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GDT: Group A - May 8 - Belarus (0) vs Canada (6)

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Pan said:
Not sure it's possible to develop in such games. The Olympic tournaments and World Championships are not to operate development but to see its results.
Nobody enjoys games like this - neither players of both teams nor their fans.
I think 10 teams, like U-18 and U-20 championships, would be perfect.
The only problem is a lack of public and media interest when playing in D1. Which not good for the whole national hockey programm.
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It's a tough balance for organizers: more teams to grow the game's appeal (and more games = more revenue) vs less teams and higher quality of play.

As a Canadian fan, I'd agree that 10 teams (maybe 12) would be ideal, but the WHC can't restrict itself like that.

Plus there are already a lot of close games or upsets by weaker squads vs the top-six/seven.

Finland 3-2 Belarus, Germany 2-1 USA, Latvia 3-1 Slovakia, France 5-1 Finland.

But yeah, it is annoying sitting through a lot of 6-0, 10-1 games, or Belarus vs Slovenia, Italy vs Latvia.
 
Belizarius said:
Belarus was bad last year. Worst this year.
All 3 games, they didn't show any emotion. They don"t care, no stamina, nothing. Worst team of the group by far.
Hope they relegate. They don't deserve to be there with this attitude.
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Oh, what a rush to judgement.
 
tade said:
They played Finland, Czech Republic nad Canada. I think the tournamnet is just starting for them, next game against Switzerland...
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I guess you're right, though I found their lack of dedication worisome. Not a lot of creativity, skating, energy. They looked gassed after only 1 period yesterday.
 
Pan said:
Oh, what a rush to judgement.
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Perhaps they will surprise me on the next 4 games. I hope for them.
But still... It's my 7th WC live. I saw them in Minsk in 2014, they were terrific. Since, not so much. Last season in St. Petersburg, they lost vs Hungary, and that was well deserved. They were in danger of relegating but managed to really play only 1 game, vs France, who wasn't concerned by anything.

Vs Finland, this year, not a great game, and Finland was really bad.
Vs Czech, awful : only 8 shots on goal.
vs Canada, not a lot more shots.

I agree, if their goal is just to stay up there, the next games are more important. Still, you want to go there with some confidence and good energy, some chemistry... and there was nothing there. I'm worried for them.
 
16 teams is just right imho. I would switch back to 4 groups though. Current setup brings just more meaningless games.
 
Belizarius said:
I saw them in Minsk in 2014, they were terrific. Since, not so much.
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You're not right. 2015, 5-2 win over USA, shotout lose to Finland, 5-1 win over Denmark. That was quite good year.
Belizarius said:
Last season in St. Petersburg, they lost vs Hungary, and that was well deserved. They were in danger of relegating but managed to really play only 1 game, vs France, who wasn't concerned by anything.
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2 games. Add 4-2 win over Slovakia. But yes, the rest was terrible.
Now the new team is getting built, there are young players in our roster. And it's not easy to have fire in eyes when it is 5-0 or 6-0. They are not undercharged, I'd even say they are charged too much. The NT was overcriticized by belarusian fans and media last years so every step is like the last one for them.
And sure, all of that doesn't change the fact that they have too poor skills to play against teams like Canada or Russia.
 
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Orange Dragon said:
16 teams is just right imho. I would switch back to 4 groups though. Current setup brings just more meaningless games.
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Switching to 4 groups would increase the amount of meaningless games. The weaker teams would then mainly play the teams that consistently blow them out instead of more games against other teams on their level.
 
Moncherry said:
Switching to 4 groups would increase the amount of meaningless games. The weaker teams would then mainly play the teams that consistently blow them out instead of more games against other teams on their level.
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Actually exact opposite is true. In previous format weaker teams would play three games against stronger teams and then against three other teams of same level in the relegation round. They would play 6 games and at max 2 against top 6 teams. Better teams would be spared of 1 game against bottom feeders.
 
Plastic Joseph said:
Primary one to MacKinnon on the pp. Both of MacKinnon's pp goals have been identical.
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Marner had two assists, but yeah, one primary one I think. The two absolutely identical pp goals are one from playing Slovenia, second from playing Belarus. Absolutely the same play lol, even the Marner's assist was absolutely in the same way. Tsn.ca has that video I think.
 
I've been lucky enough to have attended all 3 Canada games since Friday night ! The last 2 games Mackinnon has been an absolute monster ! Seriously, I hope Bednar is watching ! Stick him on the LW for good, let him use his speed and strength along the boards and on the wing and stick him at the top of the face-off circle come PP time so that he's ready to use his lethal shot.

I laughed hard yesterday when the exact same shot he had taken against Slovenia went in against Belarus ! I couldn't believe it quite honestly. At the end of the game teammates were constantly feeding him passes so he could try to pick up his 2nd hatty but he ended up assisting Skinner on a goal beautifully !!

The best part in all of this is that I've been sporting my "Away White Mackinnon" jersey since the start of the tournament.
 
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