Kings News: Kings at the World Championships

[RayMartyniukTotems]

That would set up a Chromiak versus Fiala game on Thursday that I have no time to watch due to two separate meetings during game time.

Cal has been a backup to Casey DeSmith in US's single game so far (after letting in a soft goal in a prep game).

Around 12 minutes of TOI for TJ Tynan and a +1 in a fairly impressive 4-1 US opening win over the home team, Finland. Alex Tuch with 2 goals in that one.

A certain Mikey Eysimmont is likewise on the US squad. Not to mention Kubalík on the Czech one.

Grundy with 15 min of TOI in a Swedish opening 1-0 victory over Germany.

Chromiak is -2 after the first 2 games, with that single power-play tally, after having played 14 and 11 minutes. Slovakia's coach Craig Ramsey said he had not been familiar with Chromiak prior to preparation games, but Chromiak pleasantly surprised him, enough so to get selected for the squad to play in his first Worlds among adults. I think the competition among Slovak forwards was pretty good, so it was by no means a given.

Slovenia has been brutal so far, losing its opening game 0-7 versus Switzerland, after Kopitar declined to play in the tournament. (Now, a Kopitar versus Fiala game would be pretty fun to watch, wouldn't it?)

Hey I see Chromiak didn't play the last game,any idea if he was a scratch or...

 

[Faterson]

Hey I see Chromiak didn't play the last game,any idea if he was a scratch or...

Yeah, healthy scratch today after playing only 33 seconds in the previous game.

Slovakia played an awful game, barely eking out a 1-0 victory in a must-win game against lowly Slovenia.

Given that they played so terribly today, Chromiak might get another chance on Tuesday against Norway. That's another must-win game for Slovakia, and in regulation. If they fail to win in regulation, then Slovakia's and Chromiak's season is over. (It may be over even if they win, if Latvia gets at least a point later that day against undefeated Switzerland.)

 

[RayMartyniukTotems]

Yeah, healthy scratch today after playing only 33 seconds in the previous game.

Slovakia played an awful game, barely eking out a 1-0 victory in a must-win game against lowly Slovenia.

Given that they played so terribly today, Chromiak might get another chance on Tuesday against Norway. That's another must-win game for Slovakia, and in regulation. If they fail to win in regulation, then Slovakia's and Chromiak's season is over. (It may be over even if they win, if Latvia gets at least a point later that day against undefeated Switzerland.)

Hey thanks for the update much appreciated

 

[Faterson]

TJ Tynan with another pair of assists against Sweden, and he's now the tournament's second-leading scorer behind Kubalík. The two will square off in the quarterfinals. Looks like DeSmith will be in goal, with Petersen as backup.

Guess what, Tynan has better stats than Alex Tuch. In +/-, too, Tynan is no. 4 in the tourney (+9), just 1 point behind the leader, with not a single minus point in 7 games played.

Slovakia failed to make the play-offs, and their season is over. Chromiak was a healthy scratch in the final game as well.

 

[Faterson]

This is truly delightful. Switzerland with their star ensemble and "first-ever gold" ambitions, got bumped off in the 1st play-off round by Germany, and their season is over. (Reminds me of the Bruins.)

Fiala got an assist in the 1-3 loss today, and finished the tourney at PPG, with 6 (1+5) in 6 games, +2.

TJ Tynan gets another assist and DeSmith another shutout in the US blanking of the Czechs, 3-0. Germany up next in the semifinals.

I think we should all agree that the title of "World Champion" would look good on TJ Tynan (and he could be the tournament's top scorer, too), it could be the highlight of his career (the last US gold at the Worlds was way back in 1960!), and he would certainly deserve it for his dedication to hockey despite not making it to the very top level (so far?!).

So, I'm rooting for the US the rest of the way.

 

[FeartheFur]

Peterson is 3-0 with a .955 save %. How?

 

[Statto]

TJ Tynan with another pair of assists against Sweden, and he's now the tournament's second-leading scorer behind Kubalík. The two will square off in the quarterfinals. Looks like DeSmith will be in goal, with Petersen as backup.

Guess what, Tynan has better stats than Alex Tuch. In +/-, too, Tynan is no. 4 in the tourney (+9), just 1 point behind the leader, with not a single minus point in 7 games played.

Slovakia failed to make the play-offs, and their season is over. Chromiak was a healthy scratch in the final game as well.

Tynan is built for Olympic ice and that style of game.

 

[Faterson]

Peterson is 3-0 with a .955 save %. How?

Inferior opponents. (Lots of them at the Worlds group stage every year.) He's only been the backup in the games that matter, and with only the 2 medal games left to play, that's not gonna change (barring injury to DeSmith).

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

The best thing that could happen for the Kings here is Cal getting his head together.

You're not facing Nolan Ryan at batting practice. Just get your reps in and your head right.

 

[Schrute farms]

These "World Championships" are like a local chili cookoff at the city summer festival. It's fun for a day and it means something beyond that to those participating/winning. To the rest of us, it's forgotten within a few days (if not sooner).

Now if it's the Olympics or something with truly the best hockey players in the world playing for each country -- then that's different. But this...um, ok whatevers.

 

[kingsholygrail]

These are basically the time trials for the Olympics.

 

[Faterson]

These "World Championships" are like a local chili cookoff at the city summer festival. It's fun for a day and it means something beyond that to those participating/winning. To the rest of us, it's forgotten within a few days (if not sooner).

