How is this making things better for them?It's just a second go at a variant that can be interesting from a developmental perspective to some minor countries/communities that don't necessarily have the needed infrastructure/people to play regular hockey. At least this time they are using national teams instead of international ones like in Lausanne.
Plenty of sports have variants using different line-up or playing area sizes. I remember when rugby sevens started I was not convinced at all by it (okay, the French were sh*te at it) but it's not like many non traditional nations were and are coming up to the level of the top ones in rugby union. Hockey is in the same (actually worse) position in terms of popularising the sport and being accessible. So if that format can help a tiny bit, then why not?
2024 Youth Olympics - Gangwon, Korea
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It's an attempt at making the sport look more accessible.
And NAs of minor hockey nations rely heavily on their national team programs to attract new adepts. Having a team playing an event like the YOG, even if they are getting rolled over, help them create a presence among the myriad of other sports they compete with.
Is it a perfect way? Probably not. Will it reach the same status as 3x3 basketball? Definitely not.
But it is another tool in the box to help popularise the sport. Otherwise we may as well tell everyone to hang their skates the moment it's clear they are not NHL caliber and keep it down to a single competition in the entire world.
It is weird, I am pretty sure last time the games were streamed on Olympics.com, although finding them was a nightmare.
I haven't checked this year, but if there is really nothing that's just sad.
I would go as far as to say that 3 on 3 hockey is more entertaining than 5 on 5, but it sort of loses the entire point when you reduce the playing area of the rink so much. There's more players per m2 there than in regular hockey.
I guess you're trying to minimize the differences in skating and reduce the number of players so that the difference of depth doesn't play that big of a role, so you could call it an attempt. But does it actually work? Looking at the scoresheets, I don't think it makes any difference.
And if it doesn't, why not make a proper tournament at this age bracket?
And how is this popularising anything if none of the games are even streamed?
The problem with the difference in level comes from the qualification and allocation format using a combined men's and women's U18 ranking. While some countries decided to go with their strength and picked their team accordingly like Italy and Hungary, others didn't. Spain and Chinese Taipei have stronger women's programs at youth levels which explains their high ranking but decided to go with their men's team. If Latvia had picked the women's tournament, I doubt they would fare well.
Another example. No matter which format, Korea men's team wouldn't have a shot at a medal. However their women's team may have a go in the 3x3's. That's why the men's team is being sent to the slaughter.
There is also an issue with this format being new to almost everyone. Unlike 3x3 basketball which has history, that form of mini hockey didn't develop organically. The GBR coach admitted having no clue when beginning their first camp last summer, being even reluctant at first. So in that case, I guess most teams didn't prepare accordingly and rely on existing individual talent more than anything else.
A tiered event would make sense to avoid those scores but is not in the "Olympic spirit". The idea here is to bring in as many nations as possible. I don't think watching Nigeria getting trounced in curling makes any sense, yet here they are. And thus despite ranking rock bottom in the qualification process. It would need to be an IIHF tourney or a regional event like the AWGs. Now the question is whether or not MNAs are willing to go full on with 2 programs every year when financially most of them barely get by at the moment and the IIHF seems to be looking more towards women's U20s as their next step (U22 would make more sense to me but that's another topic).
As for the lack of coverage, I already said it's ridiculous. I don't think installing a single camera at one end of the ice to show some of the games would have been a huge effort per say.
I'm not saying this is the solution to every problem hockey is facing. But such events allows experimenting with new things without anyone having to make any long term commitment. If it works, great! If not, we move on! Sports have been evolving constantly.
Artorius Horus T
sincerety
Latvia 24-1 Great Britain
Murnieks with 4 goals, Klaucans, Obuks and Paurs with 4 each as well.
And we just beat Kazakhstan 15-11, closer than I expected.
Murnieks with 5 goals, Klaucans with 3.
Murnieks now has scored 12 goals in 3 games.
Murnieks with 4 goals, Klaucans, Obuks and Paurs with 4 each as well.
And we just beat Kazakhstan 15-11, closer than I expected.
Murnieks with 5 goals, Klaucans with 3.
Murnieks now has scored 12 goals in 3 games.
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Latvia 28-2 Taiwan
Latvia 9-3 Austria
We have now scored [checks notes] 100 goals in 5 games
Latvia 9-3 Austria
We have now scored [checks notes] 100 goals in 5 games
Artorius Horus T
sincerety
They only post goals/penalties. No stats are officially recorded, no names mentioned. Someone on the Latvian bench at least counts the goalscorers. Which is probably more challenging than their primary duties.
Artorius Horus T
sincerety
those games are preliminary round games for the actual YOG tournament
or am i mistaken, edit : 3 on 3 tournament? what is that?
Like in the summer Olympics , in Athletics.
Artorius Horus T
sincerety
So Latvia plays in their own tournament. with 7 other countries
Then Finland, Sweden, Canada, Czech, Slovakia and Korea play in the 6 team tournament
both part of the YOG?
Then Finland, Sweden, Canada, Czech, Slovakia and Korea play in the 6 team tournament
both part of the YOG?
Correct, there are 2 types of tournaments.
The top 5 ranked teams are playing 5 on 5 for some reason.
Assists were not counted, but Murnieks ended up scoring 34 goals.
Klaucans with 25.
GMG: Latvia 9-3 Denmark
Semi-final: Latvia 19-5 Kazakhstan
GermanSpitfire
EU Video Scout for McKeen’s | Rest Easy #13
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Pavel Buchnevich
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You should be able to watch USA-SVK here:
https://olympics.com/en/gangwon-202...ockey-winter-youth-olympic-games-gangwon-2024
Breakfast of Champs
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Like half of the USA team will probably be drafted.
Go look at last YOG roster - Gauthier, MCGroarty, Hutson, Nazar, Howard etc
I believe Hurlburt and Bumgarner are considered to be among the best 08s in USA if not the world currently
William H Bonney
Registered User
Fun game between the US and Slovakia. US carried the play and badly outshot Slovakia but Hrenek was excellent in net and Wendt gave up multiple he'll have nightmares about tonight. Slovakia is going to feel like they let one slip away that they were on the verge of stealing.
It's just one game so I want to see more but I was intrigued by the following American players: Bumgarner, Torre, Lutner, Hurlbert, Stuart, Berchild, and Garcia.
It's just one game so I want to see more but I was intrigued by the following American players: Bumgarner, Torre, Lutner, Hurlbert, Stuart, Berchild, and Garcia.
