2011 World U20 Junior Hockey Championships

[Don]

Today starts the Juniors and the USA has the chance to repeat as Champions after John Carlson led the Americans to the Gold Medal last year.

Switzerland defeated Germany 4-3 in action earlier today.

Post observations, predictions, whatever here!

[IceCap]

Canada defeats Russia 6-3.

[NEW.ERA]

I'll be paying attention mostly to Joni Ortio, Goalie for Finland, Tim Erixon, Defenseman for Sweden and John Ramage, Defensemen and Captain for United States. All being Flames prospects.

GO CANADA GO! Started off with a big win today.

[Don]

I'll also be paying attention to the Caps prospects, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dmitri Orlov from Russia, Patrick Wey from USA, Cody Eakin from Canada and to a lesser extent Philip Grubauer from Germany.

[Don]

Whew that was close, USA wins in OT.

[IronChefShark]

I just noticed that the USA roster has two guys from California (albiet SoCal), a guy from Nevada, and a guy from Texas.

Non-traditional markets FTW

[KevinMcD]

I'd like to point out how crazy Canadian hockey fans are. The arena seats 18,690, and I swear there were 18,500 Canadian fans at that game. I was an usher for that game and was awed by their enthusiasm for a round robin game in another country; albeit 2 miles from the border. It was the loudest I ever remember HSBC Arena being and I've been to probably 30-40 games there in the past 14 years.

However, they were so much more ridiculously drunk than any other fans. One person puked in the aisle in my section, people were harassing each other over stupid crap, typical drunk stuff, but the other games were good natured.

As for the games, I love Canada's style, hit everything that moves. They had at least 10 amazing hits. I didn't expect a big hitting game coming in but wow, i was amazed. Both the US and Canada started out slow but got the W, which is all that matters. I just want a rematch with Canada in the Gold Medal Game, I can't imagine the atmosphere there.

[north dakota]

I support two teams, USA and whoever beats Canada.

[friarcanuck]

Haters gotta hate...GO CANADA GO! Thoughts about the tournament:

1) I've heard 60% of the tickets have been sold to Canadians.

2) Team USA is built with children of Canadian NHLer that worked in US cities.

Discuss......

[no97]

Haters gotta hate...GO CANADA GO! Thoughts about the tournament:

1) I've heard 60% of the tickets have been sold to Canadians.

2) Team USA is built with children of Canadian NHLer that worked in US cities.

Discuss......

1) No doubt, it's a damn shame the US doesn't support this tourney as it should, but is it any surprise? Outside the NCAA and even there, outside football and basketball at the D-I level, what amateur sport attracts this kind of attention? There's a reason the World Jr's are in Canada every other year - the IIHF makes truck loads of money. And the only way the US will ever get it is to put it close to the border (2005 in Grand Forks, ND and now in Buffalo).

Even as it is, I've heard complaining about ticket cost for "non-NHL" hockey (Prices up to $250 per game). Most Sabres games don't cost that much, let alone the price for games at Niagara's rink ($20) when GA tickets for NCAA games there are just $10. Not that I'm saying it's not worth it, just that your average hockey fan in Buffalo might find those prices a bit steep.

2) Last I checked, only John Ramage and Ryan Bourque's Dad's played in the NHL. Am I missing someone?

On point #2, how about Marcus Foligno? His Dad played in Buffalo, he lived there until he was 10, then moved to Toronto. He chose to play for Team Canada, despite dual-citizanship and being born in the US... Certainly Ramage and Bourque could have done that had they wanted. Perhaps it says something about Hockey Canada that they didn't want to?

[IceCap]

On point #2, how about Marcus Foligno? His Dad played in Buffalo, he lived there until he was 10, then moved to Toronto. He chose to play for Team Canada, despite dual-citizanship and being born in the US... Certainly Ramage and Bourque could have done that had they wanted. Perhaps it says something about Hockey Canada that they didn't want to?

Yes. Obviously the most successful national hockey program in the world is seriously flawed!

Ramage and Bourque chose to play for the United States for a very simple reason. They were born and raised in the US. That's the country they identify with, so that's the country they chose to represent. I don't blame them one bit for their decisions.

See, one can analyze their choice to play for their native country without talking down to others

[randyc]

They said during the game today that Foligno's reason for playing with Canada was that his mom asked him to before she died of cancer last year. Foligno also moved to Sudbury when he was 8 or something along those lines so he was raised in Canada.

Also for anyone who saw Kassian's hit on Senkerik, deserving of a suspension? From the camera angles shown, it appeared that Kassian didn't hit Senkerik in the head, but I think Kassian's shoulder may have clipped his chin, maybe. Regardless, I don't think there should be a suspension but even if there is, he would miss the game against Norway tomorrow.

[no97]

Also for anyone who saw Kassian's hit on Senkerik, deserving of a suspension? From the camera angles shown, it appeared that Kassian didn't hit Senkerik in the head, but I think Kassian's shoulder may have clipped his chin, maybe. Regardless, I don't think there should be a suspension but even if there is, he would miss the game against Norway tomorrow.

