After the most effective days of hockey in reminiscence on Wednesday, when three of the 4 men’s quarterfinal video games went to extra time on the Olympics, the stage is about for Friday’s semifinal the place we’ll discover out who will play for gold on Sunday.
Are we on an inevitable highway to renewing the Canadian-American rivalry? Will Finland have the opportunity to clinch one other medal with a win on Friday, and assure they may nonetheless be the nation with essentially the most medals in NHL Olympic hockey tournaments after 2026? Can Slovakia hold stunning and achieve one thing nobody predicted?
Here is what to watch for in the semifinal.
Which goalie can have one of the best efficiency?
Within the men’s Olympic semifinal we have now three bona fide No. 1 NHL goalies and one who has spent most of his season in the AHL, the place he ranks forty sixth in GAA and forty seventh out of fifty goalies in save proportion. However in a win-or-go-home playoff, the place a sizzling goaltender can simply be the distinction irrespective of which group performs higher in another side of the sport, any perceivable benefit is on paper solely.
Each certainly one of these goalies has one thing to show on the largest stage. These are their Olympics stats up to now:
• Beginning with Slovakia, whose weak spot coming into the event was recognized as its netminding. Samuel Hlavaj, who has struggled with the AHL’s Iowa Wild did not appear seemingly to be a star on the rise in this event. However you simply by no means know with goalies.
Outdoors of the sport versus Italy, Hlavaj has performed each different recreation for the Slovaks and is fifth in the event by save proportion. His greatest efficiency was the primary recreation towards Finland, in which he made 39 saves en route to a 4-1 upset win. Now it is massive stakes towards the Individuals: does Hlavaj have the largest upset of his profession in him? Although he is having a streaky season in North America, Hlavaj “has the power to steal video games when he’s dialled in,” writes our scout Jason Bukala. And, unhealthy information for the Individuals: he is dialled in at this event.
• Talking of the Individuals, Connor Hellebuyck is the locked-in starter and a three-time Vezina Trophy winner who additionally received the Hart Trophy final season. His .958 save proportion and 0.98 goals-against common lead the Olympic event, so no worries, proper?
The query relating to Hellebuyck is about coming by means of in the largest second. Over his previous three journeys to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Hellebuyck has an .870 save proportion, and he was the second-best goalie in the 4 Nations last a yr in the past. Whether or not it is right here in the semifinal or in a possible gold medal match, can Hellebuyck ship a pair extra masterpieces to convey gold to Crew USA, or will this narrative proceed to comply with him?
• On the opposite facet of the bracket is Crew Canada and Jordan Binnington, who’s type of the other of Hellebuyck. His big-game efficiency isn’t in query after final yr’s 4 Nations, and after a pair game-saving stops in the quarterfinal extra time scare towards Czechia. However, he is statistically one of many worst goalies in the NHL this season, so the priority Canadian hockey followers might need is him reverting to the St. Louis Blues model of himself for a recreation.
If there’s a crack in the Canadian armour, it is rebounds. Thus far, these have both been devoured up by Binnington or snuffed out by the defence in entrance of him. However, no offence to Czechia, Switzerland or France, that turns into a doubtlessly larger downside towards a pesky Finland group, or a extra bodily and offensively succesful American squad. Each groups have massive our bodies to problem the online entrance and make good on the high-danger second possibilities.
Logan Thompson is among the NHL’s statistically greatest goalies this season, however he’ll be on the bench but once more. Binnington’s outcomes have given no purpose to begin anybody else. However one unhealthy recreation…
• And eventually, Juuse Saros is the one of the 4 remaining goalies who has performed in each certainly one of his nation’s hockey video games up to now. He started the Olympics slowly, with 21 saves on simply 25 photographs in a 4-1 loss to Slovakia, however fairly than panic, the Finns caught with him as an alternative of going to Kevin Lankinen. Saros had a 15-save shutout of Italy and a 34-save effort in a 4-1 win over rival Sweden in the medal spherical. Within the quarters, Finland fell behind 2-0 in the primary interval, however Saros stopped each one of many 18 photographs he confronted the remainder of the best way and gave his group an opportunity on the comeback win they managed to pull off.
