Author: Dave Hopkins

I love this tournament SO much – the most consistent “best on best” measuring stick you could ask for.  I can remember Wayne Gretzky scoring against the Russians in the old Montreal Forum way back in the late 70’s !

Game one for Team Canada was versus longtime nemesis (and annoyance) Finland.  Newly minted Team Canada Captain and Leaf prospect, Fraser Minten centered the so called “second line” supporting projected first overall pick in next June’s draft, Macklin Celebrini and high-octane offensive winger Jordan Dualais.  Canada is competing in the 5 team “A” division during the round robin VS Finland, Sweden, Germany and Latvia.  The “B” division is lead by the USA, followed by Czechia, Slovakia, the Swiss and Norway.

Team Finland has lower expectations for this year’s tournament despite having 5 returning players.  Kasper Halthunen is in his draft year and had a good start.  As expected, nerves and jittery play had a big effect off the opening faceoff.  Canada looked bigger and faster as the period wore on.  Matt Poitras had a fabulous slot attempt at the 12 minute mark, only to be thwarted by a great glove save from Finn goalie Nikolas Kokko.  The best opportunity for the Finns came after a 2 on 0 was stolen by Canadian goalie Mathis Rouseau also with a spectacular glove save.  As often happens in hockey, the Canadians roared right back and scored the opening goal 30 seconds later.  6’7’’ right D Maveric Lamoreaux sent a high wrister at the net which deflected in off Nate Danielson’s butt – 1 nothing Canada.  Final SOG, Canada 12, Finland 8.

The second period started off with sloppy play forced by a far more aggressive Finnish team.  Lots of giveaways and “too cute” passes.  That lead to the second Finn power play which Canada killed without allowing a shot.  That seemed to spark the Canadian teenagers as they had some opportunities including a breakaway try by Jordan Dumais who hit the post at the 12 minute mark.  Canada finally went up 2-0 when Owen Allard swept in a nice cross-crease pass by Danielson that trickled in off the post, Koko’s skate and in.  A third Finnish PP was converted by a point shot tip in by Kaskimaki.  The period ended up a little chippy as the hate started to grow.  Canada 2-1 – SOG Canada 23-17.

The Finns started the third with a fierce forecheck that penned Team Canada in their own zone on several shifts.  At 13:22 Canada finally got on their own forecheck with resulted in a fierce goalmouth scramble.  Head Coach Alan Letang took the advice of his video team and called for a review on the play.  Sure enough, the replay showed the puck had crossed the line – 3-1 Canada.  Expected first overall pick Macklin Celebrini was credited with the winning goal.  Finland had 3 power play opportunities in this stanza, to no avail.  In fact, they pulled their goalie on the third one only to be called on an illegal change.  With the net empty, Connor Geekie set up Poitras on a close to offside call to up it to 4-1.  A meaningless goal by Finn captain Lasella made it interesting with 1:04 to go but Arizona first round pick Lamoureux scored the final empty netter to close out the game at 5 to 2 Canada.

HOPPER NOTES: Always nice to see and hear Bob Mackenzie back on the TSN panel…Owen Beck was very successful at the playoff dot – especially on the (many) penalty kills…Canada started slowly in each period and then roared back…during the critical goal review, 3500 Canadian fans yelled “Goal, Goal, Goal” in unison as they did the tomahawk chop for accents – they later serenaded us with our favorite “The Summer of ‘69” unprompted …Canadian goalie Rouseau is undrafted…Nate Danielson with the first goal and an assist was named Canada’s player the game …tomorrow it’s Latvia – a 1:30 start…now, get on that exercise bike and burn off some of those Christmas calories… CHEERS!

Who is ready for the best (on best) Hockey Tournament going ?!?

Team Canada Juniors are over in Sweden waiting for their “real” tournament to begin Tuesday (Boxing Day) VS Finland. 9 am TSN.

