GDT: Group D • April 30 • Czech Republic 4, Latvia 2

[Like Wall]

Seem like Martinek is seriously injured. I guess we deserved to lose after all.

 

[Erathian]

Seem like Martinek is seriously injured. I guess we deserved to lose after all.

He is probably done, but it has nothing to do with who deserved that win. Latvians played well, it could be easily a draw and it would be deserved.

 

[Erathian]

So according to iDnes.cz, head coach of the Czech republic will ask for suspension for Kulda.

 

[QnebO]

It was a clean check and moreover a very weak one. I say it was a freak accident. I feel sorry for Martinek, but that was shoulder on shoulder.

Yes. A clean hit. I feel sorry for Martinek, but the hit wasnt dirty one, theres some bad luck in this.

You guys are lucky your players dont have this named written on jerseys: "Ruutu". If a player with Ruutu on hes jersey made that same clean hit, it was 5min penalty in IIHF tournament.. sad but true.

So according to iDnes.cz, head coach of the Czech republic will ask for suspension for Kulda.

Well thats ridiclouse. I think some just wont understand it: You CAN get injured on a clean hit in a game named hockey. Its like in boxing, you might get shaken up pretty bad when you got a big blow to your head. Its part of this game.. Ofcourse if the hit is dirty, then it changes everything. But you cannot give a penalty for a clean hit, even if the "victim" of the hit dies in that hit. If you give penalty for a clean hit, you are just doing to wrong thing.

Here you see a dirty hit (headshot with a bit of elbow) that ref didint whistle at this tournament (would've been easily 5min if ruutu made it):

 

[TexasTriumph]

Hello all, new to the boards.... I know this is a bit late, but been waiting for registration to be completed all day .

Anyways, I am very dissapointed with the play of the Czechs today. I am a huge Czech hockey fan and they are starting off play just like they did last year. For those of you that remember... they started the tournament with no team work, no passion.

They did find themselves and finished very strong. They played like a team that truly believed.

I normally wouldn't be worried about the start this year EXCEPT - (This is why I am very concerned)

1. NO Tomas Vokoun.
As some mentioned - Goaltending. Ondrej Pavelec.

Young kid, still growing into the game, but... He worries me more than anything about this team this year. When I heard Tomas Vokoun was not coming, I went from optimistic about a Medal and truly believed would be playing for gold once again... to praying they can even attempt a shot at bronze. This will be our Achilles heel.
Tomas Vokoun is imo a top 5 Goaltender in the NHL. (In any order u want).

I will even get into specifics in Ondrej Pavelec and his problem with goaltending!

---. He plays way too far out! You even saw him get ran over and jumped on by that Latvia player... Ondrej neeeds to back up some. ( Reference - Watch Endras from Germany play pretty tight in goal) .

---. The Kid doesn't position himself properly from left to right! He is either way over to the left ( or right )... Leaving a lot of room on the opposite side and therefore can't move fast enough to cover that side. Or he isn't far enough over by the post thus leaving a BIG space for an easy shot in the opening. I study the games very carefully. Watch the highlights from the friendly against Canada. 2 maybe 3 of those goals was because of his position! BOTH goals today was because poor judgement and POSITION.
HE ISN'T Dominik Hasek~~ ( He can't flop around like a dead fish and make godly saves from any angle like the Dominator... So I also blame the coaching staff for not getting on his *** for his poor positioning )


2. That leads me to my next concern differn't about this team - NO Vladimir Ruzicka. COACHING.

I'm not a huge fan of Alois Hadamczik. And I hear a lot of the players aren't head over heels for him either. He makes questionable decisions etc. I wont go in depth about this. Im already boring you .

Also I read a quote from him earlier today... He said he was please how good Ondrej Pavelec played and how well for it being his first start at the WC.... Are you kidding me. He played terrible. I may be a bit harsh on the kid but he didn't play anything above average. There is no reason to build this kids confidence. He plays in the NHL. Started like 30+ games this year If im not mistaken... Get on his *** and correct his play and teach him. He has some very good potential. Watch film. Correct it. Done.


