Ron_Burgundy

Holy shit. Demko looks absolutely phenomenal in net this game. If it weren't for him, Canada could easily be up 4-1 or 5-1. He couldn't do too much about the first goal (bang-bang play in tight; still almost managed to get it with his blocker). The second goal was also near-impossible to save: a very well placed one-timer with DeAngelo screening the puck's path. I'm really impressed with his grand and quick vision of the play. He seems very alert and active, constantly moving his head on a swivel when the puck's moving around. Demko almost looks "Miller-like" in that he's like an artist in net whose present to all of the minute details that are going about in front of him. Combined with what seems like an exceptional athleticism, Thatcher has been able to make some incredible reactionary saves. All this and the kid's only just turned 19. I'm extremely excited about his future. I may be jumping the gun in saying this, but it looks like #30 is shaping up to be a superstar goalie with potential to be even better than the player he's often compared to, Corey Schneider. In my opinion, the selection of Demko in the second round was our best draft pick decision over the past few years.

I think the thing that many of us are neglecting is that line combinations have a factors that go into them than just player skill/ranking. Yes, if you have 3 players that are much better than the rest at LW, C and RW, it is likely they will play on the first line together. But as we've seen with various NHL and Olympic lineups, line combinations weigh heavily on how well the players and their play-style mesh with one another's: their chemistry. That being said, Virtanen could really end up on any line depending on who he plays most effectively alongside.