They shellacked Denmark 8-0 yesterday and then blew out the Swiss 6-3 thanks to Peterborough Petes centre, returnee and potential Captain Owen Beck with 2 goals.

Tomorrow, (11 am TSN) they’ll have one last test against continental rival USA in their final tune up. The last time these two met was when Canada eliminated the USA 6-3 to make it to the Gold Medal game last year. This year will be Team Canada’s chance for a 3peat.

Another strong line-up for Canada was supplemented by Boston Bruins centre Matt Pontras who will anchor the first line. Leaf fans will be watching closely as 1st and second round prospects Fraser Minton and Easton Cowan have made the roster and look to contribute bigtime. The projected first overall pick in 2024, Maklin Celebrini will be looking to cement his position, despite a possible (check from behind) suspension for the first game.

My favorite time of year (family, given em, gettin em) and the WJHC. I I hope y’all follow my return. All the best to you and yours over the holidays. CHEERS !

As some of you may know, I had decided to lay off my hopperonhockey.ca handle for the first part of the 2023/24 season. I (long shot) might get published, so my domain could be comprised.

FUCK THAT ! I just had to say that a Leafs/Canadiens season opener MUST be recorded by this reporter or by any other means no matter the circumstance.

I started out by assessing the newbies : Reaves – fight and a couple of nice hits, Gregor – dumb giveaway but nice goal, Bertuzzi – nice shit disturbing, Minten 0, Domi 0, Knievs just OK.

HOPPER NOTES: Captain Johnny in his 15th year chasing 1000 points, AM 34 gets his 300th…GM TRE may have to look at Willy Nyes and his 88.5 mph wrist shot …3-2 to start the third…was it me or did |Samsanov look slow ? …loved the TV spot with the Tchuck brothers…AM34 starts with the Hatty ! And MM closes the deal i n OT !

With the NHL season upon us I wanted to inform my loyal subscribers that I will be delaying the launch of my game by game Leaf re-caps until at least the new year.

Two reasons: 1) I have been doing these reports for 2 or 3 years now and they are lot of work and 2) as many of you know I have been trying to get published in some form and fashion and monetize my efforts. Currently, I have a couple of “irons in the fire” that may (or may not) jeopardize the use of my brand name moving forward.

I look forward to re-joining the community and seeing just how much Brad Treliving has improved the roster over the summer. Grit, skill and speed have been added with the additions of Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi, the goaltending looks solid and Guy Boucher is a nice add behind the bench.

Until next time – GO LEAFS GO !

Such new situations – this cap world NHL ! It’s not really about talent – it’s more about salaries and worth. Why would a 30 goal score suddenly not have value ?

So many buyouts of previously valuable assets thrown to the curb. COVID ? OK, to certain extent. But is this just a restructuring of the 4th major league ? To keep expenses under control. It will be up to the clever Manager’s to have the 3-4 year foresight to see who wins the race.

Tomorrow (July 1) will be a HUGE day in the shaping of a number of teams – Montreal, Winnipeg, Calgary etc etc. Draft day was a freaking drag for activity but you have GOT to think that something’s gotta give. There is excess inventory on the block – serviceable players just waiting to get picked off the scrap pile for pennies on the dollar.

OK, you know I’m an unabashed LEAFS homer – here is my roster going in:

M. Dushene Mathews Marner

Rielly Hanafin

Tavares O’Reilly ???????

McCabe TJ Brodie

Knieves ??????? Calle Jarnkrok

Giordano Schenn

Reaves Kampf Noel Accuri

Samsanov

Woll

Looking forward to tomorrow – my last look at hockey until Sept 15…love y’all have a great summer and if you’re up near Paudash, drop by !

Game five, could anybody predict what the outcome would be ? 

The Florida Panthers started early off the power play.  A series of fine stops from rookie goalie Joseph Woll off some wicked scrambles kept it tied.  But a 3:32, on that same PP, Aaron Ekblad put Florida ahead.  Woll was the first Leaf goalie since Felix Potvin (1993) to win his rookie debut.  His 24 saves in game four were assisted by 21 blocked shots by his comrades.  The Leafs had a couple of first period PP attempts themselves but could not convert.  Long ago Leaf reject Carter Verhage scored his third on the short side to make it 2-0 after one.

