WC: 2014 Division IA • Apr. 20-26 • General Discussion

[zamo86*]

3-3 after two periods. Hungary is the better team and were dominating most of the second period.

12 minutes to go in regulation Hungary still dominating and now Japan's goalie is injured and replaced (dont know whats wrong with him, no contact).

 

[zamo86*]

One of the few Japan attacks ends up with a penalty shot 10 minutes to go but the shot is saved.

 

[SoundAndFury]

They were so close to doing it but Hungary ties with extra attacker on. Things get interesting

 

[zamo86*]

So basically Japan was defending for 15 minutes and then another fast break (similar to that one when it was a penalty shot) and their player ends up 1on1 with the goalie and scores between the legs. Hungary then once again take the possesion and the puck in the offensive zone (about 3min before the end Japan had another good chance which was saved) where they remain but without quality chances, until they pull the goalie and equalise 1:05 before the end.

 

[Falling Snow]

stream pls ?

 

[zamo86*]

Hungary wins after penalty shots, Marton Vas scored three of them. When he scored in the fourth session the Japanese scored too and than Vas scored again, only for Kuji to lose balance while heading towards the goal and thats that.

Austria gets promoted and any kind of win would promote Slovenia as well.

 

[Exarz]

I was really hoping for Slovenia and Japan, crap..

 

[zamo86*]

Austria fumbles the puck behind the net and Slovenia scores 6:16 remaining in the second. A nice break since they werent really creating much chances in this period.

And the Austrians equalised less than two minutes later from their third shot of the period.

 

[KurtSloan]

2:1 Slovenia is leading 11 minutes left...poor Japan, they were so close..

 

[zamo86*]

3-1!! Prague

 

[KurtSloan]

3-1!! Prague

or Ostrava btw. Congrats!

 

[Namejs]

So close.

 

[Arrhizal]

So again we join tier 2 hockey countries like Denmark and Latvia!

 

[Exarz]

I actually think Slovenia has a big chance of staying in the top division next year!

Stupid Hungary blowing it for Japan..

 

[Urbanskog]

And the elevator keeps going. Ridiculous.

 

[Namejs]

So again we join tier 2 hockey countries like Denmark and Latvia!

Only to be demoted again next year, if history is any guide.

It would've been nicer to finally get a new team to look at.

 

[SoundAndFury]

When you think about it, Japan's promotion to the top division would've been such a fluke. Goalie stole the a victory against jet-lagged Slovenians even though they were out shot 2 to 1, scored a goal with less than 2 minutes left to take all three points against Ukraine even though Ukrainians created chance after chance in that third period, couldn't beat Hungarians in the overtime or should I say escape with a point against Hugarians who were a better team throughout the match and the only team they have legitimately beaten was Korea although Koreans still outshot them.

Fun fact about shots, Japan was outshot in all the matches of the tournament. Not a big deal but just goes to show how hard it is to possess the puck when you don't have size in the lineup.

Few take-outs about the players: Urbas - well done, seems like that invitation to the Caps camp really has lifted his spirits. Mursak - not that good of a hockey player.

 

[Urbanskog]

I mean, just look at this:

Relegated from Top Division:

2009 - Austria/Hungary
2010 - Italy/Kazakhstan
2011 - Austria/Slovenia
2012 - Italy/Kazakhstan
2013 - Austria/Slovenia
2014 -

Promoted to Top Division:

2009 - Kazakhstan/Italy
2010 - Austria/Slovenia
2011 - Kazakhstan/Italy
2012 - Slovenia/Austria
2013 - Kazakhstan/Italy
2014 - Slovenia/Austria

 

[Ravenclaw2099]

*^*^&@!!

Yeah, that sums up my feelings about the Japan-Hungary game.
In any case, here is the Ukranian stream for the Korea game
http://en.glaz.tv/online-tv/xsport

Tried to find a Korean broadcast because the announcers are so entertaining, but no luck. The station is currently playing baseball (blegh)

 

[likid]

I'm happy that Slovenia managed to promote to Elite group next year despite absence of best players. Because this mean next year we will be able to send on WC team similar to Olympic team.

Best player for sure was our 20-years old goalie Luka Gracner, who had 0,960 save percentage and I really hope he'll be drafted in comming draft. He received 4 goals in 4 games and only one was ES. He was also MVP of the whole tournament. It was also nice to see some other younger players who were on their first WC tournament and played very good.

Generally our team complained a lot about quality of ice and they have many doubts how it will look like in OG 2018. They said conditions were almost irregular because of soft ice and this for sure cause them a lot of problems especially against Japan and Korea. But at the end they managed to win all games in regulation after defeat against Japan.

I'm looking forward for next years WC in Prague and Ostrava and I'm sure this will be try to do more than just avoiding relegation. It is big possibility that our first line from OG Ticar - Jeglic - Sabolic will play next season together in KHL for Bratislava.

 

[Uncle Rotter]

I mean, just look at this:

Relegated from Top Division:

2009 - Austria/Hungary
2010 - Italy/Kazakhstan
2011 - Austria/Slovenia
2012 - Italy/Kazakhstan
2013 - Austria/Slovenia
2014 -

Promoted to Top Division:

2009 - Kazakhstan/Italy
2010 - Austria/Slovenia
2011 - Kazakhstan/Italy
2012 - Slovenia/Austria
2013 - Kazakhstan/Italy
2014 - Slovenia/Austria

Just have a permanent 18 team first division

 

[garbageteam]

Not sure how the tiebreaker works as Austria and Japan are tied on points, but this sucks. Sometimes I wish there was some sort of intervention from the powers that be to have a new team for once. To miss out in via a shootout is just awful. No disrespect to Slovenia or Austria but they're just two relegation candidates that keep going up and down. The WCs are already such an exhibition event as is, it wouldn't hurt to have some rule regarding having a best performing country in div 1a play that hasn't had a chance to in the last X amount of years. Give Hungary, Ukraine or Japan a shot ffs if Austria and Slovenia are going up to get blown out anyway.

Extremely disappointing.

 

[tony d]

I agree, would have been nice to see another nation like Japan or Hungary elevated. Would be a bit of freshness in the 2nd/3rd tier of hockey nations.

 

[Shrimper]

Shame Japan couldn't make it.

 

[likid]

At the end, this was probably best chance for other nations to beat Slovenia or Austria for quite some time. Slovenia played without 9 players (7 best) from Olympics (you can understand what that mean if you have cca. 50 profesional or semi-profesional hockey players at all to choose 23 of them) and Austria had only 6 or 7 players from Olympics and come with really young team to this tournament.