GDT: May 12 • USA vs. Slovakia

[Systemfel]

2015 IIHF World Championship
Group A

May 12
10:15 AM ET • 16:15 CET

USA
Last game's lineup.

Left Wing​

|

Center​

|

Right Wing​

90 Anders Lee​

|

21 Dylan Larkin​

|

33 Charlie Coyle​

| -

19 Jimmy Vesey​

|

36 Mark Arcobello​

|

12 Ben Smith​

| -

29 Brock Nelson​

|

9 Jack Eichel​

|

22 Trevor Lewis

| -

23 Matt Hendricks

|

13 Nick Bonino​

|

26 Jeremy Morin​

| -

-​

|

-​

|

42 Dan Sexton​

| -

Left Defense​

|

Right Defense​

47 Torey Krug​

|

27 Justin Faulk

| -

6 Mike Reilly​

|

3 Seth Jones​

| -

17 John Moore​

|

5 Connor Murphy​

| -

51 Jake Gardiner​

|

-​

| -

Starter​

|

Backup​

37 Connor Hellebuyck​

|

34 Alex Lyon​

| -

Scratched​

|

Details​

F 14 Steve Moses​

|

Injury​

| -

D 24 Zach Redmond​

|

Healthy​

| -

G 1 Jack Campbell​

|

Healthy​

| -

Slovakia
Last game's lineup.

Left Wing​

|

Center​

|

Right Wing​

12 Marián Gáborík​

|

43 Tomáš Surový​

|

79 Libor Hudáček​

| -

90 Tomáš Tatar​

|

25 Marek Viedenský​

|

19 Michel Miklík​

| -

61 Milan Bartovič

|

55 Mário Bližňák​

|

13 Tomáš Jurčo​

| -

28 Richard Pánik​

|

82 Tomáš Kopecký

|

22 Vladimír Dravecký​

| -

97 Patrik LuÅ¡ňák​

|

-​

|

-​

| -

Left Defense​

|

Right Defense​

51 Dominik Graňák

|

14 Andrej MeszároÅ¡​

| -

26 Juraj Mikúš​

|

71 Marek Ďaloga​

| -

8 Michal Sersen​

|

68 Milan Jurčina​

| -

3 Adam Jánošík​

|

-​

| -

Starter​

|

Backup​

88 Július Hudáček​

|

50 Ján Laco​

| -

Scratched​

|

Details​

F 56 Marko Daňo​

|

Out for tournament​

| -

D 7 Ivan Baranka​

|

Healthy​

| -

G 42 Branislav Konrád​

|

Healthy​

| -

Officials​

|

Referee​

|

TBA | -

Referee​

|

TBA | -

Linesman​

|

TBA | -

Linesman​

|

TBA | -

Click to read more...

 

[Faterson]

This is, without a doubt, Slovakia's Game of the Year so far.

Or, it's an utterly meaningless "consolation" game (regardless of what players say).

As to which of the two it is, depends on the following: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?p=102393499#post102393499

Go Norway!

 

[DrunkPerrinFan]

If Slovakia wins this one, Finland-Russia will decide the group winner. Go Slovakia

 

[Faterson]

Must be a regulation win, though. A regulation tie could be enough for the US to finish 1st. (If that other game also goes into overtime.)

I like Slovakia's chances here, particularly if it's still a relevant game by the time the puck drops. From a different thread:

Slovakia are fully capable of defeating the US in regulation, if they play as well as they did against Russia. I think Slovakia currently has a 5-game winning streak against the US at the Worlds, although some of those 5 games (I think) went into overtime, and the US squad, despite being so young, appears to be stronger than in previous years. On paper, though, Slovakia looks like at least an equal opponent.

 

[1Gold Standard]

Moses still out. Damn! That's a shame.

 

[Romang67]

Moses still out. Damn! That's a shame.

Moses with a miraculous recovery!

http://mensworlds.usahockey.com/news_article/show/514096?referrer_id=721907

Hellebuyck in net, Moses returns from leading his people out of the desert.

 

[Faterson]

Looks like it's gonna be a meaningless exhibition game for Slovakia. Belarus leading Norway 2-0 halfway through the game, and they "need" to lose it in regulation.

 

[Faterson]

I meant 3-0. Jeez..................

