The elimination rounds are always tough. Hockey in many ways is the truest “anything can happen… sport even in a tournament like this where often there are simple clear cut favourites. A bad game here or a miracle performance there and a titan can be going home early. This day was no different as we had four extremely important matches and one…dud. Let’s go through this match by match.
Norway 3 – Germany 0
In the dud match of relegation warriors we found the favourite Germany go down to Norway in a pathetic outing for top prospect Leon Draisaitl who was an embarrassment the entire tournament. He was expected to be the highlight for Germany, yet ended up being a petulant penalty magnet of undisciplined stupidity. In the end this will not truly harm Draisaitl’s draft status as he enters the draft as a potential top-10 pick and the highest drafted German since Olaf Kolzig, however this was the worst I’ve ever seen him play and a disgusting performance overall. He sunk Germany twice (ok once, they were going to be crushed by the USA regardless) by being ejected from games giving their opponents massive amounts of PP opportunities, something a poor squad can barely handle at the best of times. The 18 year old leads the tournament with 52 penalty minutes (40 combined in 97 WHL games), including the 27 he was assessed against Norway…which led to 2 PP goals and a near period of pure penalty killing. Oddly enough the only German win came with their undisciplined Captain sitting out.
Norway looks to ride this success and remain in the top flight of junior squads by avoiding relegation for the first time in their history.
Russia 5 – USA 3
Oh baby. Thriller. Once again discipline reared its ugly head or perhaps the lack thereof. The Russian power play was a machine and helped the Russians bounce back after losing two straight games. The stars were stars for Russia and they got major performances from their top line trio, their top blueliner and their top goalie. The defending Gold Medal Winners will not be medalling this year in what has to be a major upset for Hockey USA who looked so dominant so early.
Anton Slepyshev (Edmonton) had an excellent game and the Russian Captain added three assists including the two perfect passes to Zadorov (Buffalo) on the 5 on 3’s for the slap shots. His hounding forecheck was noticeable all night and he provided the energy for the sometimes comatose Buchnevich (Rangers) and Grigorenko (Buffalo). The line combined for 3 goals (one empty netter) and 6 points. Now before somebody says I’m bashing Grigorenko (Buffalo) in what was his best performance of the tournament I’m not…truly. He was excellent in most aspects and even when he went quiet he was a force on the draws and won 66% of them, the only Russian having any success in the circle. Yakimov (Edmonton) who was tasked with a lot of defensive assignments and draws was really exploited by the USA, his lack of speed was not a strong matchup against the American forwards that had his ridiculous size (6’4 220) themselves but with much quicker legs.
The end of the game was a bit unfortunate, both Hartman (Chicago) and Buchnevich (Rangers) were in the wrong. If you didn’t see, Buchnevich after sealing the USA with his turnover empty net goal skated by their bench, he was promptly tapped in the neck/face area by Hartman from the bench with his stick. Both unsportsmanlike, both uncalled for and both not deserving of anything more after this other than a warning to both teams to cut that out…also a warning to the ref who failed in his duty to keep players from doing the skating by the opponents bench after a goal. Yes that’s an IIHF rule.
I felt Matt Grzelcyk (Boston) who had been the USA’s top offensive defender was majorly exposed in this game. The 5’9 explosive defenseman was weak on the puck and preyed upon by the Russian top line. He makes a lot of nice plays and can change a game…happened to change it for the worst this time. Bad day defensively for he and his partner Will Butcher.
Gillies (Calgary) vs Vasilevski (Tampa Bay) proved to be a bit one sided despite the score. Gillies was ok, though he was losing sight of the puck an awful lot (Vasilevski guilty of the same on the first goal). It isn’t his fault that he was under siege of 5 on 3’s, but for such a big guy he looked small and lost when Zadorov was pounded slappers from the point at him.
One guy I will call out is Valentin Zykov (Kings) he has been invisible. I expected that he would play in the bottom-6 as a checker, especially regarding the unfamiliarity between he and the Russian national team, but they have been using him so very little and he hasn’t done anything to change that.
The Russian top-4 of Tryamkin (Undrafted) – Mironov (Undrafted), Zadorov (Buffalo) – Lyubushkin (Undrafted) have been amazing, and I still feel they are the cream of the crop this tournament (Though Canada’s is looking better these days).
Russia capitalized on their power plays, America didn’t, simple as that and Russia will take on Sweden in a rematch.
