World Cup QF: Sep 7 GDT - Russia vs. USA

[SwisshockeyAcademy]

well, i'm less optimistic about this.
i think golden days of Soviet hockey are over. past. in history books. and on the numerous 1972 replays here in Canada.

dominance for 40 years is good, it's just I wasn't around to witness it. All the names and championships were won BEFORE me.
so I look up to these players to provide stamina, grit, clutch and determination to win something major. and to plead my case Russia's got some fine players.
almost every NHL team has a few. some are megastars that left a lasting imprint on hockey. NHL-hockey. Bure, Mogilny, list goes on.

and even on this board majority of people were predicting a win for Russia. but what happens ? another elimination and familiar team Russia faces rushing off the ice to the dressing rooms.

So, honestly, I don't think it's gonna happne. the "glory back" thing.
unless things change. management. etc.

there is plenty of quality players Russia can put on ice, most well-known and achieving, but when they get together, they flop. I'm glad to see them spark those two games, well, the one against the yanks, the slovak game was no effort.

but... these are my thoughts.

If larionov had of been given the power to make changes to the program things would have been really interesting. I know its blasphemy but bringing in an objective coach from outside the country may be the thing to do for a while. Keep the Russians puck control but perhaps breath new life into other areas of a stale federation. It happened to English soccer so it can happen elsewhere.

 

[Buya89]

Huli blja..

Markov made a terrible mistake in hiz zone, not on PP. But Markov was the best D for Russia, Bilyaledtindov is a fool. Kasparaitis and Gonchar were Russia's worst dmans at this tournay. They were on all 4 Tkachuk's goals tonight. Kasparaitis made terrible plays, Gonchar provalilsja hundreds of times...

Vishnevski and Markov were the best d's among the russian squad. The rest looked like pee-wee.. esp Gonchar, Khavanov and Kasparaitis. Terrible mistake by Kalinin tonight, but he was solid in other games.

Zinetula, na her stavil Khavanova na Powerplay?

I dont think they he knew it was pp.

Nado bilo pozvoni fetisovu dlya konsultatsiyi......

 

[Buya89]

well, i'm less optimistic about this.
i think golden days of Soviet hockey are over. past. in history books. and on the numerous 1972 replays here in Canada.

dominance for 40 years is good, it's just I wasn't around to witness it. All the names and championships were won BEFORE me.
so I look up to these players to provide stamina, grit, clutch and determination to win something major. and to plead my case Russia's got some fine players.
almost every NHL team has a few. some are megastars that left a lasting imprint on hockey. NHL-hockey. Bure, Mogilny, list goes on.

and even on this board majority of people were predicting a win for Russia. but what happens ? another elimination and familiar team Russia faces rushing off the ice to the dressing rooms.

So, honestly, I don't think it's gonna happne. the "glory back" thing.
unless things change. management. etc.

there is plenty of quality players Russia can put on ice, most well-known and achieving, but when they get together, they flop. I'm glad to see them spark those two games, well, the one against the yanks, the slovak game was no effort.

but... these are my thoughts.

I think you are seriously confused... Kovalchuk and Ovechkin are just beginning. Russia will be a power they once were, you just have to hope the talent will be brought up right.

 

[The True Blue Crew]

uh...man wish you're right

When I say "glory", I don't mean their old glory of some decades ago. That would be almost impossible. I think more like a stetch of 2 or 3 years of success like the Czech Republic had at the Olympics and a couple years after that. These days Canada is doing very well and I'm pretty sure Russia will get that sort of glory or rather success sooner or later.

 

[The True Blue Crew]

i hope so. don't forget, i'm a maple leaf fan... things look quite bleak out here.

the only thing that keeps my spirits high is tennis. and boy sharapova, myskina, dement'eva and the rest are coming strogn

I think you are seriously confused... Kovalchuk and Ovechkin are just beginning. Russia will be a power they once were, you just have to hope the talent will be brought up right.

 

[The True Blue Crew]

send Quinn to team Russia, he'll know what to do. :lol

If larionov had of been given the power to make changes to the program things would have been really interesting. I know its blasphemy but bringing in an objective coach from outside the country may be the thing to do for a while. Keep the Russians puck control but perhaps breath new life into other areas of a stale federation. It happened to English soccer so it can happen elsewhere.

 

[Papa Smurf]

Yes, and how many times did they win it between 1952 and 2002?

How many times has the US won it between 1980 and now?

Its interesting how Americans happen to be the only international fans who find pleasure in bashing Canada's hockey skill. The Swdes dont do it, neither do the Russians.

