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**Anton Gramscescu** · 06-01-2010, 19:13

I think we should talk about this vital tournament

You're just trying to bait me. It won't work.

**Reed John** · 06-01-2010, 19:24

I think we should talk about this vital tournament

The USA also won the U-17 tournament in a place called Timmins, ON, which, as far as I can tell, is in the middle of nowhere. However, in that tournament, Canada was represented by multiple teams and the final was USA-Ontario, so it's not the same as beating Canada proper.

**Amor de Cosmos** · 06-01-2010, 20:58

I think we should talk about this vital tournament

The USA also won the U-17 tournament in a place called Timmins, ON, which, as far as I can tell, is in the middle of nowhere.

Fuck man, waddya mean? It's Shania Twain's hometown. A godammned national heritage site.

**Reed John** · 06-01-2010, 21:12

I think we should talk about this vital tournament

That just confirms my point. Being from the Middle of Nowhere is part of her schtick, isn't it?

Is it really a national heritage site?

Although the Washington Post didn't cover it at all, Caps fans are especially pleased by the excellent performance of defenSeman John Carlson in the tournament (scored the tournament winner). He's only 19 but has already played a few games for the Caps and is performing well in Hershey.

**Amor de Cosmos** · 06-01-2010, 21:25

I think we should talk about this vital tournament

Is it really a national heritage site?

Well if it isn't it damn well oughta be.

**Moonlight Shadow** · 06-01-2010, 21:32

I think we should talk about this vital tournament

I don't mind, semi-final for the Swiss (mind you, hammered by Canada then hammered by Sweden in the 3rd place playoff but I guess their heads were gone) is not to be sniffed at. That's a big exploit from the yanks, Canada had won it 6 times in a row...

**Wyatt Earp** · 06-01-2010, 21:39

I think we should talk about this vital tournament

"I didn't want a bunch of fancy Dans..."

Channelling Don Howe there.

**ursus arctos** · 06-01-2010, 21:44

I think we should talk about this vital tournament

The Swiss shot their bolt in their overtime win against the Russians.

They played the Canadians tight for the first 25 minutes or so in the semi, but then seemed to lose it completely and never got it back. I think that it was conditioning and depth of squad as much as anything else.

I didn't see anywhere near all of the games (and none of the final), but I was impressed by the crowds in Saskatoon, even for the matches that didn't involve Canada.

**Reed John** · 06-01-2010, 21:49

I think we should talk about this vital tournament

I'm thinking about trying to go to some of next year's tournament in Buffalo. So far, they only have full and (34 games) and half (17 games) packages available. That's too expensive for me. I was thinking more along the lines of four or five. Maybe a USA game or two and then some others. My understanding is that probably only the Canada games will sell out. Some of the games will be in the Sabres' arena and some will be at the smaller rink at the Niagara University.

**ursus arctos** · 06-01-2010, 22:03

I think we should talk about this vital tournament

That's dumb marketing, and I can't believe that they won't go to smaller packages and individual game tickets as the tournament approaches.

They certainly are fun games to watch, combining many of the joys of college hockey with those of the international game.

**Reed John** · 06-01-2010, 22:26

I think we should talk about this vital tournament

The USA held a proper team try-out camp before this tournament for the first time, even though that's how Canada has always done it. In the past, they'd just pick the players, grab a college coach, and drop the puck. A lot of past WJC USA teams had trouble with cohesion. A lot of the guys were college rivals and the college players had trouble relating to the junior and minor pro players. But by all accounts, this team behaved and played like a team.

It also shows some of the fruit of the Natioanl Team Development program and the USHL as it has been set up for about the last decade or so. A number of these players are not from areas with great youth and high school hockey - Oklahoma, for example - and the U-17 team had even more kids from California, etc. I don't know if it's good for a kids' personal development to leave home as a teenager to move to Michigan or wherever to fixate on hockey, but it's apparently good for the USA's results.

The WJC and IIHF events in general have never been marketed well in the USA. Most fans here, even hockey fans, don't know about it. But now that the USA has won it twice and these games were on the NHL network, which is part of a lot of people's basic cable package, there is a bit more media coverage and interest.

I imagine single game tickets and smaller packages will be easier to come by closer to the event. Right now, they're probably just trying to lure corporate buyers. Nobody, no matter how into hockey they are, can watch 34 games in a week without losing a lot of the enjoyment.

**Wyatt Earp** · 07-01-2010, 00:14

I think we should talk about this vital tournament

Amor de Cosmos wrote:

Is it really a national heritage site?

Well if it isn't it damn well oughta be.

That self-deprecating Canadian irony thing sometimes has a hard time south of the border, innit?

**Reed John** · 07-01-2010, 00:38

I think we should talk about this vital tournament

The Canadian media seem to be exceedingly proud of any Canadian that hits it big internationally. So it doesn't seem outside the realm of possibility that it really is a National Heritage site.

**Amor de Cosmos** · 07-01-2010, 01:06

I think we should talk about this vital tournament

The Canadian media seem to be exceedingly proud of any Canadian that hits it big internationally.

Depends. Provided they say "please" and "thank you" and on no account anything even a teensie bit negative about The Home of the Beaver our collective bosom is generous � even, appropriately enough, for the likes of Pamela Anderson. If OTOH they make sneering, uncalled for comments about venerable national institutions like the Canadian Radio & Televison Commission like that nasty Neil Young, then I'm sorry but they're dead to us. For at least a decade, or until they do penance by playing a free concert somewhere in the outer suburbs of Toronto.

**Reed John** · 07-01-2010, 15:28

I think we should talk about this vital tournament

So moving away from Canada isn't a problem? Shania Twain doesn't live there now does she? Neither does Wayne Gretzky or most other famous Canadians that come to mind.

**Amor de Cosmos** · 07-01-2010, 16:27

I think we should talk about this vital tournament

No, not at all. It's kind of expected and seen as inevitable.

**Moonlight Shadow** · 07-01-2010, 21:41

I think we should talk about this vital tournament

Benjamin Conz goalie of the tournament, nice for him and nice for his club, Geneve-Servette...

I saw the goals of Russia-Switzerland on the web, you would not have got a more partisan crowd in Bern or Zurich, they certainly do love their underdogs in Canada...

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