Well, wasn't that something?
The person who coined the term "We win as a team, we lose as a team" probably had a game like this in mind... because both the winning and losing teams did just that today. Team USA did what good teams do. They put pressure on their opponent - a very good team in it's own right - continuously holding the advantage at all turns in the offensive zone. They won battles for loose pucks when need be, however those battles were few as the Americans maintained puck control for prolonged stretches. For the first 40 minutes, they kept Canada to the outside in their own zone and when required, they got the goaltending edge they needed from John Gibson. The only puck Canada did put past him technically shouldn't have counted (but it should've... but it shouldn't have... it's a long story).
I think it's tough to pin the blame on any individual player on Team Canada. It's easy in hindsight to say that Binnington should've been in nets from the start today, but unless he has some form of X-Ray vision that I'm unaware of, he would've been as equally hindered by traffic in front (mostly his own teammates, I might add) on the first two US goals as Malcolm Subban was. The third goal by John Gaudreau was a shot that many a Hall of Fame netminder would've had trouble on... it was that precise and that quick of a shot. The fourth US goal was questionable, but can Subban's teammates honestly say they contributed to the loss any less than he did? They won't... and it's not just because they're being good teammates... it's because that statement would be false.
My biggest concern coming into this game was that Canada would play the same way they did against the Americans in the round robin. In that game - a 2-1 Canada win - the team looked very good but not outstanding. There were still a number of mental and physical mistakes in their game that the US simply failed to capitalize on. If the puck doesn't hop over Alex Galchenyuk's stick with seconds to go in the third, we might've be talking more about poor positioning by the Canadian defense than the gutsy effort our national team put forth that morning. Although Subban was more of a difference maker that game, the team in front of him as a whole was as well. Instead of a still solid but slightly disjointed unit, this morning's Canadian squad reminded me more of how the Russians have looked virtually this entire tournament; lacking competitiveness, making poor decisions at key times (both on the bench and on the ice) and reacting to the play in front of them rather than dictating it. My comment from before this tournament began still stands - I have yet to see the Canadian juniors lose a game they deserved to win in perhaps the last decade. I find it hard to be disappointed by this loss in a way simply because the better team won this morning. To sum up the last three paragraphs in four words, they just got beat. Simple as that.
Time for bronze on Saturday morning. With all apologies to James Duthie, I think the old PVR will get a workout for that one. I need my beauty sleep.
Elsewhere, the Commandos started 2013 off on the right foot with a 3-2 shootout win in Miramichi last night. Zach Cahill did his best to make up for the departure of Danny Chiasson by potting both regulation time goals, while Joel Blanchard and Robbie Graham got the job done in the skills competition. According to Doug Doull's twitter after the game there were, and I quote, "no ringside judges scoring style points" which I hope just means Jeff LeBlanc had an ugly tie on though I have my doubts. Two points are two points however, and those points have vaulted Dieppe into a three way tie with the Timberwolves and Woodstock for second in the Meek division. Never a dull moment among the NB teams in the MHL it seems... and it continues for the Commandos on Saturday night in Amherst when they face the "never dull" Ramblers at the "never dull" Amherst Stadium (though that recent swearing ban may have brought the level of dullness up slightly) before heading back home on Sunday for a 2:30 PM matchup against those same T-Wolves.
Cats are in Halifax tonight... they can beat the Moose with Halifax's full lineup, they should beat the Moose with their depleted lineup (albeit Moncton continues to miss - and I mean miss - Dimitri Jaskin) and I'm going to leave it at that. All bets are off at the Metro Center.
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