World Junior Championships Thread

[skatingtripods]

The tournament features the best under-20 players in the world. Many of the United States players are players from the NCAA powerhouses (Denver, Minnesota, Wisconsin) and a couple from the NTDP program. This year, Czech Republic is the home country.


In today's opening round pool play, the United States beat Team Kazakhstan 5-1. James Van Riemsdyk, Kyle Okposo, and Tyler Ruegsegger each had a goal and an assist. The U.S. outshot Kazakhstan 44-17.

Box score: http://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/142/IHM142B02_74_3_0.pdf

The US Team will play Switzerland Friday. Medal round games can seen on NHL Network.

[buckeyehoppy]

The tournament features the best under-20 players in the world. Many of the United States players are players from the NCAA powerhouses (Denver, Minnesota, Wisconsin) and a couple from the NTDP program. This year, Czech Republic is the home country.


In today's opening round pool play, the United States beat Team Kazakhstan 5-1. James Van Riemsdyk, Kyle Okposo, and Tyler Ruegsegger each had a goal and an assist. The U.S. outshot Kazakhstan 44-17.

Box score: http://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/142/IHM142B02_74_3_0.pdf

The US Team will play Switzerland Friday. Medal round games can seen on NHL Network.

Thanks for the info. It's been busy here, but I'm going to try and check out some action.

Any CCHA guys on the U20 team?

[buckeyehoppy]

Rimer and Gare were just talking about the WJC during the Jackets game and mentioned Steve Mason, the Team Canada GK is a Jackets prospect who is currently playing for the London Knights in the OHL.

I'll be looking at this kid if I get a chance to see Team Canada in the tournament.

[skatingtripods]

According to my buddy in St. John's, NL, Canada, Mason is even better than Bernier. buckeye, pm me if you want the link I have to watch Team Canada's games on TSN, it's only about 14 seconds behind the live feed.


There's a few CCHA guys on the team. Here's the roster, http://www.usahockey.com/world_junior_championships_2008/default.aspx?id=211062&DetailedNews=yes

[skatingtripods]

The US team outshot Switzerland 51-18 en route to a 4-2 win today in pool play. James vanRiemsdyk continued his solid play with a 3 point (1 g, 2 a) effort, vaulting him to the top of the leading scorer's list for the tournament. Boston U. student Colin Wilson added two power play goals.

Game recap from USA Hockey: http://www.usahockey.com/world_junior_c ... edNews=yes

[skatingtripods]

The Americans will face their biggest test of the tournament until the medal round tomorrow when they square off against Team Russia at 2 p.m. EST.

[skatingtripods]

The Americans beat Russia today 3-2, in a tough, hard fought contest. James vanRiemsdyk continued his outstanding play with a power play goal to give the Americans a 2-1 lead in the second. Mark Carmen got the game winner four minutes later. The Americans have secured a bye for the semifinals.

In other action, Canada and Sweden are deadlocked in a very entertaining 3-3 third period game. Canada blew a 2-0 lead earlier and Sweden scored 3 goals in under 4 minutes to take the lead. Buffalo Sabres property Jonas Enroth has been outstanding in net for Sweden.

[skatingtripods]

Canada goes down to Sweden 4-3 scoring the game winner with 7 seconds left. Tobias Forsberg buried it all alone in front. What a game.

For those of you who want, TSN will show all of the medal round games which start next week. So far, this has been some damn exciting hockey. They'll show Canada's game on Monday as well, as they vie for first place in their pool.

Go to www.channelsurfing.net to get the TSN feed.

[buckeyehoppy]

Thank you for keeping this thread up to snuff, ST.

A lot going on here with the new year approaching, so I haven't been ale to keep up.

This vanRiemsdyk seems like the real deal. With which club team is he playing?

At some point, I was thinking of making the trip up to London to see the Knights. They have one of the more active followings in the OHL and it would be cool to see Mason before he gets to Cowtown.

Besides, going to see some of that action is kind of like watching minor league baseball. It's always fun and you get to lick your chops over some up and coming talent.

[skatingtripods]

The Americans are rolling over Finland today 5-0 through two. Colin Wilson has a natural hat trick for the good guys while James vanRiemsdyk (Philadelphia Flyers property) continues to add to his tournament leading points total with a goal and three assists.

