GDT: Quarterfinal • Feb. 19 • Finland vs. Russia • Part III (Mod Warning Post #2)

[Zirakzigil]

Feel bad for Russia, would have liked to see them in the finals. Congrats to Finland. They have been playing solid goalie despite the players they are missing.

 

[MrShift4]

Congrats to Finland

Not really surprised they won though

 

[Gaps]

I can't think of many teams that would be better off without their best players (measured in absolute skill level), but Russia just might be an exception. Teams like Finland or Sweden sure aren't.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

When I saw the result at work I immediately proceeded to taunt my Russian co-workers and started to hum this to myself:

Poika Saunoo

 

[illpucks]

The problem is Malkin and Ovechkin. Datsyuk stepped up vs the U.S, Kovalchuk every game, Radulov vs Norway, where the **** are Malkin and Ovechkin though? They are the problem along with the coach for pairing them and keeping them as a pair. Put Ovechkin with Tarasenko and Malkin with Nichushkin.

Also the coach is a ****ing idiot for putting Varlamov in instead of Bobrovsky.

 

[Jtown]

Those saves by Bob in the 3rd were the best all tournament. absolutely incredible after seeing the replays

 

[crowi]

Where's PGT for this, USA-CZE and SWE-SLO?

 

[Yakushev72]

Here in Finland we think that Radulov is one of weakest links of russian NT. Dude's got talent but he can't control his emotions (easily agitated) and can't play team game to save his life.

Team Russia needs more Dats's, not Radulovs

Players with freakish talent like Datsyuk don't come along often enough to have more of them. Radulov has talent, but more than anything else, an attitude to go balls to the wall on every shift. You can find more of that.

 

[Firsov99]

When a Finnish skier beat the Russian one earlier today in the sprint event, I thought that it was a bad omen....

Congrats to team Finland and its fans! You've made the top 4 for the 4th time (!) in 5 attempts (since 1998), so I have no idea why would anyone have a reason to underrate your true hockey prowess.

 

[vsk92]

Anyone know where I can rewatch the whole game

 

[ForSpareParts*]

What do you do with the forward group now?

This whole pairing experiment (Sharp/Toews Crosby/Kunitz, etc.) has gone badly, but change isn't an option right now.

What would you do?

 

[crowi]

When a Finnish skier beat the Russian one earlier today in the sprint event, I thought that it was a bad omen....

Congrats to team Finland and its fans! You've made the top 4 for the 4th time (!) in 5 attempts (since 1998), so I have no idea why would anyone have a reason to underrate your true hockey prowess.

Have to give credit to Russians fans. So classy.

 

[Retire91]

Russia has a flashy team on paper but this thread needs more Congratulations to Finland.

 

[Bure]

Russia has a flashy team on paper but this thread needs more Congratulations to Finland.

Yep Hockey is a team sport. Finland is a great team!

 

[Evergreen]

Finland has really impressed me with their ability to overcome the injuries to several top players. I hope they beat Sweden and make it to the final game because I'd love to see Kimmo Timonen rewarded for his warrior-like play for so many years.

 

[rduck1]

Anyone know where I can rewatch the whole game

http://www.1yle.atos-ovp.tv/player/OVPWeb.FIN.html?discipline=IH&rsc=IHM400302&date=20140219

I think it requires a Finnish IP, but I assume you have that covered.

 

[Canuck21t]

I think it's safe to say that is the emotion a lot of Russians are feeling at the moment. Came in with such high expectations, only to lose now, gotta be heart breaking. They do have some young talent on the ways, but they have to shore up that defense if they ever want to really compete now on the international stage.

I genuinely feel bad for Russia. I feel bad for Putin and Medvedev and also feel bad for the coach. Yeah he was bad but still, I can't imagine the pressure he was under. At least the players get to go back to North America and continue with their comfortable lives, but the coach gets all the blame. Even if he did a bad job, I don't want to imagine what crap he'll get.

