GDT: Slovakia vs Finland

[Fintastic]

Some good things in that game and some bad things. The coaching staff needs to do a lot more work with the team, that is for sure. That PK should be in the top of the list.

 

[McMozesmadness]

Slovakia has been absolutely terrible. They have 2 good individuals and Finnish sloppy errors are the reason why there's only 3 goal difference

Agreed, Slovakia was bad. Where was Mesar? Petrovsky? Nemec didn’t look good either. The goalies had a tough afternoon. Lone bright spot was Dvorsky

Kemell seemed to be playing with all kinds of piss and vinegar. Nyman was great again today

Slovaks have much more to give. Finns with a nice bounce back. Capitalized on thier chances

 

[BigBadBoar]

The score 5-2 may be a bit misleading but it actually was quite an enjoyable game from both sides. Both Slovakia's goalies allowed some needless goals (especially the fifth one was a clear goalie's mistake), but the game was looking pretty close overall. Much closer than the score might indicate.

 

[RayMartyniukTotems]

the gal handing the game stick is really cute

 

[kudla]

Slovakia can't even complete 3 passes in a row, they have zero structure. Two goals and both PP. Only way they can compete is couple good individuals creating something.

When person says "should be 2-2" tells that he doesn't know jack. There are no whatifs and whatabouts in high level of sports, only in video games.

If Slovakia had a goalie, it would have been a close game lol. Despite Finland obviously being the better team today

 

[BigBadBoar]

Agreed, Slovakia was bad. Where was Mesar? Petrovsky? Nemec didn’t look good either. The goalies had a tough afternoon. Lone bright spot was Dvorsky

Kemell seemed to be playing with all kinds of piss and vinegar. Nyman was great again today

Slovaks have much more to give. Finns with a nice bounce back. Capitalized on thier chances

I wouldn't say Slovakia was playing bad. They allowed a couple of cheesy goals. But they had their good chances as well. Nemec was actually playing well, calm with the puck, made some really nice passes from the offensive blue. Mešár wasn't so visible, it was looking to me like he has not get exactly great legs today. Dvorský had some very intesting moments, and Repčík was really good around the net.

 

[Pieck]

Why are people criticizing Slovakia so heavily? This was a pretty normal game. The shots were even but Finland was more dangerous as you’d expect. Slovakia clearly has some talent but they need to make some adjustments to get more quality chances and get a better goaltending performance. If they do that they can maybe win these types of games

 

[McMozesmadness]

I wouldn't say Slovakia was playing bad. They allowed a couple of cheesy goals. But they had their good chances as well. Nemec was actually playing well, calm with the puck, made some really nice passes from the offensive blue. Mešár wasn't so visible, it was looking to me like he has not get exactly great legs today. Dvorský had some very intesting moments, and Repčík was really good around the net.

The Slovaks really struggled to connect as a unit. 5v5 they really couldn’t get much going. Thier big players need to step up. With Nemec, keep in mind expectations for him are much higher. I’ve seen him play far better than that. I thought he was sloppy. Dvorsky created both goals. Thought most of the good for the Slovaks flowed through him and his line. Also liked Strbak quite a bit given his age

 

[McMozesmadness]

Why are people criticizing Slovakia so heavily? This was a pretty normal game. The shots were even but Finland was more dangerous as you’d expect. Slovakia clearly has some talent but they need to make some adjustments to get more quality chances and get a better goaltending performance. If they do that they can maybe win these types of games

It comes down to expectations. I actually like this Slovak team a lot on paper. I don’t think they played as well as they could have

 

[Czechboy]

Congrats Finland... I think you'll be in final 4.

I thought Slovakia played well... goaltending was a problem. It happens. Good luck next game!

 

[illone84]

Would have been a closer game but Lampinen came up with some big games. In other words, not because of poor Slovak goaltending but because of good Finnish goaltending.

 

[karhukissa]

Why are people criticizing Slovakia so heavily? This was a pretty normal game. The shots were even but Finland was more dangerous as you’d expect. Slovakia clearly has some talent but they need to make some adjustments to get more quality chances and get a better goaltending performance. If they do that they can maybe win these types of games

Why? Slovakia has talented players but they have no structure or patterns in their game, it's a wild west. They score a PP goal and the next shift they are without the puck for a minute and concede. They didn't have any flow in their game at any point.