 

[Mestaruus]

Looks like BLR is taking out Norway now and this game is meaningless for SVK. Maybe Slovakia still has some motivation to win this game for the home crowd I hope, so Russia vs Finland game would have a meaning.

 

[Faterson]

The players and coaches will say that, of course, but you can't really compare it with a situation when they'd still be fighting for a play-off spot.

 

[Urbanskog]

Looks like BLR is taking out Norway now and this game is meaningless for SVK. Maybe Slovakia still has some motivation to win this game for the home crowd I hope, so Russia vs Finland game would have a meaning.

It's pretty unfortunate. The meaningfulness of FIN - RUS depends on USA - SVK which depends on NOR - BLR... the matches should have been the other way around.

 

[Cirris]

So be virtue of scheduling, Slovakia could be already toast if Belarus takes a point against Norway.

Norway needs two more. in the last 10 minutes here.

 

[Jakk123]

Okay, we are done. Please let's just avoid a blowout in the last game.

 

[tobu]

So, the WCs are over for us, time for a new coach and hopefully some a better tournament next year.

 

[Jakk123]

So, the WCs are over for us, time for a new coach and hopefully some a better tournament next year.

I don't even care about next year that much, just get rid of Nemecek and his clan.

 

[slovakiasnextone]

I suppose this one kinda fits now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msxtwRJpZiU

 

[begbeee]

I don't even care about next year that much, just get rid of *Nemecek and his clan.

surprise surprise
*Široký and his clan

 

[Jakk123]

surprise surprise
*Široký and his clan

Yeah, that is indeed a better expression.

 

[Khokhlach86]

Znarok: "Vujtek promised to me that they beat USA"

We hope...

 

[slovakiasnextone]

surprise surprise
*Široký and his clan

Yeah, that is indeed a better expression.

True:

Marketingová komisia SZĽH/Marketing commission of Slovak federation
Mgr. Juraj Široký, MBA, chairman
Otto Sýkora, člen
Soňa Minarovičová, členka

http://www.hockeyslovakia.sk/sk/clanok/odborne-komisie

Btw I am really intrigued as to what Robert Svehla's opinion regarding the elections is. He has worked as the chairman of the youth commission under the incumbent leadership, however remembering his opinions even before that and him being from Trencin chances are that he might support the other side, perhaps?

 

[Faterson]

Please let's just avoid a blowout in the last game.

Actually, I wouldn't mind. It might help get a new leadership of Slovakia Hockey elected next month if this last game against the US is a blowout, in addition to the tourney as a whole being yet another failure for Slovakia.

 

[slovakiasnextone]

Actually, I wouldn't mind. It might help get a new leadership of Slovakia Hockey elected next month if this last game against the US is a blowout, in addition to the tourney as a whole being yet another failure for Slovakia.

Sorry, but that's some naïve thinking that a blowout and not making the QFs at the Worlds will make the people from the federation or the clubs vote for Lintner's group.

I don't think there's much hope that people from the federation will vote for them whatever happens. As for the clubs, that's not the reason they will vote for them either.

I sincerely hope that instead of going the traditional Slovak way of pointing a finger at someone to blame (just look at the Slovak political parties never ending story of always blaming each other), they will go the way of showing the clubs what they can do for them and what they can change and improve for these very clubs. How well Slovakia fares at the Worlds is important, but it is the most important thing to the two week hockey fans who barely have an idea that hockey exists outside the frame of the Worlds. There are much more important issues that Lintner and co. can focus their attention on and so far it seems that they have done so.

 

[Dirty but Good]

USA hasn't won a group at the IIHF (only counting groups E & F before reformatting) since 2000.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Slovakia has been a difficult opponent for USA in recent years (IIRC, not counting olympics because this USA team is nowhere near that level).

Great "home" crowd + played well in the last game against Russia but couldn't get the job done in the end & pissed off about that + no pressure since they're out with the Belarus victory + USA started the tournament well but haven't been good lately...

Slovakia can definitely win this in regulation.

 

[slovakiasnextone]

Slovakia has been a difficult opponent for USA in recent years (IIRC, not counting olympics because this USA team is nowhere near that level).

Great "home" crowd + played well in the last game against Russia but couldn't get the job done in the end & pissed off about that + no pressure since they're out with the Belarus victory + USA started the tournament well but haven't been good lately...

Slovakia can definitely win this in regulation.

Except more often than not our players actually need pressure to play well.