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Kings @ World Championships in Czech Rep (?)

Well, it's a kind of deja-vu for Gáborík & Kopitar because Slovakia and Slovenia are now exactly where the Kings were with 2-3 games left in the season: they either need to win most/all of these remaining games (a tall order, given the opponents), or rely on other teams' help. The Kings were unable to do it, and it looks like Slovakia and Slovenia won't be able to do it, either.

A glimmer of hope, perhaps, is that the US team seems to be faltering lately. A 2-5 loss against Belarus, and a meagre 1-0 win against Denmark. The last 2 games for the US are against Slovenia and Slovakia, and both those teams desperately need points from these games. Should be interesting to see how the young US team handles that.
 
I'm pulling for Slovenia, don't get me wrong, but I'm not seeing a whole lot out there versus the competition and they need some wins to take in it don't they?
 
Martin Jones to start in goal for Canada against France, game beginning in about 40 minutes from now. Crosby moved to 1st line to center Hall and Eberle. Schenn to play his 1st game instead of Eakin, Toffoli holding on to his spot on the 4th line.
 
Jones allowed 3 goals on 21 shots in the 4-3 defeat of France, but I thought he played OK. Muzzin and Toffoli were less prominent this time around.

Oscar Moller is team Sweden's leading scorer after 5 games, with 7 points (4 goals).

Slovakia lost another game, 0-3 to Finland, and this time I agree with Slovakia fans who voted Gáborík one of the 3 worst players on team Slovakia. He really was awful, including committing an offensive hooking penalty. But Tatar has been similarly struggling. Looks like Slovakia's NHL snipers just can't translate their skills onto the big-ice surface. 2 games against Russia and the US left, but Slovakia's play-off chances are close to zero now, and depend on help from other teams.
 
Wikipedia implies the Kings still hold Moller's NHL rights.

Filip Forsberg has just scored the overtime winner against Switzerland and he's now the scoring leader on team Sweden. (6 goals in 6 games, 7 points.)

Denmark defeated Norway, which means Slovenia must at least tie the US in regulation tomorrow, otherwise Slovenia is eliminated from the top Worlds division. Slovenia is the only team at the Worlds so far without a single point, after 5 games.

(The Danish win provided big help for keeping Slovakia's slim play-off chances alive. Getting points against Russia and/or the US is going to be tough, though. Gáborík is due to get new linemate on the 1st line for the sixth straight game.:amazed: Irate Slovak fans are ranting that if Gáborík has no superior center like Demitra or Kopitar beside him, he's useless. For the record, I don't think that's true, but this year's Worlds certainly help create that impression.)
 
Faterson said:
Well, it's a kind of deja-vu for Gáborík & Kopitar because Slovakia and Slovenia are now exactly where the Kings were with 2-3 games left in the season: they either need to win most/all of these remaining games (a tall order, given the opponents), or rely on other teams' help. The Kings were unable to do it, and it looks like Slovakia and Slovenia won't be able to do it, either.

A glimmer of hope, perhaps, is that the US team seems to be faltering lately. A 2-5 loss against Belarus, and a meagre 1-0 win against Denmark. The last 2 games for the US are against Slovenia and Slovakia, and both those teams desperately need points from these games. Should be interesting to see how the young US team handles that.
Click to expand...

And just when you thought this season couldn't remind you of itself any more times...

As a U.S. fan, I'm not really that surprised by our lackluster play as of late, because the quarterfinals, save for 2013, are our annual stalling point. What I am iffy about is the fact that we have Jack Eichel on the roster...could he be the player that helps us push a little farther this time around?
 
I dare say that mainly depends on whether the US can hold on to that no. 1 spot in Group "B". They hold all the tiebreakers against Russia and Finland. Switzerland in the quarterfinals is certainly a more manageable opponent than the Czechs as the home team and a roaring/hopping crowd of 17+ thousand behind them. (Let alone Sweden or Canada.)

The trouble is, the US's final two opponents, Slovenia and Slovakia, will likely be fighting for their lives – Slovenia for their survival in the top Worlds division, and Slovakia for snatching that final play-off spot from Belarus. Due to those desperate circumstances, it wouldn't surprise me to see the US drop a point or two in those games, which might cause them to lose the no. 1 play-off seed.

(PS: There's a scenario in which the final game between the US and Slovakia would be meaningless for Slovakia due to Belarus clinching the final play-off spot earlier that afternoon. That would help the US to an easy victory over demotivated Slovaks, I'm sure.)
 
For anyone who hasn't seen this yet, from today's game between Canada nd France, it's worth viewing.

