U18 Thoughts - Day 2

Day 2 wrapped up with some surprisingly entertaining games.

CZE vs. DEN
- After a couple down years, the Czechs have a very well rounded squad with a lot of underrated and talented players.
- Jakub Vrana was the best player on the ice all game long, significant because he's the only 96 born in the tournament.
- The Czechs were very good at creating scrambles and capitalizing on the bounces around the net.
- Eusthasious Soumelidis is very good at timing his net front attacks and has strong hand eye coordination.
- The Danish offense has some weapons but their top gun Oliver Bjorkstrand was far too selfish in this game.  Sure he scored 2 goals, but I didn't count a single pass made or even attempted after the first period.  Troubling trend if it continues.
- Soren Martensen and Magnus Povlsen both displayed tremendous skill and ability for the Danes during the game and while both aren't the biggest players they were quite effective in this game and deserve further attention.
- The Czechs need better performance from their goaltending but they have the capability to run with the best of this event.

SUI vs. LAT
- This was one of the best games I have ever watched at this tournament...honestly.
- The pace from the start of the game was intense and physical with both teams dishing out a ton of punishment and playing at a speed for a long duration.  The flow slowed a bit once the refs got involved but picked up again in the 3rd.
- The Latvian group is a fun loving, hard hitting, run and gun style team that is very entertaining to watch.
- Latvia's Teddy Bluegers really showed why his name is being bounced around the mid rounds of NHL draft talk and was a prominent player in this game even though he failed to register a point.
- Young Edgars Bukarts is maybe the fastest player in the entire tournament.  Great quickness in hands and feet.
- The Latvian defense must have thrown 40 hits on their own, including some huge open ice crunches by Rinalds Rosinskis and Edmunds Augstkalns.
- Goaltender Elvis Merzlinkins was wired all game long and made some incredible desperation saves, earning him player of the game for Latvia.
- Karlis Ozolins blocked a shot off his chest in the 3rd and was being attended to by paramedics on the bench.  They even called for the paddles at one point, but they were not used and he was conscious and seems to be recoring fine.  Something to keep an eye on as I beleive he went to hospital after the game.
- Swittzerland is really missing that playmaking star they've had in years past but boast some great young power forwards in Lukas Balmelli, Dario Simion and Lukas Sieber.  Balmelli was particularly impressive in this game and just missed two shots late in the game, by the slimmest of margins.
- 95 born Phil Baltisberger plays like he is 5 years older than he is.  Strong, physical and intelligent.
- Julian Schmutz was one of the best offensive players for the Swiss but almost left the game early after getting hammered at centre ice and coming off favoring his right shoulder.  He missed a couple shifts but then scored on his first back and had a fairly good showing after, except for giving up the puck as the last man back on Latvia's second goal.
- Tough loss for the Swiss who will likely have to battle it out with Germany and Denmark in relegation unless they can upset one of the big dogs.
- A huge win for Latvia, which has without a doubt iced it's most competitive U18 team ever, an amazing feat considering their best player in the age group isn't participating.  They are a fun team to watch, on and off the ice.  When the girls who present the Tissot watches came on the ice they all raised their sticks and slapped them down to salute them and then erupted in laughter.  Great to see kids having fun at a hockey tournament!

Day 3 will see 4 games on tap, I plan on taking the Germany-Russia game in Znojmo and then moving over to see Canada and Finland play in Breclav in the evening.  Other games see the Czechs battle the US in Breclav and the Swedes and Swiss locking up in Znojmo in the evening.  Games are moved from Brno to Breclav today as Brno's senior team is still in the Czech league playoffs.