Timotas Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 Well I guess this is a lil unfortunate for American hockey, but I love it of course ... good work by Belarus... America having major problems, their goaltending is absolutely horrible at the moment. Averaging over 4 goals against them a game (13 Goals Against in 3 games). Canada averaging 8 goals a game, which is simply amazing... and I am feeling that this might be Canadas year, simply powerful and unblemished in every part of their team, maybe I'm being a lil' kind to their goaltending though. Belarus had lost its last three games and had been outscored 19-4. GRAND FORKS, N.D. (CP-AP) - Andrei Kastsitsyn scored a goal and added two assists on Wednesday as Belarus stunned the United States 5-3 at the world junior hockey championship. It's the first time Belarus has won a round robin game at the world junior tournament. They've previously beat France and Kazakhstan in relegation play. The defending champion U.S. team had won eight straight games in the tournament, with its last loss coming against Finland in the bronze medal game two years ago. ''I thought they played a great game,'' U.S. coach Scott Sandelin said of Belarus. ''They took advantage of our mistakes. I thought we had a lot of turnovers tonight.'' ''It's always important to have a victory against a strong opponent like the U.S.,'' Belarus coach Mikhail Zakharov said. ''It was a very good game.'' Alexei Efimenko and Vadzim Karaha scored on Cory Schneider in the first period as Belarus jumped out to a 2-0 lead. After Alexei Savin made it 3-1 2:10 into the second period, Schneider was given the hook. He finished with just five saves. Replacement Al Montoya, one of the stars of the American team that beat Canada for the gold medal last year, didn't fare much better. Siarhei Kukushkin's wrist shot at 3:26 from behind the blue-line floated by Montoya and made it 4-1. Kastsitsyn made it 5-1 just 50 seconds later. ''Right now, they're fighting it a little bit,'' Sandelin said of his goalies. Belarus goalie Stepan Goryachevskikh made 39 saves, including 20 in the final period. ''We played a good third period but it's tough to play catch-up hockey,'' Sandelin said. Phil Kessel, Drew Stafford and Mike Brown replied for the United States (2-1-0), which can still clinch first place in Group A with a win over the Czech Republic on Thursday night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devioustrevor Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 Funny thing is, I know people that were saying that the US was the team to beat. Beating Slovakia 7-3, and Sweden 8-1 wasn't a fluke. Our team is just so much better than anyone else's this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Champ Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 quote:Originally posted by devioustrevor Funny thing is, I know people that were saying that the US was the team to beat. Beating Slovakia 7-3, and Sweden 8-1 wasn't a fluke. Our team is just so much better than anyone else's this year. Yah, but that is what I thought last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettermirror Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 did we beat sweden 8-1 last year? no. usa is nothing. the teams to concern ourselves with are russia and those czech's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 Thanks to the lockout Canada has a number of NHL regulars on the junior team this year which is undoubtedly making a difference. These players would not have been available had the NHL been playing a regular season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Champ Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 quote:Originally posted by bettermirror did we beat sweden 8-1 last year? no. usa is nothing. the teams to concern ourselves with are russia and those czech's. Americans play on emotion. They'll get up for Canada and if they catch us patting ourselves on the back again it so long gold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadiankick97 Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 If Belarus could play like that in the relegation round we could even see Sweden go down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amacpher Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 quote:Originally posted by Current Champ Americans play on emotion. They'll get up for Canada and if they catch us patting ourselves on the back again it so long gold. The thing is, the USA haven't looked good in any of their games. IF they were only slightly less lucky they'd be fighting to avoid relegation at this point. quote:Originally posted by Richard Thanks to the lockout Canada has a number of NHL regulars on the junior team this year which is undoubtedly making a difference. These players would not have been available had the NHL been playing a regular season. Isn't that an advantage for every team though? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timotas Posted December 30, 2004 Author Share Posted December 30, 2004 Well Canada and the USA might have a slight advantage over a few teams. Firstly, about a third of the Canadian team would be playing in the NHL right now if it wasn't for the lockout, so this is one reason why they are known as the best team Canada has ever produced. Amacpher, because of the lockout, it isn't an advantage at all for these European players. For example, most of these Swedish players, Russian, or Czech players, would be playing in Europe for their club in their domestic leagues. But because of the lockout, the stars and professionals from North America are playing in Europe, which lessen the chance of these younger Europeans playing regularly for their clubs. Therefore, these junior players from Europe are playing a lower level of hockey then regular, because of the lockout. So thus, this is a disadvantage for the European junior players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devioustrevor Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 I would put Czech Republic and Slovakia as the 2nd and 3rd best teams in the tournament right now. If you want irony, the Czech and Slovaks are the two teams, after Canada obviously, with the most CHL players in their line-ups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 quote:Originally posted by amacpher Isn't that an advantage for every team though? Sure, but I suspect Canada has the highest number of NHL players on their roster. Be interesting to know for sure - anybody? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Champ Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 quote:Originally posted by Richard Sure, but I suspect Canada has the highest number of NHL players on their roster. Be interesting to know for sure - anybody? Canada always has more NHL players than any team. And without training camps and the regular season we have no way of knowing how any of these players would have made out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amacpher Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 quote:Originally posted by Current Champ Canada always has more NHL players than any team. And without training camps and the regular season we have no way of knowing how any of these players would have made out. All that means to me is that this time the tournament is more fair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Champ Posted January 1, 2005 Share Posted January 1, 2005 Ya, I think that's what I meant. There is also the hometown advantage, which from what I've seen has also gone to Canada! Go CANADA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted January 1, 2005 Share Posted January 1, 2005 quote:Originally posted by Richard Sure, but I suspect Canada has the highest number of NHL players on their roster. Be interesting to know for sure - anybody? quote: All that means to me is that this time the tournament is more fair. I wasn't commenting on fairness, merely on Canada's dominance so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Champ Posted January 1, 2005 Share Posted January 1, 2005 Ya, that's what were saying. It's fair and Canada is dominant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertuzzi44 Posted January 1, 2005 Share Posted January 1, 2005 quote:Originally posted by Current Champ Americans play on emotion. They'll get up for Canada and if they catch us patting ourselves on the back again it so long gold. funny you'd think that playing in front of your home fans and being the defending champions would be enough incentive to at least beat belarus. I think Canada would beat the US. Remeber, Canada has it's own motivation against the US - the loss in the gold medal game last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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