2018 World Juniors

[StCapps]

Outdoor games are junk, just a money grab, but the hockey itself is never great, everything is just reduced to hacking and whacking at it, there's no finesse, they just hurl the puck up and down, so pretty much comes down to the bounces, best players in the world, but they can't really make plays when they are plowing snow. Mind you, this is getting nasty now, so it's being saved by the aggro coming out.

I agree with everything you just said and couldn't have put it better myself, nailed it.

[Smitty-48]

There's really only one play; crash the crease, so that is good for the aggro factor, but otherwise it's just scrambling, there's not much skill involved, it's just chip it in chip it out, and try to push it towards the net.

[StCapps]

There's really only one play; crash the crease, so that is good for the aggro factor, but otherwise it's just scrambling, there's not much skill involved, it's just chip it in chip it out, and try to push it towards the net.

Crash the crease and shoot through the screen, that's the key to 3 of the 4 goals scored so far tonight.

[StCapps]

Can we learn to defend Casey Mittlestadt?! For the love of the hockey gods.....

[Smitty-48]

The Canadians are being too fancy, they're trying to pass the puck into the net, not going to work in these conditions, the Americans have it figured out, nothing fancy, just go in there, crash the net and blast away, this small shifty fast skating puck moving Canadian team is at a decided disadvantage here, their skills are neutralized, and so it's just big vs. small, and the Americans are big.

[StCapps]

The Canadians are being too fancy, they're trying to pass the puck into the net, not going to work in these conditions, the Americans have it figured out, nothing fancy, just go in there, crash the net and blast away, this small shifty fast skating puck moving Canadian team is at a decided disadvantage here, their skills are neutralized, and so it's just big vs. small, and the Americans are big.

Last I checked Casey Mittlestadt couldn't even do a chin up, he's not that big, and he sure as shit isn't strong, yet he's fucking killing us with skill. But aside from that, your general statement is on the mark.

[Smitty-48]

Because the Americans are crashing the zone and the Canadian defence is getting run out of position, the Americans are just hurling themselves in there with abandon, and the Canadians are behind the curve. When the Canadian go the other way, they're trying to pass it around and make a fancy play, but it's making it easy for the American D to just put the check on them and keep them to the outside.

[StCapps]

Because the Americans are crashing the zone and the Canadian defense is getting run out of position, the Americans are just hurling themselves in there with abandon, and the Canadians are behind the curve. When the Canadian go the other way, they're trying to pass it around and make a fancy play, but it's making it easy for the American D to just put the check on them and keep them to the outside.

Combine that with Mittlestadt ripping this tournament up, and it's not looking good.

[Smitty-48]

Because the Americans are crashing the zone and the Canadian defense is getting run out of position, the Americans are just hurling themselves in there with abandon, and the Canadians are behind the curve. When the Canadian go the other way, they're trying to pass it around and make a fancy play, but it's making it easy for the American D to just put the check on them and keep them to the outside.

Combine that with Mittlestadt ripping this tournament up, and it's not looking good.

It's not a particularly strong Team Canada, there's no McJesus in this crop, there's not even a Mitchy Marner, this is a pretty weak draft of Canadians in terms of top level talent, the USA and Sweden are clearly the better teams on paper, Canada is definitely an underdog this year.

I think Sweden is arguably the favorite, they've got a goalie, they've got tons of firepower, and they've got the best junior player in the world by far, Dahlin is the McJesus of this draft.

[Smitty-48]

See? Too fancy, they got a break three on one, but they tried a tic tac toe instead of just driving the net. I don't think this game decides much, the Canadians are capable of outplaying the Americans, but the Americans are playing the better game today, by just keeping it simple and driving the net. It's gonna come down to a lucky bounce, but you're not going to get that, tic-tac-toe.