Showing posts with label iihf. Show all posts
Showing posts with label iihf. Show all posts

Friday, December 28, 2012

Character Win For Team Canada, Spengler Dominance, More...

T.G.I.F. HabsAddicts!!!

Team Canada had quite the scare this morning. Team Slovakia came out of the gate with a heavy forecheck, that caused Canada fits, and took an early 2-0 1st period lead.

However, despite loosing forward J.C. Lipon in the first because of a contact to the head major penalty, the Canadian squad came out firing on all cylinders in the second.

As the game wore on, the Slovakians began to wear down. Only a controversial charging major to Anthony Camara gave the Slovaks some momentum, but Morgan Rielly led the charge for the Canadian team, with a few brilliant shift to to get the ball rolling. He finished with a goal and two assists.

Team Canada dominated the last 40 minutes of play, using their speed and physicality to turn the tables on their tenacious opponents. After taking a late 4-3 lead in the second, they added two more tallies in the third to win the game 6-3. Mark Scheifele was all over the ice for Canada, which earned him player of the game honours.

Next, Team Canada faces Team USA at 4 A.M. Sunday morning. The question is if the IIHF disciplinary board will give suspensions to either Lipon and/or Camara. The board is chaired by former NHL referee Bill McCreary.

Habs and Hockey News and Notes:

- Over in Davos, Switzerland, the other Team Canada had another dominant performance in Spengler Cup action, this time versus the host Davos. Byron Ritchie led Team Canada with two goals, en route to a 5-0 victory. Devon Dubnyk stopped 25 shots to earn the shutout.

- Team USA started their World Junior Hockey Championships with a resounding 8-0 victory over Germany. Montreal Canadiens' 2012 first round pick, Alex Galchenyuk had a goal and two assists.

- Barry Janoff of NYSportsJournalism.com looks at how the NHL Lockout is causing fans and sponsors to lash out.



Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Canada hammers Germans, RNH with 5 Points

Good Morning PuckAddicts!!!

In one of the most anticipated games in World Junior Hockey Championship history (thanks NHL Lockout), Team Canada exploded for nine tallies versus a sub-par German team in their opening game in this year's tournament.

Edmonton Oilers sophomore Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored a goal and four assists, while his line mates Jonathan Huberdeau and Mark Scheifele combined for 10 points. Malcolm Subban went mostly untested in this affair, however he did give up a bit of a softy on a horrible turnover by Mark McNeil in the second period. He bounced back beautifully in the third, making a couple of point blank saves.

Canada continued their undisciplined play in the first two periods with a parade of unnecessary penalties, putting behind the eight ball early, and allowing the Germans to stay hopeful. However, Canada dominated to majority of the game, often maintaining possession of the puck in the German zone for three to four minutes at a time.

Canadian head coach Steve Spott, while happy with the result, should be apprehensive about his team's defensive zone play. Scott Harrington and Dougie Hamilton were solid on the Canadian defense, but Team Canada was often hemmed in by a tenacious German team, who were more lucky than good on all three of their goals. The fourth line for Team Canada showed an obvious deficiency in transitional play, giving up the puck multiple times along the half-wall, leading the German scoring chances.

Another obvious weakness in Canada's game was their lack of a defensive presence in the mid-ice lane. They allowed the Germans to attack with speed through the neutral zone on numerous occasions, forcing some over extended shift and mistakes in their own zone.

Team Canada's next test comes Friday morning against Team Slovakia.

Special Correspondant in Ufa

HabsAddict is happy to welcome Robert Myerson to our staff. Rob will be covering the World Junior Championship from Ufa, Russia after the Slovakia game, and providing our readers same day game summaries and analysis. Join me in welcoming Robert aboard.

(Photo courtesy Canadian Press)

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

NHL Players Abroad, Labor Talks, Hamilton Bulldogs and More

File:Europe orthographic Caucasus Urals boundary.svg
Slowly, it has begun.

NHL players are making their exodus towards Europe.

Joe Thornton and Rick Nash are returning to HC Davos in Switzerland. Both played — and won — there in 2004-05.

Meanwhile, Evegeni Malkin, Nail Yakupov, Ilya Kovalchuk and Nikolai Kulemin are KHL bound. Quite an influx of talent to the world's second best league.

As for Montreal Canadiens, Raphael Diaz will rejoin his former Swiss club EV Zug, Yannick Weber is heading for Geneva-Servette and Tomas Plekanec is Czech Republic bound.

TSN has a complete list here.

Personally, I think I would sign somewhere a bit off the hockey map and take the time to really experience a different culture.

Where would you sign during a lockout?

Habs and Hockey News

- The Habs have sent down 21 players to the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL. HabsWorld has a comprehensive look at the Bulldogs roster situation.

