GDT: May 9 • Finland vs. Slovakia

[Systemfel]

2015 IIHF World Championship
Group A

May 9
10:15 AM ET • 16:15 CET

Finland
Confirmed lineup.

Left Wing​

|

Center​

|

Right Wing​

15 Tuomo Ruutu

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27 Petri Kontiola​

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71 Leo Komarov​

| -

36 Jussi Jokinen

|

16 Aleksander Barkov​

|

72 Joonas Donskoi​

| -

41 Antti Pihlström​

|

26 Jarkko Immonen​

|

23 Ossi Louhivaara​

| -

20 Janne Pesonen​

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24 Joonas Kemppainen​

|

50 Juhamatti Aaltonen​

| -

Left Defense​

|

Right Defense​

18 Sami Lepistö

|

38 Juuso Hietanen​

| -

28 Anssi Salmela​

|

7 Esa Lindell​

| -

63 Topi Jaakola​

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55 Atte Ohtamaa​

| -

6 Tuukka Mäntylä​

|

2 Jyrki Jokipakka​

| -

Starter​

|

Backup​

32 Juuse Saros​

|

33 Atte Engren​

| -

Scratched​

|

Details​

F 25 Juha-Pekka Hytönen​

|

Healthy​

| -

F 70 Teemu Hartikainen​

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Healthy​

| -

G 35 Pekka Rinne​

|

Illness​

| -

Slovakia
Confirmed lineup.

Left Wing​

|

Center​

|

Right Wing​

90 Tomáš Tatar​

|

43 Tomáš Surový​

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12 Marián Gáborík​

| -

13 Tomáš Jurčo​

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25 Marek Viedenský​

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79 Libor Hudáček​

| -

61 Milan Bartovič

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55 Mário Bližňák​

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28 Richard Pánik​

| -

56 Marko Daňo​

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82 Tomáš Kopecký

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22 Vladimír Dravecký​

| -

-​

|

-​

|

19 Michel Miklík​

| -

Left Defense​

|

Right Defense​

51 Dominik Graňák

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14 Andrej Meszároš​

| -

8 Michal Sersen​

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68 Milan Jurčina​

| -

26 Juraj Mikúš​

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71 Marek Ďaloga​

| -

3 Adam JánošÃ­k​

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-​

| -

Starter​

|

Backup​

50 Ján Laco​

|

88 Július Hudáček​

| -

Scratched​

|

Details​

F 97 Patrik Lušňák​

|

Healthy​

| -

D 7 Ivan Baranka​

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Healthy​

| -

G 42 Branislav Konrád​

|

Healthy​

| -

Officials​

|

Referee​

|

15 Marcus Vinnerborg | -

Referee​

|

24 Konstantin Olenin | -

Linesman​

|

58 Bevan Mills | -

Linesman​

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61 Paul Carnathan | -

Click to read more...

 

[JJTT]

Likely lineups:

Finland:

Tuomo Ruutu-Petri Kontiola-Leo Komarov
Jussi Jokinen-Aleksander Barkov-Joonas Donskoi
Antti Pihlström-Jarkko Immonen-Ossi Louhivaara
Janne Pesonen-Joonas Kemppainen-Juhamatti Aaltonen

Sami Lepistö-Juuso Hietanen
Anssi Salmela-Esa Lindell
Topi Jaakola-Atte Ohtamaa
Tuukka Mäntylä-Jyrki Jokipakka

Pekka Rinne


Slovakia:

Gaborik - Surovy - Tatar
Bartovic - Bliznak - Panik
L. Hudacek - Viedensky - Jurco
Dano - Kopecky - Miklik

Granak - Meszaros
Sersen - Jurcina
Mikus - Daloga
Janosik - Baranka

Laco

 

[slovakiasnextone]

I'd like to believe, but I think we haven't defeated Finland at the Worlds or Olympics since the last time the tourney was played in Ostrava, in 2004...

 

[Jakk123]

I'd like to believe, but I think we haven't defeated Finland at the Worlds or Olympics since the last time the tourney was played in Ostrava, in 2004...

Time to repeat, then If nothing, I'm gonna repeat it at least on my playstation

 

[Faterson]

Slovakia's line-up in the opening post is incorrect, lots of changes, new 1st line, Kopecký back with the "C", Lušňák and Dravecký are healthy scratches, etc. See JJTT's post.

