WC: 2023 IIHF World Championship Division I

[jonas2244]

It would be their first Elite tournament since 2002. Well done.

 

[SoundAndFury]

And they have done this without their actual best player. It's also somewhat unfortunate that some of their players - Kolusz, Pasiut, Murray - are so old, especially considering Kolusz and Murray, even if not great, seem almost irreplaceable.

 

[Albatros]

Yes, it's really quite straightforward. We need a regulation win against the opponent we have won against in regulation in the 2 most recent games. Is that a really big hole? Is it really a much bigger hole than the shootout win working for us as well? Does someone prepare for a game to win it in SO?

What happened today was by far the most predictable outcome and actually changes very little. Everyone understood things playing out the way they are was a very real possibility even before the tournament, Korea hammered Romania just like they did last year. Now we need to beat Korea, just like we did last year. It's not some kind of fantasy scenario and the difference between the situation before and after today is marginal, one win against a very beatable opponent still solves everything.

Serbia ultimately got relegated like that in the lower group. Won the deciding game but only SO when they needed a regulation win. Maybe Lithuania doesn't need more than an hour to get the job done, but it's not a neutral starting position they're in going into that game anymore.

Last year they did win, but it was also a largely meaningless game as neither team could get relegated and were already out of any realistic promotion chances.

 

[SoundAndFury]

but it's not a neutral starting position they're in going into that game anymore.

Nobody was arguing against any of the points you make in the post. I just don't think that's "very deep hole now". It either has been a deep hole for quite some time, or not deserving of such panicky expression at all, depending on how you feel about Koreans.

 

[Albatros]

Nobody was arguing against any of the points you make in the post. I just don't think that's "very deep hole now". It either has been a deep hole for quite some time, or not deserving of such panicky expression at all, depending on how you feel about Koreans.

Just to say they've earned themselves more paths to survival, whereas Lithuania has one lifeline left really. I know the supremely cynical or fatalistic will just wait for the inevitable three-way tie and an amicable final-day result, but still.

 

[SoundAndFury]

The game is geo-blocked on youtube while our local broadcaster is somehow getting no picture. The only thing weirder than that is that we are outshooting GB after 2.

 

[SoundAndFury]

I know the supremely cynical or fatalistic will just wait

Again with the drama... Jesus. That's my beef. It's an elimination game between two equal-ish opponents, happens in pretty much every tournament. What's with the apocalyptic undertones....

 

[aquaregia]

The game is geo-blocked on youtube while our local broadcaster is somehow getting no picture. The only thing weirder than that is that we are outshooting GB after 2.

We were playing with intensity for maybe five minutes in the first period, then after a load of nothing much scored on our first PP; would say we've shut up shop more we could be sleepwalking into trouble here.
Should well know that 2 goals up isn't a done thing with 20 to go.

 

[aquaregia]

That said, 21-21 on shots doesn't tell the full story of both teams' attacking output - feel like a lot of Lithuania's efforts have been more speculative compared to GB. We might be looking a little lethargic on the offence but I get the impression that the shots coming out of our moves are at least of fairly decent quality.

 

[Albatros]

Again with the drama... Jesus. That's my beef. It's an elimination game between two equal-ish opponents, happens in pretty much every tournament. What's with the apocalyptic undertones....

More drama than that you're not going to find at these tournaments, of course nothing against a Bryzgalovian approach.

 

[aquaregia]

Extra attacker on for Lithuania with 2:40 to go... why not I suppose

...and Halbert with the empty-netter from across the ice to make it 3-0 which to be frank, flatters GB.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Actually a decent result and from what I can gather, a pretty decent game. Beating GB was never an option but at least there was some semblance of team defense and Armalis has made some saves unlike in the previous games. 2 goals in 3 games though, it's almost like taking guys like Kumeliauskas or Verenis wasn't a bad idea.

 

[MeHateHe]

That said, 21-21 on shots doesn't tell the full story of both teams' attacking output - feel like a lot of Lithuania's efforts have been more speculative compared to GB. We might be looking a little lethargic on the offence but I get the impression that the shots coming out of our moves are at least of fairly decent quality.

