2005 IIHF World Championships

[alexstream]

Originally posted by Macaskill

Canada has to put one in the net... common Draper, you owe me a goal!!!... lol

Next WC remind me to have more checkers, we shouldn't have let that goal in, with more checkers it would still be 0-0 and would probably finish that way... that is WC at its best.

(for those who think I'm stupid, go look what sarcasm mean in your nearest dictionary)

Hatchfield of wathever his name is, is too rookie to coach against the best... he's always late on his line changes which often causes oddmen rushes or difficult situations for the exhausted players.

[Psycing]

I don't know what to say... if it wasn't for Brodeur it would have been a blow out.

Anyway, interesting ending with the fights etc... Vokun was pretty damn good 2.

No excuses though, we were outplayed...

(but what about that closing the hand on puck and throwing it into the crowd play?... refs strike again)

[bombTHEice]

Great game by the Czechs, they deserved the win - congrats! :/)

BTW. Awesome shot from Rosie Rucinsky ...

[Doktor Kosmos]

Now you know what I feel like.

Gotta hand it to the Czechs, they really were the better team in this game if you ask me. Jagr put in quite a good effort (I was not impressed by him in the semifinal vs Sweden, but then again I think that puck to the head hurt his game, no pun intended), assisting on the first two goals.

Can't really blame Brodeaur for the goals, but Vokoun outshined Brodeur tonight. The first goalie to get a shutout in the finals since Tommy Salo (1998).

I think the Canadians embarrassed themselves with all the fighing in the end. I mean come on, the game was over. Bunch of whiny biatches who can't take a loss. Granted, Fischer was holding Smyth, but does that mean Smyth should be allowed to whack his stick at Fischer's legs as hard as he could 8-10 times? No. I'm disappointed to see it end like that. That's the kind of hypocracy us Europeans hate the Canadians for.

Swedish ref Thomas Andersson might have made a few mistakes (who doesn't?), but I think the Canucks can't blame their loss on him.

Maybe it would have ended differently if Canada had managed to score in the second period. I feel like when Rucinsky scored the second goal for the Czechs it was more or less over; Vokoun was too good to allow three goals in the last 15 or so minutes. I don't know the stats by heart, but I think the Czechs have only lost one game this tournament. I think it was the best team who won.

On a side note I also think that this shows that the Swedish team put in a very good effort in the semifinal against the Czech Republic.

[bombTHEice]

Originally posted by Doktor Kosmos

I think the Canadians embarrassed themselves with all the fighing in the end. I mean come on, the game was over. Bunch of whiny biatches who can't take a loss. Granted, Fischer was holding Smyth, but does that mean Smyth should be allowed to whack his stick at Fischer's legs as hard as he could 8-10 times? No. I'm disappointed to see it end like that. That's the kind of hypocracy us Europeans hate the Canadians for.

That's just frustration, who can blame them? Smyth had Fischer's stick between his legs and so Smyth just slashed at him, but who cares ...

[puck7x]

That was a really ugly game to watch. Lots of clutching and grabbing by the czech's the whole game through, the refs didnt call any of it, instead he called alot of roughing penalties.

But thats no excuse for the loss. The Czech's were the better team today. Congrats to them

Oh yeah, that Smyth golfing demonstration was hilarious (and dangerous... but hilarious).

[Trizzak]

Oh well.

At least it wasn't the swedes.

[Doktor Kosmos]

All-Star Team:

Goalie: Tomas Vokoun (CZE)

Defenders: Niklas Kronwall (SWE) and Marek Zidlicky (CZE)

Forwards: Rick Nash (CAN), Joe Thornton (CAN) & Jaromir Jagr (CZE)

Best gaolie: Vokoun

Best defender: Wade Redden (CAN)

Best forward: Alexei Kovalev (RUS)

MVP: Thornton

Now I think that it's a bit odd that those judged to be the best at their position aren't in the All-Star team and I also think that they might have considered Vokoun as the MVP, because I don't think Thornton helped his team particularly much in the decisive game. But hey, that's just me.

