Russia vs. Canada

[VladNYC*]

In fact Kishinev looks much better these days with cafes and parks. That is if you don't steer off the main street



Wow, and so did you, I take?



Well, may be it was in 89, but now

Yeah i came with them. Have been gracing the streets of New York City with my presence since 1990.

Where do u live these days?

Kishinev was always beautifull. I hope its looks beter now then the mid 90s when everything was total **** with people eating from garbage cans.

I can only imagine how scary Tiraspol is these days. My dad went back there after a few years of living here to start a business and he had to have body guards everywhere he went. His offices and car kept getting shot up by mafiosos because....well you know why and Kishinev's "SWAT" team raided his apt twice because he wouldn't bribe some ****** bag up high in the police force.

What a shame.

 

[VladNYC*]

I am confused. Why did Kulemin sit out then?

Not the same penalty. Game Misconduct and Match Penalty are two different things.

 

[Le Golie]

Which means that today's game was not important?? Something does not add up. OK, I've seen him collapse only once in an important game, which we all know very well. What are the other two??

Sorry I am already forgetting about today's game. So nine games, five important ones - two good performances...

He was really bad at the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge (I know it's not a serious game, but still a great opportunity for an individual to step up and get noticed) and also was bad at a WHL game I caught in Saskatoon in early October. It was an important divisional game for his Blades and put him on the fast track towards losing his starting job.

 

[Chinaski*]

Well, congratulations to everyone who is connected to Russia and to those who just simply support our team. I hope we will win the final and get what I believe we deserve this year. Gold that is. No offence to anybody here, but winning games against USA is very good. Those winnings make my day, but winning against Canada is priceless. I love those moments. And I believe we could reach this goal right now. Россияне вперед.

 

[Den]

Yeah i came with them. Have been gracing the streets of New York City with my presence since 1990.

Follwoing the suit of so many of my friends and classmates

Where do u live these days?

Toronto

Kishinev was always beautifull. I hope its looks beter now then the mid 90s when everything was total **** with people eating from garbage cans.

Well, better. I've been there last summer. Not too much beter, but better. The market place and the bus station are as dumpy as they were, but the square and the suroundings are trimmed up. Heck, they have pretty nice restaurants out there, where you can get a nice meal for zilch...

I can only imagine how scary Tiraspol is these days. My dad went back there after a few years of living here to start a business and he had to have body guards everywhere he went. His offices and car kept getting shot up by mafiosos because....well you know why and Kishinev's "SWAT" team raided his apt twice because he wouldn't bribe some ****** bag up high in the police force.
What a shame.

Wow, not a happy homecoming...

 

[Den]

Not the same penalty. Game Misconduct and Match Penalty are two different things.

Stupid me

 

[Greg7]

Russia was a better - and deeper - team that I expected. Malkin is ridiculously good, but beyond him they are still a quality team. They are very quick in transition, and their defense is better than I thought it would be. There are several keys to this game for Canada imo:

1) Most importantly, stay out of the box. Canada is the best defensive team in the tournament by a mile imo, but they can still be scored on by a good pp, and the Russians have that.

2) Finish some chances! Any chances! Canada creates chances seemingly with ease, but are completely anemic when it comes to finishing them. This might be an inherant flaw in the team that was present since selection (which I'm okay with, because it allowed the team to be defensively dominant), and maybe that will leave them in some trouble, but if Canada wants to win tomorrow they are going to HAVE to finish better than they have in the past.

3) Staal Parent Boyd Downie Comeau vs. Malkin. This is a tougher assignment than Kessel's line because Malkin is a far more dynamic player than Kessel. With Kessel, all you have to do is make sure he can't come through the neutral zone at full speed and play strong 1 on 1 defense; however, Malkin makes everyone on the ice better and creates both for himself and those around him. In order to shut him down you have to have excellent attention to detail: every check must be picked up, every passing lane closed, every avenue shut off, and every option taken away, or else Malkin will find a way to beat you. Obviously Russia has other lines that can contribute, but I am confident that Canada can do a good job on those lines. It's Malkin that I'm worried about.

4) Goaltending. Obviously this is always key. I have confidence that Pogge will be very solid, but I don't think he can steal a game. On the other hand, I don't think Khudobin can either, and I don't have the same confidence that he will definitely be solid. I don't think it will happen, but I do think it's possible that Khudobin has a poor game and kills Russia, while I would be shocked if that happened with Pogge.

In the end, I really don't know who to pick. Should be a great game.

 

[PecaFan]

You are a good poster here, but if you are saying that Khudobin is as capable as Pogge at stoping pucks then I have to call you on it.

If I'm a Russian fan I'd rather see the 16-year-old I saw playing for the Winnipeg Wild in the cold 200 seat arenas in southern Manitoba last year than Khudobin.

