2006 World Juniors Hockey Championship

[Pekka]

YAAYAAYAA, It's about to START!!

At least in our programming, I wonder if it's live or not, but little over an hour and we face Canada. Ready to be beaten down! YAAYAAYAA!

Well, if we're not getting it live (which is 99% odds), please don't spoil how it ends.

[Pekka]

wow, I knew our team wasn't good but I had no idea it wanted to really suck. I only saw the third period and I didn't like it. OF course stronger team dominated so it's hard to tell if they just were playing crappy too or if they were just outplayed.

I noticed our players didn't have heart. This is seen as they didn't play it as good as underdog can, they didn't start to hit players, they just started running their mouths instead. They didn't fight in front of their own goalie, not during the game and not after opposite players came there after the whistle, just nothing.

Bunch of pussies for sure, but I still expected a bit more heart than this. Team has only few deserving players in it, but if there's 0 team behind it, there's no way they can shine either. I still expected a bit more than this. Well, it was only first game, so maybe they can pick it up more. The way I saw, no one wants to play in NHL that bad I guess.

But I didn't see the first two periods, the numbers didn't surprise me, lack of fight did. How did the goalie do? Rask had to let 5 of them go, the one in 3rd period was totally out of his hands (and result of horrible play, getting turned from rare offense)?

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Pekka
wow, I knew our team wasn't good but I had no idea it wanted to really suck. I only saw the third period and I didn't like it. OF course stronger team dominated so it's hard to tell if they just were playing crappy too or if they were just outplayed.

I noticed our players didn't have heart. This is seen as they didn't play it as good as underdog can, they didn't start to hit players, they just started running their mouths instead. They didn't fight in front of their own goalie, not during the game and not after opposite players came there after the whistle, just nothing.

Bunch of pussies for sure, but I still expected a bit more heart than this. Team has only few deserving players in it, but if there's 0 team behind it, there's no way they can shine either. I still expected a bit more than this. Well, it was only first game, so maybe they can pick it up more. The way I saw, no one wants to play in NHL that bad I guess.

But I didn't see the first two periods, the numbers didn't surprise me, lack of fight did. How did the goalie do? Rask had to let 5 of them go, the one in 3rd period was totally out of his hands (and result of horrible play, getting turned from rare offense)?

Canada completely outplayed the Finns and it seemed that the smaller Finnish players couldn't cope with the XCanadian size and strength. Rask was not terrible but it was not the type of goaltenfding you need to be a contender. Goaltending needs to be better than "ok" to win this thing and rask was pretty much just "ok"

[Pekka]

So he wasn't playing his own level either? THat's just stupid.

Ok.. well, I'll mark that one down as first game of the tourney and continent and no excuses for bad play from now on, even against better opponents.

BEcause even though opponent is stronger and better, there still is no excuses for horrible plays and the mistakes that happened. And things that were left undone.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Pekka
So he wasn't playing his own level either? THat's just stupid.

I don't know what "his own level" is. Rask played ok. Nobody would say he was bad . . . Its like the other night when Calgary beat Vancouver in a shootout 6-5. Nobody could say Kipper was bad . . . he made several excellent stops on tough shots but there were also a couple that if he was playing "very very well" he might have had.

Originally posted by Pekka


Ok.. well, I'll mark that one down as first game of the tourney and continent and no excuses for bad play from now on, even against better opponents.

I didn't see a ton of merely stupid plays by the Finns but I did see them lose a lot of the physical battles and also have difficulty with Canda's speed-- But as you know the Finns better than I, perhaps this was just an off-game

Originally posted by Pekka


BEcause even though opponent is stronger and better, there still is no excuses for horrible plays and the mistakes that happened. And things that were left undone.

