Some imposters posing as USA junior players showed up at the Red
Deer Centrium to provide cannon fodder for the Canadian Junior team as
they easily beat the US 8-3.  The US team, I am sorry to report, bore
little resemblence to the one I had seen previously.  This report is
based on the TSN telecast of the game.  The US started Bonner in goal,
the Canadians, Jamie Storr.
        Canada got off to a fast start when Bryan McCabe got behind the
US defence at 1:17, scoring from in front after a pass from Marty
Murray.  The other assist went to Jamie Allison.  The first four minutes
were all Canada with the US back on its heels.  This proved to be the
pattern for most of the game.
        Jeff Friesen made it 2-0 for Canada on a rebound from a Daigle
shot after lots of pressure in front.  McCabe got the second assist at
5:10.  Landon Wilson went off for interference at 5:25.  The US killed
the penalty.
        The US got a chance when Todd Harvey was called for cross
checking at 7:54.  The US power play, however, was ragged with off sides
play and puck giveaways.  Nolan Baumgartner gave the US another power
play at 12:45, taking a penalty for interference.  Storr was forced to
make his first good save in traffic.  This power play looked better as
the US moved the puck around nicely for about a minute, when Storr had to
make his second save.
        Canada came on again and scored at 16:38.  Todd Harvey netted a
lovely goal, again from in front, on passes from Daigle and Friesen.
Canada closed the scoring in the period at 17:23 when Bonner, perhaps
shellshocked, came up big on a shot by Jason Botterill, but on the next
face off Denis Pederson just got it under Bonner.  Assists to Botterill
and Baumgartner.
        Canada seemed to be camped out in front of the net for most of
the period.  At 18:12 Halfnight took a holding penalty, but the US at
least could look forward to the second period when Canada's Jeff O'Neill
took a slashing penalty at 19:56.  The shots reflect the imbalance of
play: Canada 17  USA  4.
 
        Jackson changed goaltenders and put in Grahame for the second
period, although Bonner should not be faulted for the poor US play in the
first.  I did not notice any US defence.
        Landon Wilson provided a change of pace at 0:35, scoring for the
US, taking his cue from Canada by scoring from in front on a pass by
Deadmarsh.  Park also picked up an assist.  The US kept up the pressure
until Jason Bonsignore was called for slashing at 2:11.
        Canada made it 5-1 on a textbook power play with crisp passes
ending with a goal by Wade Redden from McCabe and Daigle at 2:37.  The US
took another penalty at 11:26, this time to Haggerty for roughing.  They
paid for it when Daze picked up still another goal from in front at 13:12
with assists to Rivers and O'Neill.
        After this Mike Grier of BU came in with a great chance but was
stoned by Storr, who could have been catching up on his reading for most
of this game.  Crowley allowed frustration to affect him at 17:06.  A
Canadian player had gone into the goalie,  Crowley lifted him out of the
goal and slam dunked him to the ice.  This is perhaps the most obvious
penalty of the tournament, and given the score understandable but
unnecessary.  Fitzpatrick of the US also went off for charging at 19:12.
        Canada's Jeff O'Neill scored at 19:43 on a 2x1 with only Quint
back.  Assists to Tucker and Smyth.  Again the Canadian domination is
reflected in the shots:  Canada 11  USA 4.
 
        More of the same, but I will include the stats for you
completists out there.  Mike Grier took an elbowing penalty at 1:06.
Even the Canadian announcers described this as a good hard check.  Shean
Donovan of Canada took a kneeing penalty at 6:04, followed by a high
sticking penalty to Botterill at 7:03 giving the US a two man advantage.
Langenbrunner finishes off a play from Crowley at 7:35 to make it 7-2.
        Later Darcy Tucker was hurt on a check from Richard Park, who
would be heard from again.  At 12:00 Park took a major penalty for
kneeing which was deserved.  It was a dangerous play and displayed a lack
of class.  Tucker, by the way, was able to walk off on his own from the
prior play.
        Friesen scored on the power play at 13:02 from Daigle and Rivers,
again from in front.  Shawn Bates of BU closed the official scoring when
he caught Storr wandering and fired the puck into an empty net
unassisted, except by Storr, at 16:40.  Baumgartner took an interference
penalty at 17:26 which was killed.  McCabe put the puck by Grahame at
19:59.6 but the goal was disallowed although the replay clearly showed .4
left on the clock when it crossed the line.  Let's hope goal differencial
is not a factor for medals.
        Shots in third: Canada 6 USA 5
 
        Instead of reiterating my disappointment in the US effort here
are some quotes from coach Jeff Jackson in today's Edmonton Journal:
        "Maybe guys just didn't feel we had a good chance of winning.  I
kind of like to think maybe we just had a bad game."  This quote is Jason
Bonsignore.
        "We were on our heels, our defence is inexperienced at the
international level, and they were getting no support from the forwards.
It was just a matter of standing around and watching too much.  We were
intimidated by our opponent.
        "If I had some time with these young men, I could convince them
that they're better than they are, or the way they play against Canada."
 
        The USA was beaten by Canada by the same 8-3 score in last year's
tournament.  The Canadians looked good, but the US did not look like they
belonged on the same ice last night.
 
Arthur Berman  [log in to unmask]
THE MAPLE LEAF FOREVER!!!
GO BU!!!