Shots were even but Slovakia was shooting from everywhere, that doesn't tell you anything. They had zero good attacks from their d-zone to finnish zone, it was all due to some individual pass mistakes from Finnish d or something. Slovakia was a circus and with that roster it shouldn't be like that

 

[BigBadBoar]

The Slovaks really struggled to connect as a unit. 5v5 they really couldn’t get much going. Thier big players need to step up. With Nemec, keep in mind expectations for him are much higher. I’ve seen him play far better than that. I thought he was sloppy. Dvorsky created both goals. Thought most of the good for the Slovaks flowed through him and his line. Also liked Strbak quite a bit given his age

Yes, they made quite a lot of broken plays, but some shifts in the offensive zone were pretty dangerous from them. With Nemec: It is hard to made any comparison with games he was playing for men's team, both the national team and his club. He has got a completely different teammates here at the juniors. I remember David Pastrňák coming to the WJC as an already established NHLer and he was kind of struggling to connect with his linemates too. The player is used to expect certain things happening, and they just don't happen here. It is not authomatic that an established player in elite men's hockey would be dominant at the WJC.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

The Slovaks really struggled to connect as a unit. 5v5 they really couldn’t get much going. Thier big players need to step up. With Nemec, keep in mind expectations for him are much higher. I’ve seen him play far better than that. I thought he was sloppy. Dvorsky created both goals. Thought most of the good for the Slovaks flowed through him and his line. Also liked Strbak quite a bit given his age

I mean was it a perfect game for Nemec? No and he can be better but by no means was it a bad one. He’s a dman and there’s only so much he can do in a game against a better team like that. Some mistakes but nothing too egregious. Moved the puck well for the most part, was calm under pressure, looked good on the powerplay, put up a game leading 5 shots on net, played a game leading 26:50 (next Slovak in Dvorsky played 20:55). He clearly was trying to make stuff happen at times and jump up but there’s only so much he’s gonna be able to do in a game like that. Can play better though and there’s some things he could clean up defensively.

Wouldn’t say he played bad.

 

[karhukissa]

You are sure jinxing Finland. I wouldn't be so harsh and mock other countries considering Finland haven't been masterful in anyway.
Neither should you mock others if we were superior.

I wasn't mocking, i was analyzing the game. And it's mainly because of their coaching, if you have a player like Dvorsky who is supposed to be a top tier pick, how can he be that alone and invisible?

Lambert was humiliating their number one d-man, top 3 pick for couple of times. Why? Because he didn't know what to do on the ice and it's not pond hockey so skill only get's you so far.

They have top tier talent but they didn't know what to do, it's not on them. It's on their coaching. Switzerland was tight trap city and players knew exactly what to do, that makes a team which always equals more than your couple of talented players. Bichsel was an unit, because he had that confidence of their structure which helped him to blossom.

 

[Svedu]

I wasn't mocking, i was analyzing the game. And it's mainly because of their coaching, if you have a player like Dvorsky who is supposed to be a top tier pick, how can he be that alone and invisible? Because they had nothing.

Lambert was humiliating their number one d-man, top 3 pick for couple of times. Why? Because he didn't know what to do on the ice and it's not pond hockey so skill only get's you so far.

Could it also be because of the depth? Finland have more players playing among pro's etc? As you've mentioned before, it's still a team game.
Also Slovakias first game. Finland weren't that much better in their first game?

 

[Czechboy]

I mean was it a perfect game for Nemec? No and he can be better but by no means was it a bad one. He’s a dman and there’s only so much he can do in a game against a better team like that. Some mistakes but nothing too egregious. Moved the puck well for the most part, was calm under pressure, looked good on the powerplay, put up a game leading 5 shots on net, played a game leading 26:50 (next Slovak in Dvorsky played 20:55). He clearly was trying to make stuff happen at times and jump up but there’s only so much he’s gonna be able to do in a game like that. Can play better though and there’s some things he could clean up defensively.

Wouldn’t say he played bad.

His 'gift' seems to be calm and steady which is so rare at this level. He's a beaut pick!

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Good game tonight and very important win.

Is Heimosalmi brain-dead or totally idiot
two absolutely boneheaded and idiotic penalties and 2 powerplay goals for Slovakia.

It's not rocket science to realize that if we wanna win something we can't keep taking
those boneheaded penalties which Heimosalmi took today.

