GDT: WJC: Sweden-Latvia, Dec 26, 2023

[theslatcher]

Latvia beat Norway 6-2 in the pre-tournament game and then scored 2 more in 3 on 3

Norway rested their best players.

 

[GX]

Latvia beat Norway 6-2 in the pre-tournament game and then scored 2 more in 3 on 3

Norway didn't have their first line, though.

This is an unexpectedly chaotic showing by an Abols-led Latvian team. Luckily, there's some time before we face Germans.

 

[Jukurit]

Latvia lacks discipline.

 

[tuniak]

This Latvian team has no business playing in the elite division. They will get relegated 100%.

 

[Vikz]

Norway rested their best players.

Latvia as well rested its top line player Mateiko, and went with really experimental line choises, like puting a player on the first line and cuting him from the team the same day. Unless you think Norways top line would've scored 5 goals, its still a game Latvia wins.
Not that I awaited a win today, but it would still be nice to score a goal or two. Allow a goal or two less. And not to take so many stupid penalties.

 

[theslatcher]

Latvia as well rested its top line player Mateiko, and went with really experimental line choises, like puting a player on the first line and cuting him from the team the same day. Unless you think Norways top line would've scored 5 goals, its still a game Latvia wins.
Not that I awaited a win today, but it would still be nice to score a goal or two. Allow a goal or two less. And not to take so many stupid penalties.

Yes, with teams like Norway & Latvia top players, heck, a singular top player like Brandsegg-Nygård, does a lot to alter the outcome.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

Latvia as well rested its top line player Mateiko, and went with really experimental line choises, like puting a player on the first line and cuting him from the team the same day. Unless you think Norways top line would've scored 5 goals, its still a game Latvia wins.
Not that I awaited a win today, but it would still be nice to score a goal or two. Allow a goal or two less. And not to take so many stupid penalties.

Latvia actually have had some decent looks 5v5

The lack of finishing and discipline sunk them

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

EP2 tried to sent other flying, didnt quite work out

2nd goal for Lekk

 

[Canucks LB]

Nice to see lekk scoring early, really struggled last year with injuries and health, he looks completely different from the second half that I got to watch

 

[WetcoastOrca]

EP2 tried to sent other flying, didnt quite work out

2nd goal for Lekk

Lekk looking like night and day from last years WJ’s. Have to think that having mono really hurt him last year.

 

[TheBeard]

Sweden looks like they're gonna be tough to beat.

 

[wetcoast]

1 game relegation? i dont like that needs to be best 2 out of 3

not a good look for Salomonsson but the Latvian forward also didn't make a very aware play considering where he was on the ice either.

But Salomonsson has to let up a bit it's international hockey and he can see the numbers.

5 minutes is deserved and it being the IIHF he probably gets another game as well.

 

[Knight53]

Monster game by Lekkerimaki. Close to 10 scoring chances/shots in this game. Could have had 3-4 goals.

Defence as a whole was excellent. Probably the best in the tournament. Pettersson in particular was excellent.

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

I’ll be a bit of a dissenting voice, I wasn’t that big a fan of Lekkerimaki in this one, thought he was being way too cute with it and taking himself out of scoring positions. It worked against Latvia but only barely, his 5v5 play left me wanting more. I thought Ohgren and Ostlund each looked more pro ready, stylistically.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Monster game by Lekkerimaki. Close to 10 scoring chances/shots in this game. Could have had 3-4 goals.

Defence as a whole was excellent. Probably the best in the tournament. Pettersson in particular was excellent.

Yeah. Lekkerimäki was just so dangerous the whole game and even showed some physicality. Really impressed with his play so far.

 

[Seiza]

I was a bit surprised at how well Mattias Hävelid played, best d-man on the ice for most of the game.

 

[TheBeard]

I was a bit surprised at how well Mattias Hävelid played, best d-man on the ice for most of the game.

I’m not. I was thrilled with the pick two years ago and I’m still thrilled.

 

[Bankerguy]

who was the taller Latvian forward with really good skating that seemed to create chances???

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I’ll be a bit of a dissenting voice, I wasn’t that big a fan of Lekkerimaki in this one, thought he was being way too cute with it and taking himself out of scoring positions. It worked against Latvia but only barely, his 5v5 play left me wanting more. I thought Ohgren and Ostlund each looked more pro ready, stylistically.

I agree. I was especially turned off by him diving to draw that penalty on Fenenko that led directly to his goal. On the PP he's obviously a weapon but at 5v5 he was pretty meh.

 

[Cake Eater]

I agree. I was especially turned off by him diving to draw that penalty on Fenenko that led directly to his goal. On the PP he's obviously a weapon but at 5v5 he was pretty meh.

Not to mention how often and egregiously he missed the net.

 

[nowhereman]

I’ll be a bit of a dissenting voice, I wasn’t that big a fan of Lekkerimaki in this one, thought he was being way too cute with it and taking himself out of scoring positions. It worked against Latvia but only barely, his 5v5 play left me wanting more. I thought Ohgren and Ostlund each looked more pro ready, stylistically.

Ohgren and Ostlund looked like they might be more ready for bottom-six-level NHL play than Lekkerimaki but the latter showed far more flashes of star-level talent.

 

[stl76]

I was a bit surprised at how well Mattias Hävelid played, best d-man on the ice for most of the game.

Lindstein was by far the biggest surprise of the game for me. Maybe I’m being a biased Blues fan, but from 7th D to third on Sweden in TOI w/ 19:41 (along with 2 primary assists and a +2)…not saying Havelid didn’t play well, but I don’t think he was the best dman on the ice most of the 15:19 he played.

 

[Breakers]

I’ll be a bit of a dissenting voice, I wasn’t that big a fan of Lekkerimaki in this one, thought he was being way too cute with it and taking himself out of scoring positions. It worked against Latvia but only barely, his 5v5 play left me wanting more. I thought Ohgren and Ostlund each looked more pro ready, stylistically.

Somewhat in between….. not bad, but not great

Not sure how somebody could ignore him missing the net 3 times in under 15 seconds on prime scoring chances.

They showed him missing the net on 6 chances on the PP in the first period during the intermission.

 

[cc]

I thought Lekkerimaki got better as the game progressed. Hopefully for Sweden, those goals gave him some confidence going forward because I think they'll need him to be a continual threat. I'm a little concerned with the team's overall ability to finish despite the score

 

[RayMartyniukTotems]

This Latvian team has no business playing in the elite division. They will get relegated 100%.

I can't figure out why teams as weak as Latvia aren't just put into a Division of their own with 2-3 other clubs and let them battle it out to reach the "play-off" aspect of Tourny? As a fan watching these teams isn't very entertaining

I thought Lekkerimaki got better as the game progressed. Hopefully for Sweden, those goals gave him some confidence going forward because I think they'll need him to be a continual threat. I'm a little concerned with the team's overall ability to finish despite the score

I think its going to be Sweden or Canada against the USA! And I think if they're not too cocky the US will win Gold they are just too good for everyone talent,skill wise