Anybody watching it?
I hope Russia and Canada meet in the final.
I hope Russia and Canada meet in the final.
Ice Hockey World Championship
- Thread starter ILBB15
- Start date
I am.
Good, then I'm not alone.
What you say about Canadas team? Seems like the Heatley line is scoring all the goals.
I bet Richter is still wanking about their yesterday´s luck against Czechs.
Canada 1-0 up and looking comfortable
The Swedish defense is acting like a bunch cowards. Pathetic. And pass the puck Bäckström ffs..............
And now Mikael "Sållet" Tellqvist is in goal instead of "Lunkan"
And now Mikael "Sållet" Tellqvist is in goal instead of "Lunkan"
Well it looks like Canada will meet Russia in the final. Both teams are undefeated so far. Russia are finally playing like a team again, today against Finland was one of the best Russian displays in a long time. The Ak Bars line with Morozov, Zaripov and Zinovyev are boss. Fedorov has also been absolutely amazing, both in attack and defence(bar one feck-up against Belarus). Kovalchuk was suspended for the Finland game and Bykov won't break up the Ak Bars line so it will be interesting to see what he'll do with him.
Canada are same old Canada.
Canada are same old Canada.
5-4 now Canada. Sweden won't give up.
Canada win. Not unexpected. The Swedish team did great in this tournament though considering the amount of star players that didn't play. At least we didn't bottle it like the Finns hehe.
Canada 5 - Russia 2 Sunday
I can't see any team scoring 5 goals in the final. I expect a low-scoring game, like the one in the olympics.
They have been brilliant but they won't be given near as much space against Russia as against the other teams. If you exclude the first 10 minutes of the Russia-Finland game Russia didn't give Finland a sniff. The Russian defenders were tough as hell and the forwards were backchecking superbly. For about 50 minutes Finland lost the puck almost every single time they entered Russias zone because of the pressure. Main reason of course why Russia didn't concede a goal. Finland were pretty weak though.
We'll see on Sunday
They have been brilliant but they won't be given near as much space against Russia as against the other teams. If you exclude the first 10 minutes of the Russia-Finland game Russia didn't give Finland a sniff. The Russian defenders were tough as hell and the forwards were backchecking superbly. For about 50 minutes Finland lost the puck almost every single time they entered Russias zone because of the pressure. Main reason of course why Russia didn't concede a goal. Finland were pretty weak though.
We'll see on Sunday
Indeed we will!
Finland is no Canada, that's for sure.
Canada 3 - Russia 2
considering our defenders in this tournament I would say that a bronze will be satisfactory
Canada isn't that good - the difference between Finland and Canada was that Heatley puts the puck in the net when he gets the chance. Getlaf and Nash are decent - rest of that team is pretty much crap.
They have been brilliant but they won't be given near as much space against Russia as against the other teams. If you exclude the first 10 minutes of the Russia-Finland game Russia didn't give Finland a sniff. The Russian defenders were tough as hell and the forwards were backchecking superbly. For about 50 minutes Finland lost the puck almost every single time they entered Russias zone because of the pressure. Main reason of course why Russia didn't concede a goal. Finland were pretty weak though.
We'll see on Sunday
Our defenders weren't good enough in this tournament, that's one of the main reasons we couldn't get into the zone alright - because they were shite opening the game. Oh, well, considering we have beat the Russians everytime more or less since the world cup in 2004 this was expected.
A big difference is also that Russia gets new talented players - our 20 - 25 year olds are average and we still rely on Koivu - Selanne, both are getting old. We just don't produce the same quality of players anymore. I blame the warm winters and global warming for this..
OK - can say it differently, good players - don't play well toghether. Check out who produces the points - is it 80% by the first line? If Russia manages to play like they did against Finland they will beat Canada.
The team is so crappy that they are in the final. What does this say about the rest of the teams that Canada beat?
that they didn't have their best players there
Do you think Canadas 2-4th line have been good then? take a look at Russia yesterday - there you see teamwork and that is unusual for Russia..that said Danny Heatley is fecking amazing and Rick Nash is always good. What I find amazing is that St Louis scores 80 points in the NHL. How the feck is that possible? he is wank. Playing on the first powerplay line in the NHL gives the most average players 70 - 80 points these days.
We certainely lack players of the same calibre as Heatley & Nash these days as the team is old and I can't see any new ones coming either.
that they didn't have their best players there
LoL.
If Canada had their best players there, they would trash every team 6:0.
LoL.
If Canada had their best players there, they would trash every team 6:0.
Yeah, just like they did at the 2006 olympics
Yeah, just like they did at the 2006 olympics
Indeed
LoL.
If Canada had their best players there, they would trash every team 6:0.
