GDT: Finland - Czech Republic

[karhukissa]

Well, this is Jalonen Finland, the blue machine. Uber disciplined, hard skating, hard battling, never disorganized.

Indeed. And when important games come, Jalonen has amazing talent to make his team calm and focused.

He uses different methods to prepare his team, i believe in 2019 he asked every player to send their video coach some picture what means a lot to them. And then they made a video of those pictures and showed that to players before semi final. His point was, that life goes on even if we lose and these people/things seen on the video are the most important ones not this one hockey game.

 

[Finnswiss]

If Olkinuora and the team can keep this performance the chances for Finland are quite big to win the first time in history a medal by their home WHC.

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

Well. The quarter final opponents i wanted to avoid were Canada, Sweden and Finland.

Sorry Sweden... Good luck with Canada.

Best news of day is Slovakia making it! Feel bad for Danes but happy when Slovaks do well.

Well you guys hit the jackpot, already in the semis pretty much....

 

[FinPanda]

Its funny how Lindell was on the ice almost every single time Czechs were on the offensive zone. No wonder Czechs couldn't score any goals.

 

[FiLe]

I must say... while the Czechs probably didn't lose on purpose, they sure didn't look like they tried to win.

Also, some of those last-minute decisions looked a little sus at times. Shots that maaaaybe went wide on purpose, stuff like that.

Also, let's not forget that the IIHF can actually penalize teams if it looks like there was some fishy business going on. So it's actually not that surprising that Czechia put up *some* effort. There is no need to hear after the game that the directorate is looking into you.

 

[FiLe]

Well. The quarter final opponents i wanted to avoid were Canada, Sweden and Finland.

Well, the latter two were a guaranteed dodge from the get-go, as the opponent is not drawn from the same group.

 

[llwyd]

I must say... while the Czechs probably didn't lose on purpose, they sure didn't look like they tried to win.

Their "playacting" for the first 5 min in the 2nd period was certainly brilliant Hand them Oscars. But maybe in the 3rd period they at least subconsciously were aware that a defeat would not be a catastrophe.

 

[FiLe]

Their "playacting" for the first 5 min in the 2nd period was certainly brilliant

Maybe they really were trying to get on the scoreboard there. It's not like it would have threatened their perceived endgame. Also, let's not forget that even a tie after regulation would have been enough to draw them Germany. (And it would also have put Finland in a less-than-pleasant position.)

 

[Puck Dogg]

I have a bad feeling since the group stage went so well.. I hope this team keeps the gold medals in Finland

I'd say Finland will be favored as 68% chance to win on regulation, maybe even less. The Slovak surprise is very unlikely.

 

[llwyd]

Maybe they really were trying to get on the scoreboard there. It's not like it would have threatened their perceived endgame. Also, let's not forget that even a tie after regulation would have been enough to draw them Germany. (And it would also have put Finland in a less-than-pleasant position.)

Well, I just tend to doubt these over elaborate calculations. The Czechs came out running and were very impressive in the beginning of the match. Then there was that absolutely brutal domination in the beginning of the 2nd period. It was only in the 3rd period that they seemed to run out of steam and effort, so I think Occam is pretty obvious here.

 

[Ippenator]

Kummola is even bigger legend than anttila

Well he is the true godfather of Finnish hockey. In fact I think that the Finnish word for godfather (kummisetä) should be changed to Kummolasetä.

A dangler dangles, so no. He's not a dangler. But he knows how to do it!

But only once or twice a season!

 

[FiLe]

Well he is the true godfather of Finnish hockey. In fact I think that the Finnish word for godfather (kummisetä) should be changed to Kummolasetä.

Don Kaleone.

 

[Husqvarna]

A Clockwork Orange knife-sharp hockey played by Finland today. Me like.

 

[THE JAM]

I must say... while the Czechs probably didn't lose on purpose, they sure didn't look like they tried to win.

Also, some of those last-minute decisions looked a little sus at times. Shots that maaaaybe went wide on purpose, stuff like that.

Also, let's not forget that the IIHF can actually penalize teams if it looks like there was some fishy business going on. So it's actually not that surprising that Czechia put up *some* effort. There is no need to hear after the game that the directorate is looking into you.

Vibes of SWE-SVK 2006 Torino Olympics 0-3 in the air tonight for sure

But SWE was not punished and was actually allowed to win that event

- which means that the IIHF after that 2006 debacle has no reasonable way to punish teams that (perhaps) do not give their 100% effort to win a game, seeking better placement/opponent(s) in the "playoffs"

 

[Ippenator]

What you mean is vibes of SWE-SVK 2006 Olympics was in the air tonight.

