A regurgitated game-plan cost the Americans against a Canadian squad that was better prepared.
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- In the words of NFL star Jeremy Shockey, "we got outcoached."
It's the type of answer reporters dream to uncover, but it's also the type rarely offered up by players. The former New York Giants tight end was remarkably candid in describing a loss four years ago, but that same message holds truth when describing the Canada-U.S. semifinal on Monday.
Although none of the American world junior players were willing to speak those oh-so-controversial words, they were willing to dance around the subject. The closest any American player actually came to saying it was Nick Bjugstad.
When asked if his team could have prepared better, he simply said, "You can look at our play and say probably."
Assistant captain Ryan Bourque accepted part of the blame as a leader, but pointed fingers at the players, saying they could have prepared better individually.
Jeremy Morin was willing to admit Canada pre-scouted his team well, but he too toed the company line.
"I don't know exactly, I can't put my finger on it," he said. "We didn't have our best game -- we all know it and it sucks."
Clearly, there's no Shockey on this team. But since none of the players are willing to admit it, I'll say it for them: the Americans were outcoached.
There was hardly a set play that worked the way the Americans likely drew it up in practice. The Americans were foiled at nearly every turn and every aspect of the game, falling victim to the type of domination no one could have perceived prior to puck drop.
Canadian players executed the perfect game-plan and found holes throughout the defending champs' defence.
The Americans were completely lackadaisical in their approach to defence. The group of forwards, renowned for their speed and skating ability, were constantly MIA on the back check. Many of the forwards were at or beyond the blue line waiting for an outlet pass while their two defencemen were being pressured by the pursuit of Canadian forwards.
The game's second goal was a direct result of the lack of a back check from the apathetic American forwards. Quinton Howden put the Canadians up 2-0 when he went untouched towards the U.S. net and tipped Brett Connolly's pass towards the far side top corner.
American captain John Ramage simply let Howden gain position because he was unsure which Canadian forward to take. The result was none, as Mitch Callahan became yet another American forward watching the play unfold just a few seconds ahead of him.
The adjustments Team U.S.A. made didn't exactly bring different results. Now they were collapsing in front of their net, but leaving both Canadian defencemen alone at the point and giving them the option to unleash their slap shots.
And in spite of having so many players collapsing in front of their net, they still couldn't corral a loose puck. Had it not been for U.S. goaltender Jack Campbell, who seemingly had to drop on every loose puck within a five-foot radius of his crease, the score wouldn't have been as close.
The frustrations weren't only felt defensively for the Americans, but also each time they tried to create any offence. Countless times the U.S. forwards tried using their speed to the outside and cut in, only to find the Canadian defence was following step for step.
It was as if that game-plan, which worked so well in last year's tournament final, had simply been dusted off and re-inserted for Monday's semifinal.
The fact the American forwards continued trying the same maneuver over and over, each time as unsuccessful as before, displayed just how unwilling they were to change the game-plan.
Albert Einstein once described insanity as "doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results."
That perfectly sums up the night for the Americans. This was beyond insanity. This was domination.
"We were trying to use our speed, but ultimately they shut us down pretty well," U.S. forward Kyle Palmieri said. "I think it just came down to them wanting it a little more."
Or maybe it came down to them studying a little more.
"We were well-prepared," Team Canada defenceman Erik Gudbranson said. "We watched a lot of video on them."
"We have a great (coaching) staff," Canadian forward Marcus Foligno beamed. "When the puck drops, you have to be ready and I just think we were the ready ones."
Team U.S.A. head coach Keith Allain summed it up best in the post-game press conference.
"Quite frankly, I don't think the way we played tonight we deserved to win and one of the things about hockey is you usually get what you deserve," he said.
I couldn't have said it better myself.
