GDT: 2018 WJC • Game 21 • QF1: CZE (4) - FIN (3) F/SO

[Woodhouse]

Quarterfinal #1:

Czech Republic vs.

Finland
Jan. 2 • 12:00 ET • 18:00 CET
Key Bank Center — Buffalo, NY
TV: CMore Hockey, CT Sport, NHLN, RDS, TSN,
TV12, YLE Areena, YLE TV2

Czech Republic
(Confirmed lineup per IIHF.)

6 Marek Zachar - 21 Filip Chytil - 16 Martin Kaut
29 Albert Michnac - 8 Martin Necas - 18 Filip Zadina
25 Radovan Pavlik - 22 Kristian Reichel - 15 Daniel Kurovsk
20 Jakub Laukoy - 28 Petr Kodytek - 27 Ostap Safin
17 Krystof Hrabik

19 Vojtech Budik - 3 Libor Hajek
11 Filip Kral - 23 Jakub Galvas
14 Ondrej Vala - 7 Radim Salda
12 Frantisek Hrdinka

30 Josef Korenar
1 Jakub Skarek
2 Milan Kloucek

Finland
(Confirmed lineup per IIHF.)

13 Kristian Vesalainen - 22 Aapeli Rasanen - 20 Eeli Tolvanen
32 Aleksi Heponiemi - 9 Janne Kuokkanen - 12 Otto Koivula
33 Jere Innala - 27 Joni Ikonen - 19 Eetu Tuulola
3 Juha Jaaska - 15 Joona Koppanen - 21 Markus Nurmi
34 Rasmus Kupari

6 Juuso Valimaki - 2 Miro Heiskanen
7 Olli Juolevi - 28 Henri Jokiharju
4 Robin Salo - 23 Urho Vaakanainen
36 Kasper Kotkansalo

1 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
30 Lassi Lehtinen
31 Niilo Halonen
​

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[BigBadBoar]

Quarterfinal #1:

Finland vs.

Czech Republic
Jan. 2 • 12:00 ET • 18:00 CET
Key Bank Center — Buffalo, NY
TV: CT Sport, NHLN, RDS, TSN

Finland
(Projected lineup; TBA per IIHF ~11AM ET.)

13 Kristian Vesalainen - 22 Aapeli Rasanen - 20 Eeli Tolvanen
32 Aleksi Heponiemi - 9 Janne Kuokkanen - 12 Otto Koivula
33 Jere Innala - 27 Joni Ikonen - 19 Eetu Tuulola
3 Juha Jaaska - 15 Joona Koppanen - 21 Markus Nurmi
34 Rasmus Kupari

6 Juuso Valimaki - 2 Miro Heiskanen
7 Olli Juolevi - 28 Henri Jokiharju
4 Robin Salo - 23 Urho Vaakanainen
36 Kasper Kotkansalo

1 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
30 Lassi Lehtinen
31 Niilo Halonen

Czech Republic
(Projected lineup; TBA per IIHF ~11AM ET.)

6 Marek Zachar - 21 Filip Chytil - 16 Martin Kaut
18 Filip Zadina - 8 Martin Necas - 29 Albert Michnac
27 Ostap Safin - 22 Kristian Reichel - 25 Radovan Pavlik
15 Daniel Kurovsky - 28 Petr Kodytek - 17 Krystof Hrabik
20 Jakub Lauko

3 Libor Hajek - 19 Vojtech Budik
11 Filip Kral - 23 Jakub Galvas
7 Radim Salda - 14 Ondrej Vala
12 Frantisek Hrdinka

1 Jakub Skarek
30 Josef Korenar
2 Milan Kloucek
​

I hope Kořenář will start this one, but who knows. In the 4th line, I expect Lauko instead of Hrabik, who was the 13th forward against Switzerland. In the third period against SUI, Kurovský played in the 3rd line instead of Safin, and it didn't look bad, so perhaps he will start there against FIN too.
But there are players with certain health issues: Zachar and Kral. They are both expected to play, but a slight doubt exists.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Finland hasn't showed yet their best game full 60 minutes so i don't know what to expect.
Our defence has been something else than best in entire tournament and our starting goalie is unsure.

