WC: 2015 — Team Latvia

[kabidjan18]

The Oilers defeated the New York Rangers once in the regular season with relative ease. I guess they should be in the Stanley Cup play-offs instead of the Rangers, right?

The score in a single game means very little. First of all, chance plays a major role in the short-term. Second, Latvia clearly dominated Austria in that 3-6 loss both in terms of possession and the number of shots and chances. So, no, they didn't win 'fairly easily'. It was essentially a fluke win. Third, Girgensons has mostly been a 3rd line player in the Latvian national team. Daugavins made his debut in the NHL in 2009/10. The last time Ozolins played in the World Champs was 2002.

The overall quality of the Latvian and Austrian hockey programmes hasn't changed that much over the years. The emergence of an AHL/ECHL guy in Lebler doesn't change anything in that respect.

As for continuity in the way we play the game, there's probably not going to be a whole lot of it. I've already mentioned it several times in this thread - we've got a new, incompetent coach, who favors an old-school East-West type of a game. Just to give you an example, Roberts Bukarts (who is a thoroughly mediocre forward, and is mostly known for being a soft, lazy, non-contributing zero in defence) has just been placed in a 1st line slot along with Sprukts and M. Redlihs.

Bukarts was sent down by Riga Dinamo to their farm team HK Liepaja, where he played in the play-offs of the Latvian domestic league, which is a semi-pro/amateur league. And he didn't look better than his linemates there.

There are only 2 defensemen and 7 or 8 forwards (4 of whom are bottom 6 scrubs) available from the Sochi line-up, so the continuity part is probably going to be quite problematic for us. And, obviously, our WC roster is worse than in the Olympic year.

It's a different team and a different coach with a different approach, so I also don't agree with your underlying argument as to why we should be the favorites against France. I don't think we are and at the same time I'm not really sure what to expect. There's a lot of unknowns and a lot of room for improvement, but as of this point and time, things are looking pretty bleak for the Latvian national team.

Bukarts. His little brother has one of the coolest names in the world.

I think you noticed reading my post that my point wasn't that Austria is better than Latvia because I don't believe that, but that the small sample size makes giving Austria a 1 in 5 chance of winning an interesting or disputable statement. The Oilers lost to the Rangers the other time they played. More indicatively though, the Oilers played a full 82 games season, and 82 games the year before, giving us a decent data pool to make the statement that the Rangers are better. Secondly, Austria is a counter-attack/quick-strike team, so it's obvious that they will have less possession time and less shots, but simply completing less passes around the blue line and shooting less one-timers does not indicate that they were not in control of the game. As for the fluke idea, they also beat Slovakia that year, Norway in the Olympics, and most impressively hung 4 goals on the Finnish Olympic team which was the most out of any team in the Olympics whether in the group stage or in the playoff so it make not have been as "flukey" as one may think. But less about Austria. Roberts Bukarts actually furthers my point about continuity because he is one of 11 players that play(ed) for Dinamo Riga which likely factored into his selection. Two others play together in Dynamo Moskva and in general the job that the Latvian front desk does of building continuous rosters is very good. Finally, even with the coaching change and the change in styles, it's not like the Latvian players are going to stop checking, crashing the net, and playing the style that they've trademarked so well. Their personnel and still stack up well against the competition and I think 3-4 or 2-5-1 is a fairly reasonable estimate.

 

[Namejs]

, but that the small sample size makes giving Austria a 1 in 5 chance of winning an interesting or disputable statement. The Oilers lost to the Rangers the other time they played. More indicatively though, the Oilers played a full 82 games season, and 82 games the year before, giving us a decent data pool to make the statement that the Rangers are better. Secondly, Austria is a counter-attack/quick-strike team, so it's obvious that they will have less possession time and less shots, but simply completing less passes around the blue line and shooting less one-timers does not indicate that they were not in control of the game. As for the fluke idea, they also beat Slovakia that year, Norway in the Olympics, and most impressively hung 4 goals on the Finnish Olympic team which was the most out of any team in the Olympics whether in the group stage or in the playoff so it make not have been as "flukey" as one may think. But less about Austria. Roberts Bukarts actually furthers my point about continuity because he is one of 11 players that play(ed) for Dinamo Riga which likely factored into his selection. Two others play together in Dynamo Moskva and in general the job that the Latvian front desk does of building continuous rosters is very good. Finally, even with the coaching change and the change in styles, it's not like the Latvian players are going to stop checking, crashing the net, and playing the style that they've trademarked so well. Their personnel and still stack up well against the competition and I think 3-4 or 2-5-1 is a fairly reasonable estimate.

