U20: 2024 IIHF U20 World Championship, Division I A

[FrHockeyFan]

Yesterday's highlights

KAZ - FRA


JPN - HUN


AUT - DEN

 

[Uleke]

Did they play the Borat one?

On a more serious note, this Kazakh team will be solid next year, almost everyone's an underager, only a couple of key players are 04s.

I just hope you don't educate yourself through movies like Borat's

On a more serious note, the Kazakhs now seems have a bit favorable schedule compared to their main rival Austrians: Beat Japan and have couple hours more rest and make sure not to loose Austria

 

[SoundAndFury]

Kazakhs now are firmly in the driver seat, no question about it. Strongest team, easier remaining opponent and 3 points of breathing room. Regarding Austria, I frankly doubt they are even close to Kazakh level and can hardly be labeled "main rivals".

They have a poor generation which had the benefit of playing Hungary and Japan in the first 2 games giving them optically imposing 6 points in 2 games. But the went to SO in pre-tournament against Hungary, had to score in the last minute to win it in the main tournament and then lost to Danes. They can hardly be called favorites today against France, very good chance the tournament is decided today.

 

[Uleke]

They can hardly be called favorites today against France, very good chance the tournament is decided today.

Man, you seems to be an expert here, France has beaten Austria!!!

 

[FrHockeyFan]

Oh God! I deluded myself so badly with Austria.

As for France, I honestly don't know what to say. Offense has been there apart from yesterday. But that defense! If Keller wasn't there, I doubt they would have scored a point. Anyway, I can only congratulate them for taking 2nd place with a game to go.

 

[FrHockeyFan]

Denmark is now assured to stay in D1A with tonight's win over Hungary and can now focus on a 3rd place finish.

As for Hungary, they gonna have to hope for Japan not to pull off an upset of some sort over Denmark on Saturday otherwise their last game will be meaningless.

 

[HungryFrank]

Every tournament Austria participates in I start cold and expecting nothing.
The moment I become emotionally invested they lose a game or two.
Every time...

 

[FrHockeyFan]

Denmark beats Japan and takes 3rd place.

Hungary must now win against France to save its skin. Thirion being most likely the opposing goalie should help a bit in that task.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Hungary must now win against France to save its skin. Thirion being most likely the opposing goalie should help a bit in that task.

Japanese must be pretty mad at France right about now.

 

[ozo]

Poor Aito Iguchi. He deserves better...

 

[FrHockeyFan]

Japanese must be pretty mad at France right about now.

I understand but then one could say if they had beaten Hungary in regulation, today's result wouldn't have mattered.

Anyway, with nothing to gain nor lose, Blais most likely told his players to take it easy. Being himself a Ligue Magnus HC, he would be given out if any of them got hurt today.

As for Keller, considering he pretty much had just arrived from Canada before the tournament, he most likely needed an extra rest day before flying back. And, if you believe the FFHG president, he apparently kind of gave the finger to Acadie-Bathurst staff who wasn't very keen on letting him go. So for him, it was better not to play that one than taking a risk.

I do feel a bit for Thirion though. Despite being around the French youth NTs for some time, this was the first time he actually made a WC squad, taking advantage of Neckar's injury. So this is probably the one and only contest in a competitive international event he will ever play in his career and the team in front of him was probably not pushing themselves. He doesn't seem to be a particularly strong prospect and Ligue Magnus usually look abroad for their top goalie unless there is a French NT one available. So the odds of seeing him making it above French second tier as a main goaltender are pretty low and his international career may as well be considered over. And when you see Bordeaux brought him in in October to replace the injured second goalie so as to let the 2005-born third one play with the U20 and reserve teams kind of says a lot.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Poor Aito Iguchi. He deserves better...

This joke has more mileage than Iguchi's career