PGT: 9/25 Europe vs Sweden - Europe stuns Sweden in OT and advances to final

[v-man]

It was hilarious hearing the play-by-play guy trying to equate a Swedish loss here to the Salo Olympic incident against Belarus. They're not even remotely in the same ballpark of upsets. No one at all is going to care about what happened today next week, let alone years down the road.

 

[flaneur]

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Sekera-Josi
Chara-Streit
Seidenberg-Ehrhoff

Hedman-Stralman
Karlsson-Ekholm
OEL-Hjalmarsson


What an unreal job by those defensemen on team europe. Shouldnt be possible....

Remember when people said Sweden had better defense than Canada?

 

[JayGould]

The only teams to have beat them, North America twice and Canada once. I think they have been playing extremely well and are the 3rd best team in this tourney. Canada, N A, and Europe.

NA is overrated.

 

[Dueling Banjos]

That blonde guy standing at the doors is awesome

 

[BonAppleTea]

Remember when people said Sweden had better defense than Canada?

On paper it is equal or better. But this is a sport, and in the end the available quality didn't show up when it mattered.
Against Russia you saw what could've been, though. Kind of sad to see the defense fail us at times, this team really had potential to play brilliant tactical hockey.

 

[jcbio11]

Is it just me or are Slovaks (Hossa, Gaborik, Tatar, Sekera, Chara and Halak) the most visible nation on Team Europe?

I am asking because I am obviously biased and I'd notice them the most anyhow.

 

[Pestilence]

Does not feel real. We lost to a team that should not exist. In a normal World-Cup with no made up teams, we would had reach final.

Would've rather had Sweden in the final for the entertainment value, but seeing all swedes and the sour grapes is pretty entertaining as well

 

[Pestilence]

Is it just me or are Slovaks (Hossa, Gaborik, Tatar, Sekera, Chara and Halak) the most visible nation on Team Europe?

I am asking because I am obviously biased and I'd notice them the most anyhow.

They scored all the goals and Halak stopped 39 shots, you could say they were the most visible.

 

[MacDonald4MVP]

Is it just me or are Slovaks (Hossa, Gaborik, Tatar, Sekera, Chara and Halak) the most visible nation on Team Europe?

I am asking because I am obviously biased and I'd notice them the most anyhow.

With the exception of Kopitar I would tend to agree. It's so nice to see that fine generation of players to get their final chance in international hockey. Also it kinda spells the end of slovak hockey doesn't it?

 

[RuneMcEres]

They didn't play like what you class them like. They even played out of pressure, not just icing the puck in panic.

So your historical data is like Grönborgs coaching, use historical data and statistics instead of good and active coaching with live game adjustments.

Right on. They did a great job moving the puck out of the zone. And man, has Chara ever improved since the exhibition games. I was ready to write him off as an NHL player at that point. Slow and practically helpless. Now he and Sekera has been absolutely outstanding for Team Europe.

 

[ovikovy817]

If we decided to play a full game and not just 30 seconds against Sweden in the first game of the tournament. We would be in the final, against Canada.

 

[randomhockeyfan]

If we decided to play a full game and not just 30 seconds against Sweden in the first game of the tournament. We would be in the final, against Canada.

Who cares? This tournament is one big joke anyway.

 

[nuxhead]

They scored all the goals and Halak stopped 39 shots, you could say they were the most visible.

Should've just formed a Team Slovakia then lol

 

[Ivo]

Well, this is no surprise since Team Europe is by far the highest ranked team in the IIHF ranking. They have 6 times as many points in the world ranking as second-ranked Canada. But I guess an upset is always possible, even though the dominance of Team Europe in world hockey is incredible, judging by this:

 

[jcbio11]

With the exception of Kopitar I would tend to agree. It's so nice to see that fine generation of players to get their final chance in international hockey. Also it kinda spells the end of slovak hockey doesn't it?

Nah. Rumours of our demise have been greatly exaggerated. People have been saying this since 2006. We're still clearly ahead of the next tier countries (your Norways, Germanys, Austrias) in development. Always in the elite division of the WJC, while they're not. So that's your forseeable future, we ain't going nowhere, if anything, the generation around Sekera's age is our worst ever, he's the only true elite player of that age. Now we'll be on a bit of an upswing as the younger guys start to make their mark on the national team more.

 

[KPower]

Would've rather had Sweden in the final for the entertainment value, but seeing all swedes and the sour grapes is pretty entertaining as well

Same here

 

[buttman*]

Is it just me or are Slovaks (Hossa, Gaborik, Tatar, Sekera, Chara and Halak) the most visible nation on Team Europe?

I am asking because I am obviously biased and I'd notice them the most anyhow.

Kopitar > all SlovaKs

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Would've rather had Sweden in the final for the entertainment value, but seeing all swedes and the sour grapes is pretty entertaining as well

Entertainment value? Sweden's play was extremely boring.

 

[jcbio11]

Well, this is no surprise since Team Europe is by far the highest ranked team in the IIHF ranking. They have 6 times as many points in the world ranking as second-ranked Canada. But I guess an upset is always possible, even though the dominance of Team Europe in world hockey is incredible, judging by this:

They have also only lost one competitive game ever. What an incredible hockey power team Europe is.

 

[jcbio11]

Should've just formed a Team Slovakia then lol

I would have prefered that.

 

[Corax]

I would have prefered that.

and who would we beat without a single NHL center and D man from Slovan Bratislava?
Much more fun to watch Team Europe.

 

[jcbio11]

and who would we beat without a single NHL center and D man from Slovan Bratislava?
Much more fun to watch Team Europe.

Anything can happen. You never know.

 

[Ivo]

that's a fantastic idea

I would watch every single game in that tournament

It is a terrible idea. The players who worked hard to get their team to the next round should be the ones to play in that game, not the players harvested from the losing team. What is the motivation of a third-pairing Dman in a semifinals game, if he knows he is not gonna play in the finals anyway?

 

[Corax]

Kopitar > all SlovaKs

Kopitar was solid, but not in some games not even that. But that can be said about anyone, maybe except of Halak, Bellamare, Nielsen, Gaborik and Sekera.

but thats great about this team. you have dreisetl, Tatar, Hossa that can pitch in.

Kopi might keep the best for the finals