World Cup: 2016 World Cup — Team Russia

[Caser]

Bobrovsky is confirmed to start though.

 

[Paxton Fettel]

After 3 straight bad games I hope to see some life in their game. But I don't think it will actually happen and NA will rip this team apart. 6-2.

 

[BlitzSnipe]

I'm worried about a possible blowout win by the young NA team. Russia has just not shown anything so far. And NA routed out Finland, traditionally a very tough team for Russia. So I don't know - I think this game will be very telling about the state of Russian hockey these days.

 

[Nordic*]

I'm going to bet some money on this game but I can't decide who I think will win. This is as close to a 50/50 as it can get for me.

What do you think?

 

[malkinfan]

Shipachev not even playing but Telegin is Im cheering for Russia to get crushed so they can rid themselves of that joke of a coach.

 

[Paxton Fettel]

I repeated many times before this tournament that I hoped the Shipachyov line would be dismantled before the start of the official games. It's a pity the Russian coaching staff can't see simple things as that. Now Ship gets benched, Dadonov has nothing to do here either. The same can be said for Telegin.

Also, Znarkov has 2 thirds of the Panarin - Anisimov - Kane line, why won't he try and use them together with somebody who plays a similar style to Kane?

Another obvious fact : Datsyuk is washed out and has no legs. Why are they still playing him, forthermore on the top line???

Ovechkin hasn't made a single sucessful pass in 4 straight periods plus 3 pre tournament games. Why is he still being used so much?

 

[Paxton Fettel]

Well, our team showed up for 10 minutes today!!! That was enough to win. Imagine what would happen if they played well for 20 minutes, against Finland for example.

And something needs to be done about the PP. Can a team actually refuse to go on the PP? That would be best for this team.

 

[Fantomas]

Russia manages to win and still somehow look like an embarrassment.

 

[Paxton Fettel]

Russia manages to win and still somehow look like an embarrassment.

Because they repeat the same misttakes over and over and over ... when they're up on the scoreboard they try to hold on to the lead, which is absurd considering they have the worst defense in the world.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I repeated many times before this tournament that I hoped the Shipachyov line would be dismantled before the start of the official games. It's a pity the Russian coaching staff can't see simple things as that. Now Ship gets benched, Dadonov has nothing to do here either. The same can be said for Telegin.

Also, Znarkov has 2 thirds of the Panarin - Anisimov - Kane line, why won't he try and use them together with somebody who plays a similar style to Kane?

Another obvious fact : Datsyuk is washed out and has no legs. Why are they still playing him, forthermore on the top line???

Ovechkin hasn't made a single sucessful pass in 4 straight periods plus 3 pre tournament games. Why is he still being used so much?

Two jinxes right here. Datsyuk saved Russia on multiple occasions and Ovechkin got an assist. Russia should thank you for the win

One thing I agree with you on is that the Russians should never turtle or park the bus to protect a one goal lead. That isn't Russian hockey, and they don't have the right players to do so. They should've kept being aggressive in the 3rd period.

 

[ViD]

Should Malkin be in the press box against Finland?

Two games into the tournament, it's crystal clear he's not in a good shape. I guess a new born and a not very productive off season played a role and Geno is not what we know him for.

He's been terrible - plain and simple - constant turnovers and penalties.

The only good play vs NA I saw from him was a pass to Kucherov when McDavid had to take a penalty.

Perhaps sitting him in the press box vs Finland will evoke his pride and dignity and he will come out flying in the semi final should we make it?

 

[ViD]

Also, a very interesting situation in our group now.

If Sweden beats Finland tomorrow and then loses to NA on Wednesday, we will have Sweden and North America with 4 points.

If it happens to be like that, we will have Finland that is eliminated and probably won't try too hard and we will already know how much we need to win to get in by goal difference.

If Sweden wins both of their games, they clinch the first place, and we have a game for the second place. Finland will have a chance to qualify and they will go hard, but we can afford to lose in OT or SO to advance.

Any way you slice it, our tournament perspective looks decent right now.

The only downside of finishing second is playing Canada in semis (I don't think many people will doubt Canada finishes first)

 

[MaximusT]

While I do agree that Malkin has looked absolutely brutal - it would be too bold to scratch him - if we lose a heartbreaker to the Finns everyone will be looking at the decision as the reason.

We really need him to wake up ASAP.

In regards to the shakeout of the remainder of the group - who do we root for in the Finland v. Sweden game? I think it has to be the Finns. No brainer.

It gives us a chance at 1st place to potentially play a much weaker Team Europe squad.

I know the belief is that if the Finns lose, they'll play half speed against us on Thursday. However, I think they would want nothing more than to spoil our chances at advancing if that is going to be their bow-out of the tournament. I am sure they will be looking to replicate Sochi.

 

[MaximusT]

On a side note - why is our power play the absolute worst of the 8 teams to have played thus far?

That sequence in the 2nd period where he had back to back PPs was absolutely brutal to watch.

 

[ViD]

On a side note - why is our power play the absolute worst of the 8 teams to have played thus far?

That sequence in the 2nd period where he had back to back PPs was absolutely brutal to watch.

The main problem is that we are unable to gain the offensive zone, we are constantly losing the puck on the blue line.

It's hard to explain given we have so many offensively gifted players. They obviously refuse to dump and they can't carry it in.

Another problem is we can't win goddamn faceoffs, so every time we lose a face off, it's an easy clear for the PK.