It's funny, I've been hearing comments just like that about most every Russian goalie for 30+ years, all the way back to and including Tretiak. "Oh, he's not very good", "Certainly not NHL quality", "Not as good as the Canadian goalie". And yet time after time, they'd come out and put on a clinic, and we'd go home with silver, bronze, or out of the medals completely.

Khudobin looked pretty darn good out there tonight, I don't think the Russians will be losing any sleep over their 'tender situation.

 

[VladNYC*]

Follwoing the suit of so many of my friends and classmates


Toronto


Well, better. I've been there last summer. Not too much beter, but better. The market place and the bus station are as dumpy as they were, but the square and the suroundings are trimmed up. Heck, they have pretty nice restaurants out there, where you can get a nice meal for zilch...




Wow, not a happy homecoming...

Did you know between Toronto and New York City there are over a million Russian speaking individuals living in those two cities? I got to school in Buffalo and visit Toronto once in ahwile to hit up the Guvernment and take in a Leafs game or to just hang out.

Man that Kishinev market. I loved that place. I spent soo much time there as a kid. During the late 80s that place was the wild west of perystroyka capitalisim. We made ALOT of money there with our Platnii Tooalet and other businesses. You wouldn't happen to have been to Botanika while you were in Kishinev? I used to go to Dalina Ros every day, that place was great.

I will visit Kishinev once i am done with my Masters. Hopefully i wont get killed

 

[PavelBure]

russia all the way!!

 

[Draft Guru]

Since:

Canada 2 - USA 2
Russia 5 - USA 1

Then:

Russia 10 - Canada 2.

Lets go Russia

 

[Greg7]

It's funny, I've been hearing comments just like that about most every Russian goalie for 30+ years, all the way back to and including Tretiak. "Oh, he's not very good", "Certainly not NHL quality", "Not as good as the Canadian goalie". And yet time after time, they'd come out and put on a clinic, and we'd go home with silver, bronze, or out of the medals completely.

Khudobin looked pretty darn good out there tonight, I don't think the Russians will be losing any sleep over their 'tender situation.

What? Not saying you're wrong about people underestimating Russian goalies, or even this Russian goalie in particular (although I personally agree with Le Goalie on that one), but I'm having trouble recalling all these times Canada was getting beat in best on bests or WJ tournaments? Of course the USSR won some, but so did Canada. I haven't been around long enough to comment with certainty, but I don't think it's fair, or historically accurate, to say that "And yet time after time, they'd come out and put on a clinic, and we'd go home with silver, bronze, or out of the medals completely." I could be wrong, but I definitely haven't heard of all these times.

 

[Den]

“Well, they’ve never really been good sportsmen,†said USA sniper Robbie Schremp of the Russians. “We saw that last year in North Dakota, and you know, it’s not a big surprise, whatever, that’s just the way they act, that’s the way they are. We didn’t expect any different.â€

Look who is talking. Hmm, don't we have a good saying describing this? Ne mashi kulakami posle draki...

 

[VladNYC*]

“Well, they’ve never really been good sportsmen,†said USA sniper Robbie Schremp of the Russians. “We saw that last year in North Dakota, and you know, it’s not a big surprise, whatever, that’s just the way they act, that’s the way they are. We didn’t expect any different.â€

Look who is talking. Hmm, don't we have a good saying describing this? Ne mashi kulakami posle draki...

LoL where did u find that gem?

 

[VladNYC*]

Emu chto v lob, chto po lbu

Both of u guys made me laugh with that.

 

[Den]

LoL where did u find that gem?

here: http://www.hockeycanada.ca/1/8/3/8/3/index1.shtml

 

[TORRUS]

First, I want to express my happiness after beating the US. YEEEEEAAAHHHH It's always beautiful to beat them!

Russia should win this one. Definitely the best team throughout the tournament. But I'm afraid of that Sutter coach. He's a great coach (and I hate him for that).

Hopefully Canada won't be able to grind out an upset.

 

[Le Golie]

It's funny, I've been hearing comments just like that about most every Russian goalie for 30+ years, all the way back to and including Tretiak. "Oh, he's not very good", "Certainly not NHL quality", "Not as good as the Canadian goalie". And yet time after time, they'd come out and put on a clinic, and we'd go home with silver, bronze, or out of the medals completely.

Khudobin looked pretty darn good out there tonight, I don't think the Russians will be losing any sleep over their 'tender situation.

You do know that this Khudobin is the same one that funneled in four of the six goals last year right? And you do know that he backs up 17 year old rookie Kevin Armstrong in the WHL right?

Don't make him out to be something he's not.

 

[Kaizer]

You do know that this Khudobin is the same one that funneled in four of the six goals last year right? And you do know that he backs up 17 year old rookie Kevin Armstrong in the WHL right?