This '' all time'' Team U20 Finland has unperformed compared to their potential.
This will be very close game and overtime wouldn't be surprise.

Best team today deserves to go semifinal.

 

[Statsy]

Korenar will most certainly have the net the rest of the way. I was a little surprised to see Skarek even get the start last game, but what he did with that start was tough to watch. I don't even think the guy is a bad goalie, but he's certainly in a place where his confidence is gone. Korenar, on the other hand, came in and looked rock steady.

 

[Statsy]

I definitely think we have yet to see the best from Finland in this tournament. They are capable of so much more than they have shown at either end. Czechia on the other hand, have played amazingly in the offensive zone and seem to come up with scoring chances at will. However, their defensive game has been pretty abysmal. I also think they've had the benefit of playing in the weaker pool and not had to run the Group A gauntlet.

 

[BigBadBoar]

I definitely think we have yet to see the best from Finland in this tournament. They are capable of so much more than they have shown at either end. Czechia on the other hand, have played amazingly in the offensive zone and seem to come up with scoring chances at will. However, their defensive game has been pretty abysmal. I also think they've had the benefit of playing in the weaker pool and not had to run the Group A gauntlet.

Yes, the defense is a problem, and goaltending as well. The Czechs need to improve these aspects of their game rapidly, or they will surely be eliminated. Those will be their keys to the game. Moreover, they must avoid taking stupid penalties, as their penalty killing has been below average thus far. Power plays, on the other hand, are the strength of both teams. It is quite likely that the team which manages to take less penalties wins the game. Plus the goaltenders, of course. This is the issue for both teams. Finnish goaltending hasn't be precisely stellar thus far, while he Czech has been close to a catastrophe. But the QF is a special game and some players who have been looking unfocused can now suddenly do much better, realizing the importance of the game, and vice versa.

 

[Asiantuntija]

Good game coming. Our goalie will give at least 3 goals, so there is job to do.

 

[Statsy]

Yes, the defense is a problem, and goaltending as well. The Czechs need to improve these aspects of their game rapidly, or they will surely be eliminated. Those will be their keys to the game. Moreover, they must avoid taking stupid penalties, as their penalty killing has been below average thus far. Power plays, on the other hand, are the strength of both teams. It is quite likely that the team which manages to take less penalties wins the game. Plus the goaltenders, of course. This is the issue for both teams. Finnish goaltending hasn't be precisely stellar thus far, while he Czech has been close to a catastrophe. But the QF is a special game and some players who have been looking unfocused can now suddenly do much better, realizing the importance of the game, and vice versa.

I feel like a Korenar has been fairly solid, and he should have the net from here on in. I would also say that the powerplay actually hasn't been the strength of Finland so far, but I assume you are talking in terms of "what it should be", and yes, more is definitely expected from it. Other than that, I am in complete agreement with your post. These elimination games are where we separate the men from the boys. Bring it on!

 

[BigBadBoar]

I feel like a Korenar has been fairly solid, and he should have the net from here on in. I would also say that the powerplay actually hasn't been the strength of Finland so far, but I assume you are talking in terms of "what it should be", and yes, more is definitely expected from it. Other than that, I am in complete agreement with your post. These elimination games are where we separate the men from the boys. Bring it on!

Kořenář allowed two rather easy goals against Belarus, especially the second one was cheesy indeed. But as we know, games like this are always difficult for the goalie. He doesn't face many shots and suddenly there comes a big opportunity. I suppose he was substituted during the Belarus game mainly because the coach wanted to give the whole team an impulse. Against Russia, I saw him like an average goalie. Didn't make any big mistake, but no stellar saves by him neither in that game. And against Switzerland, he didn't face any situation which would be exactly critical. So I expect him to start the game. I would ever not be surprised to see Milan Klouček on the bench, after Škarek had a terrible game against Switzerland.

