ch_nl Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 The World Championships in Riga, Latvia starts tomorrow. Group A. Czech Republic, Finland, Latvia and Slovenia. - Finland lost the Olympic final to Sweden and a lot of the players from Finland wan't revenge. At this very moment 9 NHL players have accepted the invitation and Finland have the best team in ages at the world championships. Czech Republic hasn't played good all season. There's talk about controvercy between the players and the staff. I think Czech Republic will finnish 3rd in their group as Latvia will have a seventh player on the ice all tournament as their fans could be the most passionate. Slovenia will finnish last and the only reason to watch their games are Anze Kopitar, drafted by the Kings whom likley will play in the NHL next season. Prediction: Finland Latvia Czech Republic Slovenia Group B. Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine and Italy - The weak group. Switzerland could acctually win the group but if so they have to win all of their games. As a swede I think Tre Kronor will win the group but it could be either way. Ukraine should beat the Italians and claim the third spot. Prediction: Sweden Switzerland Ukraine Italy Group C. Slovakia, Russia, Belarus and Kazakhztan. The old east. Slovakia had a great Olympics and I think they can do it again. Russia has impressed be a lot. Alexander Semin, Evgeni Malkin and Alexander Ovechkin. This trio could be the best players in the world in a few year time. Russia will go with young hungry players and therefore I see them succed. Belarus has more routine than the Kazaks and claims the last playoff spot. Prediction: Russia Slovakia Belarus Kazakhztan Group D. Canada, USA, Norway and Denmark. Canada has better players and Im sure Canada won't be pleased with anything but a gold medal. USA is a solid team and Denmark has the potential to upset. Peter Regin could be the first NHL players from Denmark. Look for him. Prediction: Canada USA Denmark Norway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetsniper Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 We seem to be getting favored or something in international hockey. We started the Olympics off with teams like Italy, Switzerland and Finland (everyone thought they'd stink at the time). Now we get to start off with Denmark and Norway? I don't think it's a conspiracy or anything, I just find it odd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch_nl Posted May 5, 2006 Author Share Posted May 5, 2006 Canada dictate the rules. Without Canada hockey is nothing and the World Championships doesn't mean that much to Canada, still they are they most vital team to the tournament. Keep Canada happy and they will continue. The World Championships has never been played in Canada. World Juniors is a bigger event. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bombTHEice Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 BTW. Just checked the official rosters from IHWC.net and it seems like Mike Komisarek is the only one from the current HABS roster to play in this tourney. Grabovsky will dress for Belarus but I couldn't find Andrei Kostitsyn there ...? Though there will be some late additions to all teams and so more HABS could join their national teams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch_nl Posted May 5, 2006 Author Share Posted May 5, 2006 Finland is down 2-0 versus Slovenia after just 15 minutes of the first period. Anze Kopitar are leading the way. Slovenia has so far spend 10 minutes in the penalty box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch_nl Posted May 5, 2006 Author Share Posted May 5, 2006 Finland won the game 5-3 but Slovenia did a good match. Anze Kopitar had two goals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetsniper Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 So I go upstairs and it's 3-0 Canada. I come back 20 minutes later and it's 3-3. Good thing for the playoffs, if this was last year, I might actually stress out over this for a little bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch_nl Posted May 6, 2006 Author Share Posted May 6, 2006 Was thinking about the WC Paradox... What would the NHL be without the players from outside north america? Just look at the Habs. No goaltender and no captain. No pointwinning Kovalev or best defenceman in Markov. The europeans are important to the NHL and maybe even vital the the leauges exicistance today. Still the least popular of the big leauges (NFL, NBA and MLB) but world wide I'd guess NHL is second after NBA as American Fotball and Baseball isn't played alot outside the american continents. So what's my point? The development of hockey in Europe is of importance to the NHL. Sweden, Finland, Russia, Slovakia and Czech Republic is at top level but Switzerland, Germany and all the other countries where hockey still is a "odd" sports has shown in recent year that they contribute to the NHL. I will cheer for Latvia, Switzerland and all the other "blueberry-nations" this time. Still hasn't come to the point yet but I think the World Championships are just a shadow of what it should be. Don't know the reason why but I think that the NHL and the Canadian hockey assiciation are the ones to blame. They don't pay enough attention when their own future depends on it in a way. I think there's a lot that could be done to give this tournament the same status as it have in Europe. For the best of the NHL and global hockey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTH Posted May 7, 2006 Share Posted May 7, 2006 Canada 5 - Denmark 3 Russia 10 - Kazachstan 1 Belarus 2 - Slovakia 1 Switzerland 3 - Italy 1 Sweden 4 - Ukraine 2 Finland 5 - Slovenia 3 Russia only has 1 NHLer (but don't they have Zhog too???) yet they dominated the crap out of Kazachstan who is better than some of those other teams like Ukraine and Denmark who actually put up fights against the other strong teams. Surprise of the 1st game - Belarus doubling up on Slovakia. I figure that Slovakia will suck in this tournament because they left an important part of their defence in Ottawa. Oh - and they still don't have a goalie. So has the US played Norway yet? They must have since we play them today. 