It was a wild Wednesday of Olympic hockey, with Devils players and (one former) in the mix of it all. Three overtime thrillers, bonehead benchings/un-benchings, Hughes magic, and unsuspected Canadian sweat! Let’s break down the play so far:
Ondrej Palat
Palat didn’t score for months at a time with New Jersey, but a big goal in his Islanders debut, as well as a nearly earth-shattering goal yesterday versus Canada, has the Czech forward looking serviceable again. Palat, the late man to enter the zone on a 3v2, took the puck into the slot and ripped a wrister past Jordan Binnington with just eight minutes remaining in the quarterfinal matchup. The huge goal gave Czechia a 3-2 lead in the third, as well as bubble guts to many Canadian fans. Of course, Canada tied it and won in OT, in which I was surprised that Czechia even touched the puck, let alone had a few glorious chances to win it.
Question for Devils Fans: If that was Palat in a Devils sweater a few months ago with the same chance, what would the result be? I’d say he’d lose the puck and take a hooking penalty trying to take it back from the opposition...
Jonas Siegenthaler
Siegenthaler had an overall solid Olympics. He saved a goal against with a great stick midway through the game versus Finland on Wednesday. However, it was his glaring, crunch-time failure to clear a puck that led to Finland’s game-tying goal late in the third.I don’t understand why players are so scared to ice pucks in today’s game, especially with an empty net at the other end. Fire it down at the open goal — the best-case scenario is a goal and the game is over. Worst-case scenario: having the puck back where you were anyway, with a cooler, calmer faceoff, a few seconds to rest, chat, and strategize before the puck is dropped again.
Instead, the weak flip is a turnover, and now you’re pinned in, out of position, scrambling to regain control. I don’t know if it’s just me, but it seems like point men are extremely good at holding clearing attempts these days, so fire that f***ing thing out!
Jacob Markstrom
Markstrom played well. Not many spectacular saves that I can recall, but he gave Sweden a chance to win. Hopefully, some confidence is restored in his game as he heads into the Devils’ stretch run. He was a bit deep in his net on the USA’s first goal, which allowed Larkin to tip it, but it was a quick, deceptive play off the draw. He can have a pass there.
Jesper Bratt
What a nightmare for Bratt, who was in the doghouse of the complete moron and Swedish head coach, Sam Hallam. I don’t know anything about this guy, nor do I care to learn. An idiot with a grudge who took the third-best team in the tournament to a seventh-place finish. In addition to Bratt, veteran Filip Forsberg also received a benching and limited ice time. Hallam could be the Scotty Bowman of Sweden, but his actions merit Colin Kaepernick treatment.
The few shifts Bratt played after nearly three full games of benching, he drove play for the Swedes. With a chip on his shoulder, let’s hope Bratt returns to form with a big end of the season and a “f*** you” to Hallam!
Timo Meier
Meier continues to prove that he is a big-game player. He makes impacts in all zones, wears down defenders, and is a great net-front presence. Now, if only the Devils could get him into any big games...With 7 points in 5 games, Meier did his part and then some.
Simon Nemec
Another big-game player, Nemec played a shutdown role against Germany early Wednesday. The young defender has been Slovakia’s number-one D-man all tournament, logging over 21 minutes in the biggest game yet. At just 22 years old, Nemec keeps building his brand and raising eyebrows around the hockey scene.
Jack Hughes
Returning to form on the biggest stage of his career, Jack Hughes continues to be a main play driver for Team USA. Nearly every time he has the puck, he creates some type of offensive zone pressure for opponents. Yesterday’s assist was passed to him by his brother Quinn, showing their chemistry and Jack’s high IQ on the unorthodox faceoff play.
Hughes is another player expected to return with extra juice in the tank. Despite the Fitzgerald fumble in acquiring Quinn thus far, it’s evident the brothers have the best time playing together. There’s no way Quinn, when given the chance to choose, goes anywhere his family isn’t.
Tom Fitzgerald
While there have been rumors that Fitz’s job won’t be here when he returns from Italy, he’s doing what he can to at least appear to be in the right circles. Photographs of Fitz attending events in Milan have him sitting next to (his second cousins) the Tkachuk boys, and yesterday with GM and current owner of Quinn Hughes rights, Billy Guerin. It’s almost as if he called the paparazzi on himself...