- As labor talks stall between the NHL and NHLPA, Ken Campbell argues that the league missed its chance to bury the players in 2005.

- USA Today considers the impact the lockout could have on the young NBC Sports Network.

- Qualifications for the 2014 Sochi Olympics have begun.


(Photo via Ssolbergj/Wikipedia)

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Kings Win, Possible Suspensions, World Championships and More

Good afternoon hockey fans!

Well, the Phoenix Coyotes sure dug themselves into a hole last night.

Not only did they go down 0-2 in their series against the Los Angeles Kings, but both Shane Doan and Martin Hanzal received major penalties and are facing potential suspensions.

And here I was thinking they would win this series. At this point, it would almost seem miraculous for them to win a game.

Two questions, then, this PM

Do Hanzal and Doan deserve a suspension?

Can anyone stop the Kings?

Hockey News 

ESPN - Morning jam: Kings-Coyotes, Game 2 facts

ESPN - West finals turn nasty in Game 2

IIHF - Video: Max Pacioretty on pace

IIHF - 10 stories you need to know

La Presse - Le printemps de M. Anschutz

La Presse - Après la trappe, les tirs bloqués

The Hockey News - Rory Boylen: The myth of the blocked shot problem

The Hockey News - Ken Campbell: Kings outmatch Coyotes, poised for Stanley Cup final

TSN - McKenzie: Shanahan must decide if Coyotes hits suspendable

TSN - Cullen: Carter's trick leads Kings past overmatched Coyotes

USA Today - Jeff Carter hat trick leads Kings past Coyotes

USA Today - Eight players break out from the NHL draft pack


(Photo by Jeff Vinnick/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Habs News, Crawford, Phoenix, Red Zone and More

 
Happy Saturday Hab addicts!

I will forfeit my usual commentary this morning and simply leave you to your weekend reading.

As per usual, our links are quite well garnished this morning.

Habs News

HabsAddict.com - Louis Moustakas on CKCU's Red Zone - May 4th 2012

IIHF - Czech's Prevail 2-0

Louis' Note: Tomas Plekanec had two assists in the win against Lars Eller and the Danish squad.

La Presse - 10+1 questions avec Marc Bergevin

La Presse - Entraîneur du CH: Patrick Roy toujours favori

RDS - Le CH devrait rencontrer Marc Crawford

Hockey News

ESPN - Now that's a day off

ESPN - Coyotes about to lose anonymity

The Hockey News - Without Kostitsyn and Radulov, Predators need more from Suter and Weber

TSN - McKenzie: Trotz, Poile will feel pressure for their decision

TSN - Fraser: Penalty shot standards and the NHL playoffs

USA Today - Coyotes blank Predators for 3-1 series lead

USA Today - USA routs France at worlds; Canada up next

(Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)

Friday, May 4, 2012

Habs News, World Championships, Kings, Devils and More

French Players
Good morning Hab fans!

As if we did not already have enough hockey to digest, what with both NHL and CHL playoffs in full swing, the IIHF World Championship gets underway today from Stockholm and Helsinki.

In fact, at the time of this writing, Max Pacioretty and his American teammates crushed the French national team 7-2. Pacioretty had a goal and two assists in the game.

There are three other Habs in the tournament. Tomas Plekanec is representing the Czech Republic, Lars Eller is lining up with Denmark and Alexei Emelin is yet again on the Russian squad.

P.K Subban was a member of Team Canada, but an injury is preventing him from competing in the event. Injuries also prevented Swiss standouts Raphael Diaz and Yannick Weber from representing their country.

Petteri Nokkelainen was on Team Finland's camp roster, but he did not make the cut. Shocking, I know.

Will you be watching the annual tournament?

Habs News

HabsAddict.com - VIDEO: Bergevin Introduced as Montreal Canadiens GM

HabsWorld.net - The Departed: Forwards Edition

HabsWorld.net - 2012 World Championships StatTracker

La Presse - Des fleurs pour le nouveau DG

La Presse - Le meilleur, «that's it, that's all!»

Hockey News

IIHF - U.S. opener: French toast

The Hockey News - Clutch Kovalchuk leading quick Devils; Brian Elliott falling apart

The Hockey News - Ryan Kennedy: Flames shouldn't expect much from Roman Cervenka

TSN - Fraser: Breaking down interference calls on shoot-ins

TSN - Report: Coyotes closer to staying in Phoenix

TSN - Cullen: Kings in charge; Devils snatch OT win

TSN - McKenzie: Brown, Kings playing well and frustrating Blues

USA Today - Kings dispatch Blues, now on brink of series sweep

USA Today - Ponikarovsky's OT goal delivers Devils to Game 3 win

USA Today - Sizing up USA's medal chances at worlds


(Photo: AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOVALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/GettyImages)