GDT: Playoff round - February 20 - USA vs Slovakia

[stv11]

2018 Olympic Tournament
Playoff Round

February 20
10:10 PM ET • 4:10 AM CET

USA
Last game's lineup

Goaltenders:
30 Ryan Zapolski
33 David Leggio

Defensemen:
13 Ryan Gunderson - 22 Bobby Sanguinetti
5 Noah Welch "A" - 97 Matt Gilroy "A"
4 Chad Billins - 24 Jonathon Blum
21 James Wisniewski

Forwards:
15 Bobby Butler - 18 Jordan Greenway - 17 Chris Bourque
14 Broc Little - 11 Garrett Roe - 9 Brian O’Neill
16 Ryan Donato - 26 Mark Arcobello - 23 Troy Terry
12 Brian Gionta "C" - 7 John McCarthy - 94 Ryan Stoa
42 Chad Kolarik

Scratched:
G 31 Brandon Maxwell
D 20 Will Borgen
F 23 Jim Slater


Slovakia
Last game's lineup

Goaltenders:
42 Branislav Konrád
50 Ján Laco

Defensemen:
56 Michal Cajkovský - 19 Tomáš Starosta
7 Ivan Baranka - 71 Marek Daloga
14 Peter Cerešnák - 51 Dominik Granák "A"
16 Juraj Valach

Forwards:
18 Andrej Kudrna - 27 Ladislav Nagy "A" - 43 Tomáš Surový "C"
17 Miloš Bubela - 83 Martin Bakoš - 87 Marcel Hašcák
13 Michal Krištof - 67 Matej Paulovic - 85 Peter Ölvecký
6 Lukáš Cingel - 25 Marek Hovorka - 63 Patrik Lamper
65 Tomáš Marcinko

Scratched:
G 33 Patrik Rybár
D 26 Juraj Mikuš
F 91 Matúš Sukel


​

Click to read more...

 

[Faterson]

Slovakia can definitely pull this off. They'll be mad at themselves for having lost to Slovenia, which is ideal, given the shaky Slovak psyche.

There's nothing worse for Slovaks than to enter an important game like this on a winning streak, because they'd just lay back in complacency and lose.

But this setup is really good, I like it – this team, if all goes well, is definitely capable of unleashing a winning streak right now, when it matters most.

 

[kudla]

All I want to see is us playing good hockey. If we somehow win but play like against Slovenia I won't be happy.

 

[Faterson]

I have the opposite approach. You get no rewards for playing nice hockey. Slovakia played amazing hockey at the 2006 Turin Olympics. Slovakia defeated everyone in their group, best-on-best, only to get kicked out of the tournament in the first play-off game. What is Turin 2006 in our memories today? A Big Failure, that's what it is, the golden generation gone to waste.

So by all means, let's play atrocious, painful-to-watch hockey with our third-rate team, if that helps us dispose of third-rate US, Czech, Russian and Canadian/Swedish teams along the way to gold as a belated reward for what happened in 2006 (and also 1998 and 2002, one might say). If the end result is gold, or at least a medal, no one will ask how we got there, with whom or against whom.

 

[Xokkeu]

Yeah I’d be content with a 1-0 USA win and on one shot. Win or go home. Who cares how

 

[flemo]

First, we need to win some faceoff

 

[alko]

And play a clean game.

And for the first time, they should score first goal.

 

[Elvs]

are there no goal songs in the Olympics? When I think about it, I don't recall hearing Sweden's or Slovakia's goal song. Slovakia defenitely needs theirs. Their song is awesome. If they score first, and that song plays, the players know it's gonna be a good day.

I mean, just listen, watch and be happy.

 

[Faterson]

That goal song was a surprise hit. It's unique in that it was created specifically as a hockey/goal song, and it's not some random pop tune repurposed as a goal song. Most songs created specifically for such sporting occasions tend to be awful and cringe-worthy, but this one really hit it out of the park.

 

[flemo]

.delete

 

[Mestaruus]

Czech will beat either of these two teams on the next round. USA can give CZE better opposition in my opinion. SVK has that little brother mentality against CZE and they can't seem to get rid of it, so I'm hoping USA for more competitive quarter final match.

 

[SanDogBrewin]

Golatending has to be tight. One US goal let in during the 1st Slovakia game was terrible. Would be nice to see Gionta put away some chances.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

3-1 Slovakia win.

 

[Kyndig]

Hope Slovakia wins, looking at USA's roster makes me sick.

 

[Faterson]

SVK has that little brother mentality against CZE and they can't seem to get rid of it

It's been a lot better in recent years, especially in football, where it's all but disappeared and the general consensus is that the Slovak squad is better nowadays than the Czech one, or equal at the very least. Hockey is different, but it's not as bad as it used to be. Plus, half the Slovak team is currently excelling in the Czech league, which can also help cure any undesirable complexes in that regard.

 

[MayDay]

Wait, I’m confused..is this game on at 10pm ET on the 19th (tonight) or the 20th (tomorrow night)?

 

[nabby12]

Tonight. in 3 hours time.

 

[Faterson]

Depends on where you live, eh? It's already the 20th in Korea and here in Europe. The game starts at 4 a.m. here, which will be 10 p.m. on the US East Coast, still on the 19th.

 

[adsfan]

Slovakia gave the US a game in the Preliminary round. I expect the same tonight. US 3 Slovakia 2. The winner loses in the next round.

 

[MayDay]

Depends on where you live, eh? It's already the 20th in Korea and here in Europe. The game starts at 4 a.m. here, which will be 10 p.m. on the US East Coast, still on the 19th.

Yes, I get that. The info in the OP is ambiguous though. It says “February 20th, 10:10 PM ET”. Which I didn’t think was literally correct for the reasons you stated, but I wasn’t sure.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Butch 19]

Yes, I get that. The info in the OP is ambiguous though. It says “February 20th, 10:10 PM ET”. Which I didn’t think was literally correct for the reasons you stated, but I wasn’t sure.

Thanks for the replies.

... which is 7:10 PST - on Thursday. But I'll check it out tonight just in case it's tonight.

Wouldn't you think NBC could get this one thing right????

 

[Faterson]

... which is 7:10 PST - on Thursday.

You mean Tuesday, right? In any case, the game is played on Monday evening for Americans; about 90 minutes to puckdrop now.

It's true the opening post of this thread is misleading as well – the game simply doesn't start on February 20th for Americans, period. It's February 19th for them.

Similarly, if the US win tonight, their quarterfinal game against Czechs will start at the same time 24 hours later on Wednesday (21st) for Asians and Europeans, still Tuesday (20th) for Americans. It ain't rocket science.

 

[Ban Hammered]

I'd be furious if I was Borgen to be flown all the way over just to sit when I could be helping my college squad clinch a title and maintain a #1 ranking.
Just a joke.

 

[nickp91]

Go US! Please don't lose

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Go Slovakia!!!!