2015 World Championship Thread

[D2D]

Re: 2015 World Championship Thread

USA wins 3-1. Hellebuyck with another great game.

YEAH! There sure aren't very many easy victories in this tourney.

[Spartanforlife4]

Re: 2015 World Championship Thread

With that win we have secured advancement into the knock-out round.

We want to avoid finishing 2nd or 4th so we can put off Canada until the finals.

[The Zlax45]

Re: 2015 World Championship Thread

Got to give credit to the whole team for having a solid tournament even though they didn't even come with a B level squad.

[HarleyMC]

Re: 2015 World Championship Thread

YEAH! There sure aren't very many easy victories in this tourney.

They could be a lot easier if USA played better D and their compete level around the net was more tenacious. There's still far too much solo stick handling into traffic without puck support resulting in turnovers, and although clean up around the paint was better against Slovenia (Brock Nelson gets it), every line needs to improve in that area if they are going to survive the quarterfinals. As the competition ramps up, dirty goals, a tip, deflection, rebound opportunity may be the difference between a W and L. With only one bronze medal for USA in the last 10 years (2013), this team has the talent and speed to snag some hardware IF they battle hard as a team and in front of Hellebuyck, who has been sensational.

USA beats Slovenia but wants to play better

[D2D]

Re: 2015 World Championship Thread

USA beats Slovenia but wants to play better

From the linked article: "The last time a U.S. team reached the final of a World Championships was in 1950."
That is a real shocker! Before helmets, before the slapshot and butterfly, and before the emergence of the great Soviet teams in the '60's and '70's...e-gads, that was a long time ago.

[Patman]

Re: 2015 World Championship Thread

From the linked article: "The last time a U.S. team reached the final of a World Championships was in 1950."
That is a real shocker! Before helmets, before the slapshot and butterfly, and before the emergence of the great Soviet teams in the '60's and '70's...e-gads, that was a long time ago.

I was thinking that can't possibly be right... it is... wow

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: 2015 World Championship Thread

Russia needed OT to beat Slovakia, so they're now a point behind. Finland has a game in hand and could tie us; they're currently scoreless vs. Belarus.

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: 2015 World Championship Thread

After 40:00: FIN 0 - 0 BLR

Apologies to those hoping to see this in game reset format.

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: 2015 World Championship Thread

Belarus got the EAG after blowing a 1-0 lead on not being able to count and a pretty quick goal after that, and we are headed to overtime. USA will be in the lead in group standings after this one.

[hockeyplayer1015]

Belarus got the EAG after blowing a 1-0 lead on not being able to count and a pretty quick goal after that, and we are headed to overtime. USA will be in the lead in group standings after this one.

Belarus takes Finland to shootout. Should make all of us feel a little better about their blowout win.

No truly easy teams in this tournament anymore. Of course, the supposed top teams not being able to have their top rosters might have something to do with that.

[Sean Pickett]

Re: 2015 World Championship Thread

Belarus takes Finland to shootout.

Finland won the shootout, so I believe that means the US can't finish lower than 2nd in their group.

Sean

[alslammerz]

Re: 2015 World Championship Thread

Finland won the shootout, so I believe that means the US can't finish lower than 2nd in their group.

Sean

Makes sense to me. Finland and Russia play, so even if the U.S. loses and FIN-RUS goes to OT/GWS, than the winner of FIN-RUS would pass the U.S. with 2 points and the loser would tie the U.S. with 1 point. First tiebreaker being head to head, the U.S. would win the tiebreaker.

And if the U.S. gets any type of win, they clinch 1st. If they lose in OT, they need FIN-RUS to go to OT as well. If they lose they cannot be 1st.

[HarleyMC]

Re: 2015 World Championship Thread

With that win we have secured advancement into the knock-out round.

We want to avoid finishing 2nd or 4th so we can put off Canada until the finals.

Canada's numbers in this tournament are obscene after 6 games: 40 SOG/game, 6.5 GF/game, PP 34%. If we do have a chance to play Canada, we'll might need another version of "Miracle on Ice" to beat 'em. Our saving grace could be Hellebuyck, who leads all goalies with a phenomenal SV% 96.88 and GAA of 0.75. Brock Nelson is 2nd in Gs (6) and 3rd in pts. (9), but others have got to step up if the USA wants to avoid another crash and burn in this tourney.

Big game for USA and Slovakia with a couple subplots.

Slovakia still automatically qualifies for the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea at #8, but only by 105 pts. over #9 Belarus according to the IIHF formula. But with Belarus potentially going into the IIHF quarterfinals (if they beat Norway), they could bump Slovakia out. Following the 2015 tournament, teams ranked in the top eight will qualify directly for the 2018 Winter Olympics, while teams below the top eight will have to go through a number of qualification games in late 2015 and 2016.

The plot thickens, if Belarus loses to Norway and Slovakia beats USA, Slovakia wins the head-to-head tiebreaker against Belarus and moves on to the quarters, thus sealing their fate for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Belarus and Norway have the early game Tuesday (6:15AM EDT), so Slovakia will know if they have shot before the puck drop. USA is not in danger of falling out of the top 8 for the Olympics, but needs at least an OTW to qualify as the #1 seed in the quarters. Lots at stake here...should be a good battle.

[HarleyMC]

Re: 2015 World Championship Thread

Belarus 1-0 after 1.

[HarleyMC]

Re: 2015 World Championship Thread

End of 2nd period, Belarus 3, Norway 1.