First, I watch the USA win the Gold in a very intense game against Canada. I filed down my nails pretty short watching the game. Jordan Eberle, wow, talk about clutch. He scored on Campbell TWICE within 5 minutes. Once on a power play and then the second, he scored full strength which tied the game. It then went into OT for 20 minutes but John Carlson would be there to notch in the GWG against Jones, both teams pulled their goalies. Lee was having a bad game he allowed 3 goals on 7 shots and all three were ones he should of stopped. Campbell replaced him. Then after Allen (Canada) allowed 4 goals, a couple goals he shouldn't of let in especially the one where the captain Derek Stepan would get it past Allen; Allen badly mishandled the puck. D'Amigo had a good read slotting it and Allen left it right on the door step didn't pounce to cover it up. Stepan would have it behind the blue line.
Lee was crying on the US bench after allowing the three goals against. The Canadian fans constantly taunted "Campbell" to the point of just getting annoying, but it was like opposing fans for Turco who do nothing but chant Turco's name. Which is funny because the two goals Campbell allowed was when the fans weren't chanting his name. The US was very disciplined with an exception of a couple of penalties; Canada not so much [disciplined] but the US did the right thing to pull Lee out at the time he was pulled; . Campbell was very poised, he is a very good goaltender, but I wouldn't say the Ducks should draft him because we already have too many goalies. Palmieri had an assist in the game.
Jack Campbell hasn't been drafted by a team yet this year he is eligible to be drafted by an NHL team. Campbell will most likely be a high draft goalie pick. The other American goalie Mike Lee has already been drafted. (Which I didn't know at the time. I thought he wasn't drafted just yet but via Twitter it was happily pointed out to me by The Goalie Guild) Lee was very good in the comeback win against Sweden but he just didn't have what Campbell had against the host Canadians of the Gold Medal game.
Jack Campbell was impressive, he had been through out the entire tournament, the pressure was on him when he replaced his fellow goaltender Mike Lee after he was pulled. Campbell came in and didn't allow any goals until the last 5 minutes of the game. He's the point of consideration. On New Years'Eve; Canada would win in a shootout and who was in net? Jack Campbell. A heart had sunk, broken into little pieces, as Campbell had skated off the ice while Canada celebrated. The US looked on, holding back the tears but they felt a disappointment. Some of them didn't hold back the tears, but the players knew this game wasn't the gold medal game, it sure was a road to it though. Campbell didn't start for the gold medal round, Mike Lee was in. Lee, who was very good in the win 7-3 win against Sweden was the one who was called upon to start the game if not the entire game. Only, Lee struggled and allowed three bad goals in which he was pulled and replaced by Campbell.
The game was on Canadian soil, a team who has won the gold since 2005.
The chanting didn't faze him. It didn't nudge him. The chanting showed him coming up with huge saves, robbing of the red jerseys; it pumped him up more than that it was intended to do which was get under his skin, to throw him off of his mental game. The Canadian fans would go quiet after he made save after save but less than five minutes later, the entire arena would rise with the sound of "Campbell. Campbell. Campbell. Campbell. Campbell."
In the last five minutes, the Americans would need to kill a penalty, the Canadians had the second best power play in the tournament. Campbell had the goal scored on him in which he shook it off and recomposed himself. The goal was from Jordan Eberle and then Eberle, who's team was full strength would strike again, tying up the game 5 a piece. Campbell had fallen on his back and complete devastation filled the eyes behind the mask, he would throw his hands over his face, and basically said "I can't believe I let that one in. I shouldn't of let it in. That was all me"
The game would go into overtime, where Campbell did not lose anything, he kept to his mental state. He didn't let that tying goal bother him. 15 minutes later, the USA would play again, 20 minutes of overtime. Campbell stopped shots that came to him but so did Jones. Only Jones made a mistake, the Americans would win the gold from a goal by John Carlson would strike gold as he put it behind Jones.
Campbell's debut in the World Junior Championship came with a 3-0 shutout over Switzerland.
Campbell never let anything get to him. He had himself completely concentrated, he didn't flinch at a goal. He was there mentally and that is the biggest thing for a goalie. Sometimes, for a goalie especially at his age, his mind tends to stay with the last goal against it throws him off of the game and the only benefit is mistake after mistake after mistake. In this case, it wasn't Jack Campbell. He didn't let it creep on him. Jack Campbell he's going to be something in the NHL and lets see if he can keep to his play. Now when Campbell enters the NHL he'll have the undeniable pressure of "was it just that one time. Is he a one hit wonder? Will he succed in this league among very elite players"
He learned from Bandit's goaltending school
But regardless, always keep your eyes open for Jack Campbell.
Also, as there is already a link within the blog, here it is again: Justin of The Goalie Guild has written a nice piece on Campbell. "Fool me once, Fool me twice"
Allen and Jones were the Canadian goaltenders.
As for the Ducks, it was a huge night. Rookie Matt Beleskey had his first NHL goal of his career. The 21-year old Beleskey had the biggest smile on his face, he threw his arms up in the air, inhaled the air in complete surprise, and exhilaration. The goal was whacked at after Sheldon Brookbank had shot the puck from the point. Beleskey hit in the rebound off of Jimmy Howard's pads. Corey Perry was the first one to his line mate both who had huge smiles on their faces, Perry said something to Beleskey and they both embraced in the usual hockey hug as the rest came for the hugging huggles of a goal. Not to mention one who finally scored and got the first one off of his back.
Matt Beleskey told this to the Ducks main site on his first [NHL] goal:
"It took awhile, but it’s nice to get it off my back," said Beleskey, who was playing in his 22nd career game. "Hopefully, there are more to come. Playing with Corey and Getz, they are pretty good guys to play with if you want to score a goal. They moved it up top and then it went d to d. Brookbank took a good shot and I was in the position to whack it in there."
Not only did Beleskey score his first NHL goal but the one who put the Ducks on the board first, Saku Koivu notched his 200th NHL goal.
Hiller only allowed on goal against in the Ducks 4-1 victory the only Red Wings goal came from Valterri Fillpula. Hiller had a big fat red butt in front of him. Holmstorm screened him and Hiller was atop his crease. Hiller a not so aggressive goalie didn't push Holmstorm out of the way and Fillpula would score to spoil Hiller's shutout.
Corey Perry finally got a goal with the return of Ryan Getzlaf who banked it off the boards as a Wings player overturned the puck and another Wing player mishandling it in front of Howard. Perry would score his goal scoring drought.
Saku Koivu, Matt Beleskey, Corey Perry, and Kyle Chipchura who had an empty net would be the potential scorers for the Ducks. With a dreading 8 game road swing, thsi is what the Ducks needed. In the the games against Dallas, Nashville, and Chicago the Ducks would not account for any league points.
Hiller was very good and he is a huge reason why the Ducks won. He robbed more than a few Red Wings players including a lateral kick save both on the initial shot and on the rebound. Hiller made a stop on Malbtry's break away attempt. Hiller brought his A game, which both goaltenders have been doing expect maybe a bad game or two, but the team in front of them didn't play. they didn't score to go ahead and they had sloppy plays in front. But this game, the Ducks had much of a relief on the fans, the Ducks would win in REGULATION to notch the 2 points to help climb the standings. Here's to hoping the Ducks do it again
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