Also that this Khudobin who has the the best SV% among all starters at WJC

 

[Den]

So, I wonder, will ppl start clobbering Schneider after he "funneled" 5 out of 5" today? Who, BTW, together with Pogge, wouldn't make a farm club of the Russian second division, as somebody has pointed out here....

 

[Slitty]

Russia has skill on their side. Canada has the lunch bucket, the better goalie (by a large margin) and home ice. very tough call. This should be one of the best finals we've seen in years.

I must say, I'm not shocked, but surprized these very young Canadians have done so well.

Sorry, but just out of pure interest: what makes you say Canada has the better goalie by a large margin when Khudobin leads all goalies in save percentage and goals against average and has been stellar so far.

 

[Joe MacMillan]

Sorry, but just out of pure interest: what makes you say Canada has the better goalie by a large margin when Khudobin leads all goalies in save percentage and goals against average and has been stellar so far.

What is Khudobin's SV%? Rask had 94+ before the Canada game.

 

[Slitty]

Before this tournament, I was saying Russia will probably win gold. After watching tonights game, and taking it consideration the preliminary thumping Russia took from Canada, I think Canada wins this.

What I saw tonight I felt that Russia should be concerned about:

1. Zone clearing ability. Wow...the first two periods, they made little in zone passes that they were lucky not to have come bite them in the rear.I saw some instances where they could not clear the puck out of their own zone for what must have been periods of close to a minute.I'll add sloppy passing....altho the two somewhat fit into each other

2. Finishing checks/physicality they can hit, however often don't. I saw plenty of plays that were pretty weak looking stick checks that could have been punishing body checks.

3. Shots against....USA totally dominated them in the second period, despite being theoretically the more tired team.

Russia did make some dangerous passes in there zone... but I was very suprised at the ease and creativity with which they entered their opponents zone. They didn't get burned a single time, and I will have to disagree with you, their passing was amazingly crisp.

Russia can hit, be it with the stick and the body they did a very good job shutting down the US speedy counterattacks. I did not have the luxury of commentating other than some guy that was sitting beside me and discussing the game with his buddy, but from what I saw in GM place the Russia- US game wasn't even close in terms of real scoring opportunities and team talent.

Russia did have an easier time with the USA than Canada's 2-2 tie/3-2 win. Granted, Canada beat Russia 8-1 in exhibition. Yet that was without Malkin, and MOST importantly people tend to forget that Russia just arrived in Canada and was still on Russian time. Basically they were playing in the middle of the night for them.

In all consideration I would have to give it to Russia, but who knows, if Canada comes out working hard with a physical goonish game they might just contain the Russians enough to win it by a small margin in a low scoring game.

My two pence.

 

[Den]

Before this tournament, I was saying Russia will probably win gold. After watching tonights game, and taking it consideration the preliminary thumping Russia took from Canada, I think Canada wins this.

What I saw tonight I felt that Russia should be concerned about:

1. Zone clearing ability. Wow...the first two periods, they made little in zone passes that they were lucky not to have come bite them in the rear.I saw some instances where they could not clear the puck out of their own zone for what must have been periods of close to a minute.I'll add sloppy passing....altho the two somewhat fit into each other

I would probably agree with this one.

2. Finishing checks/physicality they can hit, however often don't. I saw plenty of plays that were pretty weak looking stick checks that could have been punishing body checks.

I think they hit enough in this one. Overall they slightly outplayed the US physically. Sometimes they don't finish, but that when the player has already left the puck. This is not done in the RSL. The logic: why would you waste your energy if there's nothing to fight for?

3. Shots against....USA totally dominated them in the second period, despite being theoretically the more tired team.

Are we talking about the same period when Russia had 4 minors? Hhmm, so why in the world would they be outshot, I wonder???

 

[Slitty]

Are we talking about the same period when Russia had 4 minors? Hhmm, so why in the world would they be outshot, I wonder???

Yes, but you see: Russia was a lot more heavily penalized (the majority of penalties against Russia were heavily bood and some fans screamed for the ref to show his American money) than the US throughout the game. Just on other US powerplays Malkin would block a shot or steal the puck and go for a relaxed skate in the US zone, deke a few US defenders, and either shoot himself or pass to a teamate.

In the 2nd period Malkin did not kill as many penalties and was in the box for 4 minutes himself (doubleminor). Russia was not completely dominated in the 2nd, even shorthanded they looked the better team and were on the attack. I remember some very pretty short handed tic-tac-toe rushes and a two-on-one along with the usual Malkin plays. The US did come out strong at the begining of the 2nd though (as Canada should if they want to win) and Russia was not as dominant as in the first period when their offensive flair was largely uncontested by the US. Yet there were some bleak moments when things looked grim for Russia in the 2nd as well. The delayed penalty call when the US controlled the puck for a couple of minutes seemed like ages and had me on the edge of my seat in nervousness.