As we hit the medal spherical video games, Saros is third in save proportion and GAA, higher numbers than Binnington. However he is additionally a smaller body, busier in the crease and doubtlessly leaves an opponent with extra web to have a look at. Saros’s peak in the NHL up to now is in the previous, however he is greater than able to pulling off an upset.
How a lot work will Slovakia’s penalty kill have to do?
Slovakia has been shorthanded 17 instances up to now on the Olympics, essentially the most penalized group general and much forward of their semifinal opponent, Crew USA (10), in addition to the opposite two groups left standing: Canada (9), Finland (10).
Their penalty kill success charge is 82.35 per cent, fourth greatest in the occasion, however being shorthanded too usually towards the Individuals might be deadly. Crew USA’s energy play success charge is second-best in the event at 33.3 per cent.
We nonetheless do not know what Crosby’s well being standing is, or what proportion he’ll be at if he’s put in the lineup. Luke Fox reported that Sam Bennett was too sick to play in the quarterfinal however feels higher now, so he could both substitute an injured Crosby or step in for another person. Josh Morrissey hasn’t performed for the reason that opener, however hasn’t been dominated out but.
The very fact is, Canada may use all three of those gamers at their greatest. Crosby isn’t solely the emotional chief of this group, however centre of the one line that head coach Jon Cooper has not needed to transfer away from. The Crosby-Mitch Marner-Mark Stone trio has been a rock, dependable at each ends for Canada, with every having their very own massive particular person moments.
The near-miss towards Czechia confirmed a possible Canadian weak spot in not having sufficient fast puckmovers on the again finish. Defence is among the group’s core strengths and can proceed to be, however the transition recreation went towards Canada in the quarters. Finland can problem that once more with stress and laborious forechecking, one thing the nation has been identified to do properly in the previous. If the Canadians can get again Josh Morrissey, he would convey the precise puck-moving skill they want extra of, so his return could be well-timed if it comes on Friday.
Who has a bonus in the face-off circle in massive moments?
Three of the 4 quarterfinal video games have been determined in extra time and as we head to the semis after which last, we should not be stunned to see extra thrilling one-goal video games. And when it comes down to that, a faceoff end result might be the essential second when possession is received or misplaced.
On that word, Crew USA have three of the highest 4 gamers by face-off profitable proportion up to now: Dylan Larkin (83.3), Vincent Trocheck (68.57) and Brock Nelson (63.33). Their different centre, Auston Matthews, is at 57.14 per cent, which remains to be eighth-best amongst all remaining gamers.
Bo Horvat, Crosby and Connor McDavid are all above 60 per cent for Canada. Nathan MacKinnon has taken essentially the most face-offs for Canada, however has the worst profitable proportion of the primary 4, nonetheless a decent 55.22 per cent. Nick Suzuki, for what it is value, has received 11 and misplaced 11.
Finland has only one participant over a 60 per cent success charge on the dot (Erik Haula), whereas Roope Hintz and Sebastian Aho are a scratch over 50 per cent. Slovakia, in the meantime, has a single centre who has received greater than half his attracts, with Dalibor Dvorsky at a 52.73 profitable proportion.
Can Connor McDavid set a document? Can he obtain some extent per interval tempo?
McDavid’s two assists in the quarterfinal towards the Czechs acquired him to 9 in the event, setting a brand new document for helpers in an NHL Olympic event. His two targets and 9 assists have him at 11 factors, which ties that NHL Olympic document, so only one level the remainder of the best way will set a brand new one.
However with 11 factors in 4 video games, McDavid is simply shy of an unimaginable one-point-per-period tempo. He’d want seven factors in these final two video games to accomplish that feat
— and who’s saying he cannot?
On the identical time, 19-year-old Celebrini is second in event scoring at 9 factors
The identical last 4 as 2010: Will something change this time?
It is the identical 4 groups left because it was in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, although the semifinal matchups are totally different. Sixteen years in the past, Canada beat Slovakia 3-2, Crew USA beat Crew Finland 6-1, after which the Canadians beat the Individuals for gold on Sidney Crosby’s all-time objective. Finland earned bronze with a 5-3 win over Slovakia after getting back from a 3-1 deficit in the third.
Will we get the identical gold and bronze medal video games as we did then? Or will we see an upset in both semifinal?
Source link
#watch #mens #Olympic #hockey #semifinals
