GDT: Norway vs Kazakhstan

[FiLe]

Norway was on the attack a ton in this game - and certainly in the last two minutes.

The puck was in Norway's end, and KAZ had possession.

 

[nabby12]

It's pretty bullshit that Kazakhstan wins four of its seven games and likely doesn't make the quarterfinals.

 

[Fjorden]

Kazakhstan leading 0:1 after the first period.

Impressive that Norway with 12 get league players(Norwegian league) and a bunch of youngsters beats another team stacked with KHL players for the 2nd time in this tournament, and it is fully deserved to and not just luck. We dictate the game most of the time, and they get their chanches on our mistakes and counter attacks,

And Canada now have it in their own hands if they pick up points against Finland. Canada will need two points, but one point can also be enogugh if it is a winner after regulation in the Latvia/Germany. game. Kazakhstan still have a small chanche if Canada fails against Finand though. Will be instersting last round.
'

 

[garbageteam]

Huge game for Canada that people here thought was almost a foregone conclusion that Kazakhstan would win given their earlier performance. Since they own the tiebreakers vs Germany and Latvia, they will need Canada to lose in regulation to Finland and they are guaranteed the QFs regardless of how the other Group B match goes between Germany and Latvia.

Norway showed themselves well this tournament.

 

[Urbanskog]

What a way to ruin your historic chance to advance to the elimination round. It's going to require a miracle for Kazakhstan to advance now.

 

[BigBadBoar]

This was some collaboration of polar bears between Canada and Norway. I expected Kazakhstan to win and secure their advance almost for sure. Now, Norway helped Canada a lot and Canada has it in their hands now.

 

[FiLe]

You have to ask yourself how jittery the Kazakhs were before the game. Enter a game against the team with the second worst record in the group, and a regulation win will not just punch their ticket to their first QF ever, but gives them the third seed and Switzerland as the likely opponent. Furthermore, it would have guaranteed them at least the 8th position in the final standings - their best finish ever. (The previous best was 12th.)

Bottom line, we could easily call this the most significant game in the Kazakh hockey history. But... no pressure, right?

 

[Mick Riddleton]

That non call on the Norway break away short handed was criminal. That ref needs to go back to kids games.

 

[Mestaruus]

What a way to ruin your historic chance to advance to the elimination round. It's going to require a miracle for Kazakhstan to advance now.

It just takes Finland's regular time win over Canada for KAZ to advance. I wouldn't call that a miracle.

Finland has a reason to win the Canada game. If we think that CZE is the favorite against SVK, then by beating Canada Finland can get SVK in the QF if CZE indeed beats SVK.

 

[Urbanskog]

It just takes Finland's regular time win over Canada for KAZ to advance. I wouldn't call that a miracle.

Finland has a reason to win the Canada game. If we think that CZE is the favorite against SVK, then by beating Canada Finland can get SVK in the QF if CZE indeed beats SVK.

I wouldn't say it's very likely. Canada is a completely new team compared to the one that didn't gain a single point from its first three matches. They have all the incentive to win the game while Finland has really little reason to. The only Finnish incentive is to win the group so they can face the fourth-placed Slovakia/Czechia instead of the third-placed... Slovakia/Czechia.

 

[Heia Norge]

Greatest country in the world, you say?

 

[Heia Norge]

A nice win today, great effort by our team, Haukeland shut the door.

 

[AwesomePanthers]

With 3 wins, we still made second to last in the group
We played close games with most nations in our group, with a squad without some of our best players. Very impressed, even if the goal was qf.

 

[Mestaruus]

I wouldn't say it's very likely. Canada is a completely new team compared to the one that didn't gain a single point from its first three matches. They have all the incentive to win the game while Finland has really little reason to. The only Finnish incentive is to win the group so they can face the fourth-placed Slovakia/Czechia instead of the third-placed... Slovakia/Czechia.

It will be Slovakia #4 seed in my opinion and Finland hasn't lost to SVK in a long time said a SVK fan, thus SVK fans are terrified to play vs FIN. I think that there is a HUGE reason for FIN to win here.

 

[FiLe]

It will be Slovakia #4 seed in my opinion and Finland hasn't lost to SVK in a long time said a SVK fan, thus SVK fans are terrified to play vs FIN. I think that there is a HUGE reason for FIN to win here.

This is only true if you treat CZE win over SVK a given, and I'm quite certain nobody in the Finnish bench thinks so. Our game vs. Canada is before CZE-SVK, so it's not like our players and coaches know who they will face with a win/loss.

While I personally agree that Slovakia looks like the preferred opponent of the two, our players are in no position to think it will be SVK facing them if they win the game. The only motivation Finland has going against Canada is the pride of winning the game - and the group.

 

[Mestaruus]

This is only true if you treat CZE win over SVK a given, and I'm quite certain nobody in the Finnish bench thinks so. Our game vs. Canada is before CZE-SVK, so it's not like our players and coaches know who they will face with a win/loss.