Foppa admitted thowing that game vs SVK - so IIHF will not punish anybody if they did not punish swedes throwing that game

So I guess they still have the same guys in the IIHF directorate as they had in 2006? Mighty long tenure they have had...

 

[THE JAM]

Yeah well, putler's buddy rene fasel was the IIHF chief for 25+ years or smth ... need I say more

 

[Mestaruus]

I think this game tells absolutely nothing about capability of the Czech team, Czechia has great team this year. Both teams have already set their mind to QFs.

If FIN & CZE rematch at any point of the tournament, it will be a completely different game and a different Czech.

 

[Mestaruus]

Anttila is so bad. Hopefully he doesn't make the teams anymore..

You must promise to eat your words if we win gold again . Even if he didn't produce points in those games and the result wold be gold, I'm sure that he produced something positive for the team. He must be a good locker room guy and a leader.

 

[FinPanda]

You must promise to eat your words if we win gold again . Even if he didn't produce points in those games and the result wold be gold, I'm sure that he produced something positive for the team. He must be a good locker room guy and a leader.

Nah. He is an excellent PK'er but doesn't have the speed or puckhandling to be very effective otherwise anymore.

 

[Mestaruus]

Nah. He is an excellent PK'er but doesn't have the speed or puckhandling to be very effective otherwise anymore.

Pressure just doesn't affect Anttila like it does on many of the other guys. That's his biggest strength in my opinion.

 

[FinPanda]

Pressure just doesn't affect Anttila like it does on many of the other guys. That's his biggest strength in my opinion.

He is not getting any younger so in a year he may be even less useful than this year.

 

[AKQJ]

It was very ... convinient result for both teams, so not sense too much to stair at this result. Semis tomorrow tell the true story.

 

[Gereth]

Maybe they really were trying to get on the scoreboard there. It's not like it would have threatened their perceived endgame. Also, let's not forget that even a tie after regulation would have been enough to draw them Germany. (And it would also have put Finland in a less-than-pleasant position.)

I don't think there was a thorough plan how to throw away the game. These are all professionals and it's a big locker room. Trying to pull something like that in an organized way would be a major risk for their careers.

I do think that players and coaches knew in their mind that this is not the match to leave everything in and that it had effect on their game. Of course they do not play with the same intensity. Also not sure if we would be seeing Langhammer and Jiricek. It's far from losing the game on purpose though. Don't forget that Czechs played USA a day earlier while Finns had two days off. Them being slow might just be tiredness sneaking in combined with low motivation.

+ of course Finns are strong opponents and Czechs managed to lose against Austria in this very tournament. It's very likely that they are simply just the better team.

 

[Hasa92]

I don’t like when people complain about Anttila, yes we have about a 100 better forwards to pick from but he actually makes the team better than most of them also he is Jalonen’s key player, this is not the same situation as with Lasse Kukkonen (Oh no) who only brought leadership or Aki Berg (GOD NO, NEVER AGAING) who did nothing but hurt the team.

-Anttila is a good leader and a locker room guy.

-Anttila is actually very good forechecker and defender with his stick (His size sure helps with that). And forechecking has always been a big part of Finnish hockey.

-Even thought he lacks physicality his size still gives him an unique ability to take space away from the opposition, this is very effective especially of his poke checking skills and reach. There is also the intimidation effect but opposition players have to play extra carefully not to get their puck poked away. This ability makes the defending job for the rest of the Finnish players easier because the opposition has much less space.

-He has also been very clutch when playing with Jalonen. He shouldn’t be, he doesn’t have the offensive skill but he has been scoring when it matters, luck or not it would be stupid not to pick him when he has been on fire and brought 2 gold medals and one silver from the last 3 tournaments.

Even if the last point had been just flukes, it still has a psychological effect on him, his teammates and the opposition, againg taking some focus away from the other Finnish players that are actually much bigger scoring threats.

Wouldn’t be surprised in Anttila scored one or more game winning or tying goals, can’t explain why or how but he has been clutch.

 

[Czechboy]

If FIN & CZE rematch at any point of the tournament, it will be a completely different game and a different Czech.

Hard to say... right now the 'blue machine' or the sisu destroyer or whatever is working real well! You guys make everyone look like they are skating in sand. Having said that... I'll gladly play you (or anyone) IF we win Thursday! I just want a 2 game weekend.