Canada vs USA

Well, well, well....here we go again! After last night's battle between the pre-tournament co-favourite and Team USA, we're going to have a battle of North America as Canada plays USA in the Gold Medal match for the 2010 World Junior Hockey Championship. The US and Canada have had epic battles before, not just in this tournament but in the World Cup of Hockey (where the United States took the first one riding an unbelievable goaltender in Mike Richter) and lets not forget the last time Canada didn't win a Gold medal (which was against the Americans on a goal Marc Andre Fleury of the Pittsburgh Penguins will never forget



Anyways, this tournament has been fantastic, and we don't expect anything less in the final game. You have to think, that with Team USA on the rise with their programs, that maybe just maybe, Gary Bettman's expansion into the southern United States is working. There are 5 players on this year's 2010 team who have hometown's in non traditional markets (Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, California and Nevada). May Gary's wasn't as stupid as we thought....although the whole Phoenix situation really does show how stupid he is.

Of note for Maple Leafs fans...the Leafs 7th overall pick (Nazeem Kadri) and the Maple Leafs 158th over all pick (Jerry D'Amigo) will be facing off tomorrow. Like I said, the game should be dandy, and Brian Burke should be thanking his scouting staff for finding a player like D'Amigo, who has shown he can skate very well, just needs to get some size on him (and that's what the NCAA is for).

Here is my two cents on the Olympic Hockey Rosters that were announced last week...Team USA, very Burke like roster that he likes to build. Top 6 forwards have a tonne of skill, and the bottm 6 are grinders who can get the job done. Same goes for the top three dmen, and the bottom dmen. Goaltending is truly the Red White and Blue's strenght. Ryan Miller should be a standout in Vancouver, but having the current Venzia Trophy winner backing you up is pretty good. As for Canada, Steve Yzerman did something that was nice to see, he gave players have a terrific season a chance to represent their country. Don't take that as these players were playing unreal now and probably won't again. Bergeron should be on the team, and I'm glad he is. Lets not forget, in 2005, he and Sydney Crosby were both the leading scorers on the 2005 World Junior Hockey Team (the first to begin the current streak). Bergeron also has the distinction of being the only player in IIHF history to win the Men's World Hockey Championship before he won the World Junior Hockey Championship, so you know he wants to add an Olympic Gold to that. It was a nobrainer making Scott Neidermyer the captain of the team. The man has won at every level he has played at (no joke, Memorial Cup, World Junior, Mens World Hockey Championship, Stanley Cup, Olympic Gold, World Cup, Canada Cup...do I need to continue?) The Vancouver Olympics should be exciting and I for one am looking forward to the games to start!!!

The Winter Classic was a tremendous success, next year it will be the Ovi's time. Rumours have it that Yankee's Stadium may be the host, however the blip on the rader is because Yankee's Stadium apparently has applied to some bowl game's so we'll see what happens. Regardless in order for NBC to really bank on this game, they need Ovi and New York Rangers involved, hands down!!!

So we'll all watch Canada vs. USA tomorrow, but lets not forget, there actually is a Leafs game at the Air Canada Centre tomorrow night. The Leafs play the Florida Panthers at home on Tuesday night. But the eyes of a nation, which includes Leafs Nation will be on Saskatoon. I'll update the blog tomorrow night after the game is done, hopefully after listening to OH CANADA (I swear I never get tired of hearing our anthem at the end of IIHF games!!!)

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Until then don't let the puck hit ya in the face!

post by Bobby C
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