GDT: May 12 • Latvia vs. France

[Systemfel]

2015 IIHF World Championship
Group A

May 12
10:15 AM ET • 16:15 CET

Latvia
Last game's lineup.

Left Wing​

|

Center​

|

Right Wing​

70 Miks IndraÅ¡is​

|

5 Jānis Sprukts

|

24 Miķelis Rēdlihs​

| -

10 Lauris DārziņÅ¡

|

25 Andris DžeriņÅ¡​

|

16 Kaspars DaugaviņÅ¡

| -

71 Roberts Bukarts​

|

18 Rodrigo Ābols​

|

47 MārtiņÅ¡ Cipulis​

| -

17 Kaspars Saulietis​

|

21 Armands BērziņÅ¡​

|

73 Gunārs Skvorcovs​

| -

-​

|

-​

|

59 Lauris Bajarūns​

| -

Left Defense​

|

Right Defense​

23 Aleksandrs Jerofejevs​

|

9 KriÅ¡jānis Rēdlihs​

| -

13 Guntis GalviņÅ¡​

|

11 Kristaps Sotnieks​

| -

44 Oskars Cibuļskis​

|

3 Maksims Å irokovs​

| -

22 Māris Jass​

|

-​

| -

Starter​

|

Backup​

31 Edgars Masaļskis​

|

33 Ervīns MuÅ¡tukovs​

| -

Scratched​

|

Details​

F 90 Koba Jass​

|

Healthy​

| -

D 4 Jānis Andersons​

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Healthy​

| -

G 1 Jānis KalniņÅ¡​

|

Healthy​

| -

France
Last game's lineup.

Left Wing​

|

Center​

|

Right Wing​

21 Antoine Roussel​

|

80 Teddy Da Costa​

|

9 Damien Fleury​

| -

24 Julien Desrosiers​

|

10 Laurent Meunier

|

7 Yorick Treille

| -

77 Sacha Treille​

|

28 Damien Raux​

|

82 Charles Bertrand​

| -

71 Anthony Guttig​

|

12 Valentin Claireaux​

|

81 Anthony Rech​

| -

Left Defense​

|

Right Defense​

18 Yohann Auvitu​

|

4 Antonin Manavian​

| -

74 Nicolas Besch​

|

84 Kevin Hecquefeuille

| -

26 Benjamin Dieudé-Fauvel​

|

55 Jonathan Janil​

| -

62 Florian Chakiachvili​

|

47 Teddy Trabichet​

| -

Starter​

|

Backup​

39 Cristobal Huet​

|

49 Florian Hardy​

| -

Scratched​

|

Details​

F 14 Stéphane Da Costa​

|

Injury​

| -

F 27 Loïc Lampérier​

|

Healthy​

| -

G 33 Ronan Quemener​

|

Healthy​

| -

Officials​

|

Referee​

|

TBA | -

Referee​

|

TBA | -

Linesman​

|

TBA | -

Linesman​

|

TBA | -

Click to read more...

 

[Faterson]

A risqué setup in this game:

What a horrible situation for Austria... Assuming Canadian win, if France defeats Latvia in overtime, both France and Latvia get rescued, while Austria is relegated. I think Germany and Austria did this to Tunisia at the 1982 football World Cup in Spain, and I hope this is not going to happen today (not even accidentally). Austria were less than 3 minutes away from being rescued in the top division, until Germany tied it late in yesterday's game. Austria seems to have lots of Pech (bad luck) this year!

If Austria can get at least a regulation tie in this game, they're safe. Canadians have already clinched 1st place, so they could take it easy here, resting for the play-offs.

France could also be tired from last night's great but ultimately unsuccessful effort against Sweden. Latvia is likely the favourite here.

 

[OscarsCards]

Well, Latvians have never lost to French in World Championships (till today!) but players themselves need to prove, that they are elite hockey worthy.
Let the best team wins.

 

[Faterson]

France seems to be unusually strong the last couple of years, so historical statistics likely no longer matter. Hell, last year it was France (rather than Belarus) who deprived Slovakia of a play-off spot. Slovakia had led 3-1 in the game, but France won it 5-3.

I'll hate to see any of these 3 teams (France, Latvia, Austria) go down to the "B" division. Each of them has shown some strong play this year. (And this year's biggest blowouts were suffered by none of the relegated teams, but by Germany, 0-10, already safe from relegation, and Belarus, 0-7, likely a play-off team!) Fortunately, it's relatively easy to climb back to the top division next year (it's enough to finish in the top 2 in a mini-tourney of 6 teams).

