Low Expectation for Canadians WJC Team?

Over at Sportsnet.CA, Gare Joyce has an interesting perspective today. I am actually surprised that there isn't more hand-wringing going on north of the border. Especially, since hockey is Canada's national sport. I also believe that if the USA doesn't make some noise in the medal round, there could also be some hand-wringing south of the border, too.

HELSINKI – If you listened to the scouts in attendance at the Ice Hall on Thursday, you come away with awfully low expectations for Canada going into the elimination round.

It’s not the fact that the defending champions will be facing the host Finns, who had an impressive comeback win over the Czechs Thursday.

More to the point, with a 5-2 loss to Sweden, Canada has one regulation win through four opening-round games. Even that comes with a qualifier: Canada rolled over a Danish team that was bound to suffer a letdown in the wake of a tight win over Switzerland that secured the team a spot in the A pool next year.

Thankfully there are no placement games for losing teams in the quarter-final or else this Canadian team could end up in a seventh-place game—echoes of ’98 and the loss to Kazakhstan.

Matt Dumba knees Erik Karlsson

Minnesota Wild and current Canadian WJC defense Matt Dumba received 5 min major for this kneeing on Sweden's defenseman Erik Karlsson

The Canadians are not a bunch of goons... Nor are they dirty

One of the early story lines to emerge from the World Juniors is that the Canadians have been accused by the Slovaks and the Russians as being dirty. Apparently, the European players/teams don’t take to kindly to their opposition laying the big hits to them.

First off, let’s not forget that hockey is a physical game and a contact sport that is also played by men.  Hockey is one of the fastest games in the world and everything is at full speed. People get hurt in hockey as well. Contrary to what some fans think, hockey is a game of intimidation and getting the best of your opponent.

The fact that the Slovaks and the Russians are complaining about the Canadians might mean that the Canadians have gotten in their heads just a bit. You can bet that Russia’s Nail Yakupov will be looking over his shoulder every time he steps on the ice against the Canadians.

Teams that are successful, are teams that are hard to play against and play on the edge of the rule book. If you think I am kidding, go back and watch how the Ducks and the Bruins won the Stanley Cup, they knocked the hell out of their opponents and played with an edge.  

The Canadians are finding out that the physical brand of hockey is not always conducive with International play.

One could argue that Canadians may have crossed a line a bit with their hits. I am going to say, so what? I don’t care what hockey league you play in, you have to be aware who’s on the ice at all times. You don’t go into the corner with your head down.  I also have seen some embellishment from some of the European players as well.

The Canadians have had their fair share of game misconducts and suspensions. Again, live the sword and you die by the sword. The Canadians have also paid for their transgressions, with suspensions to two of their players, Boone Jenner and J.C. Lipon.    When the Canadians play against the Americans on Sunday they will only have 11 forwards available to them.

Finally, I don’t think that you will hear the American whining about the big, bad Canadians and how dirty they are… I do expect that the American s are aware of the big hitters on team Canada and will be ready for them.  It’s also time for the other players in the WJC to sack up, this is hockey…

Anthony Camara hits on Slovakia’s Patrik Luza

Canada's J.C. Lipon pounds Tomas Mikus 

Canada’s Boone Jenner hit on Jesper Petterson 

The Russian Bear has awaken...

Wow what a game for the World Junior Championship gold! I think a lot of people assumed, including me; hey I admit that I am guilty, that we would be hearing Oh Canada at the end of the game… I guess this is why we play the games right?

I think in the days going forward that there are going to be a lot of hockey minds that are going to over analyze this game, it was a great game to watch that ended up being historic for one team and painful for the nation to our north… I think the reasons the Canadians lost this game in the end was that the Canadians stopped doing the things that made them successful in the first two periods, in the 16 minutes that will come to be known as the historic collapse the Canadians failed to eliminate turnovers, get the pucks deep, answer the Russians counter attack and be smart defensively in their own zone. The Canadians lost because the got away from doing the basics.

Seriously folks! When it’s all said and done and the hockey minds have analyzed this game and picked it apart ad nauseam the real reasons the Canadians lost this game in the third period is that the Canadians got away from doing the hockey basics, it’s that simple. The Canadians rested on their laurels and it came back to bite them in the ass...

I think at times as a sports fan you’ve just got to take it all in and enjoy the moment but I don’t know if I could ever relish a Russian win in anything. I was a soldier during the cold war and the Russian were our sworn enemy and to this day I still don’t like them. I will cheer for the Swedes if they are playing the Russians. I was also wondering if I was the only ones that thought the Russian celebration at the end of the game was grating or over the top?

I also enjoy the fact that since the inception of the KHL there are a lot less Russians playing in the NHL. Don’t get me wrong, I think that Ovechkin is a great hockey player; one of the best in the world and I would have him on my team any day but I would rather see the North American hockey players playing in the NHL… I know there are lots of other fans like me that feel the same way as well. Maybe it’s good to have a villain in the black hat and I think this year it’s team Russia.

In conclusion; the much maligned American from New Jersey and former Division I college hockey coach and TSN analyst Pierre McGuire called Team Canada loss the greatest collapse in international hockey… While some might enjoy the Canadian collapse in the third period, because some perceived the Canadian fans and their players to be cocky and arrogant, I would much rather see the Canadians win the WJC than the Russians. See you next year…