USA embarrassing, Czechs not much better...

After losing in overtime to Germany to open the World Championships, the USA then lost 2-1 to Denmark in another OT game. Denmark sports two NHLers in Islander Frans Nielsen and Sens rookie, Peter Regin and also 2007 first rounder Lars Eller, who scored 57 points with AHL Peoria this past season. As surprising as the Danes beating the is, perhaps it's not such a shock after all when you look at the States roster.

With only one 2010 Olympian on the roster in the form of Jack Johnson they were behind the eight-ball from the get go. Scott Clemmensen as a number one goalie on a national team of any kind is pretty much a joke. Andy Greene, Keith Yandle and even Matt Gilroy joining Johnson on defense is adequate if not overly impressive. Where the US really embarrasses themselves is in the forward brigade. Brandon Dubinsky is the only player to have notched 20 NHL goals this season, Kyle Okposo, TJ Oshie and TJ Gagliardi are fairly promising NHLers. Beyond that, there's really not much.

Norway beating the Czechs today is slightly less embarrassing. After 18 World Championship games since 1937, the Nords finally got the better of the Czechs. Norway has a similar roster that they had in the Olympics with Patrick Thoresen, Mats Zuccarello-Aasen and goaltender Pal Grotnes leading the way. The Czechs on the other hand have Jaromir Jagr, and he's getting on in age.

Comments

Geoff_9 said…
Looks like Canada wasn't too hot either :(
May 22, 2010 at 9:28 PM
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