Tag Archives: Team USA

Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Prospects

Watch BLH’s Hockey Game of the Night: Eberle’s Heroics and OT Heartbreak in 2010 (Jan.6, 2010)

On the evening of January 6th, 2010, Team Canada and Team USA went head-to-head in an epic battle for World Junior supremecy. The Canadians had won five gold medals on the trot and the last team to beat them in the finals of the tournament was the Americans. They were looking to become the first team in World Juniors history to win six golds in a row… At home… In Saskatchewan.

Playing for the home team, Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, and Colton Teubert would go on to become Edmonton Oilers later on in their careers.

Click the pic and find the NHL94 player from your team!Two OT goals have broken my heart since I started watching hockey, David Volek’s against the Penguins in ’93 to prevent Pittsburgh from winning their third Stanley Cup in a row and the one John Carlson scored for Team USA to give the US the gold medal.

This game is so facking good. Just to put it into perspective, the end result was 6-5, we all know this (or at least I hope we all do), but at the end of the first it was 2-2, at the end of the second it was 3-3, and with three minutes left the game was 5-3 for the US… You’ve not seen a barn go up like the one in Saskatoon did when Eberle scored with under two minutes to go to tie this game up.

That said, you’ve probably never heard a more quiet arena in Canada than when John Carlson beat Martin Jones in OT… Utter shock from the fans in the stands.

I hope you enjoy BLH’s Game of the Night!

The following write-up on the game is courtesy of TSN

Canada fell short of capturing their record-setting sixth-straight gold medal at the World Juniors when Team USA defeated them 6-5 in overtime in the Championship game, forcing them to settle for silver.

Despite more late game heroics from Jordan Eberle – the forward scored two goals in the final three minutes to send the game to overtime – USA’s John Carlson put home a wrist shot less than five minutes into the extra frame to give Team USA the win. The victory would give USA their second gold medal at the World Juniors and would end Team Canada’s bid to make history on home ice.

Eberle, who tied for the tournament lead with eight goals, became Canada’s all-time leading goal scorer at the World Juniors with 14. Eberle was also named a First Team All-Star, the tournament’s best forward, and tournament MVP.

The accolades didn’t come as much consolation for Eberle who was disappointed he and his teammates failed to make history by winning a sixth-straight gold.

“It’s not easy sitting on that blue-line and not hearing your anthem,” said Eberle. “It’s a tournament you watch growing up and it’s sad to have it end like this, but I can go out with my head up high.”

Joining Eberle as an all-star was Canada’s Alex Pietrangelo, who was also named the tournament’s top defenceman.

Americans Carlson and Derek Stepan, who led the tournament with 14 points, were also named all-stars.

If you’re enjoying the series, check out this week’s previous games below!

The Punch-up in Piestany
16yr old Wayne Gretzky Destroys Czechs in ’78
The 2005 Canadian Juggernaut That Took Out the Russians for Gold
McDavid and Nurse Bring Home Gold at 2015 World Juniors (Jan.5, 2015)

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Beer League Hero, Prospects

The BLH 2015/16 World Junior Hockey Championships Group A Preview

Can the Canadians win their second gold medal in a row in 2016?

The World Junior Hockey Championships are almost here! It’s by far one of the best times of the year for any hockey lover. So many memories of hockey come from this little tournament. My all-time favorite being the year Eberle scored that goal to tie the game versus Russia and send it to OT. What about you?

Before getting into this year’s version of the World Junior Hockey Championships, why don’t we watch a little recap vid from last year. The year of Max Domi, Darnell Nurse, and none other than Connor McDavid.

The Teams

Sweden

Led by this generation’s version of the Bure brothers, the Nylanders, Sweden will be looking for retribution after losing last year’s bronze medal game to the upstart Slovakians. The Swedes will be a tough opponent for anybody coming up against them. They’re big, physical, and have moves like Jagr.

Player(s) to keep an eye on: The Nylanders, William (TOR) and Alexander (Mississauga Steelheads), are going to tear this tourney up. William has led the AHL in scoring at times this season and Alexander the same but for rookie scoring in the OHL.