Hmm-- the problem if someone is truly "stronger and better" is that they are on you quicker than you usually react. Like I said, I didn't see an inordinate amount of stupid plays but that might be my inherent bias-- I cheer the Canadian for his good play in stealling the puck rather than viewing it as a stupid mistake by his opponent

[Flubber]

Oh and the canadian defence looked very very good, as they also did throughout the 2 exhibition games. Plus Pogge looks solid.

I still don't know if their talent level can match the Americans but time will tell. There are rumours that the American team has a fair bit of conflict going on within it so its tough to know how that may play out

[Pekka]

Right, a dominant team makes the other team make more mistakes they wouldn't normally make, but that's not what I'm talking about.

I know the team some, and I said before this tourney started that it's not a very good team, and that we are having few dry years that started last year.

Mistakes I'm talking about are not challenging the physical side enough, I mean there comes a point whe you shouldn't run to the corners against faster players but hit them instead. Play strong in front of your own goal, that's a question of attitude only. Our team showed none of that.

Canadian players were ruling in front of their own and our goalies as well. That's unacceptable, it's not a question of weaker team, it's a question of weaker team letting the other team do it. It's 99% attitude how you play in front of the goals. It don't matter if you win or lose the challenge, what matters is that they bring the challenge there, or at least meet the challenge, which they didn't.

FYI Rask is a very good goalie with bright future in NHL. One of them top prospects. But from what I saw in the third, there was no defense to help him. Now you can't work like that.

They couldn't control the puck, that goes to the caliber of the opposing team, but all those turn overs, you know, that's just sloppy and horrible plays, especially in PP. You have defense that is not willing to take risks between the blue lines, but risks everything behind their own net? There were many loose pucks where our defense decided to back off instead of run into it and clash with the wing, and those were some horrible lay downs if you ask me. I mean what, they were already down 4-0, how much more do you need to take those risks that are normal in a game, and then again thinking all the things that happened in their own corners and behind the net? There's no excuse for that.

They are not a very solid team but they are better than that for sure.

But of course credit goes to your team, no question about that. I was still disappointed. No on stepped up. Just like last year, no one stepped up. I'd be raging if I was their coach right now.

[Serb]

Russia buried Sweden 5:1.

[Pekka]

buried under ice That's a cool thought.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Serb
Russia buried Sweden 5:1.

hmmm but you were strangely silent about Russia's exhibition performance


I know I know, it simply doesn't matter..... it was a stupid exhibition game

[Serb]

We will bury you also.

[Pekka]

Ah now this gets interesting. Some dudes who saw the whole game gave me a good analysis on the situation. It's not so dark afterall. Our 'stars' were total flops, but we know they can play awesome. And our average players were OK, meaning they played in their level. UNforutnately Rask was not shining as we expected, but it'll come. He's first round pick, and the next Lehtonen (who is better than Kipper).

So even though US is supposed to have a better team than Canada, I think we might have a chance for points. They just beat Norway into submission 11-2, so I hope they are feeling cocky and fall into their own trap. Most likely not though..

It would suck to go from 3rd position to the next rounds.. hoping for 2nd, that means US must be beaten, or at least tied.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Serb
We will bury you also.

Thats pretty brave language considering . . .

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Pekka

It would suck to go from 3rd position to the next rounds.. hoping for 2nd, that means US must be beaten, or at least tied.

I don't think a tie will help your cause unless you are counting on the Swiss or Norwegians upsetting Canada or the US. Think about it.

Assume the top 3 beat the Swiss and Norway. Then your only hope if you tie the US is for Canada to beat the US so that you tie them in the standings . But then you go on goal differential . . . Its too early yet to tell how that will end up.

PLus 3rd isn't all that bad . . If there is an upset or two in the other bracket, you could get a better quarterfinal opponent but would then face either Canada or the US in the semis. Second place means you play the other group for two games. Do you really think that Russia/Czech/Slovaks is THAT much easier?? I don't.

[Pekka]

yeah, I was counting on goal difference in that, so tie would be the MINIMUM we'd have to do.

I think Slovakia will be easier than US, yes.