The Toronto Maple Leafs got back into this thing, just as most were writing their OBIT.  A cheap ass Morgan Reilly deflection bounced in at 12:50 to keep the SCOTIABANK faithful engaged.  Pretty even after that, but you could tell Leafs Nation was bringing it.  The Leafs apparent 2-2 goal was called off after several inconclusive angles at the 2:49 mark.

A very tough third period began with lots of “payback” hits and general nastiness.  William Nylander scored at 4:26 to make things interesting.  Woll was great as was his counterpart Bobrovsky to finish off regulation at twos.  Afterall the shots were 50-40.

In Overtime, the Leafs dominated to start bur Florida were right back in their face.  A painful TJ Brodie penalty generated 3 shots but the Leafs stood tall.  My former student Nick Cousins, put away the series with a scramble shot that counted.

Another Leafs season lost to inconsistent, inept play.  Who will the fingers be pointed at first ?

HOPPER NOTES:  Must be spring, the Leafs are out – etc etc.  It has been my pleasure to report on these Leafs games this past season.  This is my boyhood team.   I did my best to remain impartial.  This series has allowed me to connect with old pals and new ones.  I really thought Kyle Dubas had built his best version this year – but it was not to be.  I told my old pal Glennie that I was going to take the summer to think about returning as hopperonhocky.ca

It’s just SO heart-breaking !  I hope you all will now get back to your gardens and your golf swings and all the wonderful things that summer brings – CHEERS !

Well – Well – Well, Leafs Nation – you’ve been up all night wondering how this could have possibly gone so wrong !?!  Core Four – Core Snore !  Too much on attack hockey and not enough on substance.  Are you as sick as I regarding warn out cliches, “Backs against the wall”, “One game at a time”, “No tomorrow” and on and on ?

If you think you’re stressed, how about the 100 point + Toronto Maple Leafs ?  After Monday’s horrific showing, do any of the “ankle broken” fans even care that Coach Keefe has stuck with the 11-7 format, or that Jarnkrok moved back up with Mathews/Marner.  Effort and results will rule the day.

After a rather pedestrian first period in which neither team had a serious chance, the Florida crowd seemed to settle.  Both clubs went a total of 11:12  between SOG throughout the middle of the period.  The Panthers came on a bit at the end thanks to a Holl penalty, but Woll stood Toll.  (see what I did there ?)

William (c4) Nylander scored his 3^rd playoff goal on a power play set up by Bunting and (c4) Marner at 3:25 to get things rolling for a suddenly rejuvenated TML squad.  Joseph Woll continued his solid play with saves that seemed to just “stick” to him.  Overall chances were 39-31 Florida, but the Leafs heir apparent held tough.  The Leafs then got a PP opportunity and after 6 quality SOG, BOB held his squad in there.  The Panthers remained tenacious and were awarded a somewhat controversial power play of their own, after TJ Brodie held a stick and yet Radim Gudas took a flying charge at Kampf (no call).  Leafs Nation had to be encouraged, but the lead was only one.

The third started with trepidation.  Mitchell Marner scored on a long, point shot after tremendous pressure from his mates, a sweet pass from McCabe and a great screen by O’Reilly.  Just to piss Leafs Nation off, the Panthers converted a PPG from Reinhart to break Woll’s shutout at 8:44.  This got the FLA crowd back in the game and the ensuing 10 minutes were WILD. 

Not to worry see y’all for game 5 in TRANNA !   

