WJC: Quarter-final pre-game talk

[Cam98]

finland wins, a close one imo. and depending if czech can stay out of box and goalie plays very good, i can see czech giving russia run for there money

 

[BobDobolina]

Andrey Osadchenko @AOsadchenko

Grigorenko practiced today. Looks like he's gonna play tomorrow.

Awesome news. He is such a great player to watch.

 

[observerspb*]

I think all of humanity would be interesting to see the game Canada-Russia.

 

[Statsy]

Hmm...I never thought about trying to bet on these games before. The NHL is far too difficult to predict as there are several mechanisms in place to create parity (entry draft, waiver draft, salary cap, etc.) but that's not the same for international hockey, and in particular this tournament which tests a country's depth with its age restrictions.

TSN is currently holding a contest called Tournament Challenge that allows you to predict the winners from all the games in the tournament. To this point 13 of more than 4000 entrants have gone 20 for 20 with their predictions. Personally, I am sitting at a fairly impressive 17 for 20 (which actually would be 18, but after getting screwed by the States twice in the preliminary round my only real option to win the tournament was hope for them to get their heads out of their a$$ and beat Canada, who was a landslide favorite). Obviously that didn't happen. Thanks US!

With all that said I can't say as I see any upsets in this next round. Finland should ride Aitikalli-whatever-his-name-is-o to victory over Slovakia with Pulkkinen firing a pair of goals in the victory. The Russian collapse against Sweden did feel like it had a certain symmetry after their crazy comebacks of last year, but the Czechs don't have near the depth and top end firepower of the Swedes. The Russians started to pull things together against Latvia and Kuznetsov and company should be feeling good enough about their powerplay to make the Czech team pay for their undisciplined play. Don't think this one will even be that close, perhaps 5-1.

 

[Jesus Christ Horburn]

Petr Mrazek will not only shut out Russia but will get a hat trick

 

[observerspb*]

I hope that Sweden will win the semifinal.

 

[Nakawick]

I think both games will be entertaining and close. The Slovaks could pull an upset if the Fins do not capitalize on scoring opportunities. The Czechs could upset if they stay out of the box and if Mrazek plays solid.

 

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaa]

I am picking Finland and Russia, but I WOULD LOVE the Czechs to beat the Russians. I don't think that'll happen, though. The road ends here for Mrazek and the Czechs, as far as a medal goes.

 

[Statsy]

Petr Mrazek will not only shut out Russia but will get a hat trick

The more I think about it, the more that I feel that if Mrazek had scored that empty netter that he just missed, that his game would have gone down as the greatest game a goaltender ever had. Huge upset win, 52 saves, stopped a penalty shot, and scored a goal. Not too shabby!

 

[Steveorama]

It's tough, I also never know how many "t" or "a" in a row they have in their name.

As a North American, I believe you can never have ENOUGH "t"' and "a"...just sayin'!

 

[Ryker]

I think it's going to a blowout win for Finland (7:1), and a bit of a struggle for Russia (4:2).

 

[Harv]

I think the Czech Russia game is going to be interesting. I think I read a Czech player say he hated the Russian, very much so. Then the article tried to tie in a political thing with the Prague Spring. Seems like a stretch to me.

 

[Systemfel]

GDTs are up.