried a 1 on 3 play twice and twice turned it over.
He was the best player of the tourney, but had his worst game today.

[Johnny Makarov]

I still think Canada would have scored in the final 6.5 mins if Bennett doesn't take that stupid penalty.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by habernac

Can’t win on a Flames board where you all hate the guy already. McDavid is hardly the only guy making a mistake on that goal. Most points in the tournament, they don’t get to the gold medal game without him.

Check out Reddit, it's hardly just Flames fans bitching about McDavid right now. Guy is getting torn to shreds

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by habernac

Can’t win on a Flames board where you all hate the guy already. McDavid is hardly the only guy making a mistake on that goal. Most points in the tournament, they don’t get to the gold medal game without him.

You mean this team minus McDavid wouldn't route France ,Suisse or Czechs in preliminary rounds? That's where he got all his points.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Racki

I hate myself for doing this, but I’m doing it anyway.

Connor Bédard does the most important/difficult thing in hockey at a level that very few can do it. He puts the puck into the back of the net. He should have been on this team.

I’ve been complaining about it all olympics. Canada always overthinks the roster. While Im at it, Matthew Schaefer is a top 5 defenseman in the NHL right now.

Enough of the loyal vets like Doughty and Stone.

Yout realize Stone has 7 more points than Bedard this year right? Stone earned it

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

Correct. Nothing will ever feel worse than that Jays loss. That’s a lifelong haunting nightmare abyss

I honestly dgaf if the Jays win or lose the World Series 20 times in a row.

But I love hockey, and my country.

[Jiggy_12]

The Gaudreau kids on the ice omg

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

All of this is true, but on paper, without Crosby and Morrissey, I was also of the view that the US lineup was slightly stronger. Especially with Mackinnon and McDavid on the same line. US lineup down the middle was Matthews, Eichel and Hughes, as opposed to McDavid, Horvat and Suzuki. Canadian defence had Makar / Toews / Theodore, USA has Hughes / Werenski / McAvoy. And obviously as we saw Hellebuyck is better than Binnington in net.

It was honestly pretty surprising that the ice was tilted so heavily in favour of Canada for 60 minutes when you look at the relative strength of the lineup.

No, it really wasn't. Canada's lineup was better, and they showed it today with a pretty dominant effort.

They lost because the bounces didn't go their way.

[Yamer]

OK USA, that was touching. Great gesture.

[keenan87]

If Mackinnon is so angry about losing.. join a Canadian NHL team and help bring the cup back to Canada.. that being said, most of these players will continue to have most Canadian teams on their no trade lists.

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Not all on him for sure but he tried a 1 on 3 play twice and twice turned it over.
He was the best player of the tourney, but had his worst game today.

Worst game at the worst possible time.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

That wasn't the coaches. That was 97.

There are a few things on the coaches. First, they are partly to blame for selection, and not having Bedard on this team makes a difference. Do they score on a the 5v3 with him out there? How about the late power play? Does he pot one of those 41 shots as the best pure finisher available to put on this team? Who knows, but the team spent the entire medal round hunting for a goal in the third period and this time they came up empty.

Second, line combos. I'm beating a dead horse but the McDavid / MacKinnon / Celebrini line is just not what you should be doing, especially without Crosby. 97 and 29 at center on different lines is more than half a hockey game with guys who should be decisively winning their minutes, and when you play them with lesser (but still all-star calibre) linemates, they know what to do - they take charge and don't wait and pass off or defer. Celebrini was the only guy who seemed to really want to shoot the puck with those 3 out there.

There are other more minor questionable decisions - one clear one for me is that after Crosby gets hurt you absolutely have to have Bo Horvat on PP1 to take the draw. He's arguably the best bumper spot guy in the league and he gets you possession off the faceoff more often than not. Failing to use Marner in the top 6 for most of the tournament, especially given how good he looked in terms of chance creation, was also a clear miss.

The coaching is not blameless here by a long stretch.

[Tsawwassen]

Canada needs another Molson summit like they did after the 1998 Winter Oympics.

[Jiri Hrdina]

The Gaudreau's having this moment makes me a feel a lot better about the loss. Happy for them.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Yamer

OK USA, that was touching. Great gesture.

####ers got me with that one

[Vedder]

The pace of that game was incredible. Unsure if Bedard could be a big difference maker at even strength at that speed. Matt Tkachuk for instance was irrelevant.

[Beninho]

Ya this sucks, happy for the Gaudreau family. They deserve some joy

[trackercowe]

Nice moment by Werenski and Tkachuk bringing Johnny's kids out there.