GDT: Group S • May 6 • Russia 4, Norway 2

[Namejs]

You actually know Bandy!! Wow I tought it was like only Sweden, Finland, West-Russia, and a few in Norway and Kazakstan. So Bandy died out because Hockey was taking up or are you still playing it>?

Bandy is not popular at all now, but there is a bandy association, a couple of teams are still playing it and we have a shoddy national team too.

 

[Shrimper]

I am going to be really careful here, but you are a huge Malking fan, correct? lol

Just a bit.

 

[BalticWarrior]

I actually played for the danish lacrosse team for the european championship in 2004 (i was actually conducting the first practice on danish soil in 2001). Latvia was taking it up at the same time. We got 10 and Latvia 11. I scored in our win against Latvia (sorry) but we both beat Italy then (they got 12'th)-

I didn`t know we have a lacrosse team

 

[Justinov]

Bandy is not popular at all now, but there is a bandy association, a couple of teams are still playing it and we have a shoddy national team too.

Well better than Denmark. We have no bandy - since it's an outdoor game you could play 3-5 days every year. Shame if i had lived in Sweden I would play.

 

[Justinov]

I didn`t know we have a lacrosse team

Then go and play - its great. Like hockey on dry land . Many of the great canadian players use it as summer training (or used too).

 

[Yakushev72]

Damn Norway lost. I think it's a bit unfair. They deserved at least an overtime.
If Russia want to beat the better nations they need better defence....they can't play Malkin everywhere.

For what I could see of the game (slideshow stream), Russia was less than impressive. But I wouldn't read too much into their mediocre play. Its hard for a team like Russia to get mentally prepared for a game like this when they are favored to win easily and by a large margin, especially when the other team that has nothing to lose plays with a lot of emotion and intensity. Look for the Russians to play with much more intensity and focus when they play Sweden.

 

[fredrikstad]

Well first off Latvia has more people than Estonia and less than Lithuania. The problem for hockey in lithuania and estonia is that its not sport number 1 or even number 2 or 3. See for lithuania number one is basketball for estonia its skiing and biathlon,they really don`t care enough about hockey to build any real programme.

That is the main problem for Norway to.Skiing,soccer,ski jumping, womans handball,cykling ect. are all much bigger than ice hockey here.

 

[fredrikstad]

I think you could count the attendance on two hands.. so it's not that big of a job..

I guess we could call it a hand job then?

 

[Justinov]

For what I could see of the game (slideshow stream), Russia was less than impressive. But I wouldn't read too much into their mediocre play. Its hard for a team like Russia to get mentally prepared for a game like this when they are favored to win easily and by a large margin, especially when the other team that has nothing to lose plays with a lot of emotion and intensity. Look for the Russians to play with much more intensity and focus when they play Sweden.

I agree that they probably will be more fired up mentally. But when you first start doing bad habits in play, they can stick. It would be better for the whole confidence of the team if they know their defence were sturdy. Now that insecurity will be there latently for a game against Sweden.

 

[GoJackets1]

Where can I find the box scores for all of these games?

 

[vsk92]

Where can I find the box scores for all of these games?

http://www.iihf.com/en/competition/272/statistics.html

 

[Justinov]

That is the main problem for Norway to.Skiing,soccer,ski jumping, womans handball,cykling ect. are all much bigger than ice hockey here.

Well i don't think Norways problems are bigger than Denmark's.
Beside Hockey we have curling and figure scating as the only alternative of wintersport and they have to compete for the same 20 rinks or so in the entire country. But you are right football, handball, cycling takes up a lot of space before hockey. Definitely no ski jumping in Denmark....highest point is the Storebælt Bridge

 

[GoJackets1]

http://www.iihf.com/en/competition/272/statistics.html

Thank you sir.

