22-12-2003 02:15									#1
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Helsinki and Hameenlinna. Be there or be square.

http://proicehockey.about.com/cs/in...4_world_jrs.htm

The Russians edged us out last year, but this year we're back for more. We've got a good, young team... We've got Sydney Crosby (actually, I'm not really expecting much from him.... YET.)... And most importantly, we've got our ace in the hole:



Fleury is God.

But there are a lot of good teams out there this year. The Americans are bringing back over half their team from last year. The Russians are always potent, and they're not afraid to spit in your face. And you can never discount the Swedes or Finns. Now, if it's the Swiss, I'm prepared to eat my hat.

Anyway, who do YOU think has the best chance of taking hom the gold?


____________

Here are the pools, for reference:

Group A -
Russia
USA
Slovakia
Sweden
Austria


Group B -
Canada
Finland
Czech Republic
Switzerland
Ukraine
______________________________

Eh?

	22-12-2003 02:21									#2
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Well, of course, I didn't include Bananastan as they are obviously the undoubted favourites, and I wanted to keep things interesting...

	22-12-2003 09:28									#3
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COME ON, people!

Not even Pekka? I'm so very disappointed in you all.

	22-12-2003 10:11									#4
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Finland will take it!!!111111

I haven't yet studied our team though. I'm not familiar with most the players there.. I used to know what's going on with the junior teams, but now I'm a bit unaware. I think we'll come up with a good and solid team, is it enough, I don't know.. traditional countries always comes up with good teams.

What's your take cinch?

	22-12-2003 10:32									#5
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Haven't you ever seen the Mighty Ducks? Of course the USA will win!

	22-12-2003 10:34									#6
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I have seen it. UNFORTUNATELY!

	22-12-2003 10:36									#7
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But sure.. the US will come here with a strong team I'm sure.. as well as Canada, Russia and Sweden... Czecs too.. Swiss are a small question mark, they have had good junior teams in the past. It will be a good one!

	22-12-2003 10:52									#8
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How is the US's Junior Team anyway?

	22-12-2003 10:56									#9
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Junior WC are always good.. players are so hungry, they play their hearts out there. Quality is also good.
Some of them still needs to show to scouts that they'll deserve to be drafted... it's a big tournament IMO.

	22-12-2003 11:38									#10
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Junior WC's are always interesting. The youngsters are so hungry (and sometimes quite reckless), that occasionally we (the spectators) have a chance to see some serious gang fights (like in Prague(?) in the late 90's).

Well, my choises would be one of these:
- Russia, always very strong
- Finland, playing at home
- Canada, almost always very strong, sometimes they tend to under-perform
- Switzerland, true wild card - they have decent junior team. trust me on this (if they win, I'm SURE to point that out in this - or some other - thread )

	22-12-2003 12:09									#11
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quote: Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui How is the US's Junior Team anyway?

I don't know details... but the "big thing" about the U.S. team is that they're bringing back 10+ players from last year's Junior Championships, which some argue is a big advantage. Alot of teams have almost entirely new lineups this year because all of the kids from last year are in the NHL or are too old now.

	22-12-2003 12:10									#12
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Oh great, so we have the kids who weren't good enough to go to the NHL .

	22-12-2003 12:36									#13
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Imram, You get what you deserve

	22-12-2003 20:39									#14
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Imram, yeah but you have to consider the fact, that most Europeans players don't go to NHL before 20. Not when they are drafted. THey usually like to play and mature in their leagues more. We think that there is no point going out there and then dropping to the farm team and playing there, so majority of players play until they are in the level of making it to the actual playing team.

Plus they are encouraged to play 'few years more', teams want to have them naturally for little longer.. We don't have Uni etc leagues here, so these players have made it to the premier league in here, and maybe are just getting noticed by the scouts. So, there might be few players who are not yet scouted. There always is. Like few years back, there was Olli Jokinen, the captain of our team, well he was scouted but he wasn't in NHL.. and now he's the captain of Panthers.. I'm not claiming he's a huge mega star, but surely has and had the potential to play at high level.

And yeah, there are few players who won't make it to NHL, there are players who don't even make it to adults national teams, and few players who don't even make the playing teams of their own adult teams and play in junior team still. But they realize it's their big chance now, so they alwyays play with their maximum capacity, it's really good. They all want it. For foreign teams it's like this 'if I play a good tournament, I'll be drafted' or if already drafted '..I'll get a contract soon'. So it's a big deal to youngsters..

	27-12-2003 00:19									#15
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damn it.. we took our first and hopefully last loss against Canada.. Did you see this game? I think it was pretty good. Canadians just were better today. I do expect us to step up more and bring the game more to our advantage when the games go on.

