Silver Again

Ryan Ellis just confirmed in an interview what I and many others had been saying from the start of the third period:

Team Canada let its foot off the gas.  They thought they had the game won.

It sucks, it really does.  Russia was not the team to do this against.  The Russians, like the Canadians, were battle-tested and had their losses and close calls in the tournament.  They were a close-knit team and showed it by singing their national anthem after their semi-final.  Unlike a few Russian teams in the past, they had heart, they didn't quit, they kept fighting.

As soon as Canada eased up, the Russians struck.  Some luck was involved, but not too much - this is a skilled bunch the Canadians played against.  Tarasenko, Kuznetsov, and Orlov would have been drafted higher if not for the "Russian factor", the fear among NHL teams that the players will prefer to play in Russia.

When the score was 3-2, Team Canada got emotional and went into CHL habits, trying for the big hits, trying to intimidate physically.  This isn't the 70s, 80s, 90s, or even early 2000s.  International players don't get intimidated by being hit these days.  After the job Canada did on Ovechkin and Malkin years back, the lesson was well-learned by junior teams around the world.  Even then, it was solid checking - not big hits - that beat the Russians.

With the score 3-3, Canada returned to form but the Russians were flying high.  Of course, by this time, Mark Visentin was arguably shaken and playing deeper in his net, and Canada was tired.

I'm proud of the team.  They didn't let anyone down, just themselves.  It sucks not to have bragging rights, but really, for us, as fans and Canadians, that's all it is - bragging rights.  For two thirds of the game, Canada played perfectly.  They had perfect positioning and played as a team.  The Russians, like the Americans, couldn't use their speed down the middle or make fancy passes - our players were in the right spots.  Unlike last year, when Canada tried to dominate with size and skill, this year we had the right strategy.  We just failed to execute it at the most important point in the game.

For the players, it's a big, hard lump in their throat, like trying to swallow a handful of dice, whole.  But for them individually, it's perhaps the best lesson they can get for their pro careers - never, EVER give up.  Never look down on your opponent, 3-0 lead or not.  Winning feels great, but painful losses are the best teachers.