3. POOR Defense / NO aggressive passion.
This isn't a huge surprise. The Czechs for awhile have been known to play slower and with less passion than they should. Jagr called them out last year on it. He even called out other players that didn't even care to show up. They play "sleepy"... They dont play aggressive to the puck and on the defensive end. And today they didn't even on the offenseive end!
This must be one of the stronger if not strongest offensive teams in the tournament this year... They have fire power.. but no gun powder for their hockey sticks??? There was if I recall correctly - 18+ penalty minutes and even a 5 on 3.. Not one PP goal. Unacceptable. Uninspirational. Not aggressive.

They dont have players like Klepis, Blatak and Mojzis this year. Injuries i believe to all 3? Zidlicky is still nursing an injury he recently is recovering from, so he's not 100% on Defense.. Krajicek is playing awful... and now Martinek is in the hospital.

Get Nemec and Michalek in there to shake things up. Play more inspired and aggressive on both ends. Tighten up the Goaltending. Play like a team, ONE, WHOLE. And go win gold again. It's that Easy... Or is it???

This isn't the same team as last year. And the main reason why hope is fading... No Vokoun.


Czechs were lucky this game didn't go to OT / Shootout and that they got their 3 points. With a performance like that throughout the tournament. You can forget a chance at bronze even...


- Sorry for the VERY annoying and long "rant". I HAD to go into details about this team this year. I finally had to let it all out. I knew it from the start . But again these are the Czechs ... and you can NEVER count them out no matter how bad they look. I still think they have a good shot at a medal.. a very good shot... But they need to change up that D a bit and get back to playing hockey like they did when they finished last year.
The start reminds me how they started play last year.. Only differnece is - ( READ ABOVE COMMENTS )

GO CZECHS!!! Do Toho

 

[zorz]

Hello all, new to the boards.... I know this is a bit late, but been waiting for registration to be completed all day .

Anyways, I am very dissapointed with the play of the Czechs today. I am a huge Czech hockey fan and they are starting off play just like they did last year. For those of you that remember... they started the tournament with no team work, no passion.

They did find themselves and finished very strong. They played like a team that truly believed.

I normally wouldn't be worried about the start this year EXCEPT - (This is why I am very concerned)

1. NO Tomas Vokoun.
As some mentioned - Goaltending. Ondrej Pavelec.

Young kid, still growing into the game, but... He worries me more than anything about this team this year. When I heard Tomas Vokoun was not coming, I went from optimistic about a Medal and truly believed would be playing for gold once again... to praying they can even attempt a shot at bronze. This will be our Achilles heel.
Tomas Vokoun is imo a top 5 Goaltender in the NHL. (In any order u want).

I will even get into specifics in Ondrej Pavelec and his problem with goaltending!

---. He plays way too far out! You even saw him get ran over and jumped on by that Latvia player... Ondrej neeeds to back up some. ( Reference - Watch Endras from Germany play pretty tight in goal) .

---. The Kid doesn't position himself properly from left to right! He is either way over to the left ( or right )... Leaving a lot of room on the opposite side and therefore can't move fast enough to cover that side. Or he isn't far enough over by the post thus leaving a BIG space for an easy shot in the opening. I study the games very carefully. Watch the highlights from the friendly against Canada. 2 maybe 3 of those goals was because of his position! BOTH goals today was because poor judgement and POSITION.
HE ISN'T Dominik Hasek~~ ( He can't flop around like a dead fish and make godly saves from any angle like the Dominator... So I also blame the coaching staff for not getting on his *** for his poor positioning )


2. That leads me to my next concern differn't about this team - NO Vladimir Ruzicka. COACHING.

I'm not a huge fan of Alois Hadamczik. And I hear a lot of the players aren't head over heels for him either. He makes questionable decisions etc. I wont go in depth about this. Im already boring you .

Also I read a quote from him earlier today... He said he was please how good Ondrej Pavelec played and how well for it being his first start at the WC.... Are you kidding me. He played terrible. I may be a bit harsh on the kid but he didn't play anything above average. There is no reason to build this kids confidence. He plays in the NHL. Started like 30+ games this year If im not mistaken... Get on his *** and correct his play and teach him. He has some very good potential. Watch film. Correct it. Done.