[Edited on 2005/5/15 by Doktor Kosmos]

[Doktor Kosmos]

All in all, a very nice tournament. I'm pleased with the Swedish team's performance (except for the bad game today of course). What makes me enthusiastic about the future is the emergence of several young, promising players. I think overall goalie Henrik Lundqvist has shown that he is by far the best Swedish player in his position. I think he might have an even brighter future ahead of him than Tommy Salo had at the corresponding point in his career. Sure, Lundqvist is still young and he has a lot to learn, but I think the Rangers are sitting on a real gem there. (And back-up goalies Stefan Liw and Johan Holmqvist also have a lot of potential.)

I think Niklas Kronwall has the potential to become the future Nicklas Lidström of Swedish hockey (and it's gotta be a good thing for him to learn from Lidström in Detroit once the NHL starts back up again).

I think Samuel Påhlsson will one day take over the roll that captain Jörgen Jönsson has today (unless he gets traded from the Ducks to a team that can actually make the playoffs more often than every 8 years). 'Samme' has shown that he is a very good defensive center with a tremendous work ethic that few can match. I think Påhlsson has heart.

I think that the Sedins have also taken a step forward, as have guys like Mikael Samuelsson and Christian Bäckman. And there are still others who also have potential for more: Sanny Lindström (D), Magnus Kahnberg (F), Jonathan Hedström (F), Johan Franzén (F) and Mattias Weinhandl (F).

But the best Swedish player of them all was without doubt Henrik Zetterberg. I think he has shown again and again that he is the heir to the Forsberg/Sundin/Alfredsson generation of star players that we have in Swedish hockey. Just like Påhlsson he has a work ethic that is just outstanding, and he is a great two-way player. He's got great vision and great hands, he is a very accomplished player already IMO.

Last but not least I must say that the fact that Bengt-Åke Gustafsson is coaching the team also makes me a lot more enthusiastic than when Hardy Nilsson was coach. Even though we lost the bronze to the Russians today I am quite content right now actually.

[Edited on 2005/5/15 by Doktor Kosmos]

[Leafs Suck]

GOOD, BAD AND THE UGLY TOURNAMENT EDITION

THE GOOD

-Hometown boy Rick Nash proving he's a world class player

-Canada having success without a Toronto Maple Leaf involved or Wayne Gretzky

-Brodeur proving he is still the man

-Souray playing decent minutes and holding his own

THE BAD

-Lack of sportsmanship by the Russians

-Joe Thornton proving again he is not a big game player

-Dissipointing tournaments from Heatley, Doan, Morrison, Marleau, Jovanovski, among others

THE UGLY

-TSN's horrible coverage. From McGuire's annoying "colour analysis" to Glenn Healy's mindnumbingly stupid observations

-Inconsistant officating. Example the Czech player who closed his hand on the puck before throwing it in the crowd while Canada was in need of a goal and NO penalty was called.

-The crying Russian women

-Jaromir Jagr

-Joe Thornton's pitchforking

[Edited on 2005/5/15 by Leafs Suck]

[Doktor Kosmos]

What does "pitchforking" mean?

What happened with Souray in the final? Did he get injured or something? I saw him play in the first period, but I can't remember seeing him on the ice in the second of third?

[Psycing]

I think Souray was benched after the first goal was let in when he was on the ice. (He might have played a shift or 2 after the goal, but barely saw him after the 1st)

LOL... the crying russian women....

man... Pierre McGuire and Glenn Healy were getting on my nerves 2.

[Doktor Kosmos]

I think in the few games I've seen Canada play he's looked a bit slow (and I felt the same way during the Swedish Championship finals). I somehow get the feeling he might do better on a smaller ice surface.

But I'm very glad he got to play. Not a lot of Habs players in this tournament, so every one counts, if you all know what I mean.

[Leafs Suck]

Originally posted by Doktor Kosmos

What does "pitchforking" mean?

When Thornton speers someone in the stomach with his stick. We call it pitchforking over here. It's a disgusting play. If it's ever happened to you, you'd know.

[Leafs Suck]

Originally posted by Doktor Kosmos

I think in the few games I've seen Canada play he's looked a bit slow

Yay I'd agree with that. The team just didn't have the killer instinct. They were lucky to get by the Russians. The only game they clearly outplayed the opponent was Slovenia.

All the other games they scratched and clawed their way till the end. They're still a very good team, but definitely not the best this country has ever sent. I think they missed guys like Iginla and Niedermayer. Even a guy like Jay Bouwmeester would have helped.

