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Re: World Championship 2019

Posted: Tue May 21, 2019 11:43 am
by Per
Good start for Sweden. They control the game, create lots of opportunities and their forecheck seems to have the Russians stumped. Sweden leads 1-0 after the first period. 10-5 in shots.

Two penalties called on Russians, but Sweden is 0 for 2 on the powerplay so far. Great boxplay by the Russians, who have yet to give up their first goal on the penalty kill in this tournament. But damn how I love watching Petey on the powerplay! So smart! Creating loads of opportunities mixing tape to tape passes through traffic with his patented slapshot. Jeeeeeeesus! If he keeps that up there must be a goal eventually.

Russians more passive than expected, but it's because the Swedes do not give them any room.
We'll see if their coach has a new strategy for the second period. I mean, they have a fantastic line-up, so they should be able to do better. I hope they won't, but we'll see.

Re: World Championship 2019

Posted: Tue May 21, 2019 12:33 pm
by Carl Yagro
Latvia gave Sweden more trouble than we expected. TBH, Tre Kronor didn't look very good against the plucky Latvians... and I must say they won on a somewhat controversial game-winning goal.

Right now, the Russian bear just woke up and are spanking them 6-1.

Meanwhile, the Canucks are up 3-0 on the Yanks and are looking stronger in each game.

Re: World Championship 2019

Posted: Tue May 21, 2019 12:43 pm
by Mickey107
Hank wrote: Tue May 21, 2019 12:33 pm Latvia gave Sweden more trouble than we expected. TBH, Tre Kronor didn't look very good against the plucky Latvians... and I must say they won on a somewhat controversial game-winning goal.

Right now, the Russian bear just woke up and are spanking them 6-1.

Meanwhile, the Canucks are up 3-0 on the Yanks and are looking stronger in each game.
Bad experience for Markstrom. Not only is he being left out to dry, three of those goals, (so far), he normally saves.
Not good! Ian Clarke will have to work with him, get him back on track.
The only way Russia loses this tourney is if they beat themselves. It's a super team with big game experience.
Seen it before though.

Don't really know how Canada is doing what they are but go for it. Must be AV>>> :devil:

And now for a really ridiculous comment: How fucking good would Quinn Hughes look as a forward?
I know, too late.

Re: World Championship 2019

Posted: Tue May 21, 2019 1:13 pm
by Per
Not sure what the coach fed the Russians in the first intermission, but they came out a completely different team! :evil:

I hinted at that happening, because I was frankly surprised at how little the Russians achieved in the first period, I mean, only five sog even! Bot this bad? Sheesh! Six goals in one period.

That being said, the forwards on this Russian team looks like a dream team.
But Sweden's defence should be better than this. :mad:

Markström is being hung out to dry. But they have decided that Lundquist is the main starter and want to rest him for the quarter final.

The only good news is that Pettersson is having his best game of the tournament so far.

Re: World Championship 2019

Posted: Tue May 21, 2019 1:26 pm
by Mickey107
Per wrote: Tue May 21, 2019 1:13 pm Not sure what the coach fed the Russians in the first intermission, but they came out a completely different team! :evil:

I hinted at that happening, because I was frankly surprised at how little the Russians achieved in the first period, I mean, only five sog even! Bot this bad? Sheesh! Six goals in one period.

That being said, the forwards on this Russian team looks like a dream team.
But Sweden's defence should be better than this. :mad:

Markström is being hung out to dry. But they have decided that Lundquist is the main starter and want to rest him for the quarter final.

The only good news is that Pettersson is having his best game of the tournament so far.
Now you get your arch rivals. Piece a cake...

Re: World Championship 2019

Posted: Tue May 21, 2019 1:35 pm
by Per
Actually, despite all, a few more positive things. Final score 7-4 to Russia.
Period by period: 0-1, 6-0, 1-3

So Sweden won two periods out of three, but were completely bulldozed in the second.
If we can play like we did in the first and the third, we're a pretty good team.

Russia's goal differential over seven games is 36-7.
Six other teams, including the Swiss, the Czechs and Latvians, combined for three goals on Russia.
Sweden scored four, including the only powerplay goal the Russians have let in.

