EHM The Blue Line

Canada Finland 2-2 in exhibition half way through a game because the Zamboni broke down and messed up the ice. Canada looks just okay right now. Starting to get a bit of a groove on.


Make it 3-2 with a rocket from Aaron Ekblad....boom.

Would really like to see Mantha have a dominant run. Don't know if he'll be able to do that from the 3rd line though.

Gonna watch the Sweden-US exh game that is starting soon.
Junior national team games are often more exciting than men's games

WOuld be nice, kid has a ton of skill. He had a BAD first period in today's game. Picked it up after that, and scored in the third on a nice look off and shot on 2x1.

Bob Mackenzie (Mr all things Team Canada Junior) says that the dog fight to make the team....

One of Mantha and Shinkaruk. One goes home one stays. Hunter looked average at best in all three periods, Mantha was up and and down.

Charles Hudon vs Felix Girard in the third line grinder checker energy spot.

Basically what Mackenzie is saying is that he thinks (and admits could be totally off base) that Mantha and Shinkaruk are battling for the EXTRA forward spot, and that they (unless something happens) will not even start on a regular line.

And holy bejesus did this line ever look OUTSTANDING

McDavid-Horvat-Reinhart..

When they were on the ice...they controlled the game. And for those who thought Sam was in tough to make the team....which has basically stopped as a conversation in the last month...you can basically stop wondering and saying he may not....

He was the first guy out to kill a 5-3 and was outstanding. He was all over the puck...he and McDavid have some serious chemistry and had the puck on a string CONSTANTLY in this game. Horvat was awesome in between the two.

Quite honestly...the young guns really really stood out in this game. Ekblad, Reinhart and McDavid were all unreal.

Matt Dumba really struggled as did Bigras. My guess is Bigras is the defenseman cut. He struggles and fought the puck a ton.


For Finland--Teravainen.....boy the Hawks got another one. This kid can play.

batdad wrote:Basically what Mackenzie is saying is that he thinks (and admits could be totally off base) that Mantha and Shinkaruk are battling for the EXTRA forward spot, and that they (unless something happens) will not even start on a regular line.

That doesn't even make any sense. Because no, Canada is not deep enough for that to make any sense at all.

LOL Yeah it does make sense for a Brent Sutter coached team. And his #1 assistant is also a WHL guy...so....that could leave Anthony out in the cold quite easily considering how much Brent and Ryan McGill have seen of Shinkaruk playing in the same division.

I mean Max Domi did not even get an invite to camp. Or Brendan Gaunce....so....

I really hope Mantha will make the team. It will be ridiculous to leave behind the leading scorer of the LHJMQ. Even if it's not the most competitive league Mantha dominates the league. The Wings did a good pick with him.

McDavid seems unreal indeed. Don't have a big shape but he is still young. It's gonna be interesting to watch him play!

batdad wrote:LOL Yeah it does make sense for a Brent Sutter coached team.

Yeah my bad, I forgot. "Sutter". It explains so much. It really does.

Sweden won 4-2 against the US without looking very impressive.

Shinkaruk and Severson were cut.

Charles Hudon got traded this afternoon. Must suck to be trade when you're so far away lol

I am betting Hudon knew the trade was coming.

As for Shinkaruk being cut...it is a good thing for him in the long run. Dude has been playing with 2 injuries, a messed up hip and something else, just because he wanted to be on this team. Glad they chopped him.

Guess now it comes down to Hudon, Girard and Mantha. I would be keeping Mantha, but who knows. McGill and Sutter like the crash and bang type a bit. Of the three....who is the best skater Philou? I do not see the Q enough, and in the game yesterday I really did not notice much of Hudon or Girard.

Mantha was okay skating wise, I would not say a speedster but decent. At least did not appear that way yesterday.

Well I don't watch the Q that much. Only following it in newspaper or on the internet. I know Hudon as the reputation to be quick on his feet. Girard no ideas.