I assure you that's only the North American perspective. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's useful to realize that for many Europeans in "hockey countries", the annual hockey World Championships are a big deal – the equivalent of your Super Bowl. The sales of TV sets soar whenever this tournament approaches, etc.

Most casual sports fans over here would know that the hockey World Championships are currently taking place, but they would not really know (or care!) that the Stanley Cup play-offs are also taking place simultaneously. They would have zero idea as to which 4 teams got to the conference finals this year. If a Slovak player was on at least one of the 4 rosters left, that would be different, but because there's no such player, they just don't know and don't care, just like you over there don't care about the World Championships. As can be seen, it's all very relative.

Anyway: another shocker in Riga, with the home team Latvia eliminating Sweden in the 1st play-off round, 3-1, despite getting outshot 41-15 (!). The Canucks prospect Siilovs was in goal for Latvia. I think it's the first time in history that Latvia advances to the semifinals, and they will face Canada now.

This means Grundström's season is over as well. 8 games played in the tournament, 1 goal and 1 assist, +3, around 16 min average TOI. Nothing to write home about. (And he's very close to home there.)

It's US versus Germany, and Canada versus Latvia in the semifinals.

It may well come down to a captain Toffoli versus (Reign) captain Tynan gold medal game. Canada has won many gold medals at this event in the past (including Toffoli on that 2015 Canadian dream team in Prague), whereas the last time the US managed to do that at this event was in 1960, so I'm rooting for captain Tynan.

 

[FeartheFur]

Good read

 

[chris kontos]

I assure you that's only the North American perspective. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's useful to realize that for many Europeans in "hockey countries", the annual hockey World Championships are a big deal – the equivalent of your Super Bowl. The sales of TV sets soar whenever this tournament approaches, etc.

Most casual sports fans over here would know that the hockey World Championships are currently taking place, but they would not really know (or care!) that the Stanley Cup play-offs are also taking place simultaneously. They would have zero idea as to which 4 teams got to the conference finals this year. If a Slovak player was on at least one of the 4 rosters left, that would be different, but because there's no such player, they just don't know and don't care, just like you over there don't care about the World Championships. As can be seen, it's all very relative.

Anyway: another shocker in Riga, with the home team Latvia eliminating Sweden in the 1st play-off round, 3-1, despite getting outshot 41-15 (!). The Canucks prospect Siilovs was in goal for Latvia. I think it's the first time in history that Latvia advances to the semifinals, and they will face Canada now.

This means Grundström's season is over as well. 8 games played in the tournament, 1 goal and 1 assist, +3, around 16 min average TOI. Nothing to write home about. (And he's very close to home there.)

It's US versus Germany, and Canada versus Latvia in the semifinals.

It may well come down to a captain Toffoli versus (Reign) captain Tynan gold medal game. Canada has won many gold medals at this event in the past (including Toffoli on that 2015 Canadian dream team in Prague), whereas the last time the US managed to do that at this event was in 1960, so I'm rooting for captain Tynan.

Thanks for this

 

[BigBrown]

Sweden is on its worst stretch of international hockey since the 30s. Unbelievable. Back to back gold in 17/18 but have not even made it to the semi finals since. Just brutal.

 

[David Lunch]

Just read that Germany beat the US! Anyone watch the game?

 

[kingsholygrail]

Just read that Germany beat the US! Anyone watch the game?

No, but from what I read it was like a typical Kings game. Get out to a quick lead, then blow it in the last couple minutes.

 

[Faterson]

Yeah, TJ Tynan & Cal Petersen won't be returning home as world champions. The US lose their 11th (!) straight semifinal game at the Worlds.

They won 8 straight games this year, and their first loss came today. Up 2-0 after 4 minutes of play, allowed the equalizer with 83 seconds left in the game, lost 3-4 in 8th minute of overtime.

Conversely, Germany opened the tournament with 3 straight 1-goal losses (against the US, Sweden, and Finland), but followed them up with 6 straight victories, and will face Canada with captain Toffoli tomorrow for gold. That's without Draisaitl and Stützle (but with Seider). (Canada, in their turn, were down to Latvia 1-2 after 2 periods in their semifinal game, but managed to win 4-2.)

Here is how it ended for the US:

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Man, those guys are Kings through and through.

 

[Faterson]

The US blow another lead with 5:39 min left in the bronze medal game, then lose in 2nd minute of overtime 3-4 to Latvia.

TJ Tynan pointless again (but at least with +/- 0 just like yesterday), Petersen as backup again.

Happy for Latvia, because it's their first-ever medal, whereas for the US, a bronze medal wouldn't really mean much.

Slovak TV coverage:

 

[Schrute farms]

 

[kingsholygrail]

Is there anything more predictable than team USA disappearing in an international tournament?

 

[Faterson]

Well, at least the Kings draftee Tyler Toffoli is double World Champion, as Team Canada captain the second time around.

(And it wasn't entirely easy against Germany: a come-from-behind victory after trailing 1-2 in the 2nd period, 2-2 after 2, final score 5-2 with Toffoli scoring the 4th goal.)

 

[Bandit]

It’s impossible to take any tournament seriously where Germany makes the final

 

[johnjm22]

I guess Germany is underrated still. Seems like most of the high picks out of the DEL recently are looking good too.

2020:
Stutzle
Reichel
Peterka

2019:
Moritz Seider