Matt Duchene gets a penalty on one of the worst dives I've ever seen. He barely taps the French players wrist and guy reacts like he' been shot.
Duchene had every right to incredulous...too funny

http://streamable.com/ibmi
 
Faterson said:
I dare say that mainly depends on whether the US can hold on to that no. 1 spot in Group "B". They hold all the tiebreakers against Russia and Finland. Switzerland in the quarterfinals is certainly a more manageable opponent than the Czechs as the home team and a roaring/hopping crowd of 17+ thousand behind them. (Let alone Sweden or Canada.)

The trouble is, the US's final two opponents, Slovenia and Slovakia, will likely be fighting for their lives – Slovenia for their survival in the top Worlds division, and Slovakia for snatching that final play-off spot from Belarus. Due to those desperate circumstances, it wouldn't surprise me to see the US drop a point or two in those games, which might cause them to lose the no. 1 play-off seed.

(PS: There's a scenario in which the final game between the US and Slovakia would be meaningless for Slovakia due to Belarus clinching the final play-off spot earlier that afternoon. That would help the US to an easy victory over demotivated Slovaks, I'm sure.)
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Yeah. I guess when you look at it that way, it seems like the US could reach the semis. My only gripe is that our 5-2 loss to Belarus is the reason we have a chance to either help or screw over Slovakia and Slovenia. Beat Belarus and it would be those guys having this conversation.
 
deeshamrock said:
Matt Duchene gets a penalty on one of the worst dives I've ever seen. He barely taps the French players wrist and guy reacts like he' been shot.
Duchene had every right to incredulous...too funny

http://streamable.com/ibmi
Click to expand...
Backstory: The two had been scuffling prior to and during the face-off preceding that scene (the referee had to calm down Duchene repeatedly), so the French guy decided to get a penalty for Duchene. ;) He had correctly calculated that the referee had had just about enough of Duchene at that point, and that only a slight additional nudge was needed to send Duchene to the penalty box.

ZoneEntry67 said:
My only gripe is that our 5-2 loss to Belarus is the reason we have a chance to either help or screw over Slovakia and Slovenia.
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The Belarus defeat of the US was a major shock to Slovakia fans, and is likely to cost Slovakia the play-offs eventually. Slovakia owns the head-to-head tiebreaker, but just like the Kings this season, it's the point losses against non-playoff teams (Norway, Denmark) that are the real reason for very likely missing the play-offs.
 
Unfortunately, Slovenia lost 1-3 to the US and is eliminated from the top Worlds division. Next year, they will need to compete in a 6-team lower tier against the likes of Poland, Italy and Korea. Fortunately, the chances of climbing back to the top tier are pretty high – the best 2 teams advance. No help from Kopitar next year, though, because the lower tier plays their games even sooner than the top-tier Worlds division.

Trevor Lewis assisted on all 3 US goals. He now has 7 points (2 goals) in 6 games and is +6. Kopitar has 3 points (1 goal) in 6 games and is -3. One more meaningless game against Denmark left to play for Slovenia.

All set for the Gáborík vs. Malkin, Kovalchuk & Bobrovsky showdown, beginning in a few minutes. :yo: Gáborík has new linemates for the sixth straight game, of course. :shakehead
 
Man. Sucks for Kopitar, but USA!

EDIT: I'm pretty much going to be using this avatar for the time being because...USA.

29zsy9j.jpg
 
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Faterson said:
Unfortunately, Slovenia lost 1-3 to the US and is eliminated from the top Worlds division. Next year, they will need to compete in a 6-team lower tier against the likes of Poland, Italy and Korea. Fortunately, the chances of climbing back to the top tier are pretty high – the best 2 teams advance. No help from Kopitar next year, though, because the lower tier plays their games even sooner than the top-tier Worlds division.

Trevor Lewis assisted on all 3 US goals. He now has 7 points (2 goals) in 6 games and is +6. Kopitar has 3 points (1 goal) in 6 games and is -3. One more meaningless game against Denmark left to play for Slovenia.

All set for the Gáborík vs. Malkin, Kovalchuk & Bobrovsky showdown, beginning in a few minutes. :yo: Gáborík has new linemates for the sixth straight game, of course. :shakehead
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Wow, poor Kopi. Not getting a chance to defend the Cup with the Kings, and now his nation is no longer part of the elite division of the WC.

On another note, how about Trevor Lewis?
 
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Most would've told you before hand, but this really seemed like a waste of time to even bother sending a clearly exhausted Kopitar who made no difference in Slovenia's outcome in getting relegated.
 
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