And Sweden won both shots and faceoffs in this game.

The problem is that the Russians have such fantastic players, who capitalise at once if you make a mistake.
Sweden made too many mistakes in the second period.

But the way we played in the first; if we can play like that for 60 minutes, we can beat anyone.

Back to the Russians, this is by far the best Russian team I have seen. They look almost as good as the Soviet Union used to.
I mean, when Gusev and Kucherov came on a two on one, there was nothing to do but admire their beautiful play.
And then there's Kusnetsov, Malkin, Ovechkin... and probably the two best goalies in this tournament.
I say the Russians are huge favourites to win this tournament.

Vasilievski was named best Russian player of this game, Sweden outshot Russia 36-33, but he made lots of great saves.

Re: World Championship 2019

Posted: Tue May 21, 2019 1:45 pm
by Mickey107
Nine Russian players didn't think they would be there, so ya, stacked team.
Your old coach is retiring which is probably good because the Swedes made the cardinal mistake of going Run N Gun
with the Russians in the 2nd. Completely abandoned sufficient defence.
Valuable lesson to the players...

Re: World Championship 2019

Posted: Tue May 21, 2019 1:49 pm
by Per
so, quarter finals on Thursday:
Canada vs Switzerland
Russia vs USA
Czechs vs Germany
Sweden vs Finland

Should be good. :thumbs:

Re: World Championship 2019

Posted: Tue May 21, 2019 3:07 pm
by Mickey107
..

7-4>>Russia................................................3-0>>Canada

Re: World Championship 2019

Posted: Thu May 23, 2019 4:42 am
by Per
Today the real tournament begins! From now on it's all elimination games.

My guess is that ...

Canada beats Switzerland
Russia beats the USA
the Czechs beat Germany
Sweden beats Finland

This year they have done away with the traditional tree-shaped playoffs Schedule, and who faces who will be decided on rank allover again.

If my guesses are correct, both teams ending fourth (USA and Switzerland) will be eliminated as well as Germany, who ended third. That means Sweden will be the lowest seed, and as Russia won their Group with 21 Points while Canada only had 18, we will face Russia again in the semifinal, while Canada plays the Czechs.

Most logically that will lead to a Canada vs Russia final, which based on the play so far in the tournament, Russia should win.

That being said... If we forget about the horrid second period in Sweden's game vs Russia, when we gave up six goals, Sweden won the rest of the game 4-1, had more sog and won more faceoffs. If we can play 60 minutes like that, we can beat them. But you cannot give the Russians any room to play their game. They have the best forwards of any team in this tournament, big, skilled, with lots of hockey IQ. If they get to come with speed into the offensive zone, you're smoked. So I still Think we may have a small chance of toppling Goliath.

And if we do not, you also need to take into the calculation that Canada tends to play better than expected in big games.
Even though the Russian team is better on paper, the game has to be played, and Canada could win from pure grit and determination.

So, we'll see.

I do think the Russians will win, but I hope I'm wrong.

Tonight we should all be winners though! 8-)

Re: World Championship 2019

Posted: Thu May 23, 2019 10:17 am
by Mickey107
Per wrote: Thu May 23, 2019 4:42 am
Canada beats Switzerland
And it was just sooooo pathetically easy;https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nhl/new ... npjncot3w3

Re: World Championship 2019

Posted: Thu May 23, 2019 10:22 am
by Carl Yagro
NHL players, 0.4 seconds from losing to the Swiss. Them yodelers are neutral no more.

The days of beating up on the second and third tier hockey countries are over.

Re: World Championship 2019

Posted: Thu May 23, 2019 10:36 am
by Mickey107
The Swiss play the ugliest boring hockey in the world. Glad to see them gone.
Stecher sucked though. Benched.
First Swiss goal he takes the goalie stance 10/12 feet in front of the goalie. Ick.

The US is toast.

Re: World Championship 2019

Posted: Thu May 23, 2019 11:59 am
by Mickey107
Pettersson just scored one of the best of the tourney... 8-)

Re: World Championship 2019

Posted: Thu May 23, 2019 12:15 pm
by Mickey107
..Be a better one later.