GDT: May 2 • Latvia vs. Czech Republic

[Systemfel]

2015 IIHF World Championship
Group A

May 2
2:15 PM ET • 20:15 CET

Latvia
Projected lineup.

Left Wing​

|

Center​

|

Right Wing​

71 Roberts Bukarts​

|

5 Jānis Sprukts

|

24 Miķelis Rēdlihs​

| -

10 Lauris Dārziņš

|

25 Andris Džeriņš​

|

16 Kaspars Daugaviņš

| -

17 Kaspars Saulietis​

|

21 Armands Bērziņš​

|

47 Mārtiņš Cipulis​

| -

90 Koba Jass​

|

18 Rodrigo Ābols​

|

73 Gunārs Skvorcovs​

| -

-​

|

-​

|

59 Lauris Bajarūns​

| -

Left Defense​

|

Right Defense​

23 Aleksandrs Jerofejevs​

|

9 Krišjānis Rēdlihs​

| -

13 Guntis Galviņš​

|

11 Kristaps Sotnieks​

| -

44 Oskars Cibuļskis​

|

3 Maksims Širokovs​

| -

22 Māris Jass​

|

-​

| -

Starter​

|

Backup​

31 Edgars Masaļskis​

|

33 Ervīns Muštukovs​

| -

Scratched​

|

Details​

D 4 Jānis Andersons​

|

Healthy​

| -

Czech Republic
Projected lineup.

Left Wing​

|

Center​

|

Right Wing​

91 Martin Erat​

|

17 Vladimír Sobotka​

|

93 Jakub Voráček

| -

20 Jakub Klepiš​

|

43 Jan Kovář​

|

68 Jaromír Jágr

| -

70 Radek Smoleňák​

|

12 Jiří Novotný​

|

10 Roman Červenka​

| -

94 Dominik Simon​

|

42 Petr Koukal​

|

24 Martin Zaťovič​

| -

-​

|

48 Tomáš Hertl​

|

-​

| -

Left Defense​

|

Right Defense​

8 Jan Hejda

|

23 Ondřej Němec​

| -

29 Jan Kolář​

|

87 Jakub Nakládal​

| -

36 Petr Čáslava​

|

47 Michal Jordán​

| -

30 Jakub Krejčík​

|

​

| -

Starter​

|

Backup​

53 Alexander Salák​

|

31 Ondřej Pavelec​

| -

Scratched​

|

Details​

G 1 Jakub Kovář​

|

Healthy​

| -

Officials​

|

Referee​

|

Konstantin Olenin | -

Referee​

|

Daniel Stricker | -

Linesman​

|

Jon Kilian | -

Linesman​

|

Masi Puolakka | -

Click to read more...

 

[that is unfortunate]

Salak confirmed as starter, I'm done with this team.

 

[Exarz]

Wrong flag eh

 

[Namejs]

Very low expectations again. I hope we can score a goal or two and keep the score respectable. No injuries, please.

 

[Hemsky001]

Salak confirmed as starter, I'm done with this team.

Well, I hope he can handle the Latvians. Wanna see Pavelec in more important games tho. That's for sure.

 

[Like Wall]

Muštukovs again as starting GK? Didn't they learn anything from yesterday?

 

[ellja3]

Muštukovs again as starting GK? Didn't they learn anything from yesterday?

No, Masaļskis as the starting goalie

Source

I have a weirdly good feeling about this game. 5:3 Latvia.

 

[Babula]

No, Masaļskis as the starting goalie

Source

I have a weirdly good feeling about this game. 5:3 Latvia.

Anyway, I can't wait. We'll see...

 

[ellja3]

Anyway, I can't wait. We'll see...

With Masaļskis in net you never know. Also, I believe there is no freaking way our defense could have worse game than yesterday; in terms of giveaways and non-existing transition execution. Expecting an improvement today.

Either way, yeah, let's just wait and see

 

[Babula]

With Masaļskis in net you never know. Also, I believe there is no freaking way our defense could have worse game than yesterday; in terms of giveaways and non-existing transition execution. Expecting an improvement today.

Either way, yeah, let's just wait and see

Can't wait for the crowd as well. Best two groups of fans in Prague. That's for sure... This game is going to be a huge mind blower.

 

[m4tt145]

I think the Czechs will win big, 5-1 or 6-2 something like that.

 

[Namejs]

With Masaļskis in net you never know. Also, I believe there is no freaking way our defense could have worse game than yesterday; in terms of giveaways and non-existing transition execution. Expecting an improvement today.

Either way, yeah, let's just wait and see

So instead of assuming that our defense will be just as bad as they were in all the exhibition games and in the game against Canada, you're just going to believe in a divine intervention and a sudden improvement? OK.

I think we're going to get routed by the Czech top lines. If the Czech coach has any clue, he will do some line-matching and our 3rd/4th line will get suffocated in their own zone again.

Also, if you'd compare Masalskis SVS% with Salak's SVS% in the KHL, I think you'd lose your optimism about our goaltending pretty fast.

Latvia 1:5 Czech Rep.

 

[ellja3]

So instead of assuming that our defense will be just as bad as they were in all the exhibition games and in the game against Canada, you're just going to believe in a divine intervention and a sudden improvement? OK.

I think we're going to get routed by the Czech top lines. If the Czech coach has any clue, he will do some line-matching and our 3rd/4th line will get suffocated in their own zone again.

Also, if you'd compare Masalskis SVS% with Salak's SVS% in the KHL, I think you'd lose your optimism about our goaltending pretty fast.

Latvia 1:5 Czech Rep.

