World Cup Hockey 2016

[CJ]

All World Cup hockey talk here..

Rosters for all eight teams are here:
http://www.espn.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/ ... ight-teams

Group A
Team Canada
Team Czech Republic
Team Europe
Team USA

Group B
Team Finland
Team North America
Team Russia
Team Sweden

After 3 games only 2 teams will get to the semifinals. Means we'll probably see some really good teams fall off right away.

I just hope Finland can make it. A bit funny that Sami Vatanen is our veteran D-man with 25 of age. (if Lepistö isn't playing, he only played one pre-tournament game)

[ClassicSwarley]

I'm rooting for Team NA because of Ghost Bear and Couturier(and I actually like their whole roster, a lot of great players) but I will probably cheer for Team Canada as well, I always do

[MWE]

What!!! No Sestito

[CJ]

but I will probably cheer for Team Canada as well, I always do

What? That's the last country anyone would want to win if you're not a Canadian?!

[A9L3E]

Nothing would be sweeter than all the North American teams doing awfully in an NHL-organised tournament.

[CJ]

I only watched the two first periods of Finland vs. Young Stars... It was such a huge disappointment. Wouldn't have been surprised if Finland would have lost the game 8-0.

[Peter_Doherty]

Team NA vs Finland was one of the most lopsided games i've seen, every single player in Finland was a negative Corsi player while everyone on NA was positive, think it ended up something like Team NA over 80 shot attempts while Finland had under 25 shot attempts, those are ridiculous numbers.

[stone169]

Haven't watched Team NA yet.

Team Canada though. Sorry boys, but Canada will be winning the whole thing.

[Alessandro]

What a game by Team Sweden against the Russians! Hats off!
Hopefully we'll play better tonight against Team North America.

[nino33]

Ovechkin was quoted after the loss as saying "We tried to beat them one-on-one and we don’t support each other in the neutral zone and the offensive zone, we have to play closer and play more in front of the net than outside"

I think trying to beat players one-on-one and not playing as a team has been the way Russia plays for many years now. As I've noted before, since 1998 Russia has been the least successful in "best on best" tournaments among the 6 "hockey nations" - while "Russian hockey" (like the KHL) may be enjoyable to watch, the lack of defense/hitting/intensity I think has a lot to do with it (you can't just play individualistic "skilled" hockey against opponents that actually play with intensity/play defense)


This summer I've been watching tons of soccer/football, and my above comments remind me of the significantly noticeable difference between watching the British Premier League and the Premier Leagues in Spain and Italy...in Spain/Italy there's almost no intensity of play much of the time and "walking pace" is the norm, while the BPL reminds me of hockey! Very fast paced, very intense (and so much more important to support each other/play as a team and work hard, as otherwise you'll rarely have the time/opportunity to do what you want to do)

[ClassicSwarley]

That Russia vs NA game was very exciting, wish Team NA would've completed the comeback but props to the Russians for holding onto the lead.

[CJ]

Here's a great youtube channel for highlights: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJXSaF ... SkYpbgo9Lg

[Tasku]

Looking at our previous game, I don't think we have a chance today.

I'd be happy to be proven wrong...

[CJ]

Looking at our previous game, I don't think we have a chance today.

Pretty sure we can't play worse!

We're trapped in a corner now, so I'm pretty sure they'll play a lot better. But that might be enough against one of the best teams in the world, and might be the hardest opponent to win for Finland.

[Tasku]

Me and my beer are going into this game with a sceptical attitude, but, like I said, we like to be proven wrong.

[nino33]

I found the games on youtube (already!), and tried watching...but I found it to boring and returned to watching soccer

For literally decades I would have said the opposite! but since early this summer I've been hooked on the "the beautiful game"

[Tasku]

I found the games on youtube (already!), and tried watching...but I found it to boring and returned to watching soccer

For literally decades I would have said the opposite! but since early this summer I've been hooked on the "the beautiful game"

Traitor!

[nino33]

I found the games on youtube (already!), and tried watching...but I found it to boring and returned to watching soccer

For literally decades I would have said the opposite! but since early this summer I've been hooked on the "the beautiful game"

Traitor!

HaHa I still like EHM hockey!

I think I'm going to try "hockey on the radio" again (like childhood!) with the Oilers this year.....growing up I loved two things about hockey, the crash and bang style & the goalies (mostly the goalies!) - but now there's not so much crash and bang & the goalies don't interest me at all anymore (I figure on radio my imagination will use "old style" goaltenders when picturing saves, and not the current Michelin Man wearing mattresses for pads and sliding around on his knees)

[CJ]

the goalies don't interest me at all anymore

That one I can absolutely relate to! But every now and then (not in every game) a goalie does some really nice athletic saves.

and not the current Michelin Man wearing mattresses for pads and sliding around on his knees)

That really cracked me up!

I found the games on youtube (already!), and tried watching...but I found it to boring and returned to watching soccer

I'll continue your off-topic discussion here. So you're new to soccer and find it more entertaining? Soccer used to be A LOT more entertaining IMO.. like 20-10 years ago when I used to follow it and knew every single player of all leagues, the game got boring and I gave up on it and focused on hockey instead. But yeah the British Premier League is the league to follow right now. The best "head coaching league" in history I'd say.

_____________________________________

One hour left to Finland vs. Sweden. Getting nervous here...

[Tasku]

For me football is very boring, ice hockey is exciting. I tried following Chelsea for a few years, grew to like some players (Oscar, Torres), but never really got over how slow and uneventful it is.

Hockey and baseball. Those are my two sports.

[CJ]

Hockey and baseball. Those are my two sports.

You forgot BEER!! How could you!

[Tasku]

Hockey and baseball. Those are my two sports.

You forgot BEER!! How could you!

Sorry. Hockey, baseball and beer are my sports!

[nino33]

So you're new to soccer and find it more entertaining? Soccer used to be A LOT more entertaining IMO.. like 20-10 years ago when I used to follow it and knew every single player of all leagues, the game got boring and I gave up on it and focused on hockey instead. But yeah the British Premier League is the league to follow right now.

I watch it on youtube, and have been watching matches as far as the 1958 World Cup! So I've been watching current + 10-20 years ago + even farther back!
And I've been doing a lot of reading about the game/history too (I like to read/like history), and I bought season tickets to the Edmonton FC games!

For me football is very boring, ice hockey is exciting. I tried following Chelsea for a few years, grew to like some players (Oscar, Torres), but never really got over how slow and uneventful it is.
Hockey and baseball. Those are my two sports.

For me baseball is the very definition of slow and uneventful I did watch it in the 70s into the start of the 80s



It feels like John Cleese showed up in this thread before I posted and said "and now for something completely different"

[Tasku]

Hah. Right after I posted I thought you might mention that baseball is slow too. But for me in baseball it's all about focusing on one player at a time. That is what fascinates me about baseball.

But we're going off-topic.

World Cup.

Ahem.

Yes.

There are many teams. Finland is not doing well.

Carry on.

[Tasku]

Me and my beer are pleasantly surprised by period 1.