HOPPER NOTES:  as you all know, I try to remain impartial in reporting these games… I’ll always remember my Dad carrying me into bed after the Leaf’s CUP wins (62, 63,  64) to the closing theme of HNIC (always the favorite part of that Masterpiece) and that shit just stays with you…I generally dislike the trend in sports reporting where the line (sponsored by Fanduel, Joe’s Garage, whomever) takes over the true meaning of who is the better team in any given situation…is TJ Brodie OK ?…did Mathew Tkachuk play tonight, except for his cowardly grab from behind of Marner in the final scrum…you think Leafs Nation doesn’t care ?  WRONG – CHEERS !

Leafs Nation – here are my concerns:

The Floridians are up 2-0, they have home ice advantage, their goalie is better, their top 6 D is better, their top 6 forwards are at least as good and so are their bottom 6.  And, I think the Panthers are little tougher.

Sheldon Keefe went back to his 11 forward, 7 defenseman strategy for this one.  Liligen and Ashton Reese were out, Gustafson and Holl were back in.  The Leafs started as you might expect – with their hair on fire.  AM34 hit a crossbar in the first minute and the so-called extra forwards, Kampf and Lafferty came up big at the 17:34 mark.  Keefe employed a stretch pass strategy to negate the strong Florida forecheck and that seemed to work for the first half.  But, The Panthers came back strong, penetrating deep in to Leafs zone.  1 zip Tranna after one – that will NOT be enough !

An early rush by the Panthers may have sealed the deal.  A goalmouth pile-up forced Sami back against his own post effecting his left knee.  He was done.  In came the competent Joseph Woll.  Not long after, Anthony Duclair scored on a nice breakaway goal to tie things up.  Erik Gustafen proved his worth with a goal to put the Leafs back up 2 to 1.  But, Leafs Nation couldn’t help but wonder, “how are you going to win such a big game with just 8 SOG ?!?”  Carter Verhage tied things up again later.  The second question to the above is “if your ‘Core Four’ aren’t clicking, how could you possibly expect a victory !”

As has been the case throughout these playoffs in Florida, The Toronto Maple Leafs have hung on to take things to overtime.  They held the majority of the play early, evened up the shots on goal (7-1 SOG) and Joseph Woll stood tall when he needed to with 17 saves on 19 shots.

Sam Reinhart – OT Winner !

HOPPER NOTES:  I may regret saying this:  but maybe the LEAFS just aren’t good enough – top to bottom….I just realized, this may be my second LAST hopperonhockey.ca EVER !

Testing, Testing…is this thing on ?  The Toronto Maple Leafs had to win tonight’s game two VS the Florida Panthers.  Their game one effort did not pass the smell test.  Take your pick on who to blame for that:  the D-pair of McCabe/Brodie (a combined – 5),  Nylander (who hasn’t scored in five games) or their lack of secondary scoring.

Coach Keefe did his usual juggling thing – moving Bunting back up with Mathews and Marner, dropping Jarnkrok back with Tavares/Nylander, adding Knies to the O’Reilly/Accurai combo and moving Lafferty in and Ashton-Reese out on the 4^th line.

You have got to think that the majority of Leafs Nation have sighed a little relief.  Two goals I the first 5:10 got the crowd riled to where they need to be.  Clever puck movement on the first shift of the newly re-united Mathews-Marner- Bunting line got things stirring early.  Another re-vamped line (Kerfoot/Lafferty /Kampf) pitched in with the first goal of the game at 2:20 off a strong forecheck.  Two strong follow-up shifts got the crowd revved up even more.  That lead to a TML PP in which wheel man Mitch Marner and AM34 fed it to Ryan O’Reilly to make the score the 2 to 0.  The crowd was near ballistic by now.  As the period wore on, Florida seemed to get back on their toes and Lindell made it 2-1 on a nice counter pass from Sam Reinhart.

This Panther team is not going to just go away.  Witness their goal :19 seconds in to the second to tie things up.  As if that wasn’t bad enough, D-man Forsling stepped up :47 seconds later to score of a nice, cross ice feed from Tkachuk.  3-2 FLA.  IMO, Sami could have stopped at least on of those 2 goals.  On top of all this, Mathew Knies did not return to play after taking a hit behind his own net. The Leafs regained their composure in the back half of the period.  Lots of chances, but Goalie BOB stood tall.  Bunting withstood a rather brutal cross checking barrage in front of the Panthers net, which helped draw a penalty.  To no avail.