 

[JTD]

The Malkin criticism isn't legitimate, at least for this game. Him and Kucherov were Russia's best forwards. Malkin makes a lot of plays that are timing plays but when defensemen aren't used to playing with him a ton, the chemistry isn't there and it looks really bad. He needs to be a little sharper on his passes but he had good numbers. His line drove play and controlled the game 5 on 5. His goals will come. He's rounding into form.

Russia also needs to play the Kulikov-Marchenko pairing a lot more. They were so good. Marchenko has been a lot better than I thought he'd play. Zaitsev-Orlov really struggled. Hopefully their minutes get dropped a bit for Russia's sake. All in all, if Russia plays defense like they did in the first 40 minutes, they'll be tough to handle with how good their forwards are.

 

[JuniorNelson]

Malkin and Ovechkin both look like guys who aren't in game shape. They feel it and force things a bit. NBD. They will be better as the tournament progresses.

I feel this is the team Canada needs to be serious about, not USA.

 

[DaJackal]

Just dropping by to give major kudos to Russia for holding the fort against Team NA. I didn't think you could make it, congrats! Based on the highlights you faced the same treatment as us, but your team was a notch better in all aspects (defense, offense, goaltending) and this time it was enough. Those young guns are a nightmare of a team to play against.

 

[Staccato]

The only downside of finishing second is playing Canada in semis (I don't think many people will doubt Canada finishes first)

Isn't it a good thing to play Canada in the semis? No team will have a chance against them in a best of three final, but in one game anything can happen.

 

[jimstark]

Isn't it a good thing to play Canada in the semis? No team will have a chance against them in a best of three final, but in one game anything can happen.

I must have been asleep do they play best of 3 games in the final?
I hope so but was not aware of that

Regarding Russia if the beat Finland and then will meet Canada i will despite all my negative feelings about what i have seen so far actually think that Russia will come out high flying and ...win...

 

[XokkeyGuy]

Also, a very interesting situation in our group now.

If Sweden beats Finland tomorrow and then loses to NA on Wednesday, we will have Sweden and North America with 4 points.

If it happens to be like that, we will have Finland that is eliminated and probably won't try too hard and we will already know how much we need to win to get in by goal difference.

If Sweden wins both of their games, they clinch the first place, and we have a game for the second place. Finland will have a chance to qualify and they will go hard, but we can afford to lose in OT or SO to advance.

Any way you slice it, our tournament perspective looks decent right now.

The only downside of finishing second is playing Canada in semis (I don't think many people will doubt Canada finishes first)

That's not quite right (bolded text). Someone please clearify this for me, but from what I know in all other sports and tournaments; if the teams are at same points, you create a mini-group between those (in this case the 3 teams of Russia, Sweden and NA) and compare the stats - which in this case would mean that the goal diff. against Finland doesn´t matter? In that scenario which is usually used, we would need to wait and see for the goal diff of NA - Sweden, if NA only wins by 1 goal then all 3 teams will have won by 1 against each other, but then NA would be #1 because they have scored most goals (vs the other 2).
Or will it count (results vs Finland)? because that's not how it is usually done.

Isn't it a good thing to play Canada in the semis? No team will have a chance against them in a best of three final, but in one game anything can happen.

It is, that is why we will give Sweden the honor of playing Canada in the semis

I must have been asleep do they play best of 3 games in the final?

Yeah, best of 3 final!

 

[Kshahdoo]

Shipachev not even playing but Telegin is Im cheering for Russia to get crushed so they can rid themselves of that joke of a coach.

You need a whole 5 on the same page to play Panarin - Shipachev - Dadonov kind of hockey vs the best competition. It's enough three to beat mediocre teams on the big ice, but to beat teams like Sweden or Canada, you need Fetisov and Kasatonov to be added.

As I saw in the game vs Sweden, most Panarin - Shipachev - Dadonov plays died as soon as the puck got to the blueliners. Yeah, they had mistakes, but they had some good plays as well... untill it came to defensemen.

That's why Soviet teams played with fives and not lines. And if you had placed some Canadians defensemen instead of Fetisov and Konstantinov, Russian Five would have never been as magic as it was.

This Team Russia is a typical NA team. It can beat very talented young guys, because you need an experience as well to be successfull at tournaments like this, but it won't have a lot of chances vs Canada, because they play the same hockey, but Canada has way better players.

 

[Lataba76]

Just dropping by to give major kudos to Russia for holding the fort against Team NA. I didn't think you could make it, congrats! Based on the highlights you faced the same treatment as us, but your team was a notch better in all aspects (defense, offense, goaltending) and this time it was enough. Those young guns are a nightmare of a team to play against.

But the russians could beat the finnish Grandpa-Hockey-Style !

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

The Malkin criticism isn't legitimate, at least for this game. Him and Kucherov were Russia's best forwards. Malkin makes a lot of plays that are timing plays but when defensemen aren't used to playing with him a ton, the chemistry isn't there and it looks really bad. He needs to be a little sharper on his passes but he had good numbers. His line drove play and controlled the game 5 on 5. His goals will come. He's rounding into form.

Russia also needs to play the Kulikov-Marchenko pairing a lot more. They were so good. Marchenko has been a lot better than I thought he'd play. Zaitsev-Orlov really struggled. Hopefully their minutes get dropped a bit for Russia's sake. All in all, if Russia plays defense like they did in the first 40 minutes, they'll be tough to handle with how good their forwards are.

Come on, Malkin was the worst Russian player out there. He's made more passes to the opponent than his teammates. He had at least one turnover per shift, plus a penalty. He was dragging down Kulemin and Tarasenko.

 

[Nordic*]

Didn't watch last night's game. How does Sweden stack up to team U-23?

Can we beat them?