 

[Namejs]

Latvia has been a part of the Elite tier for 19 years in a row (only 7 other teams have been here longer) and that streak is on the line today. It's not unexpected by any means, as we've sent a borderline B team and arguably one of the worst line-ups in 2 decades, but still - it would be quite sad to see that streak end today.

In any case, I'm hoping that there will be a shakedown in the coaching staff after the tournament (a new GM would be great news as well), and that some players currently on vacation will change their attitude towards the WC in the years to come, because it's obvious now that we don't have the depth to just cruise through the tournament and hope to make the play-offs with most of our key players missing.

I mean, seriously, taking a detour and playing against teams like Japan or Korea would almost be more interesting than playing for the 12th or 13th spot again next year. On the other hand, if we could have our Olympic lineup in the World Champs every year instead of this ragtag team, I'm sure we wouldn't have went 6 years without making the play-offs in the first place. It's quite possible we would be thinking about how likely it is to make a quarter-final upset against the US or something, instead of legitimately considering playing ****ing Poland next year.

 

[Faterson]

I thought Latvians were patriotic about playing for the national team, didn't know you had rejections this year.

 

[Bookker]

What a horrible situation for Austria... Assuming Canadian win, if France defeats Latvia in overtime, both France and Latvia get rescued, while Austria is relegated. I think Germany and Austria did this to Tunisia at the 1982 football World Cup in Spain, and I hope this is not going to happen today (not even accidentally). Austria were less than 3 minutes away from being rescued in the top division, until Germany tied it late in yesterday's game. Austria seems to have lots of Pech (bad luck) this year!

It was Algeria, not Tunisia
The most scandalous game in the whole history of the World Cup.

Be sure it won't happen this afternoon!
Btw Stéphane Da Costa should play the game. Let's hope he leads France to the victory

 

[Like Wall]

I thought Latvians were patriotic about playing for the national team, didn't know you had rejections this year.

Hasn't be a prestigious thing to do for some time now.

 

[Urbanskog]

Hasn't be a prestigious thing to do for some time now.

Frankly, Latvia rightfully deserves to be relegated then.

 

[Like Wall]

Quite frankly, Latvia rightfully deserves to be relegated then.

It's much more complicated than that. Latvian hockey federation is a mess!

 

[Mestaruus]

I'm hoping both Latvia and France stay and Austria goes to B. I believe that requires France's OT/SO win.

 

[Bookker]

I'm hoping both Latvia and France stay and Austria goes to B. I believe that requires France's OT/SO win.

Same here.

 

[kabidjan18]

It's much more complicated than that. Latvian hockey federation is a mess!

Austria's is too. The president is like 75 and like filled main coaching positions with...his son...who is honestly not the best candidate. The GM is an old Finnish guy who I don't want to get started on. Part of me wants them to get relegated to cause a shakeup but part of me doesn't because I doubt the expectations are high enough.

Bring back Ted Nolan?

 

[Urbanskog]

Part of me wants them to get relegated to cause a shakeup but part of me doesn't because I doubt the expectations are high enough.

Considering they've been an elevator team for the last decade, I doubt that's going to happen.

 

[Namejs]

Frankly, Latvia rightfully deserves to be relegated then.

Why?

 

[aphyro]

Gogo latvia

 

[Faterson]

Why?

If they don't care about the tourney enough to play in it.... then certainly it would seem like France and Austria deserve to stay in the top division more.

 

[Urbanskog]

Why?

They seem to care less. France didn't have a single refusal.

 

[aphyro]

They seem to care less. France didn't have a single refusal.

With that logic... Sweden don't deserve to be in the highest division either

 

[Urbanskog]

With that logic... Sweden don't deserve to be in the highest division either

Sweden is team of a way different caliber. I just find it rather silly that some Dinamo Riga "star players" think they're too cool for the tournament.

 

[Namejs]

They seem to care less. France didn't have a single refusal.

By that logic, there's about 12 or 13 teams that deserve to get relegated more than we do, including Finland.

 

[Namejs]

Sweden is team of a way different caliber. I just find it rather silly that some Dinamo Riga "star players" think they're too cool for the tournament.

What does this have to do with Riga Dinamo? Are you lost on your way to the KHL boards?

 

[Urbanskog]

By that logic, there's about 12 or 13 teams that deserve to get relegated more than we do, including Finland.

Whatcha gonna do? Those teams got more points, including Finland.

 

[Namejs]

If they don't care about the tourney enough to play in it.... then certainly it would seem like France and Austria deserve to stay in the top division more.

Austria is missing a fair share of players as well. Ever heard of Vanek or Grabner?

 

[Namejs]

Whatcha gonna do? Those teams got more points, including Finland.

So if everyone deserves to get relegated, doesn't it make it a moot point?