Notable draft eligible(s): Alexander Nylander, Rasmus Asplund, and Carl Grundstrom.

Denmark

Last year the Danes managed to take the Russians, the Swiss and the Czechs to extra time during the group phase of the tournament largely on the back of the netminder George Sorensen and the scoring of Nik Ehlers (WPG) and Oliver Bjorkstrand (CLB). They lost to Russian and the Czech Rep. but did find a way to beat Switzerland giving the team their first win in the U20 WJHC ever.

This year they’re projected to be cannon fodder for the likes of Canada, the USA, and Sweden.

Player(s) to keep an eye on: Normally we’d put Nik Ehlers here but I’m uncertain of his status. So we’ll put his cousin in instead. Alexander True of the Seattle Thunderbirds is a hulking presence on the ice sitting at 6’4″. He’s putting up reasonable stats for Seattle (19 pts in 29 games) and he’ll be relied upon to do the majority of the scoring for the Danes.

Notable draft eligible(s): Matias From, Nikolaj Krag Christensen, and Daniel Nielsen. I don’t have much info on these guys but let’s be honest. How many of you are going to be tuning in to see the great players from Denmark? We’ll watch when they do something of note I suppose.

Switzerland

Ah the Swiss. They sure have come a long way from being the pinatas of the WJHCs. Now they are a team that gives everyone a helluva challenge. They always play a very defensive North American style that gives teams fits except last year when they were leaking goals like crazy. They managed not to get relegated after a two game series with Germany where they outscored the Germans 10-4.

This year it appears the team will be stocked with a few more veterans. Noah Rod (SJ), Timo Meier (SJ), Jonas Siegenthaler (WAS), and Pias Suter are on their way to Helsinki to prevent the team from falling into a relegation battle again.

Player(s) to keep an eye on: Not Kevin Fiala. Nashville didn’t loan him to Switzerland for the tourney. But you can rejoice in watching the wrecking ball that is Timo Meier. Anybody that knows him from his play in Halifax knows that he’s a beast. He hits, shoots, and causes havoc.

Notable draft eligible(s): Nico Hischier is a 16 year old center who is eligible for next year’s draft in 2017. Hischier is already playing in the top flite in for SC Bern because he was dominating the U20 division. He’ll be the youngest player at the tournament. Some say he’s better than Roman Josi and Mark Streit at the same age… So we’ll see.

USA

Team USA was stacked last year and couldn’t find a way to make it past the Russians in the quarter finals. This year will be even harder without the likes of Jack Eichel, Noah Hanifin and Paul Bittner. They will however have goaltender Brandon Halverson, defensemen Brandon Carlo and Zach Werenski and the lock for first overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, 18-year-old Auston Matthews.

Player(s) to keep an eye on: Matthews of course. We saw glimpes of his brilliance last year but he was simply overwhelmed by the occasion and the competition. This year won’t be the case and you can expect him to dominate.

Notable draft eligible(s): Matthew Tkachuk, Alex Debrincat, and Auston Matthews. This is apparently the line that will lead the Americans in Helsinki and what a line it is! At the moment Debrincat and Tkachuk are destroying the OHL. Alex Debincat (Erie Otters) is 1st in goals (33 in 30 games) and Tkachuk (London Knights) is 2nd league scoring (14g 45a 59pts).

Canada

Team Canada ripped through the tournament with ease last year. The only real threat came to them in the gold medal game when the Russians mounted a serious comeback bid in the 2nd period. Canada ultimately held on to win the gold medals.

This year the team will be led by a new group of stars including Mitch Marner (TOR), Dylan Strome (ARI), and Matthew Barzal (NYI). Returning will be Joe Hicketts (DET), Lawson Crouse (FLA), Brayden Point (TB), and Jake Virtanen (VAN).