Hudon was THE player of the trade deadline in the LHJMQ so he was probably expecting it indeed but the Drakkar is like the worst enemy of Chicoutimi so it's weird that he's been traded there.

batdad wrote:For Finland--Teravainen.....boy the Hawks got another one. This kid can play.

Just a "fun fact". If you'd translate his name to English it would basically be "Sharp".

@ Batdad


Hunters other injury is his shoulder, though unsure of which one.

Pretty ballsy (also could be seen as pretty stupid) to keep going all out when

1. You cannot skate and have no agility because of a hip you may need surgery on.
2. You cannot handle a puck or shoot, because you have an arm hanging off.

Tough but maybe in the long run....no so smart kid.

Well Canada doesn't look that good so far IMO. I'm happy that Drouin and Mantha are doing really good so far but they doesn't seem to be playing that much. I don't know where that Patterson comes from but I wonder if there was better goalies than him to pick.

Fucale looked rusty today as well I heard.

I also read that Dumba is goddamn awful.

Canada has 9 18 year olds or younger. That is I believe the 2nd most we have ever had there.

That being said...some of the 18s have been very good..by 18 I mean 95 birthday...Reinhart, Petan, Lazar.

But ... our defense has made way way too many mistakes...and bad penalties.

When I looked at all the rosters, I figured Canada had an outside shot at silver and a probable (should get) Bronze. This was just based on the fact that last years medal teams (Sweden and USA) both have a ton of studs back. Especially Sweden.

The Canadian boys ... McKinnon, Reilly, Monahan, and I beleive one other would have put Canada on par. But their NHL teams would not let them go...so such is life. I mean those would be the top 2 offensive forwards and top dman.

No other country has as many guys in the show that would have been eligible. That being said...a couple of other 94 birthday (grinders) would have possibly helped.

Fucale and Paterson are not that good. Canadian goaltending is not that good in general quite frankly.

Dumba has been sick, plus he has hardly played all year. Ekblad until today really struggled as did Bigras. Bigras never saw the ice in the last 15 minutes of today vs Czech.

batdad wrote:The Canadian boys ... McKinnon, Reilly, Monahan, and I beleive one other would have put Canada on par. But their NHL teams would not let them go...so such is life. I mean those would be the top 2 offensive forwards and top dman.

Those three would have helped alot of course.

I'm surprised you say they could have a shot at the silver medal. I don't even think they will get one.

Just a shot....depends how things work out in crossover games, and maybe just maybe...they get lucky enough to manage to get to the final. But more likely Bronze. I think that they are good enough for that, as long as they decide to show up and play in the bronze medal game.

They get Griffin back and that will help the blue line a ton.

batdad wrote:This was just based on the fact that last years medal teams (Sweden and USA) both have a ton of studs back.

Fucale and Paterson are not that good. Canadian goaltending is not that good in general quite frankly.

USA only returned I think 3 guys from last year's team. So no, they don't have a ton of studs back. They actually have a very new group. Expectations have been fairly low because of that.

Paterson plays for Saginaw in the OHL and is DET property. He faces tons of shots every night for Saginaw. I honestly wonder if that doesn't hurt him here at the WJC. I don't know who you'd send if not Paterson and Fucale though...

I watched Finland - Russia (4-1) yesterday. It was a nice solid win for Finland, a little surprised that the game was so "easy". I thought Russia would have taken it easily. I just hope Finland manages to get to the second place in the group so they don't meet CAN/USA in the quarterfinals.

The Swedes have been very solid and going for gold. Too bad I won't get to wtch todays game vs the Russians or US-CAN game. We are visiting my partner's father and she won't let me spend New Year's eve watching hockey on tv

Swedes look like the team to beat for sure. As for Canadian goalies how about Tristan Jarry of the Edmonton Oil Kings. 22 wins, 2.23 GAA and .914 save pct. or Jordan Cooke of Kelowna 22 wins, 1 loss, 2.20 GAA and a .924 save pct.

Nice first period so far between CAN and USA.