Lack of preparation killed Canada’s hopes
There are now two exigent issues on the agenda that belongs to Hockey Canada’s senior director of hockey operations.
Scott Salmond will need to follow up on the appeal that has been filed on behalf of Edmonton Oil Kings defenceman Griffin Reinhart, who received a four-game suspension for high sticking Vince Trocheck in Thursday’s semifinal game against the U.S. at the world junior hockey championship.
It was one of the harshest supplementary sentences in the history of the tournament and it was the breaking point for Salmond who wants more consistency in the future.
Reinhart had to sit out the final game of the tournament plus he will miss the first three games of the next International Ice Hockey Federation tournament he attends — barring a favourable ruling by the IIHF counsel.
Then there’s the matter of Canada’s lethargic start against the U.S. that lead to a 5-1 loss. Instead of playing in the gold-medal game, as was the expectation, Canada met Russia in the bronze-medal contest.
Salmond said he and his staff would definitely be conducting an evaluation.
While he pointed out that it wasn’t Canada’s right to take the gold every year, the team just hasn’t brought the right level of intensity to the big games.
After going 4-0 in the preliminary round, Canada was outplayed by the Americans early in the semi. Against Russia in the 2012 semifinal, Canada was down 6-1 after 40 minutes, and in Buffalo in 2011, they were again unable to dial up the necessary determination against Russia in the gold medal game.
Canada last won gold in 2009. That victory was the last of five straight championships.
“Without question we’re going to look at everything we do. How we do it,” Salmond said. “I still believe we’re the most prepared country off the ice, on the ice.
“For some reason, and I can’t explain it ... I don’t think we were prepared mentally to play the game. We have to look at the mental aspect of our preparation.
“We know those are good hockey players, world class athletes, but I think we came out flat. That might have been the worst period of hockey we played. How do you explain that?” he continued. “I think there’s a lot of pressure, expectations on these kids, and how they handle that is what we have to look at.”
Salmond said it wasn’t as simplistic as bringing a sports psychologist on board. In fact, there was one with the team last year and the team got off to a slow start in Calgary during the medal round. He said the answer might lie in the preparation within the under-17 and under-18 programs.
“I think we have to arm those players with the tools so that when they come here, they’re a little more prepared to deal with big games. I think the answer is preparing these kids earlier,” he continued. “We put a lot of time money and effort into physically preparing kids, technically preparing kids but the mental side of the game needs to be addressed.
“We haven’t found ways to win lately. We have to find more urgency in our game. That’s a learning process but unfortunately, for these guys it’s too late.
“I won’t apologize for expecting gold medals ... we want a medal. We want to play in the big game every year.”
Reinhart, meanwhile, is one of five players eligible to return in 2014 which is another reason Hockey Canada is seeking a softer sentence.
The inconsistent officiating along with the supplementary sentences was a constant source of frustration during the world juniors.
Canada alone had three players suspended. Forward Boone Jenner missed the first three games because of a hit in a pre-tournament game; JC Lipon received a game for a hit to the head; then there was the Reinhart decision which was handed down Friday morning.
Russia’s Valeri Nichushkin, checked Tyler Wotherspoon into the boards in the preliminary round — a play that immediately earned him a five minute major and a game misconduct — and he received one additional game after his hearing.
“I fully respect the fact players have to be responsible for their actions with their sticks,” said head coach Steve Spott, “but the hit we took in the Russian game was a deliberate act. That was an intent to injury, but Griffin Reinhart was an accidental use of his stick.”
Salmond said if players are penalized for finishing checks and for playing with edge, it could rule out having players of the same ilk as Steve Downie play in future tournaments.