 

[fredrikstad]

Well i don't think Norways problems are bigger than Denmark's.
Beside Hockey we have curling and figure scating as the only alternative of wintersport and they have to compete for the same 20 rinks or so in the entire country. But you are right football, handball, cycling takes up a lot of space before hockey. Definitely no ski jumping in Denmark....highest point is the Storebælt Bridge

You are right.Denmark has done real great with small resorses. The only advantage you have from us,is that The Danes are allowed to advertise for and sell alcohol at the games.
That is striktly prohibited in Norwegian hockeyrinks. That is a huge economic disadvance for Norways team.

 

[Justinov]

You are right.Denmark has done real great with small resorses. The only advantage you have from us,is that The Danes are allowed to advertise for and sell alcohol at the games.
That is striktly prohibited in Norwegian hockeyrinks. That is a huge economic disadvance for Norways team.

Yeah I remember when the Norwegian football players made a big complaint when they had to play with a beer commercial on their national jersey - when Denmark had Carlsberg. Just been to Norway visiting family and you couldn't even smoke on the ferry outside ?????? from Moss to Horten. Afraid the seagulls get lung cancer
You still can do that from Helsingør to Helsingborg.
So healthy the Norwegians..danish are the russians of Scandinavia....die much younger of too much smoke and alcohol

 

[Peter25]

Medvedev and Denisov looked pretty horrible on defense. Ilya Nikulin has also slowed down from what he was in 2008 when he was great. The problem is that Russia don't really have anyone better than them in the KHL. Most of the best KHL defensemen are foreigners these days. The rest of the Russians like Konstantin Korneyev, Yakov Rylov, Nikolai Belov, Anton Belov... Well, they are not any better than Denisov and Medvedev.

Russia badly needs young stud defensemen in the national team. I doubt Russia can win any major tournament with this defense.

 

[Peter25]

I was amazed and disappointed how many one-on-one battles Russian defensemen lost against Norway at their own end. Against Norway!

Russia has very good forwards this year, but the defense is the achilles heel for this team. If Russia had a better, stronger and more mobile defense it would give forwards more opportunities to shine. Now the forwards constantly need to help their defensemen at their own end and consume too much energy playing defense.

 

[DegenX]

I was amazed and disappointed how many one-on-one battles Russian defensemen lost against Norway at their own end. Against Norway!

Russia has very good forwards this year, but the defense is the achilles heel for this team. If Russia had a better, stronger and more mobile defense it would give forwards more opportunities to shine. Now the forwards constantly need to help their defensemen at their own end and consume too much energy playing defense.

Was surprised that Gonchar isn't on the team ... was he not invited or did he decline?

 

[ozo]

Was surprised that Gonchar isn't on the team ... was he not invited or did he decline?

He's no better than they currently already have.

 

[Garl]

He's no better than they currently already have.

What?

He's definately way better than Nikitin or Medvedev. He's a very good offensive defenseman, and would have been a leader for russian defense. But he is 38 y.o. and probably isn't considered a Sochi candidate.

 

[ozo]

What?

He's definately way better than Nikitin or Medvedev. He's a very good offensive defenseman, and would have been a leader for russian defense. But he is 38 y.o. and probably isn't considered a Sochi candidate.

Leader? I guess you haven't seen Gonchar playing for some time? The only thing keeping him in the NHL is his deal. Ask anyone on Ottawa's board, what they think of Gonchar. He is pretty much done.

 

[vippe]

Leader? I guess you haven't seen Gonchar playing for some time? The only thing keeping him in the NHL is his deal. Ask anyone on Ottawa's board, what they think of Gonchar. He is pretty much done.

He had his best season in a sens uniform this past season in my eyes

 

[DegenX]

What?

He's definately way better than Nikitin or Medvedev. He's a very good offensive defenseman, and would have been a leader for russian defense. But he is 38 y.o. and probably isn't considered a Sochi candidate.

Heh ... didn't realize he was 38. Still, he's looked pretty good this year after a bit of a slow start.

 

[Zine]

Gonchar would be a nice addition, but he still doesn't bring what this team needs...strong defensive play.

 

[DougieSmash]

Dats and Malkin? Wow, man, Russia really wants to take it all.

How looks Zherdev? Would love to see him back in NHL.