Van Riemsdyk - future Flyers star

[Pete]

Pete, what's your assessment of the game and JVR?

    Game synopsis: Team USA can NOT play that way and expect to compete.  Not to discredit the Czechs, but if you're in a one-goal game with a team that Team Canada just destroyed, you're in trouble.  Watching the game, I felt the US was complacent, physically.  They weren't cycling the puck well.  They weren't playing the high-traffic areas very aggressively.   I understand these are kids and not men with NHL endurance, but the Czechs are among the softest teams in the tournament.  Team USA should've been hitting these guys all night until they're running away from the puck.  Schoeder's point-shot is great, but it's not going to single-handedly take you to the finals. 

     As for VanRiemsdyk, he's BIG. You can't help but notice him when he's playing a physical game and banging bodies.  Unfortunately, when you're that big and you're not bringing that to the table, it's easy to look as though you're just along for the ride.  That's how he looked last night.  Granted, Team USA as a whole was lumbering, but when you're the biggest guy on the ice - you REALLY get noticed.  He uses his size well, and he's very strong with the puck.  I saw glimpses of that last night, but it was a shadow of what he brought to the ice on Friday.  I am sure he'll be playing with fire tomorrow afternoon, as I suspect the entire team got a tongue lashing after last night's game.