1:15 ET on TSN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAK Posted May 7, 2006 Share Posted May 7, 2006 So has the US played Norway yet? They must have since we play them today. 1:15 ET on TSN sweet !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTH Posted May 7, 2006 Share Posted May 7, 2006 sweet !! By the way - I was speaking of Canada-Norway not Canada-US Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch_nl Posted May 7, 2006 Author Share Posted May 7, 2006 Plekanec scored for Czech Republic versus Slovenia. Slovenia had a good game once again but lost 5-4. Anze Kopitar had two assists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetsniper Posted May 7, 2006 Share Posted May 7, 2006 **** the Norway game. I'm gonna miss part of the Avs game to see Canada lead 7-0 in the 3rd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetsniper Posted May 7, 2006 Share Posted May 7, 2006 Niiiiice. I forgot it was on NBC. We haven't lost on NBC yet. And Norway scored, 7-1 when I changed the channel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch_nl Posted May 7, 2006 Author Share Posted May 7, 2006 Haven't seen Canada yet. Is Sid Crosby dominating? Russias line with Semin, Ovechkin and Malkin could end up as the allstars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetsniper Posted May 7, 2006 Share Posted May 7, 2006 Haven't seen Canada yet. Is Sid Crosby dominating? Russias line with Semin, Ovechkin and Malkin could end up as the allstars. Yep, I know he had a couple goals against Denmark, I think an assits too. Had 1 goal and 3 assists against Norway today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathieu30 Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Game preview: Key Matchup: Alexander Semin vs. Andrei Kostitsyn Fast forward Final score: Russia-Belarus 3-2. Kostitsyn picked up an assist on the first Belarus goal. I'm starting to like this guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dark_faerie87 Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Game preview: Key Matchup: Alexander Semin vs. Andrei Kostitsyn Fast forward Final score: Russia-Belarus 3-2. Kostitsyn picked up an assist on the first Belarus goal. I'm starting to like this guy. Not bad, not bad at all. He was even named the Belarussian player of the game. Is there any chance we could get Grabovsky over to NA? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAK Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Is there any chance we could get Grabovsky over to NA? I say we could have a shot at bringing grabovsky in hamilton...with andrei and sergei in the area you never know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetsniper Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 Daaaaaamn. Canada beats Latvia 11-0. Latvia had 16 penalties and I think we scored on 8 of those. Fans started chucking stuff onto the ice in protest of the reffing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psycing Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 Daaaaaamn. Canada beats Latvia 11-0. Latvia had 16 penalties and I think we scored on 8 of those. Fans started chucking stuff onto the ice in protest of the reffing. Krazy game... the players actually had to leave the ice 4 minutes into the 3rd because it was too krazy... they came back to finish it off though, and Canada kept scoring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTH Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 Yep. 9 PP goals. No hat tricks though. I wouldn't get to overconfident. I still think Team Canada is no better than an abive average NHL team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetsniper Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 We're still one of the better teams in the tourney. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch_nl Posted May 11, 2006 Author Share Posted May 11, 2006 Canada has impressed so far. Bergeron and Crosby has something going on. Finland hasn't been as good as I expected them to be, but maybe they will be better. Russia has also been good. So the prediction stands. Finland, Russia and Canada for medals. Sweden 4th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommy9 Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 (edited) ch nl wrote: Canada has impressed so far, ... but looks little tired today ;-) ... Riga update: Canada - Czech Rep. 0-2 after 8min of play, goals by Hubacek (ex-Flyer) -> assist Balastik (Columbus), and David Vyborny (CBJ too) after his beuatiful individual action ... , 2-10 on shots so far ... We'll see ... ------> quickly update : time 13.41 ... Pleky 3-0 . Edited May 14, 2006 by tommy9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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