3. POOR Defense / NO aggressive passion.
This isn't a huge surprise. The Czechs for awhile have been known to play slower and with less passion than they should. Jagr called them out last year on it. He even called out other players that didn't even care to show up. They play "sleepy"... They dont play aggressive to the puck and on the defensive end. And today they didn't even on the offenseive end!
This must be one of the stronger if not strongest offensive teams in the tournament this year... They have fire power.. but no gun powder for their hockey sticks??? There was if I recall correctly - 18+ penalty minutes and even a 5 on 3.. Not one PP goal. Unacceptable. Uninspirational. Not aggressive.

They dont have players like Klepis, Blatak and Mojzis this year. Injuries i believe to all 3? Zidlicky is still nursing an injury he recently is recovering from, so he's not 100% on Defense.. Krajicek is playing awful... and now Martinek is in the hospital.

Get Nemec and Michalek in there to shake things up. Play more inspired and aggressive on both ends. Tighten up the Goaltending. Play like a team, ONE, WHOLE. And go win gold again. It's that Easy... Or is it???

This isn't the same team as last year. And the main reason why hope is fading... No Vokoun.


Czechs were lucky this game didn't go to OT / Shootout and that they got their 3 points. With a performance like that throughout the tournament. You can forget a chance at bronze even...


- Sorry for the VERY annoying and long "rant". I HAD to go into details about this team this year. I finally had to let it all out. I knew it from the start . But again these are the Czechs ... and you can NEVER count them out no matter how bad they look. I still think they have a good shot at a medal.. a very good shot... But they need to change up that D a bit and get back to playing hockey like they did when they finished last year.
The start reminds me how they started play last year.. Only differnece is - ( READ ABOVE COMMENTS )

GO CZECHS!!! Do Toho

Thx for your post. I think you are right in everything. Above all I'm concerned about goaltending too. Let's hope things will go well for us once again

 

[Rexor]

I really don't get how anyone can be trying to justify that hit on Martínek. Kulda's skates off the ground, attack on the head and Martínek was not even in possession of the puck. No way in hell this was a clean hit.

Anyways, I am very dissapointed with the play of the Czechs today. I am a huge Czech hockey fan and they are starting off play just like they did last year. For those of you that remember... they started the tournament with no team work, no passion.

To be fair, it's no wonder that the Latvian team looked much more cohesive since a half of their players come from the same team (Riga) and thus have the benefit of spending the entire season together.

We all know how good Vokoun is, it's time for the others to step up and show what they're worth. Pavelec needs more international experience and this is a great opportunity for him to gain some.

 

[Like Wall]

Here you see a dirty hit (headshot with a bit of elbow) that ref didint whistle at this tournament (would've been easily 5min if ruutu made it):

That was a headshot. And a very powerful check, if you ask me. Nothing compared to what happened with Martinek. And Ruutu is Ruutu.

But I believe they will suspend Kulda today, because the hit is under review by the IIHF. Had the ref seen the check on Martinek, he would sure have whistled. Nothing is over.

 

[cibtom]

Kulda suspended three games
“The video showed Arturs Kulda jumping into the situation, hitting Martinek’s head and neck area,†said Jan-Ake Edvinsson, Chairman of the Disciplinary Panel.

Source: http://www.iihf.com/channels-11/iih...le/kulda-suspended-three-games.html?tx_ttnews[backPid]=4926&cHash=451d900add

 

[Erathian]

Kulda suspended three games
“The video showed Arturs Kulda jumping into the situation, hitting Martinek’s head and neck area,” said Jan-Ake Edvinsson, Chairman of the Disciplinary Panel.

Source: http://www.iihf.com/channels-11/iih...le/kulda-suspended-three-games.html?tx_ttnews[backPid]=4926&cHash=451d900add

Yeah, it is already in its own thread.

 

[flemo]

You CAN get injured on a clean hit in a game named hockey.

Can be thrown a clean hit in a game named hockey by jumping player?

 

[Kane One]

I guess Latvia was put in a Czech-mate.

Worth another try.