David Spacek's Czechia Crowned World Champions

I just commented on the previous post that I think Spacek had a very nice tourney. He QB'ld the PP and didn't very well. I wish he was a little bigger but I do see a spot for him on the big club in the next couple years.

Spacek has been very responsible going back to junior. An okay AHL rookie season doesn't hurt. For a 21yo kid, his resume is building nicely. I predict his second AHL season will be good. 

Of course, as the Wild look at their pipeline could he be part of a trade? He's certainly a promising prospect and an example of where the Wild got late round value. Whether he emerges as an NHL option for MN or is parlayed into a needed NHL player via trade, it is nice to have those kinds of assets. 

Good for him, must be cool to win that for Czech in Prague.

There are still Wild players playing. Hunter Haight and Kalem Parker are the last 2 standing. Haight scored twice last night.

Saginaw is 2-0 in the tournament. Moose Jaw is 0-1 (losing to Saginaw in the opener). Moose Jaw has b2b against London and Drummondville tonight and tomorrow. Saginaw takes on London on Wednesday. Semi-finals are Friday, finals Saturday.

David Spacek is listed at 6' 190 lbs. I suspect if he added 10 lbs. of muscle that he would be in a much better place to compete in the A. 

He has shown up well in international tournaments, and he does a nice job against the best in his age group. He did well in jrs., he just didn't do too well in Iowa. What happened?

I'm guessing he didn't QB the Iowa PP. Outside of that I have no idea why his statistics at Iowa are below everywhere else he played. When looking at the coaching staff in Iowa and noticing there is no reputable defensive coach on staff, I'd have to argue that this may, indeed, be the problem. 

Then, to look at the growth of Masters and Lambos, it seems a similar thing is happening to them. My conclusion on this matter is that there is a coaching void for the Iowa defense, and if our guys aren't looking bigger and stronger next season, also a strength coach void. 

The funny thing is that all these guys are in the 5'11"-6'1" category. While, to me, this is a bit short for the position, it can be made up with the proper weight balance, in this case, 200-205 lbs. But, probably more importantly is their ability to compete defensively, maintaining gaps and covering their own end. Since A video is spotty at best, it is quite difficult for an untrained eye to see what is happening. 

Here's what we know. Iowa was scored on a lot. Our young defenders who we were very excited about getting to Iowa didn't score much (points). There could be a huge amount of reasons for this, but I tend to look at the common ingredient: coaching. I sure hope the new GM in Iowa can get this fixed.

Watching the PWHL game yesterday was an experience. Minnesota lost in double overtime in game 4 of a best of five. They go back to Boston on Wednesday I think for the game five. Minnesota scored the games first goal with about 2 minutes left in the 2nd overtime. It was called a goal on the ice but the head office in Toronto said wait a minute and reviewed it for about 8-10 minutes after the Minnesota team celebrated their win. The league overturned the call for goalie interference. Boston scored the winner about a minute later on a clearly deflated Minnesota team. The call could have gone either way per the replays. My beef is that the officiating was crap the whole game. Sound familiar?

20 hours ago, Up North Guy said:

The call could have gone either way per the replays. My beef is that the officiating was crap the whole game. Sound familiar?

Moose Jaw falls again, this time to London 5-4. That was also the same score they lost to Saginaw with. 

London and Saginaw are each 2-0. Moose Jaw and Drummondville are each 0-2 and play each other tonight. 

On 5/27/2024 at 11:38 AM, Up North Guy said:

 My beef is that the officiating was crap the whole game. Sound familiar?

It was brutal.  I was at the Friday and Sunday home games.  Friday the ref team called it mostly clean and let certain things slide in a consistent manner, as one would expect in the finals. 

The Sunday Refs were awful.  Inconsistent calls, letting things go bonkers.  At one point in the first Heise got tackled by a Boston player by the net, slid to the corner, finally tried to flip over and get the Boston player off her back and the Boston player put her in a bear hug.  Heise finally gains her feet with the Boston player still on her back in full hug and the ref just stands there talking to them with no whistle or call.  This is the PWHL equivalent of McDavid getting bashed to the ice and having a defender literally sitting on his back not allowing him to get up.       

And it went on, and on and on, and then the call.  Did Heise lose an edge and touch the goalie.  Yes.  Did a Boston stick cause her to lose said edge, most likely.  As Up North Guy said, it could have gone either way.  Could the Boston goalie have made that save even without contact, I am going to say no.  She was not prepared to push off to cross the crease in time from her position in the hybrid half V that quickly.  Am I a homer and bitter after losing my beer buzz after 2 periods of overtime and beer sales getting cut off in the 3rd, yes.

Game 5 tomorrow, free to watch on the PWHL's youtube channel.

20 hours ago, Wanderinginmn said:

It was brutal.  I was at the Friday and Sunday home games.  Friday the ref team called it mostly clean and let certain things slide in a consistent manner, as one would expect in the finals. 

The Sunday Refs were awful.  Inconsistent calls, letting things go bonkers.  At one point in the first Heise got tackled by a Boston player by the net, slid to the corner, finally tried to flip over and get the Boston player off her back and the Boston player put her in a bear hug.  Heise finally gains her feet with the Boston player still on her back in full hug and the ref just stands there talking to them with no whistle or call.  This is the PWHL equivalent of McDavid getting bashed to the ice and having a defender literally sitting on his back not allowing him to get up.       

And it went on, and on and on, and then the call.  Did Heise lose an edge and touch the goalie.  Yes.  Did a Boston stick cause her to lose said edge, most likely.  As Up North Guy said, it could have gone either way.  Could the Boston goalie have made that save even without contact, I am going to say no.  She was not prepared to push off to cross the crease in time from her position in the hybrid half V that quickly.  Am I a homer and bitter after losing my beer buzz after 2 periods of overtime and beer sales getting cut off in the 3rd, yes.

Game 5 tomorrow, free to watch on the PWHL's youtube channel.

Pretty much the way I saw the game also. But then, would any of us expect the Minnesota team (can't wait until they have names) to get an even shot against a big market team? Same stuff, different league.