They won after an eventful game, what more should a fan want? That 4:2 regulation win would have been half as exciting also for them. If anything, team #11 dominating against team #24 is about as boring as it gets in international hockey.
Olympics 2026 qualification
- Thread starter slovakhockeyfan12
- Start date
jcbio11
Registered User
..in which case they maintain their current goal difference with no more than -1.
ozo
Registered User
- Feb 24, 2010
- 4,524
- 572
Not sure what are you even arguing here. A team 13 places down in world rankings being a lick of paint away from beating the overwhelming favorites in OT is a big deal. You called called Kazakhstan not being adequate in elite WC level, then what the hell is Japan against stronger than usually Denmark?
Fjorden
Registered User
OT loss for Norway could be enough against Denmark.
If Latvia-France dosen't go to OT.
An interesting scenario is.
Denmark wins in OT against Norway.
France wins in OT against Latvia.
Then Latvia and Norway will have the same goal difference. But Lativa is higher ranked on the IIHF ranking and goes through. So if Latvia-France goes to OT both will qualify, a draw in regulation is enough for both teams to qualify.
jcbio11
Registered User
So, there are 6 teams who are fighting for 3 (4, probably) spots.
Slovakia (6 points - +5) / Kazakhstan (6 points - +4);
France (6 points - +9) / Latvia (6 points - +6);
Norway (6 points - +6) / Denmark (5 points / +3).
Top 3 is obvious - whichever team wins on Sunday, goes to the OG.
If we assume that Russia is disqualified (95% likely), then the last place in OG is awarded by two scenarios:
1) Overall ranking: Slovakia, Latvia, Denmark, Norway, France. Kazakhstan. So, Slovakia gets in anyway, Latvia (if loses), gets in if Slovakia wins its group, Denmark (if loses) is in if both Slovakia and Latvia win. Norway, France and Kazakhstan can only hope for a win in this scenario;
2) Best 2nd place: Denmark is eliminated if looses unless both other groups go to overtime. And even then, they need a considerable goal differential since OT in other groups mean only -1 goal differential for the looser, and they are -3 from Latvia and -6 from France, one of which they will need to outperform. Out of the remaining 5, France has a spectacular lead with +9, followed by Latvia and Norway with +6.
Regardless of real strength of the teams (team A obviously better than team B etc), mathematically, the best chance of making the OG have: Slovakia, Latvia, Denmark, Norway (1st scenario) and France, Latvia, Norway, Slovakia (2nd scenario).
Obviously, if we see a 5-1 blowout in the last game, it will change everything. But, most likely, the games will be close, judging by previous results. Plus, there are all the other criteria in case of a tie, but there is no need to even try to predict the goals scored.
Am I right?
Slovakia (6 points - +5) / Kazakhstan (6 points - +4);
France (6 points - +9) / Latvia (6 points - +6);
Norway (6 points - +6) / Denmark (5 points / +3).
Top 3 is obvious - whichever team wins on Sunday, goes to the OG.
If we assume that Russia is disqualified (95% likely), then the last place in OG is awarded by two scenarios:
1) Overall ranking: Slovakia, Latvia, Denmark, Norway, France. Kazakhstan. So, Slovakia gets in anyway, Latvia (if loses), gets in if Slovakia wins its group, Denmark (if loses) is in if both Slovakia and Latvia win. Norway, France and Kazakhstan can only hope for a win in this scenario;
2) Best 2nd place: Denmark is eliminated if looses unless both other groups go to overtime. And even then, they need a considerable goal differential since OT in other groups mean only -1 goal differential for the looser, and they are -3 from Latvia and -6 from France, one of which they will need to outperform. Out of the remaining 5, France has a spectacular lead with +9, followed by Latvia and Norway with +6.
Regardless of real strength of the teams (team A obviously better than team B etc), mathematically, the best chance of making the OG have: Slovakia, Latvia, Denmark, Norway (1st scenario) and France, Latvia, Norway, Slovakia (2nd scenario).
Obviously, if we see a 5-1 blowout in the last game, it will change everything. But, most likely, the games will be close, judging by previous results. Plus, there are all the other criteria in case of a tie, but there is no need to even try to predict the goals scored.
Am I right?
Czechboy
Náš f*cken barák!
- Apr 15, 2018
- 30,714
- 28,577
They are avoidable.. but GM's could absolutely care less about international hockey.
So if nemec gets hurt playing for new jersey in preseason... Part of the game
If nemec gets hurt in Olympic qualifying in Europe for Slovakia.. preventable.
Note I don't agree with this but NHL GM's block guys all the time.
