European Ice Hockey

[Hot Pepsi]

I don't follow the NHL as much as I used to, but I don't recognize the names of anybody playing for Canada.

Canadians have sometimes claimed that they could send three or four teams to this event and win. That's clearly not true, but this isn't their best or even their second best.

As I've said, I really think the US and Canada shouldn't send teams to this event and let it just be the European Championship. We can't send very good teams and even if we won, nobody here would notice.

Or just let the non "top six" teams play for the right to play proper teams from the "major" countries later in the summer.

[ursus arctos]

Di Pietro was an overall number 1 pick (by the Islanders) who has had a longish NHL career as a backup.

I think more than half of them have some NHL experience, but I'm not sure any of them have ever been an All Star

[Hot Pepsi]

Oh right. I thought he’d retired years ago.

[ursus arctos]

Oh wait

You are right

I've confused my DiPietri

Mike has two NHL games under his belt

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

GB 1 up against Sweden, somewhat controversially.

[BallochSonsFan]

GB 1 up against Sweden, somewhat controversially.

Ref made the correct decision on review.

Swedish player pulls back Connolly as he's skating through to support Liam Kirk. Connolly falls down onto his back and maintains his momentum as he slides into Fasth in the Swedish goal. It isnt goaltender interference if a defending player causes the attacking player to make contact with the defending goaltender, although there's an expectation that the attacker will still try and avoid contact with the goalie. Not a whole lot Connolly could do sliding on his arse at speed. He was never going to be able to change direction or stop himself before he collided with Fasth. Allowing the goal was the correct call.

It's been a weird tournament. Canada and USA both brought weak squads. I know that the late start of the Stanley Cup play-offs would have impacted on that, but those rosters aren't good. It allowed other teams with a more European based roster to catch those 2 cold. Both have improved over the course of the tournament. Sweden have also improved after a poor start. The Czechs aren't as good as they potentially should be. Russia have either been very good or very average. The Germans missing Driseitl and Stutzle have had a decent enough tournament.

Team GB have had some great performances but I think were just running out of steam. 7-1 v Russia wasnt a bad result and the Russians were certainly made to work a bit for that score. I thought we did well to lose 2-1 v Slovakia and competed for much of the game. The late equaliser to take Denmark to OT was deserved and we were unlucky that it didnt go to penalties. The turnaround from a 9-0 hammering from Denmark 2 years ago was great to see. The Belarus win was important but we've seen in successive games that we can't make Sweden or the Czechs work hard for a full 60 minutes. Longer the games went on then the more those 2 teams dominated. I thought we could have been more physical with Sweden and that if we'd got a 2nd goal to go 2 ahead then we'd have worried them. They didnt look happy with the rougher stuff and were getting a bit frustrated at times.

I've tried to watch as many games as I can. I've watched all of the GB games, although gave up before the end of this morning's match. I've also watched a few Russian, Canadian and German games. The unpredictability of the tournament has been refreshing but its probably a little much to expect that to continue when normality returns to hockey leagues next year.


Also very happy to see Die Adler drawn against Cardiff Devils in the CHL. Assuming there are crowds at the UK game then I'll be travelling down from Loch Lomond to Ice Arena Wales. Not sure if any fans will make it over from Mannheim so the visiting contingent for that one may well me me and my mates from the Clan fan base, along with some fans I know from England.

[Muukalainen]

Tonight's match between Germany and Latvia should be very interesting because both teams could still qualify for the quarter finals despite both currently lying outside the qualification places. The winners are through to the quarter finals in all circumstances, and if the losers collect zero points then their tournament is finished. However, if the scores are level after an hour then the losers (will get one point and) will enter a three way tie-break with the two teams currently in third and fourth places, Canada and Kazakhstan respectively. This would be tight since both Germany and Latvia have both beaten Canada and lost to Kazakhstan, and Canada have already beaten Kazakhstan.

[ursus arctos]

Germany lead 2-1 going into the third period. That result would have Germany and Canada in the last eight. Should the match go to overtime, Canada will be eliminated

[ursus arctos]

Germany win and advance with Canada

Thursday's quarterfinals:

Russia-Canada
Switzerland-Germany
USA-Slovakia
Finland-Czech Republic

[Muukalainen]

Christ, that was close! We squeaked past the Czechs 1-0, riding our luck a few times, especially in the first period. The last three minutes, where they threw everything at us 6 on 5, had [legendary commentator] Mertaranta in hyperdrive.

[Hot Pepsi]

Impressive comeback for Canada.

Bronze for the US isn't a bad result, I guess.

[ursus arctos]

Interesting result

https://twitter.com/championshockey/status/1431712071561973761?s=21

Lausanne are very much not a traditional Swiss power, but they did do well enough to qualify and would not have expected trouble from a British side

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Cardiff's games are on Freesport for those in the UK

[BallochSonsFan]

I was down in Cardiff on Thursday for the game against Mannheim (If I cant get to Germany then Germany comes to me!). The Devils hadn't played any friendlies prior to the Mannheim game, were missing Ben Davies and Josh Batch and had their head coach missing. 5-0 didnt flatter the Eagles, although Cardiff did limit the 2nd and 3rd periods to a single goal in each. Beating Lausanne 2 nights later was a huge result for them. Mannheim lost 5-1 in Finland and that opens up the group significantly, You have the Fins top with 2 wins, Mannheim and Cardiff 2nd/3rd and Lausanne bottom with 2 losses. I wouldn't entirely rule out Cardiff stealing that 2nd spot.