 

[Jakk123]

Slovakia's line-up in the opening post is incorrect, lots of changes, new 1st line, Kopecký back with the "C", LuÅ¡ňák and Dravecký are healthy scratches, etc. See JJTT's post.

According to hokejportal, Baranka and Lusnak are the new healthy scratches, so Dravecky should be playing.

 

[Faterson]

I'd like to believe, but I think we haven't defeated Finland at the Worlds or Olympics since the last time the tourney was played in Ostrava, in 2004...

We had something like an 11-game losing streak against Finland spanning a decade, prior to a meaningless friendly game win in 2014. High time for a meaningful win now!

 

[Faterson]

According to hokejportal, Baranka and Lusnak are the new healthy scratches, so Dravecky should be playing.

Hmmm, but he'd be the 13th forward. I'm sorry about him, because he had an excellent first couple of games. I'd bench someone else, rather than Dravecký.

 

[Jakk123]

Hmmm, but he'd be the 13th forward. I'm sorry about him, because he had an excellent first couple of games. I'd bench someone else, rather than Dravecký.

Yeah, definitely. I also think Lusnak deserves the spot more than Bliznak or Bartovic.

 

[Faterson]

The only Slovak line that was really playing well at this year's Worlds was the 4th line of Lušňák – Viedenský – Dravecký, but ironically, it got "destroyed" with the arrival of Tatar and Jurčo from Detroit. It's been a struggle for all 4 lines ever since, and it seems like Vůjtek might as well use a random generator to compose his lines, because there has been no continuity from game to game, apart from the line of Bartovič – Bližňák – Pánik that has (I think) 1 point (!!!) in 4 games. Why Vůjtek seems to think that this line, of all, needs to remain unchanged, is beyond me.

 

[slovakiasnextone]

Yeah, definitely. I also think Lusnak deserves the spot more than Bliznak or Bartovic.

You can't really compare Bliznak with the others as he is a center. He was terrible at the beginning, but I think he improved a bit and he's an alrught bottom 6 center, it's just that we don't have any top 6 centers on this team. I mean even having Juraj Mikus, the forward would be a major upgrade right about now. If I recall correctly, Tatar and Miklik were successfull at the WC together when they had him centering their line.

As for Bartovic, that's another player that isn't utilised correctly IMO. The coaching staff lives in the delusion that he is a goal scorer. I have no problem letting him in on the PK or when we have the leade and need to defend it in the last few minutes, he can throw the puck into the goalie all he wants in those moments.

But I do agree that neither Lusnak nor Dravecky deserve to sit this one out.

Also, while I am no fan of bringing back Tatar-Viedensky-Panik (I think we actually tried this last year just for the sake of having it even though it destroyed the well working combo of Viedensky and Hrivik from the preparation games), I'd like to see Panik with different line mates, I think that the way he and Dano play, they could work together well.

 

[Faterson]

Thing to watch in this game: Rinne's shutout streak, currently at 193:41 minutes. To break the all-time Worlds record set back in 1948 by the Canadian Dowey, he needs another 31:44 minutes. Hope Slovakia can dispose of that in the first few minutes of 1st period, just to get it out of the way. 10 years ago at the Worlds in Ostrava, Slovakia's LašÃ¡k had a shutout streak of over 200 minutes. Slovakia still only finished 4th.

 

[Urbanskog]

Thing to watch in this game: Rinne's shutout streak, currently at 193:41 minutes. To break the all-time Worlds record set back in 1948 by the Canadian Dowey, he needs another 31:44 minutes. Hope Slovakia can dispose of that in the first few minutes of 1st period, just to get it out of the way. 10 years ago at the Worlds in Ostrava, Slovakia's Lašák had a shutout streak of over 200 minutes. Slovakia still only finished 4th.

http://www.iihfworlds2015.com/en/news/rinne-record/

 

[Faterson]

So, who got it wrong? All Slovak media talk about the Canadian netminder Dowey and 1948. There's sometimes lots of nonsense and imprecision on IIHF webpages.

 

[Faterson]

I now know where the confusion is coming from. Dowey got his record shutout streak at the 1948 Olympic Games, which also officially served as that year's World Championships:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_hockey_at_the_1948_Winter_Olympics

So, it looks like Dowey's shutout streak of 220-222 minutes counts, and Mr. Podnieks of IIHF got it wrong.

