Biggest Dissaopintments and Surprises

[c_mak]

On the plus side I have been very impressed with the play of joe thorton. he had a lackluster exhibition round and i wasn't sure his ego would take a seat. it has, he has been a perfect third line centre for canada..taking the body..keeping the puck deep and creating scoring chances ever other shift
bowmester and redden also impressed..redden looked faster than I beleived him to be and bowmester ... for a guy his size he skates so effortlessly
doan has also impressed me with his physical play and his offensive savy. He has kept it simple and it was this simple approach that lead to draper's goal last night..just get the puck on net.
Russia's goalie from anihiem brazyentine (sp).. i can't figure out why he didn't play against Canada, except that Russia may think they will meet Canada in the semi's and hope this kid will steal one for team Russia..On the whole team Russia has impressed me becasue they look like they showed up to play and not just showed up
From Slovakia ..gaborik.. knew he ws fast but wow! even though he hasn't scored much he is a threat every shift

not impressed with
chara..I know he's logging much icetime for the slovaks but he's had about three giveaway's that lead directly to goals
the czech's 'nuff said.
chelios i think he's playing on creditials ...that and two bad wheels
tzchachuk bad peatlities it seems like frustration but you gotta play smarter
the swedish goaltending
brett hull's attitude... you Mr hull are a one dimensional palyer who despite scoring abag full of goals are as overrated as they come. you should thank hockey for the lving it has generoulsy provied for you and stop making our wants and desires the focus of every team you play on

Really enjoying this little bit of hockey we get to watch before the lockout
Cheers

 

[Riddarn]

For Team Sweden:

Surprises: Modin and Tomas Holmström. I knew both were good but they have both been outstanding so far.

Dissapointments: The lack of disciplin, the bad defensive play by the entire team and the entire defensive corps except for Matty Norström.

 

[High flyin' Habs*]

Please explain? I thought nobody expected anything from him since he was supposed to be old news by now. Selänne was named the player of the game yesterday from team finland. He fought hard, even dove to block a shot....and went to kick Tärnströms ass when he went too close to Kipper.

Selänne has been pretty good

I ment that he was disappointing all trought the tournament and his offensive play is really bad. But thats not new or anything.

 

[Raipe]

3points in 3 games.I think that is pretty solid saldo

 

[Other Dave]

Afinogenov is truly an example of style over substance. I don't recall a player in recent memory who looks so good, yet accomplishes so little.

I love the way that he'll deke a defenceman out of his socks to get himself to a position where he can neither shoot nor pass.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I love the way that he'll deke a defenceman out of his socks to get himself to a position where he can neither shoot nor pass.

I noticed that. It's like he's always shooting at the side of the net, or right into the goalie's pads.

 

[Pepper]

I ment that he was disappointing all trought the tournament and his offensive play is really bad. But thats not new or anything.

Two words: watch the games. Ok, that's three words but you probably get the drift.

Selänne has been good (not great but definetly good) offensively and played solid defensive game as well.

 

[Adlergirl]

Adlergirl, as we support the same team in the DEL - assuming that Adlergirl means that you go for Mannheim - I'm a little bit confused about your expectations concerning Germany in this World Cup.

Of course I would have loved them to create any upset in the past three games, but it's still obvious, that all the other teams are ranked higher in any perspective.

We saw a decent first period against Finland, a very good second one and one good first in Prague. But hey, did you really think we could expect our team to keep the level against these line-ups? Still years and years of work to come for german hockey, disappointment doesn't help. For now the invitation to the Cup is the real and realistic effort.

And yet there's one game to play on Monday....give this young team in change of tactics and in search for experience the time it needs.

We are happy to see our six guys playing in NA in the team once again, has been a long time and it seems it'll be a very long time until we'll see them again. Didn't you realize, that just the Czechs have 126 NHL-Players?

I just don't understand this attitude......

If there will be any chance to come closer to the big ones, it needs hard work, perspectives or the young ones in the league, support from every side and patience.

Looking forward to Monday....

Sven

But if the team is so much worse than the other team because they have less players in the NHL why are they playing against teams with 1000 NHL players?
If you say that Germany will develop to be a better team than they should play at the World Cup when they are . It's sad to watch the team you like lose all the time and that is why people in Germany lose interest. It's not that i can't stand losing but they will lose every game.
I prefer to watch the DEL then or other games where my team actually has a chance to win. Maybe it's interesting to see your team lose when you are a hockey freak but not if you just like the game. Also it's not fair for Germany with all the NHL rules that the players are not used to

 

[Truckfighter]

Afinogenov is truly an example of style over substance. I don't recall a player in recent memory who looks so good, yet accomplishes so little.

I do agree that his lack of finishing ability is almost as staggering as anything else he does on the ice. He is at least generating chances and putting the defence back on its heels. I am sure Bilyaletdinov wishes he had a whole teamful of players skating with the same kind of purpose.

