Team Canada opens with win and Tips set forWHL’s second half
Published 1:30 am Monday, December 26, 2016
Happy Holidays, everyone.
Yes, the blog has been empty for the past week. I spent the WHL break out of state and limited myself to tweeting and retweeting pertinent info – particularly updates on Silvertips goalie Carter Hart and defenseman Noah Juulsen, each of whom are competing for Team Canada at the World Junior Championship in Montreal and Toronto.
Speaking of World Juniors, Team Canada topped Russia 5-3 in the tourney opener Monday. Hart wasn’t tested much and allowed three goals on just 17 shots.
The reigning WHL and CHL Goaltender of the Year was candid afterward:
How does Carter Hart feel about his game tonight? "We won so that's all that really matters … Obviously, I have better than that"
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) December 27, 2016
Goaltending has been an issue for Team Canada in recent WJCs and the Twitterverse wasn’t particularly kind. Here’s a sampling:
#TeamCanada Carter Hart better pull up his socks. YES, Canada won but Hart let in 3 weak goals IMHO.
— DougF (@OilDoug) December 27, 2016
Carter Hart is getting so much hate and it breaks my heart.. (Pun intended) Give the kid a break.. Its just one game
— Johan Gärtner (@JohanGartner) December 27, 2016
@hockeynight @cbcsports @HC_Men @HockeyCanada @HC_WJC not sure how Carter Hart was the only person in Canada not ready. Horrible game by him
— The Maz (@LeafsMaz20) December 27, 2016
You gotta roll with Carter Hart. He's gonna be the dude. Give Ingram a look vs. Slovakia but Hart has to be the guys.
— N??? (@nickdece) December 27, 2016
Canada won though, doubt there is any problem with Carter Hart being starter goalie still #noworries
— Flyers Nerd (@FlyersNerd) December 27, 2016
After that game, you just know every move or goal allowed by Carter Hart will be over-analyzed. He'll bounce back. #Flyers #Canada #WJC2017
— Brandon Murphy (@2Murphy8) December 27, 2016
I didn’t watch the game (though I checked in periodically on Twitter), so I’m not in position to comment on whether or not the goals were soft. However, I’ve seen Hart enough not to put too much stock in one lackluster performance. He has a preternatural ability to put these sorts of games behind him.
As far as Juulsen goes, the Tips star blue liner took a big hit that drew plenty of social media reaction:
Gurianov hit on Juulsen pic.twitter.com/BQnJ5Em3YC
— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) December 27, 2016
Juulsen returned to the game, but that’s something we’ll continue to monitor. Juulsen missed most of the Montreal Canadiens training camp in 2015 after suffering an off-ice concussion during Everett’s preseason camp.
In case you missed it, I had a feature on Tips forward Brian King who is aiming to be the first WHL player ever to be named valedictorian. I also had a Tips midseason report card, and you can check out my story on the Tips embarking on the second half of the season. Colleague Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province has this take.
Lastly, the Tips called up Gianni Fairbrother from the Vancouver NW Giants of the BCMML to provide depth with Juulsen away.
For the latest Silvertips news follow Jesse Geleynse on Twitter.