 

[ColdSteel2]

Russian hockey is so strange. Most of their players used to be all about passing and playmaking. Fans wanted some of those guys to shoot more than they did. Now all Russian forwards are shooters for the most part, can't find that happy medium.

 

[W75]

Congrats to team Finland and its fans! You've made the top 4 for the 4th time (!) in 5 attempts (since 1998), so I have no idea why would anyone have a reason to underrate your true hockey prowess.

Thanks, very classy of you. I'm very happy that we won. However, part of me feels sadness because your home tournament had to go like this. But it's a game.. and this time we won.

 

[Canuck21t]

And if the U.S. steered it's best athletes away from football and basketball and into hockey, then they'd...

If ifs and buts were candies and nuts...

Even when hockey is not nearly as popular as your other major sports, your number of registered players are closer to Canada's numbers than any countries. Having more doesn't guarantee more championships win, it only gives you depth.

 

[Firsov99]

Thanks, very classy of you. I'm very happy that we won. However, part of me feels sadness because your home tournament had to go like this. But it's a game.. and this time we won.

Of course, losing so early on home soil is upsetting to most Russian fans, but nothing extraordinary has happened: the better team won.

Here's the motto to the Russians fans for today:

 

[604]

They won't. NHL players have their own NHL trophy. The only fans that won't find a meaning for the Olympic medals are the ones who seriously believe that hockey ends right outside the North America.

There's a meaning for it but it becomes even less significant than a World Championship win.

 

[rocky7]

yes, after the initial shock and disappointment has faded.......and some sanity restored....



congratulations Finland and fans on a great display of heart, skill and pride. you earned it and have again asserted yourselves firmly in the top five best hockey countries. I will be rooting for you now to the end. good luck the rest of the way!! r7

 

[Bad Goalie]

I wouldn't throw any Russian player under the bus, forward or defence. This is all on the Russian staff. They don't preach a modern game, or make any necessary adjustments.

I wouldn't throw any under the bus as well. However, how many of the Russian D-men would have been selected by Team Canada or Team USA to replace any of the D-men on their roster? I'm betting none. The Russian defense was suspect from the start. I think they performed admirably, but they were not an asset in contributing to a solid break out. They were unable to join the rush and contribute to the offensive attack. They had no players that compared to the likes of a Zubov and recent others from their past.

Goalie Bob should have started.

The KHL players should have been grouped together and likewise with the NHL players. They play such different styles that meshing them didn't work. Coach Wild Bill did coach in the NHL with the dump and chase system, but played in the old Soviet puck control/don't shoot until it's nothing but an open net system. I'm not real sure from watching their games just exactly what the system was that Russia was playing.

The team seemed to be in disarray and then turned into me against the world players when the going got tough. Kovy and Rads seemed to be trying to prove they were better than the NHL guys and deserved more of the accolades that Ovi and Malkin were getting from both the Russian press and fan base.

It's really too bad because we know back in North America, where we watch the Russian NHL stars on a regular basis, they are better than they played in this tournament.

 

[Sam Spade]

Yes there are, but in a politics forum someone would raise their voice, if someone was to claim Ovechkin played well in this tournament.

I still wonder, why the Olympics are in Russia. I don't even want to know how many people have "gone missing" because of the winter games. If someone is interested in Putin, find out about Aleksandr Litvinenko and Anna Politkovskaja for starters. But enough of that.

To be honest, I wish Ovechkin would win something big. He has given so much for the world of ice hockey and he is an unbelievable talent (though same goes for Salo, Timonen, O. Jokinen...). Hard to find a coach who can control that team full of talent. Too bad Professor Larionov doesnt coach?

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Hard to root for the country of Russia to win anything, but I find it harder to NOT root for Ovechkin to win because despite what people think he takes his responsibility and representation of Russia (and the Caps for that matter) seriously.

Here's hoping he can leave D.C. while he still matters and try to win something because I can't see Russia being any better in 2018 with or w/o NHL participation.