[Dalhabs]

the cool thing is that the swedes almost made it to the finals without players like Mats Sundin, Peter Forsberg, Markus Näslund, Niklas Lidström.

Im happy with their performance. It shows that the swedes is right up there with the other nations TOP teams only using the B-squad :king:

[Doktor Kosmos]

Originally posted by Leafs Suck

Originally posted by Doktor Kosmos

What does "pitchforking" mean?

When Thornton speers someone in the stomach with his stick. We call it pitchforking over here. It's a disgusting play. If it's ever happened to you, you'd know.

A couldn't agree more.

[ch_nl]

It's funny to know that on a regular season we agree on almost everything. Everything that includes the Habs.

Now I think some of you are just whining Canadians.

1. Should the referee had called a penalty when the Czech player throw the puck away? The book says that it's OK to throw the puck away when you're in the defensive zone. And Im sure it was not intentionaly he threw it over the board.

I almost started to cry when I saw Ryan Smyth. I have always been thinking of him as a true sportsman. In my eyes Smyth fell like a rock. And you call it a ugly game? I agree. But from whom?

Vokoun should have been named the MVP.

Lack of sportsmanship by the Russians?! What? Canada is the team demanding playing the late game so they can rest more and the IIFH agrees because they know that the have to treat Canada with silk gloves. They also agree cause Canada playing means more TV-attendance. Rick Nash hooked the referee twince, raised his hand on the linesmen and stepped into the referees circle when he didn't agree. Who lack sportsmanship?

The Czechs played their game to perfection and won.

And finaly, I'm a bit proud of my prediction...

[Psycing]

It's not that he threw the puck out... its that he closed his hand on the puck. That's what the penalty should have been called on.

[Leafs Suck]

He closed his hand on the puck and threw it into the crowd. That is a delay of the game penalty.

[Leafs Suck]

Originally posted by ch_nl

Lack of sportsmanship by the Russians?!

Have you ever watched the Russians play? They were a disgrace to hockey at the World Junior, and they weren't much better at this tournament. It doesn't bother you that when they score a goal they jump around acting like a bunch of children? Or diving like the Australian dive team?

Maybe that kinda hockey is okay with you, but in my eyes it shows a complete lack of sportsmanship.

BTW don't talk about "Canadian whining" when it was the Sweds who tried to get Nash banned.

[Edited on 2005/5/16 by Leafs Suck]

[ch_nl]

Nash should have got an suspension. It amazes me that you don't agree.

I don't know if I agree that Russian players dive more than Czechs but I wouldn't go so far to blame them all for being unsportsmanlike. I think all nations have their own faults and remember when Niedermayer boarded Peter Forsberg in the finals a year ago. He did that only in purpose to take him out. Sportsmanlike?

And no, it doesn't bother me that they celebrate their goalscoring as long as they're not facing my team. But call it unsportsmanlike? Nope.

And about the Czech who threw the puck out into the crowd, I wouldn't have disagreed if he had taken a penalty. Now he didn't. It didn't change the game.

[Psycing]

Personally, I don't think that we would have managed to win even if there had been a penalty called. Maybe get a goal, but the Czechs were playing a great game, and it would have been hard to find a way through that either way.

However, it's just another odd call from the ref... something that was happening throughout the tournament. I'm sure Canada wasn't the only team subject to this.

Lastly, it is surprising that Nash didn't get suspended.

But whatever, it's over now, look to next year, where if things continue the way they are, we'll get to see all these guys back in action at the worlds because those in charge of bringing back the NHL are too greedy.

It was a great tournament to watch, giving that much needed hockey fix before we hit the beach this summer.

[ch_nl]

I agree that it was a great tournament. Sadly Switzerland is the only team that has become even better. My hopes where that with so many NHL players in Europe the lesser gifted european hockey nations would learn by them.

They didn't. Germany will play in the B-pool. Just as Austria. They couldn't even beat Slovenia. SLOVENIA?! A country with more female hockey players than male! There's more german senior players in the DEL than Slovenia has all together!

Germany is so important to the development of hockey in europe and now they're relegated. Sad.

This World Championship has been the closest I've seen in years. All four teams that played in the semifinals could have won the gold medal with the right bounce.

1. Czech Republic

2. Canada

3. Russia

4. Sweden

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5. USA

6. Slovakia

7. Finland

8. Switzerland

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9. Latvia

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The rest