WJC: Semi final talk

[Phil McKraken]

Can we cut the Sweden Canada talk in this thread before it fills up 10 pages? Take it to the History sub.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

They're the only team that hasn't really shown any warts to date.

They kind of have. The Czechia game was that. You need better goaltending and to play physical. Hit all their small players. Czechia very nearly won that game.

 

[NyQuil]

Can we cut the Sweden Canada talk in this thread before it fills up 10 pages? Take it to the History sub.

Yeah, who would bring them up in a thread about this year's semi-finals anyway?

Oh right.

They kind of have. The Czechia game was that. You need better goaltending and to play physical. Hit all their small players. Czechia very nearly won that game.

Fewer warts?

Kind of a funny year.

Is it because all the teams are that good, or that the strong teams aren't quite as good as they usually are?

I guess the Czechs and Slovaks are uncharacteristically strong which makes a bit of a difference.

Germany and Switzerland can always play spoiler.

 

[Czechboy]

Canada also won the last best-on-best tournament on big ice.

Yup.. 3 golds in Europe in 2000s. Two in the Czech Republic. Best team Canada at skodas also was in Prague. Canucks love our beer, ladies and gold.lol

 

[NyQuil]

Yup.. 3 golds in Europe in 2000s. Two in the Czech Republic. Best team Canada at skodas also was in Prague. Canucks love our beer, ladies and gold.lol

We tend to send strong teams to Prague. I suspect the wives of the players have some influence on that.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Is it because all the teams are that good, or that the strong teams aren't quite as good as they usually are?

I think this is the weakest year in a long time. No Russia is going to naturally do that, but the worst Canada team in a long time contributes. Finland is very down the last couple of years.

Sweden and USA the only two big five that are not weaker than usual or banned, and it's hard to judge how good these two are because of those others.

 

[NyQuil]

Sweden and USA the only two big five that are not weaker than usual or banned, and it's hard to judge how good these two are because of those others.

I can only imagine the relief in the Swedish brain trust.

This Swedish team is really the culmination of a two-year program starting with last year's tournament.

One might argue that Canada's younger team can build on this experience, but a quarter-final loss leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouth.

 

[NyQuil]

Back on topic though, as far as upsets are concerned, Sweden seems more likely than the US IMO, but I'd hesitate to call anything but a Sweden-USA final.

I think the US is a worse match-up for Finland than Sweden is for the Czechs.

 

[Czechboy]

As i said bef0re, Canada on big ice never works. Not suprised they choked against the czechs

USA and Czechs wins

I don't know if they choked. They had a solid 25 minutes of pure dominance on us. It was a very unlucky goal that won it. Also, both our goals were ones they'd want back. The 2 on hrabal were absolute snipes.

 

[NyQuil]

I don't know if they choked. They had a solid 25 minutes of pure dominance on us. It was a very unlucky goal that won it. Also, both our goals were ones they'd want back. The 2 on hrabal were absolute snipes.

I mean, they choked the last play of the game IMO, dumping the puck out with no pressure and just handing the puck over to the Czechs, and they failed to score enough when they had all the momentum.

In terms of the game itself, I think it's a fair comment.

From a wider perspective, choking tends to imply that one of the teams had no business winning before the game, and that might be a bit of a disservice to this Czech squad and a bit flattering to the Canadian team.

 

[WarriorofTime]

They're the only team that hasn't really shown any warts to date.

Their defense kinda sucks though.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

a canadian talking about getting help from the refs is funny.

if we win, we cheated, if we lost we choked, u people hate sweden thats the truth, always bashing us

2014 U20 WJC's in Malmö
you guys got a lot of help from the referees in gold medal game and still you lost 2-3 in overtime.

You guys traumatised so badly you had to take psychological crisis help
to get over and recover that loss so never say never.

 

[Chainshot]

They're the only team that hasn't really shown any warts to date.

I mean, they can outscore their porous defense. That's their wart.

 

[NyQuil]

I mean, they can outscore their porous defense. That's their wart.

Are there any really offensive teams left aside from the US?

Maybe the Finns I guess - Sweden and the Czechs tend to be more patient.

The Czechs can always score in bursts but I find them to be too content when they do get a lead.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

As i said bef0re, Canada on big ice never works. Not suprised they choked against the czechs

USA and Czechs wins

Other than 2007, 2008, 2020, 2014 Olympics, etc

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

They kind of have. The Czechia game was that. You need better goaltending and to play physical. Hit all their small players. Czechia very nearly won that game.

There is nothing wrong with US goaltending. They won that game because of Fowler. US has by far the beat goaltenders of the teams left. If US loses it's because of the usual problem - the coach is an idiot.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

I think this is the weakest year in a long time. No Russia is going to naturally do that, but the worst Canada team in a long time contributes. Finland is very down the last couple of years.

Sweden and USA the only two big five that are not weaker than usual or banned, and it's hard to judge how good these two are because of those others

Russian team would be weak. They are irrelevant. It's a relatively weak WJC overall mainly because so many eligible players are in the NHL. Of course the selection committees of some countries being morons doesn't help. And coaches like Canada's that shouldn't be allowed to coach a pee wee team make it worse.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

There is nothing wrong with US goaltending. They won that game because of Fowler. US has by far the beat goaltenders of the teams left. If US loses it's because of the usual problem - the coach is an idiot.

Fowler was good in the shoot-out. Not that good prior to the shoot-out.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Russian team would be weak. They are irrelevant. It's a relatively weak WJC overall mainly because so many eligible players are in the NHL. Of course the selection committees of some countries being morons doesn't help. And coaches like Canada's that shouldn't be allowed to coach a pee wee team make it worse.

Not really. A team with Michkov is dangerous if only for having a player of that caliber. Then you throw in Demidov, Simashev, Silayev, But, Gulyayev, Ivanov. It's very strong at winger, defense, and goalie. This is the Russian age group that won the Youth Olympic games in dominating fashion. There's no way it comes in as worse than the Finnish team. The centers could be the reason they don't win Gold, but I think it would've been a top 3 team.

 

[CanadienShark]

I wouldn't hate seeing Czechia over Finland. Or Finland over Czechia.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Russian team would be weak.

Nah they’d probably medal.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

What time are these games (EST)?

Wouldn't be surprised if Finland beats the US as a US fan, they always for some reason have a team full of good 2 way guys that flourish in a tournament like this. Kinda worried to see how the US looks in a tight game granted they had one in the round robin but the others have been mostly blowouts. No clue about the other semi final, I'm not gonna lie lol

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

and got replaced by world class players, we had freaking Jimmie Ericsson in that game as 0ur 1st Center

Jimmie Ericsson didn’t play center. Iirc, Patrik Berglund centered D. Sedin, and Backlund was on the 2nd line.

2014 was a huge “what if” for Sweden and a massive disappointment because of it, but this rehashing of yesterday’s news and whining about missing players on different teams is beyond pathetic. Shut it down.

 

[ZEBROA]

Hate it but i guess Fin-Cesko in final.
Fin always play good being underdogs. Czech’s always hard to beat if they get a lead. And i think they will. Sweden has lost there confidence.

 

[behemolari]

Hate it but i guess Fin-Cesko in final.
Fin always play good being underdogs. Czech’s always hard to beat if they get a lead. And i think they will. Sweden has lost there confidence.

Finns are always though on big ice and Chechia are performing well against Sweden usually