Ohio State Buckeye Joe Palmer is playing the third period for the Americans, who are outshooting Finland 23-15 through 2.

buckeye, JVR is currently at the University of New Hampshire. He played two years in the US NTDP program and won a gold medal with the US U-18 team in 2006.

[buckeyehoppy]

After posting last time, I read the follow-up article on the game and saw that vanRiemsdyk was at UNH.

Too bad he's betrothed to the Flyers. I'm not real fond of them or the Dead Wings, but the Flyers look like they might be pretty formidable in the coming years if they stay on plan (a big if in their case).

The U.S. looks pretty strong in this tournament. Which goalie has been getting most of the PT? Are they splitting equally? If Palmer gets to be anything like Caruso was at tOSU, the Bucks should be strong in coming years. Right now, things aren't going too well for the Buckeye icers.

[skatingtripods]

Smith played the previous three games and the first two periods of the game against Finland. He's been solid. The team, as a whole, had a letdown in the third, coupled with Palmer not having played in some time.

Smith will definitely play Friday against the Canada-Finland winner.

[skatingtripods]

Canada beats Finland to set up a USA/CAN tilt for a trip to the Gold Medal game. The game will be Friday morning at 10 a.m. EST.

[skatingtripods]

The United States team goes down to Canada today 4-1. Canada steps up and plays when they need to. Now, the United States will face Russia in the Bronze Medal game tomorrow morning.

[buckeyehoppy]

The US lost to Russia in the rematch for the bronze metal.

A good showing at the juniors for the US. Lots of American talent coming up to play in the NHL, so that is an encouraging thing.

Canada won the gold. Mason was traded to Kitchener during the tournament. I don't think that affects his status with Columbus, but he is now going to play for the reigning OHL champs.

[skatingtripods]

Canada won the gold. Mason was traded to Kitchener during the tournament. I don't think that affects his status with Columbus, but he is now going to play for the reigning OHL champs.

Columbus still retains his rights.

Good showing, yes, however they really choked away a chance to play for the gold. I understand Canada is awesome year in and year out, but this wasn't the same as the Canadian teams in the past. They just flat out didn't play well in their own zone. That cost them today against Russia.

The United States proved again that being a one-line team is unacceptable in international play. The Canadians could field at least two medal-winning teams every year. Depth is huge in these tournaments with the big ice. If Okposo, vanRiemsdyk, and Wilson didn't perform, the US went nowhere. They performed in pool play, but sucked it up on the big stage.

[buckeyehoppy]

Tripods:

First off, great work on the coverage in the tournament. If I ever meet ya, I'll have to buy you the beverage of your choice for your coverage here.

Now to your observations:

I think the depth of the Canadian program should be a wake up call to the youth programs in this country. Youth hockey in America does such a noble job of turning out players and they should be commended.

Obviously, there is still some work to do.

A town like Cleveland can be a place where youth hockey can turn out players that can compete in these international tournaments. The growth in NEO over the last 10 years has been phenomenal. It needs to remain strong and that is going to take a lot of parents volunteers and people who just care about the game.

In Canada, the game is damned near a religion and many towns have an enclosed rink. They also get lots of volunteer help and it is a true community event like football is in many towns in America.

I think the American NHL teams need to band together to make an extra effort to get the game into communities in their towns. It would also help to get the game into more remote areas and not just into suburbs.

How about getting hockey into places like Steubenville, Ashtabula, Sandusky, Defiance or Marion? They are small self-sustaining towns and we need a few more towns like that with rinks and programs across the country to make a competitive American international team a reality in the future.

A lot of the college towns in this state have youth hockey for the kids in town (Bowling Green, Oxford, and Kent among those) and places like Findlay and Fremont also have youth hockey.

But it will take more towns like those to start programs and get kids to participate. Look at a player like Boll from the Blue Jackets. He's from North Carolina! That is how American hockey will eventually gain parity with Canada...when the players don't just come from the Minnesotas, Michigans and Massachusettses of this country.

[skatingtripods]

Tripods:

First off, great work on the coverage in the tournament. If I ever meet ya, I'll have to buy you the beverage of your choice for your coverage here.

