Team USA must have fired 80 shots at German goalie Thomas Greiss.
The Americans hit Greiss with 43 pucks. The or 30 or so USA shots hit the glass or German shin pads.
Welcome to the IIHF World Championships where talent only gets you so far.
Despite being badly out shot and out chanced, Team Germany hit The back of Jimmy Howard's net twice as many times as Team USA scored on Greiss.
Germany buried their chances.USA failed to bury their opportunities.
Final score:
Germany 2
USA 1
Jack Eichel was the best player for USA. Eichel possesses the puck for long stretches and skated 22:01 TOI. The Buffalo Sabres super center landed 10 shots on goal, 6 in the third period. Eichel has a few opportunities he wants back. He missed the net with a couple of high probability scoring chances. His linemates Johnny Gaudreau and Anders Lee combined for 12 shots on goal. All told, the Eichel trio created 22 shots on goal. Nice production and possession, however, no red lights for Eichel, Johnny Hockey and Lee.
The young Americans sprayed shots high and wide of the German net.
If only they buried their chances.
Thomas Greiss finished with 42 saves and a win in the first game of the round robin round at the IIHF World Championships in Cologne, Germany.
Eichel took a game-high 10 shots, while linemates Johnny Gaudreau (seven) and Anders Lee (five) combined for 12. Greiss and his goal posts kept the Americans’ top line without a point.
Germany’s Tobias Rieder opened the scoring with midway through the first period.
Despite getting outshot, 20-6, in the third period (6 SOG for Eichel P3) Germany backed up five guys in front of Greiss and played with six goalies.
The German "Katie Bar The Door" strategy worked.
In my opinion, USA should have boat races Germany 6-1. The Yanks roster lacks experience up front. Their ad and goaltending are solid, however, their forwards are very young and inexperienced. Chris Drury and Bill Guerin built the USA roster. I would love to know why they could not convince veteran Team USA star forwards to play on this squad. Where is Joe Pavelski? Zach Parise? Jason Pominville? Nick Foligno? James Van Riemsdyk? Pat Kane? Charlie Coyle? David Backes?
You get my drift, right?
Eichel and Team USA will play Denmark Sunday morning at 10:00 am.
***
Meanwhile, in Paris, Buffalo Sabres Mr. Everything Ryan O’Reilly scored the first goal in Canada’s 4-1 trouncing of the Czech Republic.
ROR skated 19:26 TOI and was one for one on shot attempts.
***
Why would the Pittsburgh Penguins give their Associate GM Jason Botterill the the blessing to accept the Buffalo Sabres GM job now?
Seriously.
The Pens are locked into a dog fight with the Washington Capitals in round two of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Penguins lead the series three games to one and can close the show in Washington on Saturday night.
It would not surprise me in the least if Pens owner Mario Lemieux and his GM Jim Rutherford have told Botterill that they will green light his departure from the Penguins AFTER the Pens advance to the next round.
In other words, senior leadership has likely asked Botterill for professional courtesy before he makes his exit from Pittsburgh to begin his new role as GM in Buffalo.
From what I'm told, Botterill is the man for Buffalo. Botterill is reportedly the only Buffalo GM candidate to be granted a second interview. Botterill must have checked all of the prerequisite boxes that Terry Pegula spoke about at the presser to duscuss the firing of Tim Murray.
Pegula said he and his wife are looking for a GM with discipline, structure, communication skills and high character. Pegula confided that he had not been involved extensively in the hiring of Murray, however, would be very involved in the hiring of Murray's successor.
Will Pegula also be hiring a president or hockey operations person after he hired his next Sabres GM? That remains to be seen.
Botterill appears to be the man to lead the Sabres moving forward. In due time though.
I spoke via text with a former teammate of Botterill's on Friday. Yet another glowing endorsement of the 40 year old Penguins executive.
" Great guy, real good personality. Easy to talk to. Studious, knowledgeable and a hard worker".
**
I was told Friday morning that LA Kings AGM Mike Futa has all but conceded the Buffalo GM race.
LA Kings insider Jon Rosen conformed what I have heard about Futa when he tweeted the following on Friday afternoon:
In other words, Thanks for the serious consideration and opportunity to interview for your Sabres GM job, Terry and Kim Pegula. However, I'm excited to be the AGM of the LA Kings.
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While Futa was "thrilled" to meet w/ BUF, he's clearly excited by the opportunity to work with Robitaille & Blake. Story will go up on LAKI.
— Jon Rosen (@lakingsinsider)
May 5, 2017
Is Futa feeling that his interview process was all just an act of futility?
Rosen:
Having met with Michael Futa this afternoon, and based on follow-up conversations with both Futa and another team source, it appears as though he is no longer under heavy consideration for the open Buffalo Sabres GM job and is excited to continue his career with the Los Angeles Kings following his promotion to Assistant General Manager this spring.
Buffalo has openings at both General Manager and Head Coach after having relieved Tim Murray and Dan Bylsma of their duties in April. The Buffalo News has a list of potential candidates here, with Pittsburgh Associate General Mangaer Jason Botterill appearing to emerge as perhaps the most serious candidate.
Futa described the whirlwind of the changeover atop the hockey operations hierarchy, followed by his own promotion to AGM, and then very quickly learning that Sabres ownership was interested in meeting with him. He described the interview for the open position as “gratifying,” and left satisfied after taking part in his interview, which coincided with a trip to his native Toronto and a visit to the Hockey Central studios as the Kings’ representative at the NHL Draft Lottery.
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