 

[mirec04]

Atleast try to pretend that you understand something about hockey, this is a hfboards after all.

You must admit that at least 2 goals were gift for you, switch goalies and maybe the result would be different?
To be honest I did not like the game from both teams, it was boring for majority time but it is becoming common with finnish style (waiting for opponnents in neutral and defensive zone) of play and I am sad about the fact that it is succesfull..
I was expexting more from our leaders as well but I hope they will play better when tournament comes to later stages..

 

[king89]

Kemell with a solid game today. He has to continue like this if we are to have any chance against the better teams.

 

[Ippenator]

There's a difference between shot and quality shot. They only got chances from faceoff wins in Finland d-zone. Then they scored PP goal. Not a rocket science. Listen to Ika Lehkonen who is actually a hockey guru.

Now it's a new period and we shall see what happens.

Lehkonen a hockey guru? Oh please! The most populistic and most irritating commentator I know. Not a real good hockey expert, which can be already seen from his poor coaching career. He just takes on what is trending highly from North America (the good but even more the bad trends) and keeps parroting the same trendy stuff over and over again.

Awful and really irritating ”expert” to listen to. I would listen to any other expert rather than him. Otherwise I pretty much agreed with you about the game, and many times about hockey generally. But goddamn quit praising Lehkonen as a hockey guru. He is a hockey populist and nothing more really.

 

[stastny12]

Why? Slovakia has talented players but they have no structure or patterns in their game, it's a wild west. They score a PP goal and the next shift they are without the puck for a minute and concede. They didn't have any flow in their game at any point.

Shots were even but Slovakia was shooting from everywhere, that doesn't tell you anything. They had zero good attacks from their d-zone to finnish zone, it was all due to some individual pass mistakes from Finnish d or something. Slovakia was a circus and with that roster it shouldn't be like that

You pretty much summarized my feelings with these sentences. Good job.

 

[McMozesmadness]

I mean was it a perfect game for Nemec? No and he can be better but by no means was it a bad one. He’s a dman and there’s only so much he can do in a game against a better team like that. Some mistakes but nothing too egregious. Moved the puck well for the most part, was calm under pressure, looked good on the powerplay, put up a game leading 5 shots on net, played a game leading 26:50 (next Slovak in Dvorsky played 20:55). He clearly was trying to make stuff happen at times and jump up but there’s only so much he’s gonna be able to do in a game like that. Can play better though and there’s some things he could clean up defensively.

Wouldn’t say he played bad.

He wasn’t bad. I just think he can be much better

I think his most fair comparable in this tournament is Jiricek who put in an absolute masterclass last night

Yes, they made quite a lot of broken plays, but some shifts in the offensive zone were pretty dangerous from them. With Nemec: It is hard to made any comparison with games he was playing for men's team, both the national team and his club. He has got a completely different teammates here at the juniors. I remember David Pastrňák coming to the WJC as an already established NHLer and he was kind of struggling to connect with his linemates too. The player is used to expect certain things happening, and they just don't happen here. It is not authomatic that an established player in elite men's hockey would be dominant at the WJC.

I agree with you there. You have expectations of the players around you coming from pro. That is very much a part of Nemec’ game. He needs high IQ consistent players around him to be most effective.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

He wasn’t bad. I just think he can be much better

I think his most fair comparable in this tournament is Jiricek who put in an absolute masterclass last night

Ya he can be better but I think it’s gonna be tough for him to do anything special this tournament on Slovakia. They don’t look good at all.

Also didn’t think Jiricek put in a masterclass. Good game with some good moments and plays but nothing special. He looked good but Svozil was easily their best defensmen.

 

[karhukissa]

Could it also be because of the depth? Finland have more players playing among pro's etc? As you've mentioned before, it's still a team game.
Also Slovakias first game. Finland weren't that much better in their first game?

Could be. And i'm this critical only because Slovakia has some really talented players, i wouldn't be that critical if it was some actually bad team.

These guys like Mesar and Dvorsky would benefit so much if they played under similar structure as Switzerland for example. Switzerland have half the talent what Slovakia has but they were an unit. You could see Dvorsky pushing many times without any idea where his teammates are and he had no support. Mesar was under constant pressure from the Finns and it get's really lonely without a structure to lean on.