What Happened To Team Canada

Thursday, January 06, 2011 03:24 PM

I don’t pretend for a moment to know hockey, I am a fan through and through , so you get some sort of a grasp of the game, but don’t take my pleadings to the bank.

On the other hand, I have some questions that I would like to raise about Canada falling flat in the 3^rd period of the Canada- Russia Game and getting beat 5-3.

We were leading 3- zip going into the third period. Now if the team that we fielded was a bunch of grinders then one would automatically think that they would be defensive players first and foremost. Five goals in 20 minutes don’t suggest good defence.

Let me raise another question, which I’m sure you people with more expertise than I will be able to address, why was Brett Connolly relegated to a defensive role? Hell the guy, if not the top scorer on the Canadian team leading into the tournament, would be very close to the top with 20 goals and he had not played all of the schedule.

If you watched Connolly you wondered why he was heading back to the blue line instead of heading to the front of the net.

Never mind that the only injury Connolly could have received would have been a sliver from sitting on the pines. The coach obviously didn’t see fit to have him on the ice much and that could, and maybe did add to the exhaustion of the two lines that seemed to be on the ice all the time.

Stuffing the net with 5 goals in 20 minutes to win the game against a team like Canada that had, through the tournament with its ability to show good defence , just doesn’t add up unless of course the team was dead beat, in which case, I take you back to question number one for an answer.

I’m Meisner and that’s one man’s opinion.

Previous Story - Next Story

Email |

Print |

Facebook |

Twitter |

Digg |

Del.icio.us

Posted on Thursday, January 06, 2011 03:24 PM in Views by Ben Meisner

Return to Home

Comments

Posted by: Donald Mackenzie on January 6 2011 5:27 PM

Ben it is Easy, They LOST, I would say the other team was better or Luckier...It,s a Game Folks

Posted by: NMG on January 6 2011 7:07 PM

I'd say that the coach is largely to blame for playing the top two lines to death and then watching a completely gassed team try to keep up with the Russians in the 3rd period. Had he rolled all four lines, I don't think the Russians had a chance.

Also, when he called timeout in the 3rd after the Russians tied it up, instead of screaming at the team like they were 8 year olds who just wrote on a wall with felt pens, perhaps he should have taken a more reasoned approach, tried to compose the team and go back to what they were doing in the first period. I think he panicked and when the coach does that, so do the troops.

Just my opinion of course.

Posted by: Brownshoe on January 7 2011 7:00 AM

the better team won.its a no brainer

Posted by: acrider54 on January 7 2011 7:33 AM

5 goals in ten minutes

Posted by: Poolchick on January 7 2011 1:41 PM

My opinion, two lines was foolish. They were so exhausted they had no defense. I blame the coach. I hate to think that the reason for the loss was because they got too cocky thinking they had the game in the bag. Exhaustion definitely showed and is why I'm leaning towards only two lines for the cause of the loss. The coach should be yelling at himself not the boys.

Posted by: detoe43 on January 7 2011 6:19 PM

The better team did not win, the better team found a way to lose. I would put 80%
of the blame at the feet of the coach.
Shortening your bench with a 3-0 lead???
Maybe in the OHL but not in International
competition where ever player on Team Canada is a standout in their respective
leagues & teams. I totally agree with NMG
those poor boys on the "top" 2 lines
were exhausted, not to mention that Schenn
admitted to a partially seperated shoulder.
In perspective it is just a game, but at the same time it speaks to our National
identity & is something that we rightfully take pride in. It brings the country &
communities together & teaches the value of team play that can be directly applied to life situations.