I have never said that Austria has a 1 in 5 chance of winning this year. I said that historically, Austria has won in about 1 out of 4 or 5 matches against Latvia.

Just look up the historical odds between Austria and Latvia in any of their previous meetings. Look up the historical record.

I was trying to be polite, but now you're starting to blatantly make things up. You obviously didn't watch that game (or have a very selective memory about it), and now you're just making it up as you go. They were lucky to win and they wouldn't have won that game for the majority of the time if all the events within that single game were replayed a 1000 times.

And it's got nothing to do with the number of passes completed, I'm talking about chances, I'm talking about goalie SVS%. When you let in a bunch of flukey goals and you don't capitalize on your chances, it's pretty much the definition of a flukey win/loss. And it's irrelevant what type of a game Austria plays.

If you think that the inclusion of Roberts Bukarts furthers your point about us playing a compact, physical game, you clearly have no clue what you're talking about.

Have you even seen him play? Do you realize he scores about 4 goals per season in the KHL, despite being 'a scorer' and a floater? How many matches of Riga Dinamo have you seen? Do you realize that the core of the Kazakh national team also plays in the KHL, yet they're nothing more than an elevator team in the World Champs?

How many exhibition games of the Latvian national team have you seen? Who are the 2 players from Dynamo Moscow?

The rosters are continuous from year to year, because there is no depth and no one else to choose from, and not because it is a some sort of a doctrinal approach and loads of players outside of Riga Dinamo would be snubbed every year.

 

[kabidjan18]

If that's what you meant then you're right. I can't remember the last time before 2013 that Austria won, must have been before 2007.
Tukka Rask and Ben Bishop (twice) also had uncharacteristically bad save percentages against Austria, but I'm sure those were just flukes too right...I will be polite and say it was a fluke because this feed isn't about Austria.
If you read what I said, "Roberts Bukarts actually furthers my point about continuity", I wasn't saying he was physical, I was saying he was likely chosen for continuity reasons. Perhaps you know a better reason outside of injury why he's on the team.
And I don't know why it's so important to see exhibition matches. I watch the same world championship matches and Olympic matches as any other person and I have a favorable opinion of Latvia. Not saying it's absolutely true, just that it's what I've observed.
Ergi24 on the first page also seemed to think that Martins Karsums and Kaspars Daugavins play for Dynamo Moskva but just in case both our memories failed us I looked up their elite prospects profiles.
http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=11335
http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=9238
My impression of Latvia's depth is that it's above average. Of course it's not like Canada or Sweden but compared to Norway, Slovenia, or the elevator countries it's not bad. Obviously you locals know more about your depth chart but locals also tend to be the most critical of their own teams merely because they care more.

 

[Jakk123]

Congratulations, well deserved win.

 

[Latgale_fan]

Obviously you locals know more about your depth chart but locals also tend to be the most critical of their own teams merely because they care more.

Of course it's easy for me now to step in after a great display vs Slovakia today, but I do think that you're right here.
I've been silent all through the preparation period and not because I didn't have anything to say, but because I know that Beļavskis is a Znarok type of coach and I knew that pretty much the whole preparation period will be like it was vs Norway, as the Soviet school coach will give so much physical exercise to the guys, that they will barely able to walk on ice... It happened every year with Znarok and with Beresnevs previously, now it's Belavskis. They love to really build a good physical base for players before the tourney, I'm not saying other teams are not doing the same, but it's how it is... Russia is pathetic at the moment, due to the same reason...

I'm not saying that 5:1 vs Slovaks means that now we'll crush the opposition, but I'm sick and tired that every year this whining about bad friendlies happens in our country. WC is what matters, these games are there to prepare. Maybe it's bad that Bukarts is on the first line. But ok, if not Bukarts, who else?

Bukarts looking the same as regular Liepāja linemates when he was sent down... it's an opinion. Unfortunately, it's also an incorrect opinion, as any person who understands something about hockey and watched the games would laugh about that.
Just cause of interest, I went and looked at Liepaja-Kurbads series stats. Bukarts has 5 points in 4 games, others... I guess Zabis was nr.2, with 3 points playing on the same line. Skvorcovs, his colleague from Dinamo and native Liepaja guy - nowhere to be seen. Also, these teams are not ''beer league'' caliber, as this year's top 3 in Latvian league could well play in Belarus, Denmark or Norway, the level of play and skills are sufficient enough.

