World Junior Hockey Tournament

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 8:08 pm

... anyone watching it?

Or are the Canadian lads taking the fun out of it for everyone?

The boys are on fire having outscored their opponents 32-5 over the first 4 games. Of course... none of those games mean squat... and now we're a little banged up going into the playoff round.

Good luck against the Swedes... it'd be nice if you beat them and then the Ruskies so that we could beat the Americans for the gold. :shock:

welch · Post by **welch** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 10:07 pm

I'm not watching, Boss, but I saw the results in the NY Times on-line...might not be televised here. Pretty good, eh?

By the way, does this suggest that young Canadian players are paying more attention to their skills? Personally, if I'm paying $50 foir a seat, I'd rather see Paul Kariya than Tie Domie!

General Failure · Post by **General Failure** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 3:17 am

I was flipping through channels and saw hockey on, so I assumed I was sleeping and went back to bed.

tcwest10 · Post by **tcwest10** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 4:00 am

I won't purposefully watch kids ice skate on tv.
Might give my own kids ideas.

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 10:54 am

Come on welch... you of all people should know better... according to all the hockey analysts... Canada DOESN'T produce skill players. We only know how to muck it up and how to fight.

The 32 goals in 4 games was pure luck. :shock:

in all seriousness... I've been watching the World Junior Tournament since before Wayne Gretzky played in it (1979) and I can honestly say that the 2004 Canadian team is BY FAR the best junior team I've ever seen.

Cory Perry plays for my home team London Knights and is such a brilliant hockey player that if it wasn't for Sidney Crosby, he'd be a household name already. They've been playing on the same line and just dominating.

You'll see both of them in the NHL real soon -- if there ever is an NHL again. :hmm:

.... with Football season drawing to a close for we Redskin fans... and a hockey strike still in full fold... y'all better start sending messages to Canada in the offseason to make sure I haven't hibernated.

Redskin in Canada · Post by **Redskin in Canada** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 11:36 am

BossHog wrote:Cory Perry plays for my home team London Knights and is such a brilliant hockey player that if it wasn't for Sidney Crosby, he'd be a household name already. They've been playing on the same line and just dominating.

S. Crosby is a good Halifax boy. They cheer him up here -even- when he comes with Rimouski against our own Moeseheads. It is actually eerie to watch the people cheer up on a score against your home team (as long as Sidney scores of course).

I agree that this is the best Canadian junior team -ever-. And that is alot to say in my book.

Redskin in Canada · Post by **Redskin in Canada** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 12:35 pm

welch wrote:I'm not watching, Boss, but I saw the results in the NY Times on-line...might not be televised here.

http://www.ralphsworldjr.com/

As usual, some people in the East are complaining that Canada has a -western- coach and some players, at least as good as those from the west, could have been selected. Regions...

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 2:48 pm

When don't they complain about the lack of Eastern talent. :hmm:

There's nobody from the middle of the country either. :oops:

They're all westerners almost.

... but there's nothing wrong with this team so far.

Touch wood.

Jake · Post by **Jake** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 8:29 pm

Well, the U.S. beat the Swedes. Time to take on the Ruskies!

BH, don't get to cocky and underestimate the U.S. "Do you believe in Miracles?" :lol:

welch · Post by **welch** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 4:56 am

Carefully tucked away on the site refered by RIC:

ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports television, will televise three of Team USA’s four preliminary round games, all on its ESPN2 network. In addition, all U.S. games that lead to the gold-medal game will be televised on ESPN2, with the exception of a U.S. appearance in the gold-medal game, which will be carried on ESPN.

Sounds hopeful, since this is the time of year, since Joe Gibbs retired, when I ask, OK, how far behind are the Caps?

Oops: USA lost 7 - 2 to Russia Sunday.

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 11:44 am

Jake wrote:BH, don't get to cocky and underestimate the U.S. "Do you believe in Miracles?"

Actually, there will likely never be another American team that could complete a 'miracle' because there will not likely ever be a tournament again where they are so 'talent-less'. The Americans have caught up sufficiently enough since 1980 (largely because of the miracle) that they are now usually more of a favorite than a dog.

They are the defending champions after all, how miraculous could it possibly be? Sorry... they were the defending champions. :oops:

We only just eked out the victory over the Czechs on the scoreboard but it was almost ideal in that it was the first 'tough' game the Canadians have had since the first game of the round robin. Not really as tough as it sounded as the Czechs managed just 11 shots.

Two good teams... lots of soon-to-be NHL talent... Perry, Crosby, Phaneuf... Ovechkin, Malkin... Should be a good final.

Go Canada! :-)

General Failure · Post by **General Failure** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 12:04 pm

BossHog wrote:lots of soon-to-be NHL talent

Poor, delusional BH. Still thinks there's an NHL. :shock:

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 12:11 pm

There will be.