 

[e-e]

I will just do pluses and minuses thus far.

Finland- team as a whole gets a plus.

Best players- Koivu, Selanne, Lehtinen, Kiprusoff, Lydman, Jokinen

Biggest surprises- Hentunen and Kapanen


Sweden

Best players- Modin, Sundin, Lidstrom, Alfredsson

Biggest surprise- That the Swedish coach insists on playing an overmatched Tellqvist in net even when he gives up softies. Why not make a change?

Disappointments- Naslund and Forsberg


Russia

Best players- Kovalev, Afinogenov, Kovalchuk, Datsyuk, Kasparaitis, Samsonov

Biggest surprises- Kovalenko, Zubrus and the two goalies Brzgalov <sp?> and Sokolov

Disappointments- Gonchar, Yashin and Ovechkin not playing thus far


Canada- team as a whole gets a plus.

Best players- Brodeur, Foote, St. Louis, Richards, Gagne, Regehr, Thornton, Sakic

Biggest surprises- Draper, Doan, Lemieux, Bouwmeester, Smyth

Only disappointments- That Marleau hasn't played and Iginla hasn't scored


USA

Best players- Gomez, Rafalski, Esche, DiPietro, Drury, Konowalchuk, Guerin

Biggest surprises- Blake, Smolinski, Martin, Klee, Halpern

Disappointments- Hull, Weight, Amonte, Chelios and some of the undisciplined penalties our players have taken


Slovakia

Best players- Gaborik, Lasak, Stumpel, Nagy, Demitra, Zednik

Biggest surprise- steady goaltending from Lasak

Disappointments- Hossa, Satan, Chara


Czech Republic

Best players- Vokoun, Zidlicky, Malik, Dvorak, Elias, Vyborny

Biggest surprises- Slegr, Vyborny, Prospal

Disappointments- Jagr, Hejduk, Sykora, Havlat, Kaberle


Germany

Best players- Kolzig, Sturm, Hecht, Goc, Erhoff

No surprises

Disappointment- just that a team that works so hard doesn't get rewarded that much.

well as for slovakia

zednik....i hardly noticed nim out there
chara..... even if he's made mistakes that resulted in goals. his phisical game and even presence on the ice makes me more confortable than if there is other Dman like lintner for example.
stumpel...i'm very surprise with...plays hard...doesn't remind me old stumel....
satan, hossa.....i'd expect much more them....thay have shown nothing so far....
nagy...hasn't played for a while and it's noticeable
visnovky...plays his standard...always liked the guy
cibak...unsharpen sates...but like him...tries hard...
obsut...i'v never seen him playing but he's doing well if you ask me
lintner...never liked him much...too soft, pure defensively
gaborik....fast and permanent threat...gotta love this guy
demitra .... hasn't impressed me much...i heard he's a playmaker?
lasak...the best player as always in last 5 years in slovak jersey


slovaks hava played purely...big disappointment

i have i ticket for tonights game ...i hope they beat russia

6:1 slovakia

 

[Moskau]

In Max's Defense he has yet to be on a true 1 on 1 situation with a goalie at a non impossible angle. His scoring touch is certainly not refined at all however.

If he gets a breakaway, chances are he will score. 1 on 1 with a goalie is how he will score most of his goals. He's not the type of player who will generally score on a wrist shot from the slot like Kovalchuk. Max's slapshot is better than his wrist shot, I'd like to see him take some slappers.

 

[Jazz]

Jay-Bo...

:lol

 

[lux_interior]

Afinogenov is truly an example of style over substance. I don't recall a player in recent memory who looks so good, yet accomplishes so little.

Have you never seen Matt Cullen play?

 

[MN_Gopher]

For diappointments from the US i have to say Aaron Miller. He is a steady d man but he is a step slower than most everyone else. When he has to dive to barley catch a guys foot on odd man rushes. Hard to have him, Chelios and Klee out there.


For surprises i have to go with the Russian and Slovakian fans. I was at both games and the guys i sat next never stopped cheering, standing, and jumping around waving flags. It was obvious there were more NA fans there. But unless the US just scored a goal the Russian and Slovakian fans were louder. I think i was even getting heckled. Made for a great experiance.

 

[Johnny]

:lol

care to elaborate?

 

[Jazz]

care to elaborate?

Simple, the nickname you used for Jay Bouwmeester, "Jay-Bo". I thought it was a funny take on "Jay-Lo"

 

[Johnny]

Simple, the nickname you used for Jay Bouwmeester, "Jay-Bo". I thought it was a funny take on "Jay-Lo"

oh ok.

 

[Anksun]

I've been impressed with Esche a lot.

