Canada vs Switzerland

I enjoyed the game last night. I thought the atmosphere was good but when it got to be 3-0 so quickly it took some of the excitement away.

I thought Oshawa fans were just fine.

I liked the goal music when Leblanc scored. Nice touch by the music guy (yes I know who he is).

I had a fantastic time at the game last night. Enjoyed the music and the goal songs. Although I do despise the Ole Ole song but I can lve with it for one night. The only thing I would ask is that the promotion girl PLEASE not yell into the mike to do the giveaways. The enamel (bad spelling I know) in my teeth rattles every time she yells. All in all a good hockey night. Nice to see the GM centre packed to the rafters and get a feel for what it will be like soon. Would have liked to seen Pierre McGuire get hit by a puck but he is fully encased in the bay between the benches and that would have made the night PERFECT!

The smart people stayed home and didn't waste there money on a ex game.

I give it a 5 out of 10. I'm not gonna say whos to blame for it cause I'm sure all parties had a hand in it. That said I always love your work Beats, you do a great job most nights at giving the crowd what they want.

My issues were

-awful merchandice, I went out shopping for a jersey on the weekend, so I know what the local retailers have available
-not enough done in house
-where are the jersey draws
-promotions
-I did like that the wave got going, but I felt that was all there was
-quiet crowd (ya it was a blow out but at hamilton and even the top prospects we hosted I felt concource excitement lead to a louder crowd for an ex game)
-where was a souvenier type program, lets face it paper doesn't last 3 hours in the stands very well

There are all sorts of rules and restrictions I get that. But I'd give the game I saw in Hamilton 9 out of 10. (Most miserable day of my life btw 10 hours of driving and missed the first period)
Even the Top prospects game I'd give a 8 for the event itself, so I dunno I just felt much was left off the table. I paid twice what I would pay for my Gens tickets and felt like the Gens put on a better show most nights ($25 vs $13).

That said I would do it again. It was team Canada and the on ice product looked good, and I think while we will be hard pressed to get Gold, we will have a really good tournament and definately give other teams a run for there money.

I'll probably have more to say after tonights game. Because if there are rules and regulations that made the game bad well we'll see how Toronto and ACC staff get around them, or don't.

steamed wrote:The smart people stayed home and didn't waste there money on a ex game.

One man's view. The other might be it was a chance to see Canada's team before the tournament. Not having had an opportunity to see the team in person it makes the tournament even more fun to watch.

I guess if you were going to Buffalo to see a tournament game you might want to give last night a miss. I won't be able to get to Buffalo so last night was a great opportunity for me.

There were 6029 folks who aren't smart according to your view.

Lots of parents with their kids. I was there with one of my kids. Another game to add to memory bank with him which now includes Memorial Cup games in 1990 & 1997, NHL games in Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa (including JT's first NHL Canadian experience). A chance to do that might even be priceless.

I think it is important to support events like this one. It is good for the city and the downtown.

It is really easy to say I won't go for many reasons. I don't think there were many at the game who would say it was a waste of money.

Just another point of view.

Well, maybe Pierre didn't get hit by a puck, but I got hit by the plastic liner that holds the pane of glass in its frame in front of me. Whole glass didn't come out, thank goodness, but I did get stabbed in the shoulder by the plastic strip. It hurt a lot more than you would expect. Had to go to 1st aid and get iced. I'm ok, but it's still a bit sore and tender this morning.
That aside, I found more than enough Team Canada stuff to spend money on - 2 of the 3rd jerseys from 2009 & 2 scarves - and I also enjoyed the game. Yeah, it was a little quiet part way through the 2nd period, but it's hard to keep up a high emotional level in a blow out game. I even started feeling a bit bad for Team Switzerland.

I would go again. I can't afford the Buffalo trip, so this was the next best thing. I think it's always fun to be able to watch your national team in person - I don't care if it's exhibition or actual tournament play. Personally, I don't need all the other stuff - I just want to see a good hockey game when I go.

I enjoyed the game last night. Beats has answered the questions, so do you just hate Oshawa, OGF? Archer, from a money point of view, you are right. But, I saw the Ontario Hockey Association allstars, Bobby Orr included. It was more expensive , was at Maple Leaf Gardens, but it was a great show. I learned that the Russian Amateurs(read Red Army) were masters of slewfooting and spitting in your face. Who knew. And we lost that game. I went last night because I can't afford to go to the tournaments and I was pleased that they chose Oshawa for the game. I felt sorry for the Swiss, too, but they have a couple of dandy players playing with Portland that would love the Generals to have. I suppose Ogf that since the experience was such a poor one for you that you won't be back, except for the wave.

Croc...