Finland 5 – Czech Republic 3
Who and what is this Czech team? They managed to shock Canada in a shootout in a display of determination that was astounding. They promptly get smacked by the Germans 3-0 in a shock nearly as insane as the Canada result. Then they come back and managed to hold their Slovakian cousins off and salvaged some hope in a 4-1 thumping. This game they had Finland down and out going into the third with a 3-1 lead and the second period being all them. They managed to break the best performing goaltender of the tournament at the time Juuse Saros (Nashville) and were holding strong. Then they fell apart and let in 4 straight for the loss…they truly had a chance to knock off Finland, but the depth players provided the first real spark for Finland and took some of the massive weight off of Teravainen’s (Chicago) shoulders.
We had our first sighting of Radek Faksa (Dallas), he scored his only goal of the tournament then went back to sleep. He’s been very disappointing since being drafted 13th overall in 2012. He hasn’t done anything to improve his offensive game…in fact he has regressed in those regards.
The same cannot be said about two potential first rounders in Jakub Vrana and David Pastrnak, both have been very good this tournament proving why they are intriguing players. Both play in Sweden despite being Czech, Pastrnak in the Allsvenskan and Vrana in the Elitserien. Both 17 year olds had an assist each.
Undrafted Dominik Simon known for scoring the shootout killer against the Canadians also had a good game. Wonder if he will hear his name called in the draft.
Ville Pokka (Islanders) has and was the Finns best defenseman yet again as he had been all tournament. Very steady back there.
Canada 4 – Switzerland 1
The world is back to normal and the TSN.ca comment section is once again filled with good cheer and guarantees of Gold. Canada went back to Zachary Fucale (Montreal) who showed the entirely non-Canadian trait of stopping beach balls; he was good enough for the win though wasn’t as needed as he was against the USA. The Canadians who often get scared in games like this were in control the vast majority of the game.
Anthony Mantha (Detroit) is a beast. I don’t know what else to add. The big winger just scores…and scores…and scores. Easily the best forward for the team up to now.
Mirco Muller (Sharks) was the best Swiss player; if they had two more of him they might have made a game of it. He was the only Swiss defender not being beat. He has had a strong tournament for a very average Swiss club.
Griffin Reinhart (Islanders) has been very solid for Canada, as an older player you would really hope for that kind of play…but as Dumba (Wild) has shown, not every experienced player is consistent for it. While Ekblad (2014) was left on the bench a lot of this game, I felt he hadn’t deserved to be benched. I get that they want experience and to shelter a younger player in these elimination games…but this isn’t Russia or Sweden, or hell the Americans, it’s the Swiss. Adam Pelech (Islanders) has been highly replaceable and one of the guys who sticks out to me that isn’t “Team Canada… ready right now. I hope the young lad can draw back in for regular shifts, though I kind of doubt it just going on the history of these situations. Ride the vets and all that.
Frédérik Gauthier (Toronto) was meh. Haven’t talked about him much because there isn’t much to say other than he had a great stretch of 15 seconds where he won three draws in a row…yay. I’m surprised that a guy brought solely for his penalty killing and defensive talents, is not being used on the penalty kill…it’s just odd. Regardless he won the majority of his face-offs (despite being a team worst, though he was in his defense primarily set against Jason Fuchs the best Swiss face-off man). Just wanted to mention him because he’s one of the guys that has been a bit lost in translation this tournament. I will say this, he has been more impressive than Rychel (Columbus) and probably the most questionable member Taylor Leier (Flyers).
Canada will play Finland next and try to…Finnish the job...of getting to the Gold Medal game. *kills self*
Sweden 6 – Slovakia 0
The juggernaut Swedes are at it again and move on to try their hands with the Russians again. They’re the favourites, they’re playing great and if Dansk doesn’t crap the bed they will have every chance to win this tournament.
Lindholm (Carolina) on his line with Forsberg (Nashville) and a mixture of Wallmark (2014) and Burakowsky (Washington) was electric. His best yet. He has been relatively quiet this entire tourney, yet has been steady. Forsberg was a handful and all over the Slovaks in their own zone. Wallmark was shifty and as Craig Button (ugg) said quite rightly the 18 year old that was one week from the 2014 draft cut off and went undrafted primarily due to an injury will be drafted this time around and likely in the second round.
Marko Dano (Columbus) was the best Slovak in a rather pitiful final showdown. They’ve been an exciting team this tournament including the emergence of Reway (Montreal) to the international audience. Their defense and goaltending, plus a lack of depth past the top two lines was simply too weak to get things done. A fine tournament in general for them, though I think they could have done slightly more.
Sweden plays Russia in a battle of the titans. Expect a really fun game.