2014 IIHF World Championship Thread (Bieksa named Captain)

[nuck nit]

Ovie showing why the IIHF World Championship tournaments are relevant to Europe(eans).

Shirokov with a great effort.

[Spoosh]

Russia was better as the scoresheet proves. They capitalized on their PP opportunities, chances we shouldn't have been giving them in the first place. If any of you watched the game; the penalties handed out by the refs to Finns were hardly penalty-worth at all. And the hollywood class -acting by Russia was at times a bit entertaining as well. They saw how the refereeing was going to be and used it to their advantage.

No-one ever likes losing, but silver was way better than anyone was expecting of this team to accomplish. We had 14 newcomers to the international stage. That is a lot against a team like Russia, that had almost an olympic team on the ice.

[Canuck or Die]

Viking Mama;

Sad but true. Considering the lack of depth on almost ever roster this year's World Championship was a disaster. It was comical hearing the TSN boys trying to 'pump the tires' of almost every opponent. One might chalk it off to it being an Olympic year but all the same Canada is supposed to be the premier hockey power in the world. Canada's team had some good young talent who will benefit from international experience but that is about it.

We send our best players to the Olympics. Our best players are either still in the playoffs or didn't participate in this tournament. For the last several years we have always been sending our C-team instead of our A-team like with the Olympics.

[TOMapleLaughs]

Looks like the Russian win came with some controversy.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/russia-wins-2014-world-championship-as-vladimir-putin-looks-on-and-conspiracy-theorists-have-a-field-day/

At some point during the IIHF World Championship final, the Finnish media paid at least as much attention to the people in two luxury boxes as to the action on the ice.

In one, there was Oleg Znarok, Russias coach who had been suspended after he made a cut-throat gesture to Swedens assistant coach Rikard Gronborg (who yelled back that he would bleeping kill him), but who was in radio contact with his assistant Harijs Vitolins behind the Russian bench.

In the other, there were Russian president Vladimir Putin and IIHF president Rene Fasel, watching the game together enough for some to scheme up all kinds of conspiracy theories.

In the title game, Finland was the proxy for all things West. That the Russian team didnt seem to respect the suspension made at least the Swedish and Finnish journalists irate, and several Swedish journalists went public with their cheering for Finland.

This is where were at right now: whoever is playing against Russia is playing for the rest of the world. Its the KHL versus the NHL, its the big, bad Russians against the West, and its about sticking it to Putin (and what at least the Finnish fans perceive as a questionable environment of international hockey).

Which may also explain why the Finnish fury towards the on-ice officials was so powerful. The whole nation was standing behind the team that had 15 World Championship rookies and limped into the playoff stage, having had to rely on Switzerland beating Latvia in their final group stage game.

In this episode of Miracle, these unknown Finnish league players were now the college kids whod take on the Big, Red Machine and their Ovechkins and Malkins and Bobrovskys.

It doesnt help that technically Znarok hadnt broken the rules, as Fasel had said that he cant be involved physically with the team prior to the game or during the game. Physically being the operative word. (And apparently meeting with the assistant coach outside the arena doesnt qualify as getting physical with the team, either).

What is not forbidden is permitted.

There was also a hockey game. From the first shift, it was obvious there was no love lost between the two teams. In the first shift, Erik Haula tried to check Evgeni Malkin in the corner, but instead, he got Malkins stick in his face, which started a scrum in which Olli Jokinen, team captain, went after Malkin.

Finland had its chances, but couldnt capitalize on its power play opportunities, while Russia did. Some of the calls were questionable, but then again, weve seen curious officiating in the Worlds before. Jaromir Jagr called the refereeing in this tournament the worst hes seen.

When I get back to the NHL, Ill congratulate the referees there after every game (for being so good), he said.

Malkin scored the game winner in Russias 5-2 triumph on a 5-on-3 power play in the second period. Unfortunately, in the IIHF stats ticker, the time of the goal was wrong and corrected later, which only fueled the conspiracy theories.

Its hard to argue against those who called Russia the best team in the tournament, as they only allowed 10 goals in the event. Alexander Ovechkin got to hoist the World Championship trophy for the first time as Team Russias captain, and then it was time for the team to throw their coach in the air. Even though his suspension specifically included any post-game ceremonies.

Maybe the Finns will get more sympathetic towards Russian players next season, when Helsinki Jokerit joins the KHL. To know them is to understand them.

First off, do euro countries get more amped about this championship only because they can win it?

Secondly, as bad as NHL reffing seems, it looks like international hockey has far worse reffing. (The botched womens 2014 olympic final comes to mind. But the mens tourney was fine.)

And lastly, it appears that hockey conspiracy talk branches beyond the NHL. (Duh.)

[Boudrias]

Always kinda liked Ovy going back to that World Junior series when Team Canada rang his bell so bad he had to leave the game. He did it with class. On the other hand Malkin was a typical Russian stick man and ended it all with a one finger salute to Canada who beat them out. I have never liked the guy to this day. I have never liked Ovy's 200' NHL game but still admire is honest enthusiasm for the game.

[Gyllenhaal]

Kinda of OT but... Putin's got game! Sign this guy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUdYCzdpzdY#t=91

[Monteeun]

Looks like the Russian win came with some controversy.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/russia-wins-2014-world-championship-as-vladimir-putin-looks-on-and-conspiracy-theorists-have-a-field-day/

First off, do euro countries get more amped about this championship only because they can win it?

Secondly, as bad as NHL reffing seems, it looks like international hockey has far worse reffing. (The botched womens 2014 olympic final comes to mind. But the mens tourney was fine.)

And lastly, it appears that hockey conspiracy talk branches beyond the NHL. (Duh.)

I slightly disagree with the 2014 olympic womens hockey part.

[RUPERTKBD]

I slightly disagree with the 2014 olympic womens hockey part.

Me too.

I suppose that one could also bring up the officiating in the Women's final at the Salt Lake City games...

...of course that time, instead of whining about it afterward, the team that was on the short end of the penalties overcame the discrepancy and won Gold anyway...