 

[SwisshockeyAcademy]

send Quinn to team Russia, he'll know what to do. :lol

Quinn was not what i had in mind

 

[The True Blue Crew]

lol, i was just being sarcastic, but then, hey, Pat knows how to advance into the first round

Quinn was not what i had in mind I would think twice about hiring him if i was the president of the Romanian federation but that is another argument for another time.

 

[SwisshockeyAcademy]

lol, i was just being sarcasts, but then, hey, Pat knows how to advance into the first round

I had to edit my post because now is not the time to let my feelings for Pat Quinn shine through. I am behind Canada all the way.

 

[The True Blue Crew]

Yeah, I hear ya.

Go Canada!

I had to edit my post because now is not the time to let my feelings for Pat Quinn shine through. I am behind Canada all the way.

 

[SwisshockeyAcademy]

I was entertained by the Russians in this tourney and was glad Fedorov, Mogilny, and Zhamnov were not here to steal minutes from younger players. It was very enjoyable.

 

[nomorekids]

Just a few friendly reminders:

1) Habs fans aren't allowed to speak French on the main boards..so I need to remind those of you breaking into Russian to keep it english-speaker-friendly

2) Many of you have preconceived notions about each other, and have branded different posters "trolls." Well, what does it make you..when you post things just to get them riled up? Three of you in particular made posts for NO OTHER REASON than to call out a "troll." Do that, and you'll find yourself sharing a cell with said "troll" in Banned Intercontinental Prison. There, you can grumpily discuss that fascist Mod NoMoreKids and his take-no-prisoners approach

3) this tournament is something that true HOCKEY FANS should be able to enjoy. All the country-bashing and petty arguing is soiling the whole thing. A lot of you need to get over the blind jingoism and focus on what counts...the GAMES.

4) Canadian fans...I'm addressing you in particular, and I'll go on to address the American fans in a moment. This thread is RUSSIA\USA. You are welcome to post here..but try to be respectful. How would you feel if a bunch of American fans came into the Slovakia\Canada thread tomorrow and predicted\hoped for a Canadian loss for 24 hours preceding the game...and then rubbed it in afterward if you lost or tried to deride you after the win? Some of you are overstepping your bounds here, and it CAN and WILL be considered trolling. Watch it, pleeease.

5. American fans...see above. I'm trying to pre-empt some of what we have going on in this thread. The operative word here is RESPECT, and with that concept, we can all come out of this happy hockey fans.

Excelsior!

NMK

 

[Slick Nick]

It's incredible, that much people baching Russia on talent... Russia is all about talent! There are too many talented guys on the russian team, everyone wants to pull out some stickwork, backhanded pass, skate to stick trick... this works in the NHL because the level is lower and that most of these guys have two passers. When you got Afinogenov, Kovalchuk and Datsyuk, on the same line..****, they all try to do the superman style. They are way to talented to play together. Same thing happend with the Lemieux line, they can't score...They are invidually too good.

How come Ilya Kovalchuk ( best PP player in the league), Gonchar (best D scorer), Kovalev (best stickhandler in the league), Datsyuk (one of the brightest players) and whoever was placed with them couldn't score? Lack of talent???? Please... TOO MUCH TALENT, not enough garbageman in front of the net.

 

[DevMod9]

It's incredible, that much people baching Russia on talent... Russia is all about talent! There are too many talented guys on the russian team, everyone wants to pull out some stickwork, backhanded pass, skate to stick trick... this works in the NHL because the level is lower and that most of these guys have two passers. When you got Afinogenov, Kovalchuk and Datsyuk, on the same line..****, they all try to do the superman style. They are way to talented to play together. Same thing happend with the Lemieux line, they can't score...They are invidually too good.

How come Ilya Kovalchuk ( best PP player in the league), Gonchar (best D scorer), Kovalev (best stickhandler in the league), Datsyuk (one of the brightest players) and whoever was placed with them couldn't score? Lack of talent???? Please... TOO MUCH TALENT, not enough garbageman in front of the net.

Russian hockey has to devolve in some respects. Hockey on all levels is so specialized that having a typical 'checking line' filled with softer, "scoring line" forwards can be a drawback. The federation should indoctrinate the youngsters with old game tapes of Tim Kerr, Phil Esposito & Adam Graves. Not breathtaking but deadly effective.

 

[SwisshockeyAcademy]

It's incredible, that much people baching Russia on talent... Russia is all about talent! There are too many talented guys on the russian team, everyone wants to pull out some stickwork, backhanded pass, skate to stick trick... this works in the NHL because the level is lower and that most of these guys have two passers. When you got Afinogenov, Kovalchuk and Datsyuk, on the same line..****, they all try to do the superman style. They are way to talented to play together. Same thing happend with the Lemieux line, they can't score...They are invidually too good.