Player(s) to keep an eye on: Toronto Maple Leafs draftee Mitch Marner is going to electrify you. He’s got skills to thrill and I think you’ll see him battling the likes of William Nylander and Auston Matthews for the scoring crown. If you like gritty little guys that can wheel then Anthony Beauvillier and Travis Konecny are your guys.

Notable draft eligible(s): Julien Gauther (Val D’or) is a massive 6’4″ 225lb winger from Val D’or of the QMJHL. He’s already racked up 29 goals and 37 points in 33 games. This kid can absolutely fly out there. He’s got the speed, size and an NHL shot already. Look for him to make an impact.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR4ofTEjB0M

NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

Day 3 of the Ivan Hlinka Tournament!

The final day of the Ivan Hlinka memorial tournament is in the books and it presented a couple of close games and a couple of blowouts.

Opening the four games for today was the battle for top spot in Group B where Russia fell victim to a hot goalie and a skilled Finland team as they lost the game 3-0. The second game of the day was a 9-2 blowout by Canada over Switzerland. Canada finished on top of group A and Switzerland ended up in the basement of Group A. Following that was the Slovakia/USA showdown. The Americans topped off their horrendous tournament with a 7-3 win and a 3rd place finish in Group B. As a result Slovakia finished last.

Lastly in the last game of the tournament round robin Sweden and the Czech Republic faced off for 2nd place in Group A. The Swedes beat the Czechs 2-0 in what was a very close game. The defence and goaltending dominated on both sides.

The Final Round Robin Standings

Group A: Canada-Sweden-Czech Republic-Switzerland
Group B: Finland-Russia-USA-Slovakia

All of the semi-final games will be found on YouTube here or at live.huste.tv/intro.

After some impressive showings throughout the first few days at the Hlinka here are a the players who stood out for me on Day 3:

Severi Isokangas (Finland): After another great showing from the Finnish goaltender to top off what was a great first 3 days. In a heated game with Russia for top spot in group B, Isokangas put up a 22 save shutout and was spectacular to say the least.

The 6’1 goalkeeper currently plays for Karpat U20 in the Finnish Jr.A league. He finished the tournament with a 0.50 GAA and a .973 SVG % which put him second amongst all goalies in the tournament.

After watching Isokangas throughout the tournament I have found that he does a great job making himself look big in his goal and he’s especially good at covering the bottom of the net. He’s mobile, calm and aggressive in the crease but isn’t afraid to challenge the shooter.

Isokangas was the top player for Finland IMO through the round robin part of the tournament and was a wall that all opponents had a hard time getting through.

German Rubtcov (Russia): Leading the Russian team in penalty minutes (16 PIM) and managing 1 assist through the 3 games the tenacious Russian doesn’t get much credit where credit is deserved.

The 6’1″ power forward possesses quick hands which go hand in hand with his big frame. Rubtcov showed that he can play a whole 200 foots game, he’s hard on the back check and supports very well deep in his own zone.

During the round robin he found himself deployed with the first PP unit where he set up shop in front of the net as a screen and on the first PK unit as someone to clog-up the passing lanes and block shots.

He is a player who isn’t afraid to do some of the dirty work out front and in the corners. Rubctov is one of Russia’s top 2016 draft eligible and it should be fun to see what he does through the year and how that will affect his draft stock.

Kailer Yamamoto (USA): As one of the top 2017 draft eligible in this tournament, Kailer hasn’t risen to all the hype in my eyes but today was definitely his best showing. In a 7-2 win over Slovakia, Yamamoto put up a 3 point (1 goal 2 assists) performance and was arguably the best player for the Americans in their final game.

The current Spokane Chief was one of the top rookies last year in the WHL and managed 57 points in just 68 regular season games. I compare Yamamoto right now to the way Marner was in his rookie season as he likes to show off skill and can skate like the wind, but sometimes can over handle the puck or force passes through congested lanes.

Nonetheless I like Yamamoto as he is another small forward who uses his small size to his advantage. He shows this by being very strong on his feet and getting under the checks of taller opponents to avoid losing the puck. It will be good to see how he does this coming seasons and if he can maintain his draft stock.

