Canada’s Revenge, Tkachuk’s Dives, and Zharovsky Named Rookie of the Year

Félix Forget
Canada’s Revenge, Tkachuk’s Dives, and Zharovsky Named Rookie of the Year
Credit: Capture d'écran/Twitter

Even though there's been a lot of talk about the NHL playoffs lately, we shouldn't forget that the World Championship is also underway in Switzerland. The tournament isn't getting as much attention in Montreal because of the Canadiens' playoff run, but it's shaping up to be a great tournament.

And today, in the quarterfinals, Canada faced off against the United States. It was another chapter in this great rivalry on the ice.

Except this time, following the U.S.'s recent victories, it was Canada that came out on top. We're talking about a 4-0 win highlighted by Jet Greaves' outstanding performance.

It should be noted, however, that another play drew attention for less positive reasons. In the first period, Evan Bouchard was hit in the head by Ryan Lindgren, who was ejected from the game.

He did not return to the game, and we can only hope he avoided serious injury.

Matthew Tkachuk's Dives

Speaking of the World Championship, it's interesting to note that IIHF referees, as part of the tournament, are equipped with cameras and microphones. This allows us to hear and see what's happening on the ice… and it leads to some funny moments.

In the game between Canada and the United States, for example, a sequence involving Matthew Tkachuk is a good example. We see the Panthers forward fall… and it didn't impress the referee:

Matt, Matt! No! You're better than this, you're better than this. – The referee, to Matthew Tkachuk

We know that right now, the topic of diving is a hot topic in Montreal. We've seen the Sabres and (presumably) the Hurricanes accuse Habs players of doing it a little too often.

But to see a referee call this out to Tkachuk (even though he didn't penalize him for diving, by the way) is… something else.

Alexander Zharovsky named Rookie of the Year

Alexander Zharovsky had a great year in the KHL. The Habs prospect, drafted 34th overall last June, scored 16 goals and 42 points in 59 games this season.

For an 18-year-old playing against adults, that's an exceptional haul… even if it's partly explained by the fact that he was getting a lot of ice time for a player his age.

And so, unsurprisingly, Zharovsky was named KHL Rookie of the Year.

He thus succeeds Ivan Demidov, another young Habs player, who won the title last year.

Let's see if the Habs can draft next year's winner, hehe.


In a nutshell

– Makes sense.

– A heavy price to pay.

– Mason Lohrei on the market?

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