U.S. Advances to World Juniors Final

[guyser]

Not sure how much of a narrative you can really craft out of a tournament as short as this.

Quite true , but a narrative can be crafted that starts with why we cannot finish things off like we used to do. Our last 5 yrs at this tourney have not be very good (by our stds)...up 3-0 in 3rd in Buff only to lose. Down 5 goals to Russia only to come back and then lose.

The shorter the tournament, the greater chance of random events, errors etc playing a larger impact on the outcome. If the medal rounds were best of three or five or seven, Canada would probably be vying for the top spot more often than not. It's not "our game" but we are still much much much better at it than anyone except maybe the Russians.

I think a 7 game or even a 5 game we would be vying more. But I also think we would win those marginally more than we do already. (if that makes sense)

As for a triple much better, dont think we are anymore. History shows that.

[The_Squid]

yet LA took the Stanley Cup last year, so it is a sport that is becoming a bit more universal

A team can win the cup in a city that has no interest or facilities for locals to play the game. Which NHL team wins has nothing to do with hockey interest in the area. Anyone from the LA area on the team?

[dre]

Hey this is a pretty competitive tournament, and theres a few countries with a chance to win. Just gotta give the American kids credit! They had a good team and had our number this year.

[Guest Manny]

Hey this is a pretty competitive tournament, and theres a few countries with a chance to win. Just gotta give the American kids credit! They had a good team and had our number this year.

Team Canada beat them in an earlier game in the same tournament, but it was a close score. Whenever two opponents both play at a high level, each has the potential to win and it just comes down to who showed up ready to play that day. And when one team falls behind, they can still win. It depends on who wants it more.

[Guest American Woman]

A team can win the cup in a city that has no interest or facilities for locals to play the game. Which NHL team wins has nothing to do with hockey interest in the area. Anyone from the LA area on the team?

Anyone from Toronto on the Maple Leafs' team? That would be no.

You make my point, however - hockey isn't just limited to areas where one would expect to find hockey played: According to Wikki, "Los Angeles has a large number of expatriates from both the Northeastern United States and Canada" - there is interest in the game in LA. The game, the interest, isn't limited to cold weather climates.

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Edited to add: Congrats to Canada on your Spengler Cup win!

Edited January 5, 2013 by American Woman

[Black Dog]

Quite true , but a narrative can be crafted that starts with why we cannot finish things off like we used to do. Our last 5 yrs at this tourney have not be very good (by our stds)...up 3-0 in 3rd in Buff only to lose. Down 5 goals to Russia only to come back and then lose.

Sure but a program is going to have peaks and valleys. Our valleys are not winning gold (well, until this year, which is the first time in over two decades we've been shut out of the medals). It's not even a problem of talent: Canada could probably send two teams to compete in these events. Persoanlayy I lay the recent struggles in part at the feet of Kevin Prendergast, the Hockey Canada head scout. As an Oilers fan, I'm quite well acquainted with his scouting prowess from his time with Edmonton: he's incompetent.

A bit of perspective on how these things can swing: last year the U.S. finished seventh and had to fight their way out of relegation to the B pool. This year they won gold. Did they dramatically overhaul their program ion the last 12 months? Or is t simply a cas eof s**t happens?

I think a 7 game or even a 5 game we would be vying more. But I also think we would win those marginally more than we do already. (if that makes sense)

As for a triple much better, dont think we are anymore. History shows that.

History shows Canada has outperformed all of its rivals by a significant margin on the international stage since the fall of the Soviet Union. Head to head, Canada at WJCs has taken around 70% of their games against Russia, Sweden and the U.S. in the past 10 years. It's not close.

Edited January 5, 2013 by Black Dog

[Guest Manny]

Sure but a program is going to have peaks and valleys. Our valleys are not winning gold (well, until this year, which is the first time in over two decades we've been shut out of the medals). It's not even a problem of talent: Canada could probably send two teams to compete in these events. Persoanlayy I lay the recent struggles in part at the feet of Kevin Prendergast, the Hockey Canada head scout. As an Oilers fan, I'm quite well acquainted with his scouting prowess from his time with Edmonton: he's incompetent.

A bit of perspective on how these things can swing: last year the U.S. finished seventh and had to fight their way out of relegation to the B pool. This year they won gold. Did they dramatically overhaul their program ion the last 12 months? Or is t simply a cas eof s**t happens?

History shows Canada has outperformed all of its rivals by a significant margin on the international stage since the fall of the Soviet Union. Head to head, Canada at WJCs has taken around 70% of their games against Russia, Sweden and the U.S. in the past 10 years. It's not close.

That's all true, and they did very well. They're still among the best in the world. Much like other international sports such as fooseball, or in tennis, athletes leap-frog each other throughout the year in different tournaments. The winner is who showed up ready and rarin that day. And in the end, who wants it more...

But I would blame the coaching, team management first. Winning t this level has a lot to do with strategic decisions made on the fly, during the game by coaches. teams are analyzed for weaknesses and strategies are prepared sometimes in advance, as the tournament evolves. Special players are identified on each team, plans made to deal with them, etc. THose plans have to sometimes change within a game, if the opposing team has done something unexpected. That's what makes the win, the ability to change when necessary.

[Canuckistani]

I love it when Canada loses at hockey. It shuts us up for a while about it. Our reliance on hockey as a source of pride is embarrassing. How nice it is to not hear all the NHL crap as well, except now of course we have to read/hear stories about the negotiations presented as if they were real news.

[Guest American Woman]

I love it when Canada loses at hockey. It shuts us up for a while about it.

I think this is going to go down in history as my favorite post from you.