... with or without the present player group.

But I doubt they'd change their name officially to the WDNHL -- watered down national hockey league. :shock:

General Failure · Post by **General Failure** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 12:17 pm

Well if they didn't do that when they expanded to Florida and Arizona I doubt they ever will.

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 12:30 pm

Sorry, you're absolutely correct... the MWDNHL.

I honestly couldn't agree more. Drop about 6 teams off of the map and the league would be a lot better for it.

General Failure · Post by **General Failure** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 12:33 pm

Can we start with the Flyers? They normally cut into important Eagles time on the news.

welch · Post by **welch** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 3:46 am

1. Cut the Florida expansion teams, plus Atlanta

2. Move Arizona back to Winnipeg

3. Is there a reason to have the Anaheim Ducks and the Kings in the same market?

4. Move the North Stars back to Minneapolis and ditch Dallas.

5. Overall: re-trench, admit that ice hockey is not, and will never be the NBA. Play the games in cold-weather towns where it freezes once in a while. Forget the national NFL-like contract.
Dig in where people care about hockey.

6. Kill the trap by playing the international rules, especially the larger ice surface. Let them skate.

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 10:20 am

7. Help small market teams with tax breaks so that city's that may not have the financial backing of a NYR can still field a competitive team. (otherwise... Winnipeg would have never lost their team) The Candian dollar is still only 80% of the American dollar so the Canadian teams are digging out of a bigger 'ditch' so to speak. All players are paid in US$.

8. Fire Goodenow.

9. Fire Bettman.

10. Rules: I don't care too much for rule changes... I do agree with limiting the size of goaltender's equipment and I do agree with eliminating the 'european' goaline and going back to the days where there wasn't 50 feet between the net and the boards. I also agree that the red line is a waste of time and eliminating it would crush the effectiveness of the trap.

Redskin in Canada · Post by **Redskin in Canada** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 1:53 pm

Coming back to the main topic of the thread...

Canada v. Russia tonight Tuesday at 8 PM Eastern Time.

It should be a classic!

welch · Post by **welch** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 12:00 am

It should be a classic!

Not televised on New York's Time Warner Cable, which includes a half-dozen ESPN channels. I went looking for the hockey game...the Caps have drafted Ovcheckin, incidentally..instead, I saw Tottenham draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford. Clear Spurs goal ignored because the ref's assistant was out of position. Soccer-football needs a goal-judge, like ice hockey. ManU goalie leaped backward to "save" the goal about three feet over the line.

Redskin in Canada · Post by **Redskin in Canada** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 12:59 am

Canada crown world champs

http://www.cbc.ca/story/sports/national ... 50104.html

tazlah · Post by **tazlah** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 10:11 am

Huge Congrats to the Canadian Juniors! What an incredible team!

But that was the shortest darn hockey season EVER! :shock:

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 12:01 pm

welch wrote:
It should be a classic!

Not televised on New York's Time Warner Cable, which includes a half-dozen ESPN channels. I went looking for the hockey game...the Caps have drafted Ovcheckin, incidentally..instead, I saw Tottenham draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford. Clear Spurs goal ignored because the ref's assistant was out of position. Soccer-football needs a goal-judge, like ice hockey. ManU goalie leaped backward to "save" the goal about three feet over the line.

Better hope Ovechkin learned something last night. he's been shooting his mouth off for the last couple of days and last night he got BEAT UP. Every Canadian lad that got near him put a hit on him, and he went out with a 'phantom' shoulder injury in the second period.

The guy's an incredible talent but he has to learn that in a man's league... it's rarely a good idea to prod the bear... especially when you're a rabbit. :hmm:

The Canadian boys put a whooping on the Russians -- to the delight of all the other JRs who played this particularly dirty team. It capped off what in my mind is the greatest junior performance ever at a world tournament. When you outscore your opponents 41-7 and never trail a single game for a single minute... it's pretty hard to deny them their just dues.

Remember the name Dion Phaneuf... he was SHAFTED for the tournament MVP in my opinion, though it's hard to begrudge their selection of scoring champion Patrice Bergeron. I think over the course of the tournament, he proved that he will not only be a good defenseman some day, but a great one. Perhaps the next Chris Pronger.

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 12:04 pm

Oh and by the way Welch... they don't need a goal judge in soccer... they have one on each sideline already... that IS the referee's assistant's job when the ball's anywhere near the net... and since he is SUPPOSED to be standing on that goal line... he should have had a great view of it.

But like in all sports... bad officiating is not an irregularity.

Redskin in Canada · Post by **Redskin in Canada** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 1:16 pm

BossHog wrote:It capped off what in my mind is the greatest junior performance ever at a world tournament.

Not quite as Redskin victory in a Super Bowl but a close second...

"Not too shabby..."