It's also interesting that Bukarts gets this crap, taking into account that, adjusted for the fact that he played less games, only Darzins, Redlihs and Indrasis in Dinamo really scored more than him. Yes, defense is not his strong side, but perhaps that's why he's not playing 3rd and 4th line... He's not a saviour, but in the current setup of team Latvia, he's closest there is for the 1st line, if we want to make at least 2 good lines. I would believe this game proved that such a first line can work.

 

[ozo]

It's also interesting that Bukarts gets this crap

If he would have a hockey smile and long hair, he would be as loved as Nizivijs was.

 

[RobertR]

Daugavins seems to have a lot of confidence.

 

[saskriders]

Daug is awesome. Got his name on a Dinamo Riga jersey

 

[Namejs]

[Mod]

The physical excercises were so tough, that they looked terrible and now after a few days they're all good again. What absolute drivel.

I'm not saying that 5:1 vs Slovaks means that now we'll crush the opposition, but I'm sick and tired that every year this whining about bad friendlies happens in our country. WC is what matters, these games are there to prepare. Maybe it's bad that Bukarts is on the first line. But ok, if not Bukarts, who else?

Who exactly are you talking to when you mentioned friendly games? If my memory serves me well, no one in this thread has discussed friendly games.

If not Bukarts, who else? How about any single other player? Bukarts has no business being in the line-up, not to mention being on the 1st line.

Bukarts looking the same as regular Liepāja linemates when he was sent down... it's an opinion. Unfortunately, it's also an incorrect opinion, as any person who understands something about hockey and watched the games would laugh about that. Just cause of interest, I went and looked at Liepaja-Kurbads series stats. Bukarts has 5 points in 4 games, others... I guess Zabis was nr.2, with 3 points playing on the same line. Skvorcovs, his colleague from Dinamo and native Liepaja guy - nowhere to be seen. Also, these teams are not ''beer league'' caliber, as this year's top 3 in Latvian league could well play in Belarus, Denmark or Norway, the level of play and skills are sufficient enough.

Maybe you should've been watching the games instead of looking at stats. Anyone who's seen the level of the Latvian domestic league and anyone who's watched some games of the minor pro leagues across Europe would laugh at the comparison that you've made there.

Look up the teams that some of the leading players of Mogo or Kurbads have played in abroad. The Swiss or German 4th division, Finnish 3rd division, etc. You obviously don't know what you're talking about and I'm pretty sure you didn't watch the actual games.

It is actual beer league hockey to an extent. Most players have other jobs. I know at least 3 guys who've played in the Latvian league and one did that while he was studying full-time and even had a job as well. They're not practicing every day, they're not paid. There are loads of legit amateur players there.

Zemgale only had 3 lines of players in the bronze medal series simply because they didn't have enough players.

It's also interesting that Bukarts gets this crap, taking into account that, adjusted for the fact that he played less games, only Darzins, Redlihs and Indrasis in Dinamo really scored more than him. Yes, defense is not his strong side, but perhaps that's why he's not playing 3rd and 4th line... He's not a saviour, but in the current setup of team Latvia, he's closest there is for the 1st line, if we want to make at least 2 good lines. I would believe this game proved that such a first line can work.

[Mod] Roberts Bukarts scores at a 0.24 PPG rate in the KHL. That's worse than anyone worth mentioning (including Cipulis). He's scored the same amount of goals as Dzerins in his career. Everyone considers Dzerins a bottom 6 scrub, while Bukarts is supposed to be the scorer type.

Bukarts is less than a one-dimensional player. He's slow, he's extremely soft, he's a non-contributing zero defensively and his individual skills are not good enough to make him able to stickhandle his way out of his obvious shortcomings. He's definitely not Nizivijs.

The only thing that the first game against Slovakia proved is that Bukarts can be useful on one of the powerplay units when the other team has 1 or 2 players less than your team does. I'll give you that.

 

[Latgale_fan]

Also, why would you bring up Džeriņš here? He's preparing for the WC on an equally good line, with equally good (if not better) linemates.
It's just what we've got... In a better world we'd have Indrašis, we'd have Ķēniņš, maybe Girgs, maybe Karsums, even Meija... well, we don't have them, we have Kobayashi, Skvorcovs and some youngsters.... I don't see any of those on the first line. Like maybe Cipulis instead of Bukarts... Maaaaybe, then again is he a major improvement on Bukarts, judging by this year's game? As Drake said ''yeah I doubt it ni**a''

 

[CrookedCrook]

First line actually looked decent against Canada. Anyway, our third, fourth line and defenceman look so damn weak against decent competition. Unfortunately I don't see us finishing top10 this year.
I really want to see Daugavins on that line between M.Redlihs and Sprukts.
And we have to start Masalskis to win something..