[Guest Manny]

But, I dont get his point. No one here was talking about hockey in these forums, for quite some time. Hockey does not seem to come up as a matter or discourse in the threads. So it seems to me anyways. In fact this OP was made by an American.

For example, I've seen no posts about the spengler cup, other than when it came up in here.

It's cute that there's a perception we're all the same in Canada, we all wear our favourite team jerseys on weekends. Well, I do...

[Guest American Woman]

It's cute that there's a perception we're all the same in Canada ...

Just as perceptions about Americans/the USA are cute, too.

[Black Dog]

I love it when Canada loses at hockey. It shuts us up for a while about it. Our reliance on hockey as a source of pride is embarrassing. How nice it is to not hear all the NHL crap as well, except now of course we have to read/hear stories about the negotiations presented as if they were real news.

You're gonna be really sad when the lockout ends in a few days.

[Black Dog]

But, I dont get his point. No one here was talking about hockey in these forums, for quite some time. Hockey does not seem to come up as a matter or discourse in the threads. So it seems to me anyways. In fact this OP was made by an American.

For example, I've seen no posts about the spengler cup, other than when it came up in here.

It's cute that there's a perception we're all the same in Canada, we all wear our favourite team jerseys on weekends. Well, I do...

I don't think that's the first time Canuckistani has taken the time to craft a post about how little he cares for hockey. Just goes to show how deeply ingrained it is in our psyche that even haters can't not talk about it. And with that, I'm off to play some puck.

[bush_cheney2004]

But, I dont get his point. No one here was talking about hockey in these forums, for quite some time. Hockey does not seem to come up as a matter or discourse in the threads. So it seems to me anyways. In fact this OP was made by an American.

There are several previous threads about hockey here at MLW.

For example, I've seen no posts about the spengler cup, other than when it came up in here.

Sorry...I have never heard of rockin' a "Spengler", but I do know that American teams have won the Stanley Cup since 1994.

It's cute that there's a perception we're all the same in Canada, we all wear our favourite team jerseys on weekends. Well, I do...

Yep....same as Canadian perceptions of Americans.

[Black Dog]

There are several previous threads about hockey here at MLW.

As befits a Canadian board. Of course there's also a lot of discussion about that ridiculous advertising vehicle/ gambling venue disguised as a sport known as "American'foot'ball".

Sorry...I have never heard of rockin' a "Spengler", but I do know that American teams have won the Stanley Cup since 1994.

With Canada supplying the talent. Oh and the bulk of the revenues for the league as a whole.

Yep....same as Canadian perceptions of Americans.

The perception that you are all arrogant, gun-loving folk with no interest in anything beyond your borders and a stedfast belief in your own exceptionalism? In other words: the very image you intentionally project on this board. Good work breaking down walls.

[guyser]

Anyone from Toronto on the Maple Leafs' team? That would be no.

Best re-check that. There is.

[Guest American Woman]

Best re-check that. There is.

I had never heard of Etobicoke before, so I didn't recognize it as part of Toronto; I learned something new today.

[bush_cheney2004]

As befits a Canadian board.

...located in Texas.

With Canada supplying the talent. Oh and the bulk of the revenues for the league as a whole.

....but no championships for Canada.....boo hoo.

The perception that you are all arrogant, gun-loving folk with no interest in anything beyond your borders and a stedfast belief in your own exceptionalism? In other words: the very image you intentionally project on this board. Good work breaking down walls.

No problem.....now go back to watching American TV.

[The_Squid]

You make my point, however - hockey isn't just limited to areas where one would expect to find hockey played:

It never was in the NHL. They've put teams everywhere for many years.

[Guest American Woman]

It never was in the NHL. They've put teams everywhere for many years.

Yeah, well, you only quoted part of my post, so you kinda missed the point I was making (emphasis mine):

You said: A team can win the cup in a city that has no interest or facilities for locals to play the game. Which NHL team wins has nothing to do with hockey interest in the area.

I responded with: "You make my point, however - hockey isn't just limited to areas where one would expect to find hockey played: According to Wikki, "Los Angeles has a large number of expatriates from both the Northeastern United States and Canada" - there is interest in the game in LA."

[Guest Manny]

There are several previous threads about hockey here at MLW.

Sorry...I have never heard of rockin' a "Spengler", but I do know that American teams have won the Stanley Cup since 1994.

No kidding this board goes back for years. None recently, that I recall. But here you go again,bringing in more talk about hockey!

[bush_cheney2004]

No kidding this board goes back for years. None recently, that I recall. But here you go again,bringing in more talk about hockey!

Let's see...looks like you joined this forum about 15 months ago. Relatively short perspective. Hockey is not a forbidden topic. You can ignore any threads about hockey as needed.

[The_Squid]

Let's see...looks like you joined this forum about 15 months ago. Relatively short perspective. Hockey is not a forbidden topic. You can ignore any threads about hockey as needed.

I think he's just pointing out your blatant hypocrisy when it comes to the topic of people having opinions about our two countries....

Edited January 6, 2013 by The_Squid

[bush_cheney2004]

I think he's just pointing out your blatant hypocrisy when it comes to the topic of people having opinions about our two countries....

My state has both an NHL team and multiple NCAA teams. I can discuss hockey whenever I please. My tax dollars at work.

[Black Dog]

...located in Texas.

Hosted in Texas. As if that matters.

....but no championships for Canada.....boo hoo.

Why are you crying about it?

No problem.....now go back to watching American TV.

You seem to think that consuming U.S. cultural products and taking Yankee dollars is somehow at odds with the contempt I have for 'muricans like you. It is not.