I cant comment too much about Alfredsson since I only see him play in the Finland game and some here seems to think he have play well so far. But for me, he was definitely trying too much agaisnt Finland. Especially in the 3rd when trailing by a goal, we have seen Alfredsson trying to deck all Finlands players instead of looking for a pass. Sweden have lost several occassions on offense simply because this guy was loosing the puck trying to scores all by himself. Perhaps it was because he really was trying more than others but...

 

[Dolemite]

In the European Bracket.

+Finland, The Swede's first line (Modin, Alfredsson, and Sundin,) Olhund, Marco Sturm (Playing Great on a cruddy German team), The Swedish Power Play Units

-Czechs, The Swedish Goaltenders, the decision to sit Milan Hejduk during this tournament


In the North-American Bracket:

+Esche, Russia, Iggy, Brodeur..ok Canada as a Whole, Guerin, Tkachuk, Gonchar.

-Hull, Gaborik, Chara, Leetch, Modano, Chelios



I don't think you can 100% fault the Czechs for their performance. I mean their original coach just died before the tournament.

What I don't understand is why Hardy Nilsson didn't play Henrik Lundqvist at all in this tournament? Not only that but why isn't Johan Hedberg on the roster? He may not be a Brodeur but he's a much better choice than the other two goalies Sweden currently has dressed for this tournament.

For those of you who watched any of Sweden's games, the whole team played amazing when they had the confidence in their goalies. Once Salo and Tellqvist floundered their game was effected.

 

[Kovy274Hart]

well as for slovakia

zednik....i hardly noticed nim out there
chara..... even if he's made mistakes that resulted in goals. his phisical game and even presence on the ice makes me more confortable than if there is other Dman like lintner for example.
stumpel...i'm very surprise with...plays hard...doesn't remind me old stumel....
satan, hossa.....i'd expect much more them....thay have shown nothing so far....
nagy...hasn't played for a while and it's noticeable
visnovky...plays his standard...always liked the guy
cibak...unsharpen sates...but like him...tries hard...
obsut...i'v never seen him playing but he's doing well if you ask me
lintner...never liked him much...too soft, pure defensively
gaborik....fast and permanent threat...gotta love this guy
demitra .... hasn't impressed me much...i heard he's a playmaker?
lasak...the best player as always in last 5 years in slovak jersey


slovaks hava played purely...big disappointment

i have i ticket for tonights game ...i hope they beat russia

6:1 slovakia

I wish they had given you a better effort so you would have had more to cheer about. Maybe they'll play better in the elimination round. They really need to change the format for this tournament. You know when these countries are playing in the quarters, they are going to give it their all. I can't say that's been the case in these preliminary games with every country.

 

[broman]

Suprise.
Jukka Hentunen, the guy is playing very well.

He took a moronic goalie interference penalty though vs Sweden towards the end of the 1st when under no pressure at all. It eventually let the Swedes back in the game.

 

[Russian_fanatic]

Surprise: Esche

 

[broman]

Selanne is still dividing opinions, it seems. Sure he's not the Finnish Flash any more but honestly there isn't room for anything like that in this tournament, or in today's NHL for that matter. It's about playing for the team, in both ends of the rink.

In the key game vs Sweden, Selanne was there when it mattered. Whether it's crashing Tellqvist's office and making room for Saku's stickwork, or standing up for Kipper, or diving in front of the slapshot. Not to mention creating the 3rd goal with a laser pass immediately as Sweden were getting back into the game after scoring their first on PP. Playing GER he fired in the decisive PP goal just like old times, leaving Kolzig completely helpless. If you're like me, you'll appreciate that simply for all those PP opportunities Team Finland has blown in the past. What more do you ask?

In my eyes he's evolved into a nicely rounded team player, almost like a two-way forward even though he's never going to become another Jere for sure. If he wasn't there, we would have a huge hole to fill in the roster. It wouldn't be impossible, we would find ways around it, but as a whole the team would suffer.

 

[Russian_fanatic]

In Max's Defense he has yet to be on a true 1 on 1 situation with a goalie at a non impossible angle. His scoring touch is certainly not refined at all however.

If he gets a breakaway, chances are he will score. 1 on 1 with a goalie is how he will score most of his goals. He's not the type of player who will generally score on a wrist shot from the slot like Kovalchuk. Max's slapshot is better than his wrist shot, I'd like to see him take some slappers.

Now if he can put it all together.

 

[Fish on The Sand]

I don't get this. Saying that the World Cup is not as prestigious as the Olympics, that I agree, but it's surely a much better tournament than the World Championship, yet the Czechs and Jagr played their hearts out in that tournament. Sure they were the host but still, the World Championship is a 3rd rate tournament. I was sure happy that the Czechs got a big fat 0 and am hoping they'll get the same for the World Cup.

he was actually talking about the world championships, but most people here werent able to tell the difference.