GDT: Group E • May 9 • Russia 2, Finland 3 (SO)

[Blank]

Oh trust me, Finns have seen enough from the hockey team over the years to know to ecpect the worst every time they step on the ice (which should be evident by the posts here).

No no.. We only expect the worst if by some miracle the Fins manage to squeeze their way into the finals

 

[JabbaJabba]

Speaking good Swedish is more useful than speaking English well in this country.

Maybe, maybe not. Speaking Russian is more useful in some parts of the country. Plus, at a global scale, English is much much more useful than Swedish. And Swedish is IMO very ugly language .

Interesting game. Both teams played badly at times but Finland was able to win this one, thanks to Lassila.

 

[MaNNe]

I think u are going way overboard with your accusations. Your assessment of the game struck me as bewilderingly subjective and biased, so I offered my arguments against it. And it's actually what I expect from a fan, not a national of any country: to provide SUBSTANCE to what they say, rather than just blurt out what occurs to you. U made some very strong negative points against Russia's performance without providing a shred of argument. I call this "opinionated". If u r so polite and well-bred as follows from your post above, then please oblige me and come up with some argument of substance to prove your point, ok?

I said that Lassila was good and that team Russia didn't play well enough as a team to take the win home. How is that an "opinionated" argument? Did you actually watch the game ? Or do you just see every game Russia plays as their best game ever? Criticism should be given when criticism is due. With the kind of material you have in your team you should have no problem at all against a team such as Finland. It has been proven time and time again that when Russia plays together as a team they win tournaments ie. WC 2008. But you didn't play good nor did you play together as a team. But it's useless to argue against someone, when they have already decided on the matter. Fact still remains tho that you will have to improve your game, if you want to challenge team Canada or Sweden. In hindsight however Bykov should be fired just from not taking Bryzgalov.

 

[Caz]

I'm so disappointed we won a clearly inferior team only on SO's. I'm almost as pissssed as after the FIN-GER game.

(I'm a feeding a troll now?)

 

[happysquirrel]

LOL, Finland didn't win because of goalie work. If one misses the empty net, or refuses to make any real shot at all, it's hardly because of the skills of the goalie. Finland played a bad game, but Russia played even worse. No need to be a fan of either team to see it.

I would understand the "objective" viewpoints if Russia had played a good game but lost anyway. But Russia did not play a good game. Perhaps it was better than some previous ones, but it still was not a good game. You don't have a chance against Canada with this kind of play, and we all want to see an exciting Can-Rus game, as we all know that's the game with the best players.

Of course Russia has better team than Finland, no question about it. But if the team can't have good games it hardly matters. The WC aren't considered played the moment rosters are listed.

 

[PeacEnforcer]

Now now, kid keep it down please.

It was good entertaining game and while refs screwed the first period for the Finns, The Ruskies pretty much screwed it for themselves like they have always done.

This years Russian team pretty much resembles any Russian team after the break down of the Communist party in Russia. They have not been able to find any consistent team effort after the threat of communist administration was eliminated. All players play for themselves only to make themselves look good in international tournaments. Just look how Kovalchoke played today lol.

Finland has much more potential to win the tournament than Russia has.

The last line is a killer! Says it all about u: u are day-dreaming, phase IV. Wake up, mate, it may be dangerous.

 

[PeacEnforcer]

I said that Lassila was good and that team Russia didn't play well enough as a team to take the win home. How is that an "opinionated" argument? Did you actually watch the game ? Or do you just see every game Russia plays as their best game ever? Criticism should be given when criticism is due. With the kind of material you have in your team you should have no problem at all against a team such as Finland. It has been proven time and time again that when Russia plays together as a team they win tournaments ie. WC 2008. But you didn't play good nor did you play together as a team. But it's useless to argue against someone, when they have already decided on the matter. Fact still remains tho that you will have to improve your game, if you want to challenge team Canada or Sweden. In hindsight however Bykov should be fired just from not taking Bryzgalov.

We are obviously talking at cross-purposes: u don't hear me, I can't understand u. So, i guess the best thing to do now is to call it a day and resume our "debate of the deaf" after the QF. Now it's totally pointless(

 

[happysquirrel]

Oh trust me, Finns have seen enough from the hockey team over the years to know to ecpect the worst every time they step on the ice (which should be evident by the posts here).

So true. Team Finland is the epitome of Epic Fail. The 0-2 situation in this game is a good example. I don't know if anyone is even surprised about these super fails anymore. It's getting to the point you can only LOL at it. The good thing about it is that no matter how big the lead of the Finnish team, the game is still exciting till the very end because we know so very well that they are capabable of losing it during the last seconds.

 

[Davebo*]

How many losses now for Russia?

Is this the third, or second?

 

[Diagonaali]

The last line is a killer! Says it all about u: u are day-dreaming, phase IV. Wake up, mate, it may be dangerous.

After next round - Finland will continue playing for the win, Russia will go to do their every-spring activities - Golf for Kovalchuk and Ovechkin. Hunting raw meat in his dungeon for R2.

In the beginning of next week you will create a new account on which you can troll in international tournaments section since Russia is not in anymore.

 

[mattihp]

A top team who loses to Germany and can't win against Finland is just as unlikely to get a medal as Team Finland itself.