Well, doubt that, it seems like you haven't seen a game since the days of Gretzky and Lemieux? Take a look at the top ten in points last season 4 are russians of whom Ovechkin, Malkin and Datsyk are 1,2 and 4 and
4 from canada. Add to that some talented players from the Russian league - it must be said, the Russians are good.
What they have lacked in previous years has been team-spirit, had we score the first two goals yesterday it might have been different i.e. in previous years it resulted in Ovechkin trying to take on the entire team single-handedly which doesn't work in hockey. That was how it has been the last few years when we have beaten them, now it was different. It seems however that they work more like a team these days.
So they have Ovechkin, Malkin and Datsyuk in Top 10 + Kovalcuk and Kovalev close. ... and their next player is on............... 43rd place. Canada has meanwhile 4 players in Top 10, 7 players in TOP 20 and another 9 players till 43rd place.
Not denying the progress Russia made in the last term...
But Canada has still the the biggest number of world class players. They still produce the biggest number of high quality players and their human resources are miles ahead of everyone else. To deny this is stupid.
Just some interesting stats:
2007-08 NHL Season
Top 20 scorers
Russian - 1,2,4,10,11
Canadian-3,5,7,8,13,14,15,16,17,18
2006-07 NHL Season
Top 20 scorers
Russian - 13,17,18
Canadian - 1,2,3,4,5,7,9,10,12,15
2007-08 NHL Season
Top 20 scorers
Russian - 1,2,4,10,11
Canadian-3,5,7,8,13,14,15,16,17,18
2006-07 NHL Season
Top 20 scorers
Russian - 13,17,18
Canadian - 1,2,3,4,5,7,9,10,12,15
What you need is 6 players i.e. the first and second line and defenders, a decent third line and a checking line. If they have 20 players in the places up to 43 is irrelevant. It is obvious that Canada has more players in the top 40, it is afterall an american / canadian league..sort of the same as when you take a look at the russian league, erm well, the majority are russians, the same with the finnish and swedish league etc..
I am not denying that Canada is among the top two - the hype around Canada these days is ridiculous though. It is afterall likely that they will get their asses kicked tomorrow and did feck all in the Olympics when their best played..the world champioships they usually win, the reason is quite obvious, as you said, they have 20 players in the top 40 - in this tournament a player between 20 - 40 is indeed very good. In the olympics these take care of the water bottles..
Well done Suomi. Still don't understand why Liv played.
And of course the referees are bent.
fecking disgrace
fecking disgrace
It's not the first time though.
What a final!
Congratulations to Russia
Congratulations to Russia
Indeed, what a final.
The refs were crap in the first period luckily it didn't go on for the rest of the game.
And Kovalchuk can leave this tournament with a good conscience.
The refs were crap in the first period luckily it didn't go on for the rest of the game.
And Kovalchuk can leave this tournament with a good conscience.
Think the Russian penalties in the first period were alright - bar the first one which was easy. Russia was just poor in the first period - two clear delay of the game + a high, simply bad play. In the second they could have given a few penalties to the Canadians - but that is the advantage you get at home.
Better team won in the end IMO - the Russians had better players. Excellent coaching by Bykov as well playing with four forwards in the end. The problem I see coming is that I think Russia can dominate in the future considering the age of the current top players. These players will excel in the big rink in the olympics (if it is played in a big one considering its in Vancouver?)
It wasn't the penalties(bar the first one on which Canada scored btw), but for the 2nd goal Sushinsky was clearly tripped up which gave the Canadian player a free shot at the goalkeeper. This gave Canada the momentum they needed. Not to mention that the Russians would get 2 minutes for a thing that Canada didn't get 2 minutes for. And the Russian forwards constantly got tripped up after they lost the puck so they couldn't backcheck.
Fair point - the experts here actually said before the game that this can more or less be expected, they've seen it before with the refs and Canada. They shouldn't have had swedish referees, they're fecking shite by default. That said, they were not as outrageous as some of the refs in this tournament. Didn't they have professional NHL refs in the last Olympics? or was that in the world cup in 2004, worked quite well IMO. Anyways, these referees need to get some international experience as well, this is afterall a warm-up for 2010
Fair point - the experts here actually said before the game that this can more or less be expected, they've seen it before with the refs and Canada. They shouldn't have had swedish referees, they're fecking shite by default. That said, they were not as outrageous as some of the refs in this tournament. Didn't they have professional NHL refs in the last Olympics? or was that in the world cup in 2004, worked quite well IMO. Anyways, these referees need to get some international experience as well, this is afterall a warm-up for 2010
One of the most shocking decisions I've ever seen was in the Finland-USA game. I think you know which one I mean