Sam Steel (Canada): The top 2016 eligible at this tournament had an exceptional game for Canada in a 9-2 win over Switzerland. He managed a goal and 2 assists in what was his best game of the tournament thus far IMO.

One thing that separates Sam Steel from everyone else is his elite skating. He is really good on his edges and is very shifty when entering with the puck in the offensive zone. He never gets hit by the opposition as he always has his head up and on a swivel.

A top playmaker in this coming draft, Steel put up 37 assists in his rookie campaign with the Regina Pats before injuring his knee late in the season. This upcoming season I expect his stock to stay where it is currently at as he is a projected top 10 pick.

Kale Clague (Canada): The current Brandon Wheat King defenseman has had a great tournament for Canada, and is a projected first round pick going into next summer’s NHL draft.

Standing at 6’1 and 176lbs he is very agile and loves to jump into the rush. Clague is very deadly with the puck and while he only managed one point today in the 9-2 win over Switzerland, it doesn’t take away from the great performance he truly had.

One thing that caught my eye was how calm he was with the puck but was quick to move it. He also showed the ability to create more room for himself when under pressure. Clague is a player who I expect to crack the top 15 and maybe even top 10 with a good campaign on a heavily stacked Brandon Wheat Kings team.

Jacob Cederholm (Sweden): Another returnee on this list, Cederholm had another great game as Sweden beat the Czech’s 2-0.

He is a big and strong defender who anchors a strong and deep Swedish D core. Cederholm possesses a powerful long stride that allows him to win puck races in the corner which he then uses his body to dominate those puck battles. Standing at 6’3 and 180lbs, his frame makes his very noticeable as he looks like a man amongst boys.

Cederholm was crucial late in the game as Sweden tried to hold on to the 2-0 lead. During that late game stretch he showed lots of leadership and was a defensive titan that the Czechs couldn’t beat. Currently ranked 25th by HockeyProspects, I expect his stock to rise most out of this tournament and most likely be in the top 20 shortly.

Tomas Psenicka (Czech Republic): A 2017 draft eligible, Tomas Psenicka is coming off of a great year with HC Sparta Praha in the Czech U18 league, where he managed 51 points in 41 games and almost half his points were goals.

Standing at 6’3 and almost 180lbs, even with a big frame Psenicka brings good playmaking abilities while also being a deadly scoring option that the opponent’s D must keep an eye on. I love how he demonstrates good vision that allows him to always find that open team mate.

The lean Czech had a great game against Sweden but not good enough as his Czech team lost 2-0. Psenicka had one of the best opportunities of the game to get his team on the board as he was awarded a penalty shot that he unfortunately missed. He was the go-to guy in the last 5 minutes as the Czech’s were searching for a goal but Jacob Cederholm and the Swedish defence had their number.

Tomas will be staying with HC Sparta Praha in the coming season and hopefully will make the switch over to North American hockey in the 2016-2017 season.

Oliver Horrsell (Sweden): This tiny Swedish defender (5’6″) caught my eye because of how he separated himself from the rest of the Swedish D core with his size and offensive abilities.

He’s a small, smooth skating defender who played a very offensive role with Sweden throughout this tournament. Horrsell showed a little nastiness in his game by being involved in scrums and making big hits when nobody was expecting it. He is very good on his edges and shows he has good awareness of everything going on around him.

Oliver Horrsell is currently playing for the Linkoping U20 team, a 2016 draft eligible who is unlikely to be drafted due to size, but may just be another free agent gem like fellow Canadian Joe Hicketts.

The round robin for the 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament has come to an end and we’re left with Canada, Sweden, Finland, and Russia all fighting for gold.

The biggest let down for me through over these past 3 days were the Americans, they came out flat footed against the Finns and looked weak in both of the other games they played in. I believe that if the young skilled Swiss team was stationed in group B, they could have finished top 3.