Thanks, bud. Once I get back to school, I'll get Rich the second installment of my hockey column. Right now it's just hectic.

I think the depth of the Canadian program should be a wake up call to the youth programs in this country. Youth hockey in America does such a noble job of turning out players and they should be commended.

Obviously, there is still some work to do.

Youth hockey in America has consistently grown, while the popularity of it has remained stagnant at best. The change is most visible in terms of high school hockey. Avon Lake got a team about five years ago, and there have been long-running plans to put a state-of-the-art two-rink complex on Rte. 83 in Avon. Similarly, a place like North Royalton or Broadview Heights, who have club teams, need to do the same. Brecksville just recently upgraded their program to the Blue Division of the OHSAA.

Rinks need to go into townships and other municipalities where there is some money among residents and some disposable income. By and large, hockey is a very expensive sport to play. Many cities, as well, have pay-to-play provisions for high school athletics. Normandy in Parma is an example of this. The pads, the ice time, the tournament entry fees, it all adds up rapidly.

A town like Cleveland can be a place where youth hockey can turn out players that can compete in these international tournaments. The growth in NEO over the last 10 years has been phenomenal. It needs to remain strong and that is going to take a lot of parents volunteers and people who just care about the game.

Exactly. Barons Arena in Parma/Brooklyn on Hauserman Road is a prime example of what you are talking about. The best of the best from each birth year, going back to '94 I believe, play on a very competitive traveling team. One team is coached by former Lumberjack bench boss and player Perry Ganchar. Many players of note, including the Fritsche brothers, Tom and Dan, Ian Keserich (propert of the Colorado Avalanche) and Ben Simon have all gone through that program. Jim Slater may have as well, though I'm not totally certain.

In Canada, the game is damned near a religion and many towns have an enclosed rink. They also get lots of volunteer help and it is a true community event like football is in many towns in America.

Also, baseball, basketball, and football aren't nearly as big in Canada. Success on the international level helps as well. Another difference is that kids grow up with fathers who played hockey. That just isn't the case here.

I think the American NHL teams need to band together to make an extra effort to get the game into communities in their towns. It would also help to get the game into more remote areas and not just into suburbs.

How about getting hockey into places like Steubenville, Ashtabula, Sandusky, Defiance or Marion? They are small self-sustaining towns and we need a few more towns like that with rinks and programs across the country to make a competitive American international team a reality in the future.

It certainly is a burden of the leagues to promote youth hockey. In terms of "remote areas", I think that is exactly the target market for growth in the sport. These areas that are developing rapidly, both residentially and commercially, are prime candidates to build rinks. One rink could envelope several of the nearby towns, bringing together as many kids as possible.

The problem with what you propose, though, is that it is not profitable to run a hockey rink. The local governments would have to take on large financial hits because private investors are not going to foot the bill with such a risk. Even a rink like Hoover Arena, formerly IceLand USA in Strongsville, is suffering. They hold national tournaments, Monsters practices, and are the home rink for Strongsville, Padua, and other high school hockey teams and still have a hard time making ends meet.

A lot of the college towns in this state have youth hockey for the kids in town (Bowling Green, Oxford, and Kent among those) and places like Findlay and Fremont also have youth hockey.

But it will take more towns like those to start programs and get kids to participate. Look at a player like Boll from the Blue Jackets. He's from North Carolina! That is how American hockey will eventually gain parity with Canada...when the players don't just come from the Minnesotas, Michigans and Massachusettses of this country.

The expansion of hockey into the American southeast and southwest has been great. I have a friend who goes to the U. of New Mexico and plays club there. I was shocked to find out that there are so many teams to play. He said they play schools like Arizona St., Texas, San Jose St., and the like.

Once again though, football, baseball, and basketball dominate the American landscape. Very few people have the Versus network, and thus, see one game a week, from January to April. Meanwhile, the three major sports are always on. The World Juniors was not even televised in the US except on NHL Network.

Hockey is such a great sport, yet no one understands it enough to embrace it. That's a result of the lack of coverage in the United States. Many people shunned hockey after the CBA thinking that the sport was just full of neanderthal idiots who are upset because they aren't getting enough money. That was not the case at all. It's just a sport that doesn't appeal to the masses and suffers because of it.