While I personally agree that Slovakia looks like the preferred opponent of the two, our players are in no position to think it will be SVK facing them if they win the game. The only motivation Finland has going against Canada is the pride of winning the game - and the group.

Actually I think that our coaches might use it as a motivation for the players before the game to say "this is what will likely happen", but on the other thread a person made a good point about SVK & CZE possibly resting some key players. That means that the game becomes harder to predict. That would even out the, what I view as a favorite CZE vs the underdog SVK situation. They'd rest players because most likely they view FIN & USA as equal opponents to face when it comes to difficulty of beating them, so SVK & CZE wouldn't care about SVK-CZE game result that much perhaps.

 

[Name Nameless]

Greatest country in the world, you say?

Aww. Would be fun for them to advance. I have no beef with Kazakhstan.

 

[Finnswiss]

Kazahkstan missed a big opportunity to reach the first time in history the quarterfinal. Now they need the help of Finland.
If the Finns win against Canada in regular time they are in, if Canada wins in regular time or loses in OT they are out.

I didn't expect that Kazahkstan lose this game.

 

[Namejs]

It actually sets up the perfect match-up between Canada and ROC in the QFs.

USA - Czechia
Finland - Slovakia
Latvia/Germany - Switzerland

Wouldn't it be funny if Group B sweeped Group A in the play-offs?

 

[FiLe]

Actually I think that our coaches might use it as a motivation for the players before the game to say "this is what will likely happen", but on the other thread a person made a good point about SVK & CZE possibly resting some key players. That means that the game becomes harder to predict.

I'm 100% certain Jalonen won't use any future hypothetical of a fairly even-looking game to motivate his players. But I'm also 100% certain he will do his best to motivate them to try and win the game. Albeit, probably not by any means necessary. The last thing you want is getting players sidelined on the eve of the game of death in a relatively low-stakes game.

Well, relatively low-stakes for us, at least. Not so much for the other guy. In fact, there are likely tons more pleasant place to be than the Finnish locker room during the second intermission tomorrow. If you happen to be ahead, you know you'll likely have a major storm to weather in the remaining period. And if you're trailing, you still kind of want to win, but not really, really, want.

 

[Finnswiss]

It actually sets up the perfect match-up between Canada and ROC in the QFs.

USA - Czechia
Finland - Slovakia
Latvia/Germany - Switzerland

Wouldn't it be funny if Group B sweeped Group A in the play-offs?

 

[Mestaruus]

I'm 100% certain Jalonen won't use any future hypothetical of a fairly even-looking game to motivate his players. But I'm also 100% certain he will do his best to motivate them to try and win the game. Albeit, probably not by any means necessary. The last thing you want is getting players sidelined on the eve of the game of death in a relatively low-stakes game.

Well, relatively low-stakes for us, at least. Not so much for the other guy. In fact, there are likely tons more pleasant place to be than the Finnish locker room during the second intermission tomorrow. If you happen to be ahead, you know you'll likely have a major storm to weather in the remaining period. And if you're trailing, you still kind of want to win, but not really, really, want.

I'm not saying that Jalonen should ask the players to go die on the ice for the Canada game but just to motivate them little bit more. Every small incentive like saying that "there might be SVK waiting if we win this game" could help. "If we win, we might get easier QF game". That's all he might say and then move on to other things that they go through before games. He should make it crystal clear to the players that the game is not meaningless. Sloppy playing would also increase players' injury risk as much as "playing to die" so to speak. I do think so.

 

[Finnswiss]

It actually sets up the perfect match-up between Canada and ROC in the QFs.

USA - Czechia
Finland - Slovakia
Latvia/Germany - Switzerland

Wouldn't it be funny if Group B sweeped Group A in the play-offs?

Assuming Switzerland takes 2nd place in group A and SVK wins or loses against CZE in OT SVK is 3rd CZE 4th in group A.
In case that Canada wins in normal time against Finland and the game between LAT and GER goes in OT Canada is third in group B. quarterfinals looked very likely like that:

RUSSIA - LAT/GER
SWITZERLAND - CANADA
SVK - FIN
CZE - USA

 

[THE JAM]

It actually sets up the perfect match-up between Canada and ROC in the QFs.

USA - Czechia
Finland - Slovakia
Latvia/Germany - Switzerland

Wouldn't it be funny if Group B sweeped Group A in the play-offs?

yeah, it would - and that swedish graphomanic chimp would be proven wrong again:

Finland really got the Hannu Hanhi group this time. Fine, USA has quality, but the rest? Nope. Canada left a walkover with college players from upper Ontario and Germany and Kazakstan battle for the 3rd and 4th place. Not exactly exciting stuff.

Not that it excuses Sweden playing the worst hockey since 1937, but still, the bragging winning the group shouldn't be that high. The B group is rather shit.

 

[flemo]

It's pretty bullshit that Kazakhstan wins four of its seven games and likely doesn't make the quarterfinals.

Don't forget two of these wins are draws actually. 10 points is far from safe. SVK had one more point in 2019 and still finished 5th with 3 point deficit to 4th place for example