Preliminary round soon to finish and quarterfinals coming up. Sweden, Canada and Russia are already qualified for the playoff round. Ten matches left to settle the other five in the playoffs. Russia is the team which has impressed the most so far. Regretfully Sweden lost to Canada, 3-2 on overtime, yesterday which means we will meet Russia in the semifinal if we progress in the quarterfinal. A steep task I must say. Any thoughts on the tournament so far? Anyone watching?

Yes. Our (Czech) team plays horrible.

The norwegians had a good start, but things started to crumble after 1-2 against Sweden, GRRRR!

A missed penalty shot and some chances even I would have managed to put in the net agains the Czech Republic yesterday.

In fairness, the czhechs bombarded our goalie, and the puck was probably ten times in the post



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2014-05-19 10:23 by DandelionPowderman.

Well, I've seen only about one match and a half by now. That is, not much interest. Why? Well, first of all, too much international hockey this season. This is the way it is after Olympic Games - what's the point playing 'World Championships' with your C/D teams after playing with your best team two months earlier? Secondly, Finland team is not only the worst and also most boring team for ages. Odd choices - true that many high-class players said 'no', but still there were some quality players too choose from. But the coach left all the interesting young, promising, talented names out and selected team of all these 'middle-aged' hard-working but unimaganitive players, of which many will play next year in the new Finnish KHL team, coached by the very same man who coaches Team Finland now... PR games for that team to introduce the players to big audience when they are heading to "Putin's League"..?

So there are good chances that Finland will not qualify to quarter-finals, which would make their worst result for 60 years, and totally fine by me (and I'n not the only one in Finland thinking so)...

So my heart is more for Latvia and Belarus this time, and I hope they will qualify instead of Finland to the next round. They and their hockey culture deserves that, Finland not. But good that that the tournament is more even than ever, and almost each match has a significance. Russia seems rather strong, even though Ovechckin injured last night. But they will have Malkin to 'replace' him. The Russians seem to have more patriotic blood in them, since they always seem to get their best players from NHL to the tournament.

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-05-19 10:28 by Doxa.

I've been watching every Swedish game this far...strokes me that many nations is coming closer to playing very good hockey...Norway and France for example....this year the title probably gonna be a affair between Russia and Canada...Sweden Team plays so so...

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Come On
I've been watching every Swedish game this far...strokes me that many nations is coming closer to playing very good hockey...Norway and France for example....this year the title probably gonna be a affair between Russia and Canada...Sweden Team plays so so...

True, Switzerland was phenomenal last year, and now especially these ex-USSR ice hockey nations seem to have taken a step forward (Latvia, Belarus). It looks like that KHL has had a positive role for these Eastern European countries to rise. The bulk of the players come from the same team and they are used to a rather high-class hockey around the season.

But at the same it certainly helps that the traditional big countries - especially Czech, Sweden and Finland - seem to have problems in getting and motivating their best players to play in these games, which makes it more even...

- Doxa



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2014-05-19 10:54 by Doxa.

Looks like Vålerenga (a norwegian hockey team) will be a KHL-team as well...

Latvia is doing pretty well so far. Not talking about the unnecessary loss to Germany, grrr! Latvia beat Finland for the first time ever in a world championship. Looking forward to tonight's game vs Belarus. I've attended 8 world championships since 2001 to support the Latvian team. Not this year when I have to shift my spare time in favour of the Stones tour.

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DandelionPowderman
Looks like Vålerenga (a norwegian hockey team) will be a KHL-team as well...

Oh yeah? I was about to ask from you that, since I recall reading about it when Jokerit from Finland did that move. A shitty move, if you ask me... And let's face it, they try to now sell Jokerit as a 'whole team of Finland', but no hope... not even many of traditional Jokerit fans seem to be too thrilled about it, especially after Ukraina crisis. The Russian owners of the team and their arena in Helsinki, belong to that black list of Obama, being close to Putin... What a pleasent company...

I mean, it might be a good move for Norwegian hockey, but there are other aspects...

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-05-19 11:21 by Doxa.

Oh yeah? I was about to ask from you that, since I recall reading about it when Jokerit from Finland did that move. A shitty move, if you ask me...

Yeah, but who have heard of Vålerenga Hockey Team in this world? They must have all to win joining KHL

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Yeah, but who have heard of Vålerenga Hockey Team in this world? They must have all to win joining KHL

Weren't there some Swedish team as well interested in joining KHL, but it was denied by Swedish Hockey League?

The point is that as far as 'our' Jokerit goes, it was 'money talks'. The team and their arena was doing bad businesswise, and not even doing very well in Finnish League, so when the oligarks entered with their big (but suspicious) money, it was "go ahead, please, take it all"... And just a yaer or two earlier, when other team (Blues from Espoo) tried to do that move, it was denied by Finnish Ice Hockey Authorities, but something happened this time, since now it was okay... Money really talked...

- Doxa



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2014-05-19 11:54 by Doxa.

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Doxa

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Come On

Yeah, but who have heard of Vålerenga Hockey Team in this world? They must have all to win joining KHL

Weren't there some Swedish team as well interested in joining KHL, but it was denied by Swedish Hockey League?

