GDT: 2018 WJC • Game 13 • Group B: CZE (6) - BLR (5) F

[Statsy]

Yeah I doubt they come back. They held on for a while and then just collapsed to the superior team

I'll say this about Belarus; they're a LOT better than I thought they'd be. I think they are going to handle Denmark in the relegation round and stay up for next year.

 

[Canada4Gold]

Would like to thank TSN for putting the audio from both this game and Sweden/Swiss game over each other so we have follow both on 1 channel

 

[Canada4Gold]

I'll say this about Belarus; they're a LOT better than I thought they'd be. I think they are going to handle Denmark in the relegation round and stay up for next year.

I thought they would be pretty useless initially, but that was more of a random guess based on how bad they were last time 2 years ago. Then I saw their roster and realized they had some good players and could surprise some people.

That being said I still believe group A is much stronger. Denmark isn't going to look good against USA or Finland. That being said Belarus looked better against Sweden than Denmark has so far. But Denmark in exhibition played Russia really close without their best players(Rondberg, Krag, Blichfeld), and beat the Swiss, better than Belarus has done in the real tournament. I'd really like to see Denmark against Slovakia before I made a judgement on who I think is better between Denmark and Belarus. It still could be Slovakia in the relegation round yet.

 

[Hemsky001]

Jesus... our PK sucks.

 

[kudymen]

Goddamnit our D play is really careless

 

[Scorevat53]

I like the Czech a lot, but want to see the upset.

 

[kudymen]

Look at those wheels haha

 

[Fantomas]

What are you doing, Czechs.

 

[Canada4Gold]

If Belarus ties this up they still need to pull their goalie in the tied game, they can't afford to go to OT so they need 2 goals in 3 and a half minutes

 

[Fantomas]

LMAO at Belarus at the end. Regardless a great effort from them.

 

[Woodhouse]

If Belarus ties this up they still need to pull their goalie in the tied game, they can't afford to go to OT so they need 2 goals in 3 and a half minutes

Fun game. I would've pulled the goalie for that very reason at that 2:34 o-zone faceoff. Never got him out instead.

 

[Hemsky001]

What was that ending about? Belarus didn't even try.

 

[Voodoozz]

We never learn. What a terrible effort in the 3rd.. They better play their a***s tomorrow against SUI...

 

[Wooren]

5 goals by Belarus says it all lol. Awful defense, PK and on top of that swiss-cheese goalies.

 

[czechcanadian]

5 goals by Belarus says it all lol. Awful defense, PK and on top of that swiss-cheese goalies.

Wow I'm glad I couldn't watch that game. I would have lost my voice.
At least they won though. Facing a lot of adversity is good in the long run. Hopefully they've learnt their lesson and beat Switzerland. Skarek should start and the PK has to be worked on I guess.. that's a lot of PP goals for Belarus

 

[BigBadBoar]

What a terrible game by the Czechs. Unfocused, undisciplined, inconsistent. A lot of frustration and stupid penalties, lack of concentration. They should definitely focus on hockey instead of moronic display of their frustration, which was only caused by their underestimation of the Belarussian team. I expected this a little bit, because I know Czech hockey and this is sort of a Czech syndrome. Czech team(s) have played many games like this during the recent years. The win is the only positive outcome from this one, otherwise, this was painful to watch.

 

[Pixie]

A quite typical Czech game against this type of teams - undisciplined, unfocused, inconsistent. Classical czech nature and a typical czech defense.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Sharangovich has already scored 10 points in the KHL this season, he knows how to play hockey. He could be one of the tournament's stars on a better team.

 

[Goodman68]

Catastrophe. Defense, concentration, discipline, goalkeepers. We probably do not have to play a cool game. Absolutely no.

 

[BlitzSnipe]

Great effort by Belarus! They've exceeded the expectations of many, good stuff.

 

[Rob]

I think Belarus can beat Denmark.

 

[Old Man Jags]

As a Czech fan I am not surprised at all - the captain of the team summed it up correctly afterwards: “Terrible game, we completely underestimated this and them, exactly what we did not want to happen. We specifically discussed it before the game, tried not to fall into that trap. But being aware of our opponents’ results, it was in our heads. We were undisciplined, and ultimately we were lucky. This must not happen again. We take responsibility.”

This is what happens with our team sometimes. I feared it might and am pleased we still got the three points. We do sometimes struggle against the lesser teams and are prone to dropping points.

From the interview it is good to see that the team are self-aware; no excuses, no nonsense, and an acknowledgement that they were lucky as they could have ended up without the three points. Also yet another reminder - as if anyone should need it - that outshooting your opposition something like 39-21 means nothing.

Still, I am happy overall with the team at this tournament. This glitch against a lesser opponent was always on the cards, I am more interested in having played a decent game against an excellent Swedish team (don’t care we lost, the Swedes are the better team and I care much more about the fact that we can compete), and having beaten the talented Russians.

Czech players for various reasons tend to mature as players at a later average age than their foreign counterparts. Why that is is a whole different (and long) conversation, but it is a fact. So I never expect much at these tournaments, although of course it does not absolve the Czech hockey federation from its shortcomings in terms of nurturing the young generations. In any event, all I want to see is potential, and at least I can see some potential for the future here.​