He might have caught the chin - that was my thinking too. I also think that it falls more under the "blindside" hit category than anything. Not sure on suspension - I could see it going either way...

[KevinMcD]

I don't think it deserved a suspension but I can understand the IIHF's decision.

Also, did anybody else hear the booing (by USA fans) of USA forward Emerson Etem because of his tweet "much needed day off, buffalo is a ghost town!! the worst city ever, it makes medicine hat look like paradise, never thought ide say that". What are your reactions to that. I think the hardcore booing, even after he scored a goal for the US, is understandable but he is only 18. I don't think they should boo in any other games.

[oddball]

They said during the game today that Foligno's reason for playing with Canada was that his mom asked him to before she died of cancer last year. Foligno also moved to Sudbury when he was 8 or something along those lines so he was raised in Canada.

Also for anyone who saw Kassian's hit on Senkerik, deserving of a suspension? From the camera angles shown, it appeared that Kassian didn't hit Senkerik in the head, but I think Kassian's shoulder may have clipped his chin, maybe. Regardless, I don't think there should be a suspension but even if there is, he would miss the game against Norway tomorrow.

It's a friggin' joke that any one thinks that is a penalty. That was a clean hit and all these people crying about blindside hits need to know what a blindside hit is. That was a clean hit and I'm getting tired of good clean hits that are hard getting called penalties. If you don't like hitting, start watching Ice Dancing. Seriously, that was a joke that Kassian got a penalty and about 5 minutes later after the player he hit was laying on the ice. Kassian wasn't penalized for the hit, but the guy lying on the ice for 5 minutes. That was a horrible call! Yes, the player was hurt, but it's a clean hit. What Dale Hunter did to Pierre Turgeon, that is a penalty. What Kassian did, was make a clean check. End of story.

[no97]

They said during the game today that Foligno's reason for playing with Canada was that his mom asked him to before she died of cancer last year. Foligno also moved to Sudbury when he was 8 or something along those lines so he was raised in Canada.

Also for anyone who saw Kassian's hit on Senkerik, deserving of a suspension? From the camera angles shown, it appeared that Kassian didn't hit Senkerik in the head, but I think Kassian's shoulder may have clipped his chin, maybe. Regardless, I don't think there should be a suspension but even if there is, he would miss the game against Norway tomorrow.

It's a friggin' joke that any one thinks that is a penalty. That was a clean hit and all these people crying about blindside hits need to know what a blindside hit is. That was a clean hit and I'm getting tired of good clean hits that are hard getting called penalties. If you don't like hitting, start watching Ice Dancing. Seriously, that was a joke that Kassian got a penalty and about 5 minutes later after the player he hit was laying on the ice. Kassian wasn't penalized for the hit, but the guy lying on the ice for 5 minutes. That was a horrible call! Yes, the player was hurt, but it's a clean hit. What Dale Hunter did to Pierre Turgeon, that is a penalty. What Kassian did, was make a clean check. End of story.

Bob McKenzie is 100% right:

http://watch.tsn.ca/international-hockey/clip394248#clip394248

[north dakota]

They said during the game today that Foligno's reason for playing with Canada was that his mom asked him to before she died of cancer last year. Foligno also moved to Sudbury when he was 8 or something along those lines so he was raised in Canada.

Also for anyone who saw Kassian's hit on Senkerik, deserving of a suspension? From the camera angles shown, it appeared that Kassian didn't hit Senkerik in the head, but I think Kassian's shoulder may have clipped his chin, maybe. Regardless, I don't think there should be a suspension but even if there is, he would miss the game against Norway tomorrow.

It's a friggin' joke that any one thinks that is a penalty. That was a clean hit and all these people crying about blindside hits need to know what a blindside hit is. That was a clean hit and I'm getting tired of good clean hits that are hard getting called penalties. If you don't like hitting, start watching Ice Dancing. Seriously, that was a joke that Kassian got a penalty and about 5 minutes later after the player he hit was laying on the ice. Kassian wasn't penalized for the hit, but the guy lying on the ice for 5 minutes. That was a horrible call! Yes, the player was hurt, but it's a clean hit. What Dale Hunter did to Pierre Turgeon, that is a penalty. What Kassian did, was make a clean check. End of story.

This is the IIHF not the NHL.

[GMac]

Word just came down Kassian is out for the Norway AND Sweden game... what a joke... the thing that pisses me off the most about the hit watch a replay of the game, if the player was that hurt why were his trainers trying to roll him with out securing his neck first...

[no97]

Word just came down Kassian is out for the Norway AND Sweden game... what a joke... the thing that pisses me off the most about the hit watch a replay of the game, if the player was that hurt why were his trainers trying to roll him with out securing his neck first...

Yep, he was obviously faking...

http://www.tsn.ca/world_jrs/story/?id=347123

was likely to be taken to a hospital for further tests... Senkerik showed little movement for several minutes as he lay flat on his back at centre ice

Oh wait, you thought he was back on the ice for the 5 min PP didn't you? Dope.

[TxRangersFan]

Anyone interested in the NHL adopting the points format that this tournament is using? (Regulation win: Three Points; OT/SO win: Two points; OT/SO loss: One point; Regulation loss: Zero points)