Great Britain: Olympic Qualifiers (Latvia)

[AlanHUK]

great save from Lyle

**** sake stupid play behind the goal Lyle left it for no one.

game over.

 

[BMann]

Terrible error there from Lyle,Richardson.

Bertrand scores.

 

[Like Wall]

A huge mistake by GB. 4:2 FR

 

[ukyote]

Shame, but what an effort this has been in the last period.

 

[BMann]

Dowd runs over Fleury.......

Great pressure. Lachowicz in and saved.

 

[AlanHUK]

damn it huge response, but not getting the bounces.

finally seeing some big hits from GB too.

 

[Call me Suds]

Wasn't that big of a hit. Fleury's a diving ***** lol

 

[Call me Suds]

Ahh they finally showed a replay lol Fleury put his hands up and jumepd backwards... I've seen him dive like 5 times this game already lol

 

[Siamese Dream]

Ahh they finally showed a replay lol Fleury put his hands up and jumepd backwards... I've seen him dive like 5 times this game already lol

Is he related to Marc-Andre Fleury?

Quick! To the ESPN knows hockey thread! I wish I could use photoshop

 

[BMann]

Treille binned a bit late.

 

[Like Wall]

One cannot help noticing the lame music played in Arena sometimes.

 

[Siamese Dream]

One cannot help noticing the lame music played in Arena sometimes.

But it's hockey music!

 

[Call me Suds]

Is he related to Marc-Andre Fleury?

Quick! To the ESPN knows hockey thread! I wish I could use photoshop

I was laughing my ass off at the commentators after it though. They acted like he just threw a good ole fashion Scott Stevens or young Dion Phaneuf hit

Pure entertainment

 

[BMann]

All over. 4-2 to France.

Great final period from the boys. Upped the intensity and the Dowd line worked their b******* off.

Still very proud of them.

 

[AlanHUK]

Great game from GB

 

[Siamese Dream]

These are very encouraging results, I was expecting us to get embarrased

 

[BMann]

These are very encouraging results, I was expecting us to get embarrased

Slowly going in the right direction. But we could be going a lot faster if lot's of things were sorted out at the grass roots.

 

[Like Wall]

But it's hockey music!

You mean electrical synthesizer? Yeah, it is hockey music, I have no problem with that.

 

[ukyote]

Slowly going in the right direction. But we could be going a lot faster if lot's of things were sorted out at the grass roots.

Agreed. Regrettably, building new ice rinks is low on the priority list during the deepest recession for nearly a century...

 

[villevalo]

Lots of positives to take into the WC's.

 

[Call me Suds]

I wish they'd broadcast U18's U20's and WC's now

 

[Shrimper]

WC could be streamed for some games. Good results for us and positive going forward. If we can keep qualifying for this stage of the Olympic qualifiers and take these teams closer then it's very good.

 

[Call me Suds]

Give Ben Bowns a look against Kazahkstan? Unlikely

 

[Siamese Dream]

Agreed. Regrettably, building new ice rinks is low on the priority list during the deepest recession for nearly a century...

I've said it several times now, player numbers and ice rinks isn't really an excuse anymore. We have more rinks and players than nations like Denmark and of course Latvia but they can still produce NHL talent and we can't, so it makes you wonder why is that?
A lot of it is down to development, coaching isn't too shabby but actual ice time is the big one. Junior leagues play less than 20 games a season, even if a player is good enough to play for the higher age group that's still less than 40 while kids in other countries play a lot more than that. And most are not on the ice for more than 3 hours per week. There's also a lack of competitive games at the junior level, games are often won by an excess of 10 goals so this makes it boring and a lot of kids quit.

 

[Shrimper]

What's the funding like for GB hockey compared to other countries like France and Latvia?