In Saturday's second game, Team Canada started the game with 11 forwards due to the recent back injury to Hudon. With Brett Ritchie injutred and Mark McNeill in transit from Canada to Helsinki, Steve Spott had to be creative with his line combos.
Team Canada formed a constant conga line to the penalty box vs. Sweden. Their lack of discipline cost thekm the services of centre Boone Jenner who was assessed a five for charging and a game misconduct for the serious injury (broken ribs) that he caused to Swedish D, Jespar Pettersson.
Jenner is now considered a repeat offender, as he was suspended during last January's WJCs. Jenner is staring at a lengthy suspension for his late hit on Petersson.
It doesn't matter that Jenner committed this flagrant foul on the Swedish player in a tune-up game. He is still subject to a suspension.
Thanks, Hockey Video HD
Midway through that second period, Jenner received a charging major/game misconduct for a late hit on Jesper Pettersson that put the Swedish defenceman out of the game (at least) with reportedly broken ribs.
The injury occurred when Pettersson had completed a breakout pass from the right wing end of the rink. Jenner, a bruising fore checker, detonated Pettersson into the rock hard boards.
Canada will have to submit its final roster before knowing Jenner's status for at least the first two games vs. Germany and Slovakia on Boxing Day and again on 12/28.
This hit reminds me of the crushing, clean hit that Zack Kassian applied to Czech forward Petr Sedekirk at the 2011 WJCs in Buffalo.
Because of the injury to Senkerik, Kassian was give an five, game and a two game suspension.
I see the same sentence for the repeat offender Jenner.
Penalties doomed Team USA vs. The Finns at today's tune-up friendly vs. the ultra-competitive Finns.
If you wanna play with fire, you're gonna get burned.
The Finns torched Canada for two 5 on 3 PPGs. On Saturday, they barraged USA for three more PPGs.
In a seventy two hour period of time, the Finns have pasted the Americans and Canadians in warm-up matches in Ufa. The rest of the field best beware. The Finns are notoriously tough to play against. Over the years, they have made life miserable for opponents at international hockey competitions. They finish checks, they find the open man and they know how to create chaos in all three zones. They play in disciplined five man units, and they apply constant pressure. They manufacure chances and know how to find the back of the net.
The Finns crushed USA with three PPGs. You'll recall that earlier this week in another tuneup match vs. Canada, the Finns PP was bang on, with Armia and Granlund connecting on a 5 on 3 PPG.
The scouting report on the Finns is simple: stay out of the box, or you'll get torched by Armia, Granlund and the Finnisher.
Sabres prospect Joel Armia played another strong game, both with and without the puck. He set-up Granlund for the game winner. He made excellent decisions with the puck, moving it with efficiency and accuracy through all three zones. He dropped the hammer on a couple of USA forwards in the Saturday win, sending a resounding message to opposing WJC scouts that he isn't afraid to play the North American bump and grind game. He rather likes the physicality.
Armia, my friends, is an NHL echelon playmaker and scorer. He knows where the net is and he's not afraid to go to the dirty area to get high percentage scoring chances. I'm convinced that you could blindfold him during a shift, and yet he would still get the puck to his linemates. His puck intuition and anticipation are off the charts.
Team USA's Seth Jones talked to TSN after the game. He bottom lined the drubbing in this way:
"It was kind of an eye opener for us... they came after us, and we weren't ready for them"
Phil Housley and his coaches have some work to do. Namely, to clean up their discipline and to work on their PK units.
Here's a preview of Team Finland's entry at the 2013 WJCs at Ufa, Russia. Courtesy IIHF.
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Sabres D prospect, Jake McCabe (University of Wisconsin) didn't look out of place in today's game. He'll find out shortly if he makes the final roster for Team USA. I like his chances.
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I'm looking forward to watching Mikhail Grigorenko's Quebec Rempart linie, Nick Sorensen, play today vs. Canada. Like Grigo, Sorensen is big, fast, and skilled. At 6'1 and 180 lbs., this 18 year old is still growing and filling out. He'ss make a great pro players in a couple of years.
What makes him all the more appealing is that he is NHL draft eligible. He's represented by Claude Lemieux. Yes. THAT Claude Lemieux. I'm holding out hope that Darcy Regier can sink his hooks into Sorensen at June's NHL draft.
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Props to former Sabre forward, Jochen Hecht, who is presently the hottest player in the German Elite League.
In three games played with his hometown Adler Mannheim Eagles, Hecht has scored 2 goals and has added 5 assists for 7 points (+5).
Hecht has been playing alongside his good friend, Jason Pominville, who has been red hot as well. In 5 games played, Pommer has 4 goals and 4 assists (+3).
Pommer and Hecht are good for one another. Who knows, Hecht may have fully healed from his post-concussion symptoms. At 35 years of age, perhaps he's found the fountain of youth. NHL scouts are sure to be calling Hecht's agent if he keeps scoring at this pace.
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