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WC: Quarter Finals!

Czechboy

Czechboy

Easy schedules rule!
Apr 15, 2018
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I could see 3 games going to OT on Thursdays.

Shame Canada and Finland have to battle so early after so many finals.
Shame Slovakia got sent packing but good for Latvia.
I think the German/Swiss game will be a nailbiter. Canada/Finland will be very close. US are favs over Czechs and Swedes are favs over Latvia.

Here are the latest power rankings. Good luck to all!

www.iihf.com

IIHF - Power Rankings

As QF looms, U.S. keeps top spot, Swiss second, Latvia third
www.iihf.com www.iihf.com
 
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USA
CZE

SUI
GER

CAN
FIN

SWE
LAT

I'm most certain that SUI > GER. Second most certain that FIN > CAN.

I think that Latvia will pull off a mega upset here in front of their home crowd and eliminate Sweden. It will go to OT.

CZE - USA is even harder to predict. I think that during this tournament USA has looked way better than CZE, but usually USA chokes at some point of the playoffs and maybe that is now. What helps USA here is that CZE has to come playing in Finland. So same arena for USA, different arena for CZE. CZE still takes this game after a close battle.

Semifinals would be:

FIN-LAT

SUI-CZE

Gold for Finland once again.
 
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What a shame TOP 2 ranked Canada and Finland have to battle each other in the QF - so early after so many finals.
 
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Lambo said:
Why are you so sure about Finland vs Canada? Finland has not convinced so far. Is weaker than 2022.
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It's a test vs Canada and it won't be easy. Can't be sure about it but if I have to predict the results, then I'm 2nd most confident about that match.
 
Lambo said:
But last Year 2022 Finland was very good in group stage!
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To me Finland's lines click now. It's yet to be tested vs a top team but I'm confident about it. Biggest question mark now is how Larmi will do under big international NT pressure. His nerves were rather good in SHL playoffs, but I think that this tournament is a level above that, especially in a home tournament with so many Finns watching etc. If anything, Larmi could be our downfall, but at the moment he's the best chance we got, because Olkinuora isn't 2022 Olkinuora. I trust more on Larmi now.
 
Seedings if people here are interested how the semifinal pairings might form. When 4 teams are left, the highest seed plays vs the lowest seed. The 2 remaining teams between them play vs each other and they form the second semifinal pair.

#1 USA
#2 Switzerland
#3 Sweden
#4 Canada
#5 Finland
#6 Latvia
#7 Czechia
#8 Germany
 
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THE JAM said:
I think that Latvia will pull off a mega upset here in front of their home crowd and eliminate Sweden. It will go to OT.

but yeah only 51/49
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If you are referring to some betting odds, I haven't seen them, but if that's the case I recommend betting for Sweden's win, because if they would meet multiple times Sweden would beat them most of those times, but I think that this is that one game that Latvia takes. Being in front of Latvia's fanatic home crowd doesn't hurt Latvia's chances.
 
US over CZE
SUI over GER
CAN over FIN
SWE over LAT

Mestaruus said:
If you are referring to some betting odds, I haven't seen them, but if that's the case I recommend betting for Sweden's win, because if they would meet multiple times Sweden would beat them most of those times, but I think that this is that one game that Latvia takes. Being in front of Latvia's fanatic home crowd doesn't hurt Latvia's chances.
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It is not completely impossible, but I think Sweden is beyond them. Simply too strong, and too experienced in knock-out stages. Belarus was a one-off, and it is a very long time ago..
 
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Lambo said:
Why are you so sure about Finland vs Canada? Finland has not convinced so far. Is weaker than 2022.
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Danish coach Ehlers said that Finland today was the best team he has ever faced. We can talk about game being meaningless, but it didn't look like that with the Finns. Denmark had nothing during the whole game and it's not a bad team.

I am very convinced with this team, we are heavy favourites against Canada but you can never underestimate them at this level.
 
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karhukissa said:
Danish coach Ehlers said that Finland today was the best team he has ever faced. We can talk about game being meaningless, but it didn't look like that with the Finns. Denmark had nothing during the whole game and it's not a bad team.

I am very convinced with this team, we are heavy favourites against Canada but you can never underestimate them at this level.
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That was probably because it was also meaningless for Denmark. They made it very easy for the Finns. Of course there are always compliments, like von Ehlers. For me, Canada is the toughest opponent in the quarter-finals.
 
USA, Sweden, Canada. And I won‘t say who wins between Switzerland and Germany purely for anti-jinx purpose.
 
Lambo said:
That was probably because it was also meaningless for Denmark. They made it very easy for the Finns. Of course there are always compliments, like von Ehlers. For me, Canada is the toughest opponent in the quarter-finals.
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You'll see that against Canada, Finland plays their best game in this tournament i can bet my balls on that. Let's hope it's enough.
 
Honestly, I could see all of theese games going either way, Latvia is never an easy task. Especially not in Riga.
 
karhukissa said:
Danish coach Ehlers said that Finland today was the best team he has ever faced.
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Well, Winland definitely looked pretty ok today and hopefully they will Win another championship.

/In case they don't, SWITZERLAND should win their 1st /
 
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KahunWOW said:
I might be the only one, but looking at the betting odds I find it very hard to believe that Switzerland is such a big favourite over Germany.
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Why? 1st vs 4th and Switzerland are better on paper too.
 
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