No I do not hate Oshawa

I never said that the experience was a poor one, in one of the posts I actually said I had fun. What I did say, was Oshawa didn't put on a show like Hamilton did....Archer actually backed me on that. You might want to go back and read what I wrote.

Did I have a good time.....Yes
Was the experience like Hamilton.....No
Would I go again.....Yes

ogf, your evaluation didn't exactly sound like "not bad but could be better" nor did it sound like "pretty good but not as good as Hamilton". Read what you wrote: it sounds like it was one of the biggest let-downs you've ever experienced in your life. You threw in that you still had a good time but you made it sound like the whole show was terrible and it really did sound like Oshawa is consistently lousy and incompetent when staging major events - I'll throw in consistently lousy because you said that this poor performance was "not surprising".

If you want to say that it was pretty good but here are some things that could have been better, that would be a fairer assessment and my reaction would have been completely different. You were quite harsh in the tone of your criticism and I think it's completely undeserved.

It WAS a big let down for me....It's Team Canada, I was expecting a similar experience to Hamilton. It didn't happen for me that way. I said I still had fun and I did, but yes, I was disappointed. You have your view and I have mine. Does that make one of us wrong? I don't think so. Would I have experienced something different if I didn't go to Hamilton....probably. I have no problem with you feeling that my criticism is undeserved, that doesn't make you right, it is an opinion....that is exactly what I have, my opinion. There is no right and wrong...strickly opinions.

I always thought it was ok to state opinions. If you or anyone else would like me to stop and just go away I will...just say the word.

I didn't go last night, but watched on TV. Two observations - I think Calvin will be back in junior next year - sorry to say this, but I just don't think he is anywhere near ready for the Big Show (NHL) - of course a big tournament will help, but he is just too tentative on the big stage. He looks scared and almost as he himself thinks he is inferior to his teammates.

My other issue is (and this is a big one) - Never in the history of the world should 'Breaking The Law' by Judas Priest be played in public. Oh my Lord, I'm from Birmingham in the UK as they are, and I apologize to everyone's ears!

Of course it's okay to state opinions - it's also fair to challenge them when it's an unjustified attack on the city of Oshawa.

You thought Oshawa was responsible for deciding national anthem protocol and selling Team Canada merchandise and so they "dropped the ball" on this one. You can of course say that you would love the national anthem to be sung after the game - but you can't blame Oshawa. You can say that you would love more merchandise sales - but you can't blame Oshawa - it would be Hockey Canada. You can say that you don't like KISS as a goal song and you can even blame me personally since I'm accountable for that - and I responded to that - music is entirely subjective, some like it, some don't. But you can't blame Oshawa for that either.

If you just said that the whole experience was better in Hamilton and didn't get into harsh criticisms of Oshawa "dropping the ball" and "blowing it", your opinion would be better received. Nobody's asking you to go away, just to be fair with your blame when there's something you don't like.

As for Judas Priest, I think that's the first time I've played that song.

I was glad to be at the game last night. You never know if we will ever host another Team Canada game again as I'm sure other cities with new arenas will get future chances when they become available. I'm glad Calvin scored. Man there was some real nice passing and the team was making some pretty good plays, and good hitting. Vissetin made some great saves, I'm glad he won't be in net for Niagara when the Gen's play next. Overall it was a great experience and I would go again. And as for beats and ogf, it really is time to just agree to disagree and now let's move on eh!

Some people will find any reason to complain

blakejo wrote: I think Calvin will be back in junior next year - sorry to say this, but I just don't think he is anywhere near ready for the Big Show (NHL) - of course a big tournament will help, but he is just too tentative on the big stage. He looks scared and almost as he himself thinks he is inferior to his teammates.

If he is not ready for the NHL he will play in AHL. The Islanders will not send him back to junior. If he is not ready (I am not sure of that) he will develop more playing in AHL at a faster pace than he would as an OA in the CHL.

I think calvin did a pretty great job and I wouldn't say by one game he isn't ready for the nhl, I think he can make it everyone makes mistakes and sometimes nhl players I wonder why they are there because some are way worse then jr players themselves... Go calvin and go canada

Calvin is not a flashy player. He has never been a flashy player. I like his style of play personally. I know he is going to make the right play.

To expect him to play a different style of game in this situation is crazy. That is why he made the team!!!!!!! Everyone of those young men had nerves playing the first pre-season game. They are proud. They want to win. Sometimes that leads to plays where the guys grip the stick to hard or whatever.

Give the kid a break! Enjoy him. And enjoy the tournament!!!!!!

Did anyone here go to the Sweden and Canada game at the ACC? Any thoughts, sounds like it was a much more exciting game.

It was pretty much the same as the event in Oshawa. The game was closer which made the fans more interested. I did like that they had Canada videos on the jumbo tron however. Didn't see anything very Canada ish in Oshawa that I noticed.

thnx archer