I'd say we had too much problems with strong Canadians behind our own net, and defense had too much troubles and couldn't control the situation enough... also our tactics failed clearly.. it was clearly about fast counter attacks, 3-2, 2-1..but I don't remember seen to many of those.. we couldn't capitalize on taking the puck in the center and turning the game faster, also too many offenses were directed into corners instead of coming strong in the center. Also the huge problem was keeping the guys in front of our own goal, there was usually always one guy free, and we didn't push enough our own guys to the goal either. Big problems, but opponent was of quality and played pretty good so.. I'm not that worried. I'd say we need to dump that whole counter attack strategy, it's not working, we didn't get any good offensives from that and had to battle the strong wings and center guy too much in our own corners leaving that one guy open... that's due to the quality of the opponent naturally, but I think we should concentrate on playing the game, back to basics, old school, and not try to fiddle flashy 3-2 with second waves because obviously that didn't happen.

Anyway, congrats to Canada, victory deserved, I think you'll win this starting games and advance to semi finals automatically. I also think we will be on the semi finals, and not against Canada but Sweden or the US, and hopefully in the finals.. against Canada I'm afraid. We'll see!

	27-12-2003 17:10									#16
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quote: Originally posted by cinch Helsinki and Hameenlinna. Be there or be square. http://proicehockey.about.com/cs/in...4_world_jrs.htm The Russians edged us out last year...

Yeah right, like we did two years ago.

quote: Anyway, who do YOU think has the best chance of taking hom the gold?

Russia.
It's our crown. No one will get it.

Good luck Canada. 2002's final game was pretty cool.

	03-01-2004 01:46									#17
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YYEAaaaaaaah! Sorry Serb, you just got dropped by the Lions!

But I want to give credit to Team Russia, they were extremely good. Man, I thought all the time we'll lose the game because of the strong and skilled wings.. it was a good game. I think the referee was kind of sleeping at times, but then again it went both ways so I won't whine anymore.. I think Russia had their 3rd goal that started from tripping our player, but then again we got our 3rd in simular, interfering Russian player, clear penalty and scored so.. I think it went about even. Good game all in all, Russia took a devastating loss because the winnig goal was made in the last 10 seconds or so.. and they weren't weaker players in any ways, maybe they were more skilled than our team and stronger. Unbelievable fumble from the defense player who tried to pass that last one where our player got a good opportunity, and the shot was bad, but the goalie kind of fumbled too.. so the last goal was lucky, sealing the victory. Excellent victory though.. hard loss for the other team. It's a good team though, one of the best out there if not the best so..


But yeah tomorrow semifinals, Canada against Czeck and Finland against the US!

Watch out capitalist pigs, we're gonna kill you!

	03-01-2004 02:32									#18
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quote: Originally posted by Pekka Finland will take it!!!111111

Pfft.

They got beat 7(?)-0 by Canada in the first game.

	03-01-2004 02:37									#19
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I take that back. I just found out they beat the Roosians and are in the semis against the US.

	03-01-2004 03:26									#20
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And we didn't lose 7-0 to Canada.. 3-0 is correct. Plus it was the first game in the tournament kind of stiffyness. Granted, Canada was better and if we meet again in the finals they will have upper hand, but hey anything can happen...

	03-01-2004 04:50									#21
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Tomorrow will be hella exciting.. Our team is not as strong as usual this year, so we were kind of underdogs for this tournament. Definitely strong enough to make it to semifinals possibly, but the team is now on fire so anything can happen. I predict a tough game against the US but I think we'll come out as winners, if the US won't score first and fast.

Our key players are still kind of frosty though, but I think the ice is melted and we're ready to rock and roll. Exciting.... can't wait tomorrows game.

	03-01-2004 08:45									#22
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Looks like no one cares about this subject, so I'll go ahead and continue my monologue. After checking out many websites (mostly Canadian) I can't believe how misinformed they are . I mean, we came to this tournament with not the best possible team sure, but does it mean the team sucks balls? No it doesn't! We do have wide junior material, and we can come out fighting even if we don't have our number one players.

I mean, this is not a big surprise to us in here anyway. We have been doing ok every year in the last 5 years. I guess the experts have blinders on, or just don't have time to follow our hockey in junior levels? That's no excuse, they should die for that and burn in hell.

Everyone is saying 'oh it will be Canada vs US', especially now when Rooskies dropped out. I got news for you, I think Canada will be on the finals, but the US will NOT have easy time. Hey, at least we have actually won the tournament before, so it's not the history, or is everyone just blind about hockey, especially north american hockey? It's time to wake up...

Team grows throughout the tournaments, but I see little 'trusting' feelings about 'we will win the gold' amongst the ranks. I wouldn't bet on it. Only team I gave safe passage is Canada. We won against US the pre-match before the tournament, and we will do it again. They have little advantage having day off, but we have the spirit now plus we play in home, so there's going to be hell of a fight, and the US needs to bring their best game to beat us, and then some. The only game we were really underdogs at the rink was against Canada, and it was the first game anyway so it doesn't say everything though Canadian team is a bit stronger and better.

Anything can happen. I can't believe we were left out of most of the favourites anyway. Maybe not favourite for the gold, but how about even a medal? Take of the blinders experts, you know crap about hockey! Or at least international junior one. Die in hell and burn in pain, you just got proved wrong.