Lithuania's defending strategy was to pile five guys in the middle and keep shots out and block passes across. They were disciplined and it was effective. But boooooooooring.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Lithuania's defending strategy was to pile five guys in the middle and keep shots out and block passes across. They were discipline and it was effective. But boooooooooring.

Yeah it's been the same way for us ever since we got to 1A in 2019. Same coach, same system, same strategy. The player selection has never been so grindy and talentless though, you can't argue with results but this might be as far as that goes since the results have been awful this year.

Then again, if we do beat Korea, the coach will end up looking like a genius once again.

 

[Albatros]

I wonder who will host the lower level tournament next year if Korea gets relegated, would be a wholesome collection of teams generally unwilling or unable to do so there. Except the Netherlands I guess.

 

[Pardus]

I wonder who will host the lower level tournament next year

Beijing or Shanghai.

 

[SoundAndFury]

I wonder who will host the lower level tournament next year if Korea gets relegated, would be a wholesome collection of teams generally unwilling or unable to do so there. Except the Netherlands I guess.

I think Asian countries don't mind hosting, just European countries/IIHF hate the time change and travel expenses so they don't have a realistic chance to win a bid against someone from Europe.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Lyszczarczyk looks pretty fired up after that goal, I guess he isn't thrilled with his best Polish player to be into a passable 3rd liner career trajectory.

And looks like Korea will be losing another important player as #13 was tied for the team lead in points and was one of the more important players for Anyang Halla, big loss. Maybe he will be back but that did not look good.

 

[Albatros]

Japan has always been open to host anything but now they were promoted. Korea was before the Olympics but they've really downgraded hockey since. China's just interested in women's tournaments.

 

[sytheman]

We have just had successful women’s D-1B tournament few weeks ago in Korea. We should go for hosting the next year’s Men’s event whether it would be D-1A or D-1B. Our infrastructure has been vastly improved since the Games in 2018.

 

[SoundAndFury]

I thought Dalton looked better this year when he did last (which would make sense since Koreans didn't play at all last year) but I think playing 2nd day in a row is really rough for him.

Overall, I'd say GB looks like the best team, Poland looks like the team that wants promotion to the Elite the most and Italy looks like the team that nobody is gonna miss there.

It's also quite ironic that had Chmielewski been here he would have most likely bumped Jeziorski to the 4th line and the guy is turning into some kind of secret weapon for the Poles here with 3 goals in 4 games, including a very important one against Italy.

 

[legionista]

Poland is very determined to finally get back to the elite level, with Russia and Belarus out, Poland's young players doing well and the veterans in form, it's now or never. Kalaber has really created a well organized and mostly disciplined team (aside from GB game).

 

[SoundAndFury]

It's also kinda hilarious that the D on the 2nd Polish PP unit is Oskar Jaskiewich who had 0 points (!) in 49 games in the Polish league this year While perfectly good Pawel Dronia just sits on the bench. But I guess the argument is "well, we practiced it with this guy on it before the tournament". Still funny.

 

[legionista]

It's also kinda hilarious that the D on the 2nd Polish PP unit is Oskar Jaskiewich who had 0 points (!) in 49 games in the Polish league this year While perfectly good Pawel Dronia just sits on the bench. But I guess the argument is "well, we practiced it with this guy on it before the tournament". Still funny.

I remember all the hype about him when he was younger, kind of a bust but in the case of these WC it's a case of it's not broken, don't fix it I guess.
To me overall the level of this division has been exceptionally low this year.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Korea giving Dalton a period of rest, which makes perfect sense.

I remember all the hype about him when he was younger, kind of a bust but in the case of these WC it's a case of it's not broken, don't fix it I guess.
To me overall the level of this division has been exceptionally low this year.

I think he does well enough, he had reasonable success playing abroad and now is playing for a powerhouse Tychy but not an offensive D at the best of times.

Regarding the level, absolutely, there are 3 teams that don't belong here as opposed to 6 pretty even teams fighting it out in the past. But with Japan and Ukraine back in due time, it's bound to get better in a few years.