On a high note, Canada and Finland had very good round robin showings. Both teams finished the tournament with a 3-0 record and both had top players and goalies in the tournament.

Everybody gets a day off tomorrow and then the semifinals will begin on the 14th. Slovakia will meet Switzerland to start the day off then the USA will square off with the Czech Republic. Later in the day will feature a pair of all-time rivalries going head to head. Sweden will face Finland in what should be a very intense game and then Canada will go up against Russia.

I predict Canada will finish with the gold for an 8th straight year, then Finland for silver and lastly Sweden taking home the bronze

After watching 12 games and seeing everyone player, my top 3 lines of the tournament are:

1st Line all stars:
McLeod(CAN)-Steel(CAN)-Benson(CAN)
Cederholm(SWE)-Makinen(FIN)
Isokangas(FIN)

2nd line all stars:
Nylander(SWE)-Kuokkanen(FIN)-Patrick(CAN)
Clague(CAN)-Niemelainen(FIN)
Wells(CAN)

3rd line all stars:
Yamamoto(USA)-Jost(CAN)-Mittelstadt(USA)
Stadler(SWI)-Kmec(SLO)
Brizagala(CZE)

Thanks for reading everyone! If you’re enjoying Brayden Sullivan’s coverage of the U18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup please let him know on Twitter (@sullydraftgeek) or in the comments below! And don’t forget to check out his site, www.draftgeek.ca! Well worth it if you’re a draft nut like me!

Please share those posts with all of your friends or draft geeks! It let’s us know that we’re doing a good job and creating the content that you enjoy!

Take Care!

– BLH (@beerleagueheroe)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUzXMdj951g

NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

Day 2 of the Ivan Hlinka Tournament!

The second day of the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament has come to an end, and the final group standings are pretty much set. Day two was another disappointment for the Americans, as they fell 5-2 to an average Russian team. Canada followed it up with a nail biter against Sweden, and came away with a 2-0 victory. The third match of the day displayed a dominant effort by Finland as they beat a weak Slovakian team 4-2. The final game of the day featured the Czechs taking on a skilled Swiss team which ended in a 5-3 decision favouring the Czech Republic in what was one of the more entertaining games of the tournament thus far.

All of the “Group A” games will be found on YouTube here and all of the “Group B” games will be at live.huste.tv/intro.

After impressive showings throughout the first couple days at the Hlinka, here are a few players who have stood out:

Michael McLeod (Canada): McLeod had another great day for Canada, netting the game winning goal on a great individual effort. McLeod, the fifth overall pick in the 2014 OHL draft, was arguably the best player to touch the ice today for the Canadian squad. Yesterday he showed off his physical side and defensive abilities in a 3-1 win over the Czech.

Today, however, he showed off a much more skilled and creative game and demonstrated his dazzling speed, which led Sweden to the penalty box as the attempted to slow him down. He has been a cornerstone player for Canada in this tournament and it will be interesting to see if he can crack this list again with three days left in the tournament.

Marcus Niemelainen (Finland): It was not hard to find Niemelainen on the ice today as the 6’5 defender was dominant for Finland in their victory. Niemelainen, a 2016 draft eligible who is set to make his North American debut with the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL. He is a tall, lengthy defender who skates very well for his size. He was a huge barrier for a struggling Slovakian team as he as he showcased his raw defensive abilities and played a key shutdown role. He manned the top PK pairing and managed to play on both the left and right side. He is a smart and reliable player for Finland who takes good angles to pucks. While he doesn’t manage much offence, he did earn two assists in today’s winning effort. If there is a knock on this guy’s game, it would be his lack of physical play. It will be exciting to watch his progression over the next year.

Livio Stadler (Switzerland): Stadler was the player of the game for a losing Swiss squad. He was very strong offensively and was more than deserving of that accolade. He is an average size defender with great offensive upside, and he brought those traits to life when he quarterbacked the Swiss power play today and displayed  his deceptive shot with a beautiful goal from the point. He shows good patience with the puck as well as strong playmaking abilities. Stadler is currently the top scoring defenseman in the tournament at 3 points in 2 games. Expect him to play a few games this year with EV Zug in the Swiss National League after he tears up the U20 division.