If you ask whether I think the performance of our defense vs CAN is not a benchmark to use when looking into future - yes. It's not a divine intervention of any kind to assume this defensive core can do a lot better after what we've seen. When the likes of Jerofejevs, Å irokovs are most reasonably looking defenders in our team, you know there is space for improvement.

Interestingly enough, LV and CZE, in terms of average age, are two oldest teams in tournament; it's not a secret that CZE core is not quite youngsters thus how both teams will recover will also be a factor (yes, I am looking at you, CZE, after that wild game vs SWE).

 

[Swipes]

Disappointed not to see Pavelec starting.

 

[Namejs]

If you ask whether I think the performance of our defense vs CAN is not a benchmark to use when looking into future - yes. It's not a divine intervention of any kind to assume this defensive core can do a lot better after what we've seen. When the likes of Jerofejevs, Å irokovs are most reasonably looking defenders in our team, you know there is space for improvement.

Interestingly enough, LV and CZE, in terms of average age, are two oldest teams in tournament; it's not a secret that CZE core is not quite youngsters thus how both teams will recover will also be a factor (yes, I am looking at you, CZE, after that wild game vs SWE).

We're missing most of our leading defensemen. That's the main reason why our D looks somewhat disorganized. I don't think anyone underperformed. There were a couple of untypical mistakes by Sotnieks and Galvins in our own end, but that's about it.

Not to mention that we collapsed whenever Canada had some extended time in our defensive zone and that's not on the defensemen, that's on the forwards, some of whom are more responsible for the beer league positioning than our Ds.

There were also a lot of giveaways/faulty passes when we were trying to create plays in attack, so it's not necessarily the defensemen that are our weakest link. It's just an overall lack of skill and roster depth combined with the general approach to the game that our head coach has chosen. I mean, we've exchanged a more physical, defensive style of play for a couple of more chances in attack at the expense of that rock-solid defensive coverage, which seems to have disappeared entirely.

 

[ellja3]

We're missing most of our leading defensemen. That's the main reason why our D looks somewhat disorganized. I don't think anyone underperformed. There were a couple of untypical mistakes by Sotnieks and Galvins in our own end, but that's about it.

Not to mention that we collapsed whenever Canada had some extended time in our defensive zone and that's not on the defensemen, that's on the forwards, some of whom are more responsible for the beer league positioning than our Ds.

There were also a lot of giveaways/faulty passes when we were trying to create plays in attack, so it's not necessarily the defensemen that are our weakest link. It's just an overall lack of skill and roster depth combined with the general approach to the game that our head coach has chosen. I mean, we've exchanged a more physical, defensive style of play for a couple of more chances in attack at the expense of that rock-solid defensive coverage, which seems to have disappeared entirely.

It is impossible to have flawless defensive game; the mistakes will always be there; I am talking not about quantity of giveaways, but how awful they were. You rightly point out that there were several mistakes, not a boatload, coming from Sotnieks and Cibuļskis, but they right out led to Grade A scoring chances, not something you see very often from these guys. Hopefully nothing like that will occur today.

I agree with you that it was obvious right away that under Beļavskis we'd switch from rock-solid defense tactics to more technical and scoring chance-based approach, the question is - do we really have finishing good enough to score the goals needed to compensate for inevitable more goals against, baring miraculous goaltending. From what I've seen, does not look that good.

 

[kudymen]

If the Pavelec in Prague isnt the "Lockout Liberec Pavelec" or the "First half of 2014/15 Pavelec", then he should be starting. But if he is, just ask someone from the stands to be our goalie (because we know Mrazek will be sitting there somewhere)

 

[Babula]

If the Pavelec in Prague isnt the "Lockout Liberec Pavelec" or the "First half of 2014/15 Pavelec", then he should be starting. But if he is, just ask someone from the stands to be our goalie (because we know Mrazek will be sitting there somewhere)

Ruzicka's flash pen can fix it tonight.

 

[OscarsCards]

Well, Latvians has never won Czechs and there is low chance that we'll win today. Here is game record against Czechs in previous WCh - 7 games played, 8 goals scored and 20 goals against, 0 victories, 6 losses and 1 tie. Five of seven games has ended 1:3

 

[Praha 1985]

Ruzicka's flash pen can fix it tonight.

Weird! I was 100 % that he would play Pavelec tonight! For me he has bigger potential and Sallak really didn´t look secure last night.

 

[Babula]

Well, Latvians has never won Czechs and there is low chance that we'll win today. Here is game record against Czechs in previous WCh - 7 games played, 8 goals scored and 20 goals against, 0 victories, 6 losses and 1 tie. Five of seven games has ended 1:3

Is this one tie in QF ? I believe, or... what year...?

 

[Babula]

Weird! I was 100 % that he would play Pavelec tonight! For me he has bigger potential and Sallak really didn´t look secure last night.

You feel it same as me. If it is not kind of joke from kudymen, I still can't believe Ruzicka is willing to invite Mrazek at this moment... or what is your prediction about our "third goalie" at this tournament from all of you guys ???

 

[OscarsCards]

Is this one tie in QF ? I believe, or... what year...?

Nope that was in 2006 WCh in Riga, Latvia opening game.

 

[Namejs]

Is this one tie in QF ? I believe, or... what year...?

There was another draw in the Olympics in Vancouver, that's the one you were thinking about most likely.

 

[Praha 1985]

You feel it same as me. If it is not kind of joke from kudymen, I still can't believe Ruzicka is willing to invite Mrazek at this moment... or what is your prediction about our "third goalie" at this tournament from all of you guys ???

I think Salak should be third goalie. Mrazek and Pavelec 1 and 2 depending on day to day shape.