Canada’s run for glory ends up gory with sixth-place finish
HELSINKI— In a single word, Team Canada goalie Mackenzie Blackwood summed up a hockey nation’s feelings after Finland bumped the Canadians from the world junior hockey tournament.
The word he used, unfortunately, can’t be repeated in a family newspaper. It rhymes with “puck,” but it was apropos.
Canada is not used to going home early. Sure, Canadians can accept that other countries can sometimes win the gold medal at the tournament that dominates the hockey world through the holiday season. But the popular belief is Canada should always have a shot at it, should always be at least in the medal round.
Not this year. For the first time since Nikolai Antropov’s Kazakhstan beat Vincent Lecavalier’s Canadians in 1998, Can- ada won’t play for a medal. Canada will finish sixth, one spot better than ’98. But a streak of 17 medal-round appearances is over, thanks to Finland’s 6-5 win Saturday.
Perhaps the first sign this wasn’t going to be Canada’s year begins with Blackwood, a New Jersey Devils prospect, and that out-of-character slash in early December that resulted in an eight-game suspension, the final two of which were honoured here.
The slash came just days after Blackwood was essentially named Canada’s starter for the tournament, and Canada had said it was only going to bring two goalies.
The suspension forced Canada — which plans everything — to change its plans. Mason McDonald would start while backup Sam Montembeault came along for the ride. Normally, Blackwood would have played three of the preliminary games, if not all four. He only got into two and came in cold. Ultimately, Blackwood looked nothing like the goalie who is dominating the OHL with the Barrie Colts.
Blackwood wouldn’t blame the suspension.
“I can’t blame anything,” he said. “I definitely could’ve played better.”
The early elimination does not hang on Blackwood. For one thing, Canada took far too many penalties.
Canada averaged five minors a game (second worst) and had the worst penalty kill of all 10 teams, killing just 59 per cent of power plays.
“I think all tournament it was our downfall,” said Leafs prospect Mitch Marner. “We were just playing a little too aggressive. It’s a lot of stick work and stuff like that that they call. I think the main issue was trying to stay away from that and we didn’t do that too well.”
Jake Virtanen of the Vancouver Canucks was culprit No. 1, taking two penalties on the same shift against Finland, nullifying a Canadian power play and being in the box for Patrik Laine’s winner.
“That’s one you don’t really want to relive,” said Virtanen. “That’s one you don’t really want to relive. It was a tough one. It’s pretty hard to talk.”
Virtanen was a last-minute addition to Team Canada, the only NHLer on the team. Hockey Canada lobbied hard for him, hoping for the same magic they got last year when the Senators loaned Curtis Lazar. It didn’t pan out that way.
There were far more puzzling decisions made by the brain-trust that seemed to treat the preliminary round like an exhibition series rather than a race for top seeding (and a supposed easier opponent in the quarter-final.)
Coach Dave Lowry’s constant tinkering with lines turned into the tournament’s inside joke. It seemed Lowry panicked when the top line of Marner, Dylan Strome, and John Quenneville failed to click in the opener. Quenneville had replaced Lawson Crouse after pre-tournament games.
Marner and Strome were split up for the second game against Denmark and never played 5-on-5 with each other again. It might have been smarter to leave them together against a weaker opponent, to find their game. Marner and Strome ultimately led Canada in scoring with four goals, two assists each. But their parade of linemates was comical.
As Canada struggled through the preliminary round, Lowry continued to run hard practices and morning skates. The only skate he gave them off was Saturday’s. Otherwise they were skated hard. That was his choice, of course, perhaps borne of the need to find some chemistry. But previous Team Canada’s usually take things a bit easier.
“The players are in shape, right?” said an opposing coach. “Maybe they’re just not that good.”
And a look at the tournament’s scoring leaders shows other teams weren’t at all afraid to play their 17year-olds at an event built for 19year-olds. American star Auston Matthews is leading the tournament in scoring. Alexander Nylander is leading Sweden. Jesse Puljujarvi (three assists against Canada) and Laine (two goals, including the winner and an assist) were given free rein and were unstoppable.
“If you try to over-coach them you will make a mistake,” said Finnish coach Jukka Jalonen. “They’re natural. They will make some mistakes. But if you try to correct them all the time and if they start thinking too much on the ice, it’s bad. You have to let them play.”
Those countries have benefited from a certain youthful, naive enthusiasm Canada lacked. Canada’s youngest player, Julien Gauthier just turned 18, was nailed to the bench. One underage player who might have come and made a difference, defenceman Jakob Chychrun, was the last cut.
When Canada does bring younger players it usually misuses them. Future No. 1 overall picks Nathan MacKinnon, in 2013, and Connor McDavid, in 2014, were asked to be checkers.
There is hope. Canada would never say it, but this year’s team was more about winning next year when the tournament is in Canada. Nine of these players will be young enough next year to play represent Canada. Experience is a factor.
“For the guys that have the opportunity to play in this tournament next year, remember this feeling,” said Lowry. “Remember how hard this competition is. And remember how important every night is.”