How come Ilya Kovalchuk ( best PP player in the league), Gonchar (best D scorer), Kovalev (best stickhandler in the league), Datsyuk (one of the brightest players) and whoever was placed with them couldn't score? Lack of talent???? Please... TOO MUCH TALENT, not enough garbageman in front of the net.

Some more direct play and uglier goals would help but its also nice to watch a team that plays the game a different way even if its not the way i would coach a team. Its nice to have something different, some one on one play - some nice stickhandling and strong skating.Trade for Holmstrom.

 

[Slick Nick]

Russian hockey has to devolve in some respects. Hockey on all levels is so specialized that having a typical 'checking line' filled with softer, "scoring line" forwards can be a drawback. The federation should indoctrinate the youngsters with old game tapes of Tim Kerr, Phil Esposito & Adam Graves. Not breathtaking but deadly effective.

So true!

Somehow I feel this like a downfall of hockey in general.

 

[Maelmoor]

Congrats to the victory but why was the arena just half-filled ?

 

[Wild Bill]

yeah, thats to prove my point that I'm not the only one who doesn't really care about this tournament.

This is where I think you're wrong.

As ceber stated the before, it was a pretty early game...most fans don't have a problem with this though...or at least I didn't. Ticket prices were pretty high, but Wild tickets are expensive as well, so again...

I think it does come down to the media in this area. The hockey coverage here flat out stinks. For being the "State of Hockey", that is not good. The Wild is also a very young franchise and I don't think the general public have really caught up yet. The main sports radio channel here has one show that will even acknowledge the existence of the NHL. It's very odd. Most sports fans I know, love hockey and the Wild and yet local media is obsessed with the Vikings, and I guess the Twins when they are winning, which they are right now. The CBA situation isn't exactly helping right now either. Hockey has been placed on the backburner locally and the diehard fans are the ones that suffer...unless you get tickets...which of course I did.

Other people at the game may be able to help me out, but I thought the first period was pretty quiet in the arena, but the 2nd and 3rd were pretty rockin' and the level play almost responded. Maybe on TV it was played down or wasn't noticeable...I dunno.

 

[William H Bonney]

Congrats to the victory but why was the arena just half-filled ?

Have you been watching the European games? The arenas seemed dreadfully empty at those as well.

 

[Legionnaire]

It's incredible, that much people baching Russia on talent... Russia is all about talent! There are too many talented guys on the russian team, everyone wants to pull out some stickwork, backhanded pass, skate to stick trick... this works in the NHL because the level is lower and that most of these guys have two passers. When you got Afinogenov, Kovalchuk and Datsyuk, on the same line..****, they all try to do the superman style. They are way to talented to play together. Same thing happend with the Lemieux line, they can't score...They are invidually too good.

How come Ilya Kovalchuk ( best PP player in the league), Gonchar (best D scorer), Kovalev (best stickhandler in the league), Datsyuk (one of the brightest players) and whoever was placed with them couldn't score? Lack of talent???? Please... TOO MUCH TALENT, not enough garbageman in front of the net.

Good post. KISS. Keep it simple stupid.

I don't think it's a coincidence that the Yashin, Frolov, Zubrus line was their most effective. They relied much more on forcing turn-overs and passing than trying to stick-handle around everyone.

Stick-handling, and flashy moves are great. They bring the fans out of their seats and make the highlight reels, but the bottom line is that they don't win games; team work does.

 

[topshelf331]

as a Preds fan, I never thought Id be cheering for ol Keith, but I sure was tonight! Woohoo!

Thats because Keith is a uniter, not a divider.

 

[Macman]

Every tournament, I start by whishing Team USA failure, but the more I read comments from Europeans, the more I feel sympathy for the USA and wish them to crush Euro teams just to piss off the European fans for being so *bleeping* biased towards their continent.

Right on brother. I'm sick of it too. The fact is last night's game was played in a quiet, half-empty building and the Russians had last change. The fact is home ice is not an advantage in international play. A host team hasn't won a world title at home in 16 years and when was the last time a team won the world juniors at home? Good teams win anywhere. It's proven every year in the Stanley Cup and again on the world stage. The Russians were outplayed by a more determined American team, plain and simple, yet the conspiracies and whining continue.

 

[kenabnrmal]

Thats because Keith is a uniter, not a divider.

Haha, ask Jets/Yotes fans, or hell, Oleg Tverdovsky for that matter, how much of a uniter Keith is...

Still, amazing game. Just amazing. When Tkachuk wants to play, he's an elite force. Good for him!

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Congrats to the victory but why was the arena just half-filled ?

It wasn't a sell-out but it was far from "half-filled."