 

[Raimo Sillanpää]

exciting game, but it shoudn't have been. Russia had chances but didn't play as a unit so it didn't work. Finland didn't have as many misses as in earlier games, despite some exciting play.

I honestly reckon Russias problem is Bykov has been around too long. How many years has he been coach now? Sometimes you just overstay your welcome and you lose the team - despite being a good coach. This just doesn't look like Bykovs team.

 

[PeacEnforcer]

It was pretty funny why Russia didnt pull their goalie at the end? afraid of losing?

Looks like Bykov is under pressure and simply doesnt have gutts even though it should have been obvious.

You cant seourisly give those goals on barulin deflection infront and on the other one he was screened by russian defence.

And with this quality of argument u lay claim to being a homo sapiens??? Highly doubtfull, indeed)

"Bykov did not pull the goalie because he was afraid of losing"????? That's your best guess??
This rings particularly true, considering that no other outcome but Russia's victory IN REGULATION guaranteed us a higher place than the fourth. In any other event - win or lose - we would still be fourth! And u call it a sign of fear on Bykov's part?

I belive a much more intelligent and logical guess would be that Bykov simply did not want to choose his opponent and did not lift a finger to make any extra effort at all to avoid a showdown with canada or sweden. So for a man of thought and reason Bykov's decision to keep the goalie speaks of his confidence, but for u it speaks of his fear of losing. How come u hate logic and reason so much?

 

[PeacEnforcer]

After next round - Finland will continue playing for the win, Russia will go to do their every-spring activities - Golf for Kovalchuk and Ovechkin. Hunting raw meat in his dungeon for R2.

In the beginning of next week you will create a new account on which you can troll in international tournaments section since Russia is not in anymore.

Day-dreamer u r indeed!

 

[Fallenity]

Fairly speaking, Lassila was holding up our team at times, when the defense looked like a bunch of chicken with their heads cut off. Russia had its chances, which it missed. Eventually the missed chances catch up with you, as has been seen with the Finnish team in the past years (and this year, against Czech). The Russian goalie was nothing spectacular, but ok. Both Finnish goals were not the easiest type, on the second one some Russian player was screening. Russia in turn benefited from the bad start by our goalie. Both goals showed that his reflexes were bad today.

I have to say, the Worst Player Award goes today to Salmela. Sometimes he produces with his offensive attitude and attacks, but today he almost gave the game away a number of times. Too often he goes on the attack without making sure that the defense is ok.

 

[Tissotti]

For the material Russia looked pathetic today. There's these weird moments when the whole defense of Russia just goes through total meltdown. They truly need to improve if they wanna have any change against Swe, Can etc.

Anyways nice to see some shots finally going in. So far Finland has made every goalie look like they are playing their best game ever. I have been trashing Lassila hard since his first game, but he certainly was on fire today.

 

[QnebO]

I belive a much more intelligent and logical guess would be that Bykov simply did not want to choose his opponent and did not lift a finger to make any extra effort at all to avoid a showdown with canada or sweden. So for a man of thought and reason Bykov's decision to keep the goalie speaks of his confidence, but for u it speaks of his fear of losing. How come u hate logic and reason so much?

Really? Well in interview he said that it was because team Russia didin't get good enough pressure to finnish end.

 

[QnebO]

----

 

[The Chiddler]

Kulemin TOI: 9:32

Afinogenov TOI: 18:18

Kulemin scores and gets player of the game for Russia but still can't get ice time

 

[MountainGoat]

Kovalchuk sucked in this tournement

 

[NMF78]

I honestly reckon Russias problem is Bykov has been around too long. How many years has he been coach now? Sometimes you just overstay your welcome and you lose the team - despite being a good coach. This just doesn't look like Bykovs team.

exactly, sometimes the chemistry between a coach and his players just ain't there no more, its very rare for coaches to coach teams or NT's for more then 3 or 4 years

 

[roto]

It's a bit funny that Russian team is considered high skilled with goal scoring power. They were wasting a lot of chances today and couldn't finish a single breakaway or penalty shot. Ovechkin played better than in the previous game, but still he plays like in Caps this year.

His shooting % in regular season was ~8%, which is quite awful for a guy who is considered one of the best players in the world. He made one more goal than 40-year-old Selänne and needed 70% more shots. In addition, Selänne had much less ice time and played in 2nd line. My point is that significance of Ovechkin to Russian team is overrated.

 

[ZemgsG]

Only a finn can call demand for objectivity "stupid". It must be a cultural thing, I suppose.

As for the future at these WC and canada/norway stuff - I think no need to waste time on futile argument now: we'll talk on that post-game, when there's something of substance to say, not just YAK.

Haha, cultular thing for sure, u are quite hypocritical even for troll. Happy holidays...

 

[Fulcrum]

Kovalchuk sucked in this tournement

Yes, but Russian media is quiet about that now- last time he sucked in 2008 Quebec- he ended up shutting them all up with tying and winning goals in the gold medal game.

 

[Fulcrum]

exactly, sometimes the chemistry between a coach and his players just ain't there no more, its very rare for coaches to coach teams or NT's for more then 3 or 4 years

Great point! These aren't the days of dictatorship coaches, such as the days of Tikhonov and so on.

I think the writing is on the wall for Russian hockey federation. It's just time for a change. Thank you Bykov, but it's time to move on.

I would like Belyaletdinov from Ak Bars to give a try. He is the creator of the ZZM line.