WC: May 2 GDT - Slovakia vs. Russia

[The True Blue Crew]

so much optimism
but prevailing over Austria and tying Slovakia is a humble achievement.
What about stronger teams like Canada, US, Sweden, Finland and the Czechs ?
Where are ZHitnik, Zubov, Yushkevich, Tverdovsky ?

 

[CSKA]

so much optimism
but prevailing over Austria and tying Slovakia is a humble achievement.
What about stronger teams like Canada, US, Sweden, Finland and the Czechs ?
Where are ZHitnik, Zubov, Yushkevich, Tverdovsky ?

один Андрюша Марков будет их держать в защите

Sweden ? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm did you saw the last 2 games against Russia ???

 

[Archijerej]

so much optimism
but prevailing over Austria and tying Slovakia is a humble achievement.
What about stronger teams like Canada, US, Sweden, Finland and the Czechs ?
Where are ZHitnik, Zubov, Yushkevich, Tverdovsky ?

No. The others will be fine

 

[The True Blue Crew]

Well, for one thing TV channels in Canada are not showing any games that Russia played. I haven't seen a glimpse of this team and that's why I'm cautious.
Round robin doesn't concern me, the road to finals (if there is one) does.
They are showing game between the Swedes and the Danes instead of Belarus-Austria... great selection

Sweden ? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm did you saw the last 2 games against Russia ???

 

[The True Blue Crew]

I'd like to think so. Thanks, dude.

No. The others will be fine

 

[afinogenov]

I haven't seen any great team on this WC yet (except RUSSIA and Slovakia(today))

 

[CSKA]

Well, for one thing TV channels in Canada are not showing any games that Russia played.

What a surprise

2:1 and 5:2 (against Sweden) last two games - it was the final of the Euro-championchips

 

[The True Blue Crew]

y r u singling out Sweden out of the teams I mentioned ?

What a surprise

2:1 and 5:2 (against Sweden) last two games - it was the final of the Euro-championchips

 

[CSKA]

y r u singling out Sweden out of the teams I mentioned ?

only one example ..........nothing else dude

 

[BruinsGirl]

Commentator named Slovaks as "Сволочи"

Is it true??? This is horrible...

Wish I could see Russian and Ukrainian games. Damn ESPN!

 

[The True Blue Crew]

cool. cool.

only one example ..........nothing else dude

 

[Berkut]

cool. cool.

Ok dude, I don't get it...You live in Toronto, you speak Russian, you have a mongolian flag under your nickname and an avatar of a sweed player...Who are you??

 

[The True Blue Crew]

man, it's a long story
but to make it simple lemme just clarify a thing or two.
the swedish dude is Mats Sundin - a Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs - makes sense since I reside in Toronto.

Granted you recall the Soviet history, Mongolia pretty much became the 16th SSR.
or close to it. Poles, Bulgars or else can dispute that, even though I doubt they'd be willing to. Well, Bulgars might not mind.

I grew up in Moscow, if that helps

I had Ovechkin till today on my avatar. Lacking good avatars, I decided to revive Mats to pay homage to his golden days, he isn't even playing for Team Sweden this year...

Ok dude, I don't get it...You live in Toronto, you speak Russian, you have a mongolian flag under your nickname and an avatar of a sweed player...Who are you??

 

[Berkut]

So you're originally from Mongolia? Mongolia is cool

Yes Mongolia almost became the 16th Soviet republic, but i guess the Soviet Union didn't want to have such huge borders with China...

 

[TORRUS]

Yashin didn't play much. Anyone knows the reason?

 

[BHLCommish]

any update on Semin would be great, hopefully he's back for the next game. Surprising to hear Kovalchuk has played poorly, but great that Ovechkin is dominating.

 

[Roger's Pancreas*]

How can he miss that??!! Even I could have put it in!

Slay, did you recorded the goals? Would be awesome.

He can stickhandle like you wouldn't believe but still has hands of stone.

 

[wilka91*]

Yashin didn't play much. Anyone knows the reason?

Really? I've seen him just as much as everyone else. He was on the tying goal play.

 

[VanIslander]

In the first game Slovakia had several individualistic surges toward the net get turned aside (Zednik, Palffy) and a passing line florish (Gaborik-Demitra-Hossa). The team showed some cohesiveness in the third period.

In their first game Russia had many ineffective puck-hogging surges (Yashin, Kovalchuk, Afinogenov, Ovechkin) and some moments of good passing and team play (Malkin, Kovalev, Datsyuk). The players never quite put it together and even the powerplay didn't show a unified formation of passing to and fro the point.

Litmus test time: Which group of players will put it together and gel as a team?

It'll be the game of the day, IMO.

Prediction: 3-3

I pegged it: 3-3

But Slovakia showed more of a team game, and so looks more prepared to succeed in this tourney. Both of the top lines were gelling.

That said, Russia finally showed something other than the individual play of the previous game. At least there was some give-and-go plays, which is the beginning of working together. And there was some good set ups on the powerplay to keep the puck in deep, working along the boards. The goals were all lucky for Russia, but the kind of luck that is made: a deflection, a 5-on-3 and a rebound.

 

[Old Hickory]

Just a reminder guys. You must post only in English.

 

[Berkut]

What exactly do you call a "lucky" goal? A rebound is not a lucky goal, Kozlov's goal was not a "lucky" one either...Afinogenov had a bad luck and missed an open net, Slovakia got lucky to get a tie. Don't put it the other way around...

 

[wassup77]

who cares about luck? as long as you keep getting pucks towards the net anything can happen.

 

[Berkut]

who cares about luck? as long as you keep getting pucks towards the net anything can happen.

Yes, but that guy is tring to say that Russia sucks and don't deserve a win basically...

 

[VanIslander]

Yes, but that guy is tring to say that Russia sucks and don't deserve a win basically...

Not at all. They deserved the tie.

the kind of luck that is made: a deflection, a 5-on-3 and a rebound.

The game was a litmus test in "team play". working together, that was the standard used.

 

[19 for president]

Anyone care to give me an updates on Dats and his play in the tourney so far. It sounded liked he had a good playoffs, and I was wondering if he has carried it over into the tourney?