Looking forward to hockey again in Glasgow this season. We're starting our league campaign in November, meaning rivals will have at least 5 weeks of hockey behind them when we get started. That kind of gap in sharpness will put a huge amount of pressure on us, but I'm just relieved that we've got a team at all. Still long term doubts over the Glasgow Clan's future, but at least we've got ice just about sorted for the season and a chance to show that there's a long term future for pro hockey in west central Scotland.

[ursus arctos]

ESPN + are now streaming KHL matches

The increase in their attention to ice hockey now that they have rights to the NHL has been striking

[ursus arctos]

https://twitter.com/KHLreplays/status/1511309192392548353?t=U_QuHZmNkhSU3jeqx-BkWg&s=19

Will be interesting to see if Jokerit will be allowed back into the Finnish system

[Muukalainen]

Will be interesting to see if Jokerit will be allowed back into the Finnish system

I haven't been following this story so what follows is just my reading of the situation. I don't think there's any way they won't be allowed back into the domestic leagues since there's too much money involved. The only question I can see is "at what level?" to which there are two options. Firstly, they could serve penance in Mestis (the second tier) for a season and then play a knockout series with the bottom club in Liiga (the top tier), with the league's administrators hoping that they win. There are two problems with this. One is that, like Kärpät in the late 1990s, they might not succeed, and the other is should they succeed then on current form they're going to replace someone like Ässät, which is a well supported team that Liiga can ill-afford to lose.

The second option is that they would be allowed straight into Liiga [edit: as an extra team], and I reckon this is what will happen, for a number of reasons. As already mentioned, there's no uncertainty with a promotion - relegation battle with whoever ends up in the Liiga cellar. When Jokerit sodded off to the KHL, the top teams in Mestis were creamed off to replace them in Liiga. Consequently, the gap in standard between the two leagues became even more substantial than it already was, and any Liiga team relegated to Mestis would become a very big fish in a very small pond. Finally, the league game structure actually supports a 16 team league, which is what Liiga would become were Jokerit be admitted directly. The main part of the season (what the hell is that called in English, it's short and simple in Finnish, runkosarja) is 60 games, and this would become twice round-robin home and away. The play offs would remain as they are.

In other news, our play off game against Ilves last night had to be abandoned when the ice in Raksila became faulty and couldn't be repaired. That's the first time I've heard of that happening, previous occasions when holes appeared in the ice have always been repairable. Let's hope that all is well for the re-scheduled game tonight.

I'd best get over to the Jatkoaika website now to check what arcane behind the scenes shenanigans I've missed, and which render all the above complete bollocks.

[ursus arctos]

I wonder if they will consider expanding the top tier by two clubs so as to allow them back without displacing someone.

From a purely sporting perspective, it would be interesting to see how they do. I would expect them to struggle a bit before their financial advantages kick in.

[Muukalainen]

I should've gone there first. From the jatkoaika website:

Jokerien paluusta Liigaan tai alemmille sarjatasoille on liikkunut paljon huhuja, mutta on täysin mahdollista, ettei seuran edustusjoukkue pelaa missään sarjassa tulevalla kaudella.

which translates as

there are loads of rumours flying around regarding Jokerit's return to Liiga or a lower league, but it's entirely possible that the club won't play in any league next season.

I hadn't considered that last bit.

[Muukalainen]

I wonder if they will consider expanding the top tier by two clubs so as to allow them back without displacing someone.

Apologies ursus for not making myself clear. Allowing them back in without displacing anyone would expand the top tier from 15 to 16 teams.

[ursus arctos]

Ah.

That makes it ratherore.likely in my estimation.

I hadn't thought of them being dormant for the same financial reasons, not only for the club, but also the arena and ancillary businesses.

Though there does come a point at which putting together a competitive squad becomes problematic should even more players and coaches decide to go elsewhere.

It is a far cry from when they were being touted as a model for the NHL's European expansion.

[ad hoc]

Not sure whether to put this here or the NHL thread, I guess here is better. Last night Csikszereda won the Erste Liga for the 3rd season in a row* after beating Ferencvaros 4-1 in the final. (My daughter actually now lives in Ferencvaros so it sort of feels like a family event)

(* sort of. Two seasons ago, the title was shared between Csikszereda and Ferencvaros because Covid ruled out the final)

[ursus arctos]

The Kreuzberg of Budapest

I was quite surprised to discover that Csikszi's arena is larger than Fradi's.

[ad hoc]

I don't know if Fradi are building a new one. They have a big new football stadium which is touted as a "multipurpose arena", and I'm not sure if there is a plan to put a rink there. Their old one was near there but closed sometime ago- I think when the stadium was under construction, and the one they play in now is not their own rink. The rink they do play in looks a million times better than the crumbling heap that is Szereda's though, even if it is smaller.

[ursus arctos]

There likely just is not demand for something bigger.

The Dome and Arena already are sufficient for big time sport events and concerts