The point is that as far as 'our' Jokerit goes, it was 'money talks'. The team and their arena was doing bad businesswise, and not even doing very well in Finnish League, so when the oligarks entered with their big (but suspicious) money, it was "go ahead, please, take it all"... And just a yaer or two earlier, when other team (Blues from Espoo) tried to do that move, it was denied by Finnish Ice Hockey Authorities, but something happened this time, since now it was okay... Money really talked...

- Doxa

Mmmm... but the Norwegian Hockey-Legue??? Vålerenga have all to win...A Swedish Team like Djurgårdens IF earns more money in SHL (Swedish Hockey Legue) I think (I have read)...

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Come On

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Doxa

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Come On

Yeah, but who have heard of Vålerenga Hockey Team in this world? They must have all to win joining KHL

Weren't there some Swedish team as well interested in joining KHL, but it was denied by Swedish Hockey League?

The point is that as far as 'our' Jokerit goes, it was 'money talks'. The team and their arena was doing bad businesswise, and not even doing very well in Finnish League, so when the oligarks entered with their big (but suspicious) money, it was "go ahead, please, take it all"... And just a yaer or two earlier, when other team (Blues from Espoo) tried to do that move, it was denied by Finnish Ice Hockey Authorities, but something happened this time, since now it was okay... Money really talked...

- Doxa

Mmmm... but the Norwegian Hockey-Legue??? Vålerenga have all to win...A Swedish Team like Djurgårdens IF earns more money in SHL (Swedish Hockey Legue) I think (I have read)...

Yeah, but the deal with KHL is that the teams do not earn money but having it strangely. Jokerit had the biggest player budget in Finnish League, was losing money, but now they are going to triple it or something, from 5 million Euros to 15 or something... And nothing's really changing in cirmustances...

So when Vålerenga joins KHL, be ready that some top Swedish players are going to find their home there... as some of them now do in Jokerit, Helsinki...

Besides, Croatian League in Ice Hockey is not that famous either, but they do have a KHL team now...

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-05-19 12:20 by Doxa.

Besides, Croatian League in Ice Hockey is not that famous either, but they do have a KHL team now..

Kind of what I'm talking about...who will visit a game between a Croatian Hockey Team and Vålerenga/or any Swedish Team...not me...I've been watching the Swedish Legue since I were a kid and it's still exciting...
Blues is my favorite Finnish Team...guess why if you can Doxa

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Come on, remember that the best teams in minor leagues are very good.

For instance, Stavanger Oilers beat KHL-teams this season and won the Continental Cup:

[www.tv2.no]

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DandelionPowderman
Come on, remember that the best teams in minor leagues are very good.

For instance, Stavanger Oilers beat KHL-teams this season and won the Continental Cup:

[www.tv2.no]

Stavanger Oilers...!!!! Sorry if I laughs my a-- of here DP....

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I was worried when Canada lost the first game against France, but they seem to have picked up the pace. Players on Canada are chosen from the NHL teams that don't make the Stanley Cup playoffs so, for them, this is something to look forward to. Regardless, I think to the European players, this tournament has a lot more importance than to North American players.
In Canada, TSN shows all the Canadian games although it's hard to compete when the Stanley Cup playoffs are on right now, too.

no statement from roger waters and nick mason to boycott Belarus ?

I understand that, DGA35. It's a pity though that the NHL has to drag out until late june. All the European leagues finish in april. We (Sweden) have about 65 players in the NHL. Most of them turned down the championships, a couple of them didn't. I guess the situation is the same for most of the other teams. I like the WC anyway. It's a chance to see international ice hockey competition. As a contrast to the long club season.

It will be an interesting day for latvianexile and all the rest fans of Latvian ice hockey... Latvia needs to win Switzerland in order to get to next round... Otherwise Finland will go to quarterfinal... And the referee in the match will be a Finn...

Frankly, I don't have any patriotic feelings at the moment, and I truely hope that Latvia will win. I watched Finland-Kazakstan yesterday, and it was really the weakest performance of Finland I ever seen (or since the old 70's/80's days). They did win, yeah, 4:3, but with a luck... Non-inspired players with no much skills plus a terrible team-play tactics doesn't suit to them at all... Please come home, they are playing hockey there...

So Go Latvia Go!

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-05-20 13:30 by Doxa.

Norway-Canada 1-0 after the first period...

The American referee stole a goal from Latvia yesterday. No doubt about it. The goal was made 36 seconds before the whistle and would have meant 2-2. One of the worst calls I have ever seen...

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DandelionPowderman
Norway-Canada 1-0 after the first period...

GO NORWAY and Sweden will win the group...Hope that will lead to easier team in the quarter-final...

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Come On

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DandelionPowderman
Norway-Canada 1-0 after the first period...

GO NORWAY and Sweden will win the group...Hope that will lead to easier team in the quarter-final...

Most likely Finland...

- Doxa

Dang!! 2-3 now

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DandelionPowderman
Dang!! 2-3 now

GREAT! and we wont compete against Finland...

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Come On

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DandelionPowderman
Dang!! 2-3 now

GREAT! and we wont compete against Finland...

NOT great!

This result means, most probably, Canada and Russia in the final. If Norway had managed a draw against Canada we (Tre Kronor) would have had a chance to make it to the final. Well, we won last year at least...

Go, France, go!!!