Regarding the Finnish PP's, they weren't so effective thus far, but as I watched them, they clearly have shown a potential. They just didn't score so much. But that may be a matter of time.

 

[Pieck]

Czech penalty killing has been terrible. Not just by the numbers, but also the way the penalty killers defend. Even when they don't get scored on, it's never a 'good kill' for them. They either need to change it up or not take penalties. Aside from the PK, I think the Czechs can play a better game than Finland.

 

[Lempo]

Czech penalty killing has been terrible. Not just by the numbers, but also the way the penalty killers defend. Even when they don't get scored on, it's never a 'good kill' for them. They either need to change it up or not take penalties. Aside from the PK, I think the Czechs can play a better game than Finland.

Going to be one of them "stoppable force meets movable object" situations then.

 

[czechcanadian]

Yeesh.. this is going to be a good one. Hate to miss it. Or at least most of it. My phone data will be topped up by the end of today.
I hate these noon games. Anyways.
Korenar should be the starter. Hasn't been amazing but beeen better than Skarek for sure.
Those top 2 lines for Czechs look really good. Hope we actually see it. Love seeing Kaut on the 1st.
Would like to see more from Chytil and Safin this game. Power play needs to continue to be good and the penalty kill has to be better. I think we got this though! Cesi do to ho!

 

[boyko10]

As a Finn I'm hoping Luuk Nukem can snag a couple good saves early, and a less static pp.

Hoping for a tight game, our 4th will be the difference. Koppanen with the winner.

 

[BigBadBoar]

Yeesh.. this is going to be a good one. Hate to miss it. Or at least most of it. My phone data will be topped up by the end of today.
I hate these noon games. Anyways.
Korenar should be the starter. Hasn't been amazing but beeen better than Skarek for sure.
Those top 2 lines for Czechs look really good. Hope we actually see it. Love seeing Kaut on the 1st.
Would like to see more from Chytil and Safin this game. Power play needs to continue to be good and the penalty kill has to be better. I think we got this though! Cesi do to ho!

"Češi do toho" is correct. Anyway, I agree. Kaut has been such a pleasant surprise for me. He played very well at the beginning of the season, then it wasn't so brilliant, but here he is perhaps in the best form of his career thus far. When I watched him playing for Pardubice, I didn't expect him to be this good.

 

[vaiski]

The fourth line has been the best so far, which is indicative of how broken the top lines have been. At least the first line got going last game. Hopefully we'll see a more straight forward offensive game today because that has been the biggest fault so far. I can understand riding or dying with Luukkonen at this point, but in hindsight it might have been wise to give Lehtinen a chance to grab the no.1 spot.

 

[tade]

We will win.

 

[Asiantuntija]

Two more hours..

 

[BigBadBoar]

We will win.

Looking for a nice bar in Brno to watch it, don't want to watch at home on my computer.

 

[Gsus]

We will win.

When was the last time Czech played in Semis?

 

[Scouter]

When was the last time Czech played in Semis?

05'.

 

[joey16]

05'.

Ouch.. at that time the guys now playing were 6 or 7..

About the time to "re-write" a history

Hoping for a good game with the better team winning

 

[Healthy DiPietro]

Rooting hard for the Czechs, both because they haven't made it to the medal rounds in a long time, and because I don't like Finland.

 

[BigBadBoar]

Kořenář is the starting goalie for the Czechs, as expected. Safin in the 4th line, switching positions with Kurovský.

 

[Maluk11]

I am glad to see both Král and Zachar are ready for this match.

 

[BigBadBoar]

I am glad to see both Král and Zachar are ready for this match.

Exactly. They have both proven themselves to be very useful for the team. Especially Zachar with his speed.