Georgi Ivanov (Russia): Ivanov is a 2017 draft eligible who was strong in his performance against a struggling American team. The thick Russian stands 6’0 209lbs and is fresh off of a U17 gold medal with Russia. In a 5-2 victory, Ivanov scored a goal and tallied an assist. Following that victory, Russia is now tied with Finland for first place in Group B. Ivanov showed off his puck skills today, dangling through three American players,then finishing it off with a beautiful backhand. He currently sits tied for second in tournament scoring with 2 points in 2 games and is someone to watch over the remainder of the tournament as well as the course of the next two years as his stock will surely rise before the 2017 NHL Draft.

Dylan Wells (Canada): Wells was nothing short of spectacular in his first start of the tournament. He made 21 of 21 saves for Canada and became the first goalie in this tournament to manage a shutout. Wells tracked the puck very well and stayed square to the shooter, but what caught my eye most was his ability to find pucks through traffic. He made a number of huge saves from point shots that pin balled its way through to the net.

Wells currently plays for the Peterborough Pete’s in the OHL and will most likely be in the conversation as one of the top three goalies in the draft. Wells is a 6’2 butterfly style goaltender who could add a few pounds, but is already strong in the athleticism department.

Frantisek Hrdinka (Czech Republic): Playing on a team filled with big defenders who can skate, Hrdinka did a great job today, setting himself apart from the rest. He earned an assist on the second Czech goal, as well, he impressed by displaying an above average offensive tool set making smart passes and controlling the puck well. What put Hrdinka on the list was his sound defensive play, as well as his impressive corsi numbers.

Hrdinka stands at 6’0 187lbs, and his his CHL rights are currently owned by the Saint John Sea Dogs, it would be nice to see him come over and play for their already stellar defensive core, he also managed +29 Corsi for, and only -11 against while facing a skilled Swedish team. A very impactful player on today’s game and someone who I look forward to seeing tomorrow against Sweden. (Thanks to @The_HockeyNinja on Twitter for the CZE corsi chart, follow him for all the CZE game corsi charts)

David Kofron (Czech Republic): Another 2017 draft eligible on this list, he manage to be the lone 2 goal scorer in any of today’s match ups. Kofron is a late 1998 who possesses a good shot, which he demonstrated with his game winning goal on the breakaway against the Swiss. He displayed strong defensive insticts and had a good stick in defensive situations. Kofron managed over a point per game in the U18 Czech league last season, and is currently tied for first place in goals through the tournament with two. He stands at 5’10 and 146lbs, and is seemingly going to need to gain weight and continue to compete for the next couple season in order to be one of the top round picks.

With day two of the Ivan Hlinka wrapped up, theres a few things I am looking forward to seeing in the match-ups tomorrow. Most importantly I would love to see a break out performance from the highly touted Kailer Yamamoto, Garrett Wait, and the rest of the American team as they take on Slovakia for 3rd place in the group. I expect another great effort out of the Canadians as they play Switzerland, and am anticipating a stand out effort from Jake Bean. Russia and Finland will battle it out for first place in Group B, and I am expecting to see a Finland victory after being carried by Makinen and Niemelainen. Lastly, Sweden and the Czech Republic face off for second place in Group A, in what should be a real good game considering how well both teams competed against Canada.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7xlk92PO-o

Thank you for reading! I hope you’re enjoying our coverage of the 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup. Please let us know in the comments below and if you’re so inclined we’d love it if you shared and retweeted our posts. It lets us know we’re doing a good job and it’s good karma on your part.

Lastly, TeePublic is having a sale from August 12th-14th. EVERYTHING is on SALE! So head on over to the Beer League Heroes T-Shirt shop here and pick up your favorite NHL superstar in 16-bit or even the Official BLH t-shirt! They’ll only set you back $14 for the next three days!

Take Care!

– BLH