WJC Exibition Games

[JasonMacIsaac]

Did anyone go to the Czech Republic or Sweden game....I would interested in the results to those two games.

[jk]

Article on the Czech experience in Warroad:

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/sports/10472203.htm

Sorry, not sure of the result though.

[PCM]

According to the now-working WJC Web site, the results of last night's exhibition games were:

Sweden 6, Belarus 0 (Thief River Falls)

Czech Republic 3, Germany 3 (Warroad)

I talked to someone who was at the Warroad game. He said that when the Germans tied the Czechs, they celebrated like they won the tournament.

[NDFlyer]

I was at the Czech/Germany game last night. It was a fast paced, chippy game. High sticks and slashes. I thought things might escalate on a couple of occasions but it was not to be. Lots of penalties. Some questionable hits. My kind of game.

Both teams had good speed. Germans scored all three goals on the pp. Yeah, they looked pretty happy after the game. I'm sure they were happy they skated with the Czechs. I sat next to the Czech general manager and he told me that they were sitting 6 of their better players last night. They have to make roster cuts today. I would expect the Czechs to contend for a medal. Most of their players are NHL draftees.

Czech goalie, Marek Scwartz, has mongoose speed with the glove. Fun to watch him. Blues' first ronder this year.

[sioux rube]

Good to hear.I will be at the US/CZECH game on the 30th.

[DMT]

I was at the Czech/Germany game last night.  It was a fast paced, chippy game.  High sticks and slashes.  I thought things might escalate on a  couple of occasions but it was not to be.  Lots of penalties.  Some questionable hits.  My kind of game.

Both teams had good speed.  Germans scored all three goals on the pp.  Yeah, they looked pretty happy after the game.  I'm sure they were happy they skated with the Czechs.  I sat next to the Czech general manager and he told me that they were sitting 6 of their better players last night.  They have to make roster cuts today.  I would expect the Czechs to contend for a medal.    Most of their players are NHL draftees.

Czech goalie,  Marek Scwartz, has  mongoose speed with the glove.  Fun to watch him.  Blues' first ronder this year.

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What are the IIHF rules regarding fighting?

[NDFlyer]

I'll check into that. My gut tells me the rules on fighting are not that severe...but this is just a guess. I recall a huge bench clearer a few years ago in this torunament. Everyone on the ice. It looked like a Flyers-Bruins game from 1974.

[jloos]

What are the IIHF rules regarding fighting?

5min + 10 min misconduct. Instigator gets game misconduct.

Most of the IIHF rules are similar to college. I know any player under 18 has to wear a full mask and a neck guard - which is why Lee and Kessel had neck guards on.

[NDFlyer]

Yeah, that is getting kinda severe. Methinks the ref, if he chooses, c an hand out a match penalty if it is bad enough. I guess I don't expect to see any fighting unless there is a very,very dirty elmination game which results in a blowout.

[Fetch]

Here is another Junior site with info http://www.tsn.ca/world_jrs/news_Story.asp?ID=108758

[USA]

I was at the Canada vs. Finland game on Monday night and all I can say about the whole experience was WOW!!! Canada is unbeleivable.......won 6-0 and outshot the Fins 41-10. Linemates, Patrice Bergeron had 2g and 1a while Sidney Crosby had 1g 2a. In my opinion, the only way any team has a chance at beating Canada is a very hot goalie. Granted, Finland looked awful, but Canada was simply phenomenal.

On this same topic, the NTS Centre in Winnepeg was completely sold out (15,000+) and the fans were super. A complete flip-flop from the USA vs. Sioux game on Sunday. How is it possible that the USA can be playing the regions favorite hockey team and not even fill the Ralph to half capacity? What a joke! I sure hope American hockey fans will take some lessons from the Canucks from up North during this tournament, because, as fans, we have a lot of room for improvement.

[YaneA]

My question would be whether the 15,000 who attended the Canada-Finland exhibition will drive two hours south to see their beloved team in tournament play and if so, would one of them please buy their ticket from me?!

[PCM]

On this same topic, the NTS Centre in Winnepeg was completely sold out (15,000+) and the fans were super.

Edited December 22, 2004 by PCM

[USA]

[USA]

EDIT:

H. Most UND students had left for the holiday break. I fully understand that the UND students left for break and this isn't about them. They are without a doubt great supporters of the hockey program. My rant is about the community as a whole.

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[PCM]

A. Hockey isn't America's favorite sport.  No, but is certainly is this areas

The Sioux are the area's favorite team. But even allowing for that, attendance at Sioux games typically rises and falls depending on the opponent. How do you explain the fact that NHL exhibition games aren't nearly as well attended at the REA compared to UND games?

B. The weather was horrible.  It was just as bad in Winnepeg Monday night

There were near-blizzard conditions in Winnipeg last night?

C. The game was on a Sunday afternoon.  Your point is?  What a great time to take the family out to see some great hockey.

Actually, it was the first Sioux game my wife and kids have seen this season. But my real point is that hockey fans around here typically attend games on Friday and Saturday nights. People often plan to do other things on Sunday afternoons, especially this close to Christmas.

D. The Vikings were playing.  The Vikings play every Sunday while the USA/Sioux do not.  Also, the Vikings suck anyway (and I am a Vikes fan)

Doesn't matter. I know people who stayed home to watch the Vikings who rarely miss a Sioux game.

E. Winnipeg is much larger than Grand Forks.  Got me there, but I still wouldn't use that as an excuse when there is that kind of talent on the ice.

Hockey is practically a national religion in Canada. Canadians follow their national teams very closely. Most American hockey fans probably don't even know what the World Junior Championships are.

F. It was the third game in three days for the Sioux.  So where were all the fans on Friday and Saturday?  I'm pretty sure that the majority of us in