What's wrong with the Czech Republic?

[JanJanJan]

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Vokoun has been putrid. He is the biggest reason they finished fourth in the group. Richards goal today was comedy and St.Louis scored from the goaline/corner. The Paterlini SH goal was outrageous, 1 on 3 -flailing backhand shot. Vokoun has to be better, if he lets in one bad goal -no matter how early they will have to pull him. He cannot be left in to kill the teams chances.

I haven't seen the first period of today's match so I got no sight of Canadian goals yet, but most of them must've been cheap in case it only took three of them to pull him off the game, still, no reason for me to slag him off. With all probability he's finished as far as Olympics, we'll have Hnilicka guarding the net, and Milan is yet another liability. I don't even care anymore, if Hnilicka has a bad day tomorrow, we're done. Deservedly.

 

[Sotnos]

I haven't seen the first period of today's match so I got no sight of Canadian goals yet, but most of them must've been cheap in case it only took three of them to pull him off the game, still, no reason for me to slag him off. With all probability he's finished as far as Olympics, we'll have Hnilicka guarding the net, and Milan is yet another liability. I don't even care anymore, if Hnilicka has a bad day tomorrow, we're done. Deservedly.

Vokoun was bad today, REALLY bad, but I still can't see them putting Hnilicka out there. Your chances are still better with Vokoun I think.

It's nice to hear you say you think Prospal has heart. I agree with you, but that's not exactly the popular view over here.

 

[JanJanJan]

Vokoun was bad today, REALLY bad, but I still can't see them putting Hnilicka out there. Your chances are still better with Vokoun I think.

It's nice to hear you say you think Prospal has heart. I agree with you, but that's not exactly the popular view over here.

Oh, I see, he left for the big bucks, right.. And missed out on TBL's Stanley Cup mission therefore. I think he took it as a lesson, just like Jagr learned the money sucks when you're not happy with what you do. Still better with him than the opposite, he never seems to give up, even when things dont go well for him.

 

[Czech Your Math]

The Czechs played awesome against Finland, until Jagr got hurt. They also played great (except Vokoun) for last two periods against Canada, once Jagr got going.

I would have benched Vokoun today to rest him. Now I wonder if they should bench him in QF. I would start him, and if he gives up a shaky goal, pull him.

Injuries have hurt this team, but they've hurt a lot of teams. They should have picked Sykora, at least he can finish a goal sometimes. Also, many of the unheralded no-names of the past (Svoboda, Dopita, Roszival, Dvorak, etc.) are missing. I know some are too old to be named to roster, but others should have gotten a chance.

As far as Jagr not looking around... if you mean he doesn't pass the puck, you're very wrong, he and Straka are probably the best passers on the team. The problem is most of his teammates can't finish (similar to his middle years with Mario-less Penguins, when Steven, Sandstrom, and Robitaille seemed to never score off feeds in the playoffs).

It's all upto the goalie, if he plays solid, Czechs have a good of a chance as anyone, if not, they almost certainly lose.

 

[Corto]

As for Bulis/Erat not scaring anyone, you probably didnt watch many of those games, did you. They're in fact two of our most dangerous/explosive forwards at the moment.

And how many goals have they scored?
(I watched every game)

That's why they don't scare people. Bulis is a good two-way player, I'd want him on my team, and I know Erat is talented and all, but he's turning into Max Afinogenov #2.

They don't scare people cos they need more chances to score goals than they should at this level.

It's all very relative... The only positive thing that the Czechs carry into the QF are the final two periods vs Canada, and Pavel Kubina, who would have been a better choice for captain than Lang or Vyborny, IMO.