GDT: SF • Jan. 3 • Sweden 3, Russia 2 (SO)

[OriginJM]

did you watch even watch the game? He was clearly playing well today and had alot of chances while setting up his team mates

sry

really? he did nothing. the majority says so, if you really love him or something then just say so ahead of time and i wont bother trying to show you stats and logic

and stop mocking me, it makes you look weird.

 

[BigBrown]

Russia showed a lot of heart, it's too bad it had to be decided in a skills competition. Great game and good luck in the bronze game, I'll be cheering for Russia!

 

[kp61c]

after the first period at the intermission nesterov stood and yelled at his teammates good boy

 

[PricePkPatch*]

Ironically, history and the 1940's is exactly why some Finns don't like us

They sure showed you how to compete at Biathlon, eh?

But like he said, old grudges shouldn't come in the way of hockey appreciation. Let bygones be bygones

 

[Tomas W]

kudos to swedes. well-deserved win

Well it was a two faced game first part all sweden and then more and more russia.

Lundström looks like a beast in the SO situation, hes 6 saves for 6 now right?

 

[Tomas W]

Good lord what a thriller this was!

 

[Fantomas]

Well, at least the "HF russians" often are of the classy kind of people.

We are?

 

[Tomas W]

We are?

Alright, I've edited because of course different posters are different, it has not to do with nationality. I should keep my generalising views to myself, its better that way.

 

[Sergei DRW]

How Varnakov was chosen coach?
To have so much talent up front and to lose?
Sweden proved once again that last year was not a fluke. They should ride this momentum going into the Gold Medal game.

 

[Trovatore]

Well, in the second half of the game we saw the Russian team the way it was supposed to be from the start, but for Mr. Varnakov, the master of bull****tery. To think he has butchered such a great squad, jeez...
Again: gg Sweden.

 

[ThirdManIn]

Cool it. No warnings will be issued. Only infractions and various ways of banning you from discussing this will be used from this point, forward.

 

[Ola]

Why is a fin rooting for Russia?

As a Swede, all I ever care about is us finnishing ahead of Finland. After that its win/win.

 

[Ola]

I think most people agree. Having shootouts in a semifinal is just plain stupid.

You must have them with the current set-up. What if CAN-US goes to 3OT? TV can't adjust game-start time.

 

[Yakushev72]

the only thing I see is firing Varnakov right now in the intermission giving the reins to Koreshkov...that can bring some live at least

Be patient! He'll be fired next Tuesday.

 

[Yakushev72]

I was dissapointed with Yakupov's finish this tournament, but to say he played poorly is completely wrong.

Everyone was hoping to see him do something special, and he didn't, but that doesnt mean you need to go full Pejorative Slur. Calling Yakupov a bust at this point just makes you look clueless.

His talent was visible at every stage, but talent is useless unless it is applied with a purpose. Last year, he had Kuznetsov, who he respected, on his line, and he set him up nicely a few times. This year, i don't think Yakupov passed the puck to a teammate one time! He was a complete virtuoso of futility, a one-man band. Varnakov should have rested his linemates when Yakupov was on the ice, because there was no chance that he would pass the puck to them. If Varnakov had any guts (he doesn't), he would have benched him early on in the tournament. That might have wounded his pride and gained his attention. He was a net deficit to Russia, because he actually prevented Russian goals by refusing to set them up. He is a living illustration of how worthless talent and ability are without being properly directed.

 

[Fantomas]

No one was arguing, mods. A few jokes were cracked and some people just misunderstood.

 

[Vetal]

So it is going to be a Europe vs North America in the medal games. What will be the score? 1:1 ? 2:0 or 0:2 ?

 

[Yakushev72]

The worst thing about Varnakov's coaching was that not only did it de-rail the efforts of a genuinely talented Russian team to advance in the tournament, but it also cast a shadow of doubt on Bilyaletdinov's "defense first" theory upon which Coach Bill's national team strategy is based. It proved that a defense first strategy can result in a complete bust, and that has the effect of indirectly eroding Coach Bill's direction.

Defense first only works when it results in a quick turnover of the puck and a counterattack in numbers in the opponent's zone. Varnakov's strategy of letting the opponent enter the Russian zone unmolested to set up an attack failed miserably, because the Russian defense couldn't cause the puck to turnover. Instead of defensemen taking the puck away and feeding it to forwards speeding away for a counterattack, the puck pinballed around the Russian defensive zone seemingly forever, with teams like Canada, Switzerland, Sweden and the US blasting shot after shot at the goalies.

Russia's offense was completely nonexistent. The effort to break a forward away with a long pass failed miserably as well, typically resulting in a 1 on 3 or 1 on 4. Russia rarely kept the puck in play in the other team's zone long enough to get anything going. Speaking of going, its time for Varnakov to call it a day. His strategy and tactics were a disaster!

 

[JFG]

As a Swede, all I ever care about is us finnishing ahead of Finland. After that its win/win.

It's ironic how finnish that sounds.

 

[Connor McSaviour]

I cant help but laugh when I see people compare grigerenko to Thornoton or to Getzlaf or even Jagr and everyone says Yakupov is the next Afinogenov, even though they both had the same amount of points.. Was not impressed with Yak this tourney, but he looked amazing today, setting up his teammates, and going end to end every rush he had. I know he's gonna be a star, to much talent not to be.

 

[vippe]

Yeah Yak certainly got a lot of unearned hate after todays game. He was dangerous out there. Obviously they would want more production out of him.. But no one could say he was bad today, he really wasnt.

 

[Yakushev72]

Yeah Yak certainly got a lot of unearned hate after todays game. He was dangerous out there. Obviously they would want more production out of him.. But no one could say he was bad today, he really wasnt.

Its not about hate. Its about realizing that he's not alone out there, and that he has teammates that are almost as talented as he is. If they worked together properly, they could have created a dangerous and likely productive combination. But he didn't, and they didn't. Its not about disliking him, but rather what seems to be justifiable criticism of his game.

 

[c9gunner]

Oh well. We lost. But I don't really feel too bad about it. The guys played with heart and did everything they could. Not their fault. The ultimate coaching failure Varnakov must go.

 

[Suxnet]

Its not about hate. Its about realizing that he's not alone out there, and that he has teammates that are almost as talented as he is. If they worked together properly, they could have created a dangerous and likely productive combination. But he didn't, and they didn't. Its not about disliking him, but rather what seems to be justifiable criticism of his game.

Well, it's not like his linemates passed to him either. Koko and Kapustin pretty much hogged the puck when they had it too and I don't see anyone calling them out. Yak looked more dangerous than either of them when he had the puck.

 

[McClelland]

Any chance any of those injured d will be ready by Saturday?

Oh and Go Forsberg! (But in reality the US looks so unstoppable right now, I think they'll win this by at least 3)

Canada looked unstoppable when you saw the game against russia! usa is favourites, that team has won u18 wc, so its not a big surprise that they beat canada, had expect a more even game though. Swedish teams likes when they are underdogs and has nothing to lose, usa can be a bit mentally outblowned after the big game against canada and thats dangerous for a team.