If I had to give honest unbiased prediction for tomorrows games, I say Canada wins but Finland vs the US is 50/50.

All I got to say is, we don't have millions of kids here, and even with the second best team we advanced to semis beating Russia who had a good team there. And still you counted us out from the beginning, and to this very day. We are not 3rd world hockey country. Sure we have less players, but they are good and the system is excellent in here. So, if we come with our weaker team and get to semis, does it say 'we suck at hockey' in our foreheads? No it doesn't. We have good quality and keep bringing it. So you better get used to it. So don't get in our way arrogant but be prepared for everything, because anything can happen.

	03-01-2004 08:48									#23
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The "experts" are basically saying that although the finns have done really well the last few years (which they attribute to good coaching and forward-looking talent development) that they feel the Finnish team is significantly weaker this year than recent Finnish teams, and that they are not serious championship contenders,

Winning 1 game against the Russians doesn't necessarily change this.

	03-01-2004 08:53									#24
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Exactly. It is weaker team, but it's not a bad team, it's a good team still. There are good players there, that the experts SHOULD know.

You clearly didn't see the game then. The game was the best game of the whole tournament skilled wise. Of course you'll be stepping up also and raising the level, but our team showed they can step up few levels more. The only difference now is that they are fired up.

	03-01-2004 08:57									#25
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The Russian game? No, I missed it. Would have liked to see it, but it probably was on in the morning here.

	03-01-2004 09:00									#26
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EXCUSES YOU DON'T LIKE HOCKEY YOU ANIMAL!



Yeah it was a great game. Both teams played good, but Russians had bad luck at the very end and it was a very easy goal. You should watch tomorrow when your team plays against Czeck and right after that TSN shows Finland vs the US.

	03-01-2004 09:14									#27
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Well after reading my own posts it looks like I came out kind of arrogant myself. Sorry for that. I just hate it when we are showed as small and weak, especially in hockey. I really do care about the sport and hold it high, and like I said earlier in some thread, that I played it seriously until I was 16. I shouldn't expect to see 'Go Finland Go!11!' messages in Canadian websites anyway.
Of course they like to think otherwise.

I'm a guy who tears phonebooks with bear hands and can kill my neighbours with only one punch. So I take it weakly if someones says 'you are weak and small'.

	03-01-2004 09:16									#28
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Finally, some life in the thread!

That was quite the thing with the lights going out in the Czech/Slovak game. I was up early for an unrelated reason, and I caught a bit of it live... I was cheering for the Slovaks. Too bad the underdogs couldn't pull it out in the end. At least I got a good 'sportscaster-joke' out of it:

"He's really learning to finish his checks..."
"... and some Slovaks, too!"

Brilliant cheese.

On a related note: I have great respect for the Finnish (population: 5ish mil?), Czech (10mil), and Slovak (5mil) teams. The countries are quite a bit smaller than USA (300mil), Russia (150mil), and even Canada (30mil), yet they are able to compete quite well at the international level. I find that impressive, to say the least.

Plus, the Finns have always supplied the Oilers with good, young talent (Kurri, Niinimaa, Markkannen, Tikkannen, and now Luoma, Salmelainen, & Niinimakii).

	03-01-2004 09:19									#29
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cinch, thanks But remember, completenting Finns is as bad and sometimes worse than giving bad feedback, weird huh .. but it's true.

Anyway, Good luck to the game tomorrow, I'm pretty sure Canada will take it. I hope we win tomorrow, but if we don't, I hope Canada takes the gold because I think it's the best team in this tournament.

	04-01-2004 03:22									#30
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Daaaamn it! We lost to the US 2-1! Not only that, I honestly think we dominated most of them game and to my surprise, we dominated the physical games and left the murricans pick up their gear from the ice. Unfortunately it wasn't enough today, goals count even if the other team is not as dominative as the other. The first US goal came from our mistake, but the goal itself was beautiful. It was great display of 2-2 from murrican forwarders, and they totally outplayed our defense guys and made a clean nice goal. One of the greatest goals in this tournament IMO.

We however didn't manage to score from great places, US goalie was on fire! He took few beautiful saves, especially one shot from blue line which was deflected by another player and it totally changed the direction to the other corner, perfect deflection, and it was an amazing glove save. I pretty much give the victory to the US goalie and their never surrendering defense, and then to few skilled forwarders who turned this game to US. It doesn't matter if we have 100 chances, all it takes from the best is to have one chance and they score it right away, and that's what they did and it was brutal.

But, US better step up to a whole new level if they want to challenge Canada. They didn't look good today. Canada was impressive today once again. If they don't bring the game, Canada will outplay them, outskate and physically dominate from the beginning to the end. But it's the finals, so US will bring its best I'm sure, and play better than tonight.

Good victory for the US, excellent game, I hope we would have won especially after seeing the game, but what can you do... good luck to both, it will be a good one!