 

[Finnswiss]

For both teams a very important game, as both teams still battle for the quarterfinal spot.
The team that loses this game is in high danger to miss the quarterfinal, so it will be a hard fight I think.

I cheer for the Finns, I hope Pekka Rinne is in really good form this afternoon. The last 3 games Finland played against "easy" opponents, Slovakia is a stronger opponent, so it will be much more difficult for Pekka Rinne to keep his gaol "clean".

 

[QnebO]

I don't know what to expect. I guess we should be clear favorites but their 1st line is actually really good. What we have is 4 equal lines, with solid NHL guys and guy like Juha-Matti Aaltonen in the 4th line / 4th pairing. Therefore, probably going with really high intensity and hitting hard, forecheking, keeping shifts short, rolling with all lines. High energy is expected. If we play slow, Slovakia has better chance.

 

[slovakiasnextone]

For both teams a very important game, as both teams still battle for the quarterfinal spot.
The team that loses this game is in high danger to miss the quarterfinal, so it will be a hard fight I think.

I cheer for the Finns, I hope Pekka Rinne is in really good form this afternoon. The last 3 games Finland played against "easy" opponents, Slovakia is a stronger opponent, so it will be much more difficult for Pekka Rinne to keep his gaol "clean".

That's a myth.

 

[slovakiasnextone]

Likely lineups:

Finland:

Tuomo Ruutu-Petri Kontiola-Leo Komarov
Jussi Jokinen-Aleksander Barkov-Joonas Donskoi
Antti Pihlström-Jarkko Immonen-Ossi Louhivaara
Janne Pesonen-Joonas Kemppainen-Juhamatti Aaltonen

Sami Lepistö-Juuso Hietanen
Anssi Salmela-Esa Lindell
Topi Jaakola-Atte Ohtamaa
Tuukka Mäntylä-Jyrki Jokipakka

Pekka Rinne


Slovakia:

Gaborik - Surovy - Tatar
Bartovic - Bliznak - Panik
L. Hudacek - Viedensky - Jurco
Dano - Kopecky - Miklik

Granak - Meszaros
Sersen - Jurcina
Mikus - Daloga
Janosik - Baranka

Laco

Actually it seems that Daňo will play center on that line with Kopecký on the wing.

 

[ThrashersfanSVK]

I'd like to believe, but I think we haven't defeated Finland at the Worlds or Olympics since the last time the tourney was played in Ostrava, in 2004...

You're right but at the same time, we have never dissapointed in game against Finland. Even in 2009 during our disaster, we had our best game against Finland. Same in 2008 or in 2011.

Maybe only in 2010, when we lost by bigger margin (2:5 IIRC). So, we'll see.

 

[slovakiasnextone]

You're right but at the same time, we have never dissapointed in game against Finland. Even in 2009 during our disaster, we had our best game against Finland. Same in 2008 or in 2011.

Maybe only in 2010, when we lost by bigger margin (2:5 IIRC). So, we'll see.

Yes, that makes it even more frustrating though. I remember back in 08 when we just couldn't score even though we played well. I think that we actually played better that tourney than in 09 and 10 except for the disastrous game against Germany that got us to the relegation round.

 

[Finnswiss]

That's a myth.

I think Slovakia is stronger than Denmark, Slovenia and Norway though they lost against Norway.

But Finland shouldn't be too sure, Slovakia beat Belorus and Belorus is at the moment 2nd in the ranking of group B. As I said I cheer for Finland but Slovakia has still good chances to reach the quarterfinal especially if they win against Finland, so they will surely fight very hard in this game.

That doesn't make it easier for Finland, if they don't play concentrated, fast and avoid mistakes they can easily lose this game.

 

[Finnswiss]

Btw, is there any livestream for this game? The german television braodcasts the game between Belosrussia and Russia, not Finland-Slovakia.

 

[tobu]

Will miss this game as I will be driving in the car at this time. Does anyone know if Slovensky rozhlas follows the game? I'd like to be able to at least listen to it.

 

[slovakiasnextone]

Will miss this game as I will be driving in the car at this time. Does anyone know if Slovensky rozhlas follows the game? I'd like to be able to at least listen to it.

Yes, SRo will have the game. According to this they will even have the semifinals and final:

http://hokej.rtvs.sk/novinky/78307-sledujte-hokej-ako-nikdy-pred-tym.-iba-s-rtvs

I'm not sure I'd advice someone who's driving to listen to a game fo our NT though.