USA-Canada: The Epic of Epics?
Posted 11:17 PM ET | Comments 0
This evening, I was blessed to watch a dandy of a hockey game between the rivaling nations, USA and Canada. Right from the outset, the Canadian atmosphere combined with the on-ice action itself made the last junior game of the decade easily the game of the tournament. This game was even better than the New Year's thriller last year. Both teams clearly expressed the desire to win through their play in all three zones of the rink. Whenever there was an open lane, and even sometimes if there wasn't, they would shoot it just hoping it would go in. This game probably would've ended very differently if Chris Kreider converted on a penalty shot when the game was 2-2. After that, the Americans scored at the end of the second and early in the third, and I thought they were sittin' pretty. Boy, was I wrong. Eberle's tip-in and Pietrangelo's snipe knotted it up for the "home" side. Canada thought they really put the US on hot water when a point shot got into the American net, but it was waived off for goalie interference/intent to blow the whistle (good call). Both goalkeepers absolutely stood on their heads most of the game contradictory to the 5-4 score. One particular sequence of play in the last 20 seconds of the OT where the teams exchanged miraculous efforts will stick in my head for a while. It's almost a shame that the two combined only stopped one of six shots in the shootout. Good goals by Eberle and Kadri, along with a stinker by Kozun, spoiled the game for Jack Campbell, and Jake Allen stoned Schroeder to seal it. This game included a comeback from 4-2 down, a missed penalty shot, a disallowed goal, and a nailbiter of a shootout. I don't know about you, but I think that's what makes a great game.