The Leafs had to start the third period short handed, but they fought that off.  They turned the tide with a powerful onslaught of chances from all over the rink – Cross-bars, posts, FABULOUS goaltending from the BOB.  The Scotiabank crowd couldn’t have been much more supportive.  The Panthers are good hockey team.

HOPPER NOTES:  Great games from Nylander and Bunting…8 consecutive games for AM34 with a point…hard fought game…sorry for missing a posting last game – technical glitch – thankfully my Ace Reporter was able to come in and save the day !!…maybe this is Florida’s way of revenge for their 122 point, President’s Trophy season that they went out 4 games straight Tampa…HEY, whatta ya gonna do ?   CHEERS !

Most of Leafs Nation had guessed the end of the current Justin Holl era, based on his horrid numbers recently.  Coach Keefe pulled the trigger, going back to the 11F/7D configuration for tonight’s critical game six match in Tampa Bay.

Out for TML was Holl, Sam Lafferty and Zach Aston-Reese.  In came Michael Bunting and Swede defenceman Liligren and Erik Gusfstaven. Was this part of the answer to the 0-10 elimination streak ?

The Tampa Bay Lightning stayed with their game 5 winning line-up.  I’m certain Coach Cooper was hoping for more from his top snipers Kucherov, Point and Stamkos, but would welcome the continued contributions from foot soldiers such a Kilorn and Paul.  And, never forget the possibility of Vasilevsky throwing a shutout.

It appeared that both teams were happy to go head to head/tic for tac throughout the opening stanza.  Both goalies took turns shining in goal mouth scrambles.  A great save off TJ Brodie by Vasilevsky, matched by an even better stick save by Samsonov in an earlier goal mouth encounter.  Zeroes after one – a 10-7 shot advantage for Tampa.  Great Hockey.

Just when I was starting to think that this hockey game was going to extra innings (just like today’s Jays game), the Leafs hard work and especially their forecheck became front and centre.  Another full court press, allowed TJ Brodie to snag a clearing attempt.  He just happened to find the Leafs top goal scorer and his feed led to a “roof daddy” for AM 34 – his 5^th of the series.  1 zip Tranna.

Jon Cooper made himself look like a genius when he thrrew Stamkos out with his two most productive forwards – Cicerelli and Kilorn.  Stammer popped in the tying goal at 4:11.  The stronger the Lightning got, the more scrambly and confused the Leafs looked.  Samsanov continued his stellar play to hold down the fort.  I did sense the BOLTS were looking a little weary late in the game, especially with a rather unnecessary icing call against in the last minute.  Overtime anyone ?!?

CAPTAIN JOHNNY HAS SET LEAFS NATION FREE !  Can you even imagine three straight OT wins in Tampa !!  JUMP RIGHT BACK ON THE BANDWAGON _ YE, OF LITTLE FAITH !!

HOPPER NOTES: So does game one vs Boston or Florida start Wednesday ?  another McCabe hit, this time on my favorite Corry Perry…speaking of which, Noel Accarui leads the playoffs in hits…did Jarnkrok dress tonight ? …WAY too many Betting ads on the TV coverage….has the “O-Dog”, Jeff O’Neil been fired from TSN?  it’s been since Wednesday that we haven’t seen him on OVERDRIVE or any of the panels – please share if you have any info – I liked the guy…is Detroit Coach LaLonde really needed on an already crowded panel – so dull – Where’s Jennifer Botterill ?…got to wonder how much self doubt was creeping in on to the TML bench after Stamkos scored to tie it… oh yeah, we were wearing the whites tonight (Gary !)…CHEERS and enjoy my Leafs Nation pals !!