They won't even release their AHL players for the world championships for the same reasons.
kudla
Registered User
France vs Latvia is going to be the game of the qualification. As I said before, France has a very good team on paper and they have been proving it. Now Latvia as the favorite has a lot to prove.
PanniniClaus
Registered User
- Oct 12, 2006
- 12,738
- 6,057
I can't see how it is anything but ranking if we are choosing a team to replace Russia.
So if the highest ranked teams win.. that would make Norway the lucky loser.
So if the highest ranked teams win.. that would make Norway the lucky loser.
Another boring 5-1 win over Ukraine.
Onto another routine win on Sunday. With the way Denmark struggled against Japan, I'd say it's probably going to be Latvia, Norway, Kazakhstan and France as the lucky losers - which would be fair, seeing how the teams have played in other groups as well.
Onto another routine win on Sunday. With the way Denmark struggled against Japan, I'd say it's probably going to be Latvia, Norway, Kazakhstan and France as the lucky losers - which would be fair, seeing how the teams have played in other groups as well.
As for the lucky loser tiebreakers, the 3rd tiebreaker is the number of goals scored rather than IIHF ranking.
If both Norway and Latvia lose 2:3 in OT, Norway goes through.
If Latvia loses 4:5 in OT, Norway 3:4 in OT, Latvia goes through.
However, since both games are going to be played almost simultaneously and Denmark cannot possibly be content with getting a point, I don't think we're going to see a subconsciously fixed match.
If both early games end in regulation wins, now that is when a draw between Kazakhstan and Slovakia sounds a lot more likely, especially given the countries in question.
If both Norway and Latvia lose 2:3 in OT, Norway goes through.
If Latvia loses 4:5 in OT, Norway 3:4 in OT, Latvia goes through.
However, since both games are going to be played almost simultaneously and Denmark cannot possibly be content with getting a point, I don't think we're going to see a subconsciously fixed match.
If both early games end in regulation wins, now that is when a draw between Kazakhstan and Slovakia sounds a lot more likely, especially given the countries in question.
ellja3
Registered User
It was already commented here (with source) that it would be best 2nd-place team.
aquaregia
Registered User
This one was pretty much the inflection point of the game; it goes in and Austria get the reward for the pressure they'd been building that period, but it hits the post and Kazakhstan go down the other end and score the minute after.
PanniniClaus
Registered User
- Oct 12, 2006
- 12,738
- 6,057
ellja3
Registered User
I don't necessarily think it's fair, of course. Just facts. It was between this and just next highest team; surely there's no time for another mini-qualification, if needed.
Eye of Ra
Grandmaster General of the International boards
Slovakia and Kazakhstan are actually 1-1 since 2023. 1 win each. Their 3rd official game over the last decade ended Slovakia 4:3 Kazakhstan.
Fjorden
Registered User
It will be heated hockey rivalry game tomorrow, a classic Norway-Denmark.
Here is what danish newspaper writes. Berlingske.
Danes expect ice war: We are trained to hate Norway
The battle for the Olympic ticket in ice hockey breathes new life into the eternal rivalry between Denmark and Norway.
- There is no team we would rather beat than Norway, and I think they feel the same way about us, says seasoned Jesper Jensen Aabo.
The feeling is not only felt by seasoned players with a sea of international matches against Norway on their CV.
The rivalry already starts at the youth national teams.
- You are almost taught to hate Norway, says the national team's youngest man, 19-year-old Oscar Fisker Mølgaard.
- We have met them so many times through the various youth national teams, and then you get a bit of a hate relationship with them.
The world ranking also reflects the parity. Here Denmark is number 11 and Norway number 12.
There are indications, however, that the Norwegians may become even more difficult to deal with in the coming years.
- It looks like a team on the way. They have an older generation that still maintains a level, and then they have some young boys who are starting to look good, says Jesper Jensen Aabo.
Here is what danish newspaper writes. Berlingske.
Danes expect ice war: We are trained to hate Norway
The battle for the Olympic ticket in ice hockey breathes new life into the eternal rivalry between Denmark and Norway.
- There is no team we would rather beat than Norway, and I think they feel the same way about us, says seasoned Jesper Jensen Aabo.
The feeling is not only felt by seasoned players with a sea of international matches against Norway on their CV.
The rivalry already starts at the youth national teams.
- You are almost taught to hate Norway, says the national team's youngest man, 19-year-old Oscar Fisker Mølgaard.
- We have met them so many times through the various youth national teams, and then you get a bit of a hate relationship with them.
The world ranking also reflects the parity. Here Denmark is number 11 and Norway number 12.
There are indications, however, that the Norwegians may become even more difficult to deal with in the coming years.
- It looks like a team on the way. They have an older generation that still maintains a level, and then they have some young boys who are starting to look good, says Jesper Jensen Aabo.
