Red Alert! Red Alert!
Published February 15, 2006 @ 08:03 in Hockey Canada

Giulio Scandella just scored in the second period to tie the Canada-Italy hockey game at one. This is not a test....

My 9-0 prediction is looking less likely by the second. Red Alert! Red Alert! Red Alert! Red Alert!

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The Big D, Dion Phaneuf
Published February 1, 2006 @ 16:51 in Hockey Canada, Sports

Team Canada's blue line has injury issues. Ed Jovanovski is a no-go and Scott Niedermayer may have to withdraw as well. When the team was announced back in December, I proposed adding another defenseman outright. I wanted Dion Phaneuf in Turin.

I hope The Great One realizes the time is now for this exceptional youngster. Team Canada will be a stronger force with Phaneuf than without him.

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Canada 5, Russia 0
Published January 6, 2006 @ 11:49 in Hockey Canada

I have seen the future of Toronto Maple Leafs hockey, and his name is Justin Pogge. Pogge posted a .952 save percentage for the tournament, his 1.00 goals-against average ties him for best in tournament history and Canada's six goals against set a record. He recorded three shutouts and went 150 minutes and 50 seconds without giving up a goal to close out last night's game.

Canada has won its first back-to-back world junior titles since 1996 and 1997. Head coach Brent Sutter is now 12-0 in his two years at the helm of the national team, making him the winningest Canadian coach in the history of this tournament. It was an easy win, much like last year.

Awesome.

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Canada 4, Finland 0
Published January 4, 2006 @ 07:54 in Hockey Canada

For the fifth straight year, Canada has advanced to the finals at the world junior hockey championship. Once again, our foe is Russia who we face Thursday at 19:00 EST for gold.

This year's squad plays a typically hard defensive game and relies on Leaf prospect Justin Pogge between the pipes. As Canadian teams go, this one is particularly offensively challenged. Late in the second and only up 1-0, I feared an upset. Still, against all odds, we're once again playing for all the marbles. The intangible Canadian spirit can never be overestimated!

Pog-ge! Pog-ge! Pog-ge! Pog-ge!

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How I Spent My Christmas Vacation
Published January 3, 2006 @ 16:37 in Hockey Canada, Sports, Toronto Maple Leafs

I watched a lot of hockey. I cheered a great deal and was always pleased with the end result. Here's the details...

• December 23, 2005 - Toronto Maple Leafs 2, Boston Bruins 1
• December 26, 2005 - Canada 5, Finland 1
• December 26, 2005 - Toronto Maple Leafs 2, New Jersey Devils 1
• December 27, 2005 - Toronto Maple Leafs 3, Pittsburgh Penguins 2
• December 28, 2005 - Canada 4, Switzerland 3
• December 29, 2005 - Canada 4, Norway 0
• December 29, 2005 - Toronto Maple Leafs 4, Buffalo Sabres 3
• December 31, 2005 - Canada 3, United States 2
• December 31, 2005 - Toronto Maple Leafs 6, New Jersey Devils 3
• January 2, 2006 - Toronto Maple Leafs 3, Pittsburgh Penguins 2

Tonight it's Canada vs. Finland in semi-final action. Going for 11 in a row...

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Canada 3, United States 2
Published January 1, 2006 @ 08:18 in Hockey Canada

We've once again earned a bye to the semifinal game Tuesday night by finishing first in Group A. A big win over the USA was sealed when captain Kyle Chipchura scored an empty-net winner with 33 seconds remaining. Our junior team has won its last ten games.

I've witnessed nothing but victories for my teams during this Christmas break. I've watched two teams with a strong rooting interest and have yet to see either of them lose. It's a good time to be a fan of Team Canada and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

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Canada 4, Norway 0
Published December 30, 2005 @ 09:28 in Hockey Canada

I didn't watch a lot of this game because the Leafs game was far more exciting. What I did see in the first period was disappointing. I suppose it's unfair to compare this team with last year's team which may just be the finest junior squad we've ever assembled. Dion Phaneuf, Sidney Crosby, Jeff Carter, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Anthony Stewart, the list goes on. The team I saw last night needs a dab of offensive finish.

Still, we outshot Norway 50-13 and won easily. The big test is a day away when we face USA.

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Canada 4, Switzerland 3
Published December 29, 2005 @ 10:44 in Hockey Canada

That was close! Penalty after penalty made it a game of special teams. I must say, we didn't look very good and not nearly as polished as last year's squad. We're supposed to handle these teams with ease. Canada is 16-0 all-time versus the Swiss in the world junior tournament.

With 57 seconds remaining in the second period and a pane of glass in need of repair, they actually started the second intermission and finished the period on the clean ice just prior to the third. I had never seen that before, but it seemed to work.

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Canada 5, Finland 1
Published December 27, 2005 @ 12:22 in Hockey Canada

It was a battle of Maple Leaf goaltenders as our first round pick this year, Tuuka Rask, faced our first pick from 2004, Justin Pogge. I wanted Justin Pogge to get the shutout, but I didn't want Rask pummelled. In the end neither happened and I was happy.

Dustin Boyd scored two and Blake Comeau added a goal and an assist to pace the offence. We face Switzerland on Thursday.

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Our Team
Published December 21, 2005 @ 20:31 in Hockey Canada

Here is the team that will represent us in Turin and my thoughts about each selection. The three preceded with a * are alternates.

Goaltenders

• Brodeur, Martin - No brainer. He's the man.
• Luongo, Roberto - I don't have a problem with this pick. I can't think of a clearly better choice.
• Turco, Marty - Having a great season and deserves to be in Turin.

Defence

• Blake, Rob - No brainer.
• Foote, Adam - No brainer.
• Jovanovski, Ed - I like this pick. I've always been a fan.
• *McCabe, Bryan - We're an injury away from a Maple Leaf playing for Canada in this tournament. McCabe deserves his alternate status.
• Niedermayer, Scott - No brainer.
• Pronger, Chris - No brainer.
• Redden, Wade - No brainer.
• Regehr, Robyn - I'd bump Regehr for Dion Phaneuf, a far better choice. Yes folks, he's that good.

Forwards

• Bertuzzi, Todd - I'm really on the fence about this one. I love his style of play but he's having a so-so season and he got off easy for essentially ending Steve Moore's career. I'd have left Bertuzzi off the list and would have added fellow Michael Power alumni Brendan Shanahan. Shanahan belongs in Turin.
• Doan, Shane - There's no way Doan makes this team if Gretzky's not involved. The Olympic ice was made for Paul Kariya yet he's not on this team. Both Staal and Spezza deserve the ice time over Doan.
• Draper, Kris - There's nobody better in this role.
• Gagné, Simon - He was good in Salt Lake City and he's having a tremendous year. No brainer.
• Heatley, Dany - With the year Heatley's having, this was also an easy choice. I just wish we could put him on a line with Spezza.
• Iginla, Jarome - No brainer.
• Lecavalier, Vincent - No brainer.
• Nash, Rick - No brainer... can't wait to see him with Thornton again.
• Richards, Brad - Richards is having a good season which helped him get on this team, but I'm not sure I'd go with him over Patrick Marleau. I know I wouldn't pick him over Brendan Shanahan.
• Sakic, Joe - Next to Brodeur, the biggest no-brainer of them all.
• Smyth, Ryan - Close to a no-brainer... I like Smyth playing for Canada.
• *Spezza, Jason - I'd have put him on the actual team instead of making him an alternate.
• *Staal, Eric - I'd have put him on the actual team instead of making him an alternate.
• St-Louis, Martin - I can't think of a better choice. Can you?
• Thornton, Joe - No brainer.

In conclusion, we have another amazing team here. It will be a joy to watch these guys in February. If I had my druthers, I'd boot Regehr and put Phaneuf in his place. I'd also bump Spezza and Staal up and add Shanahan while leaving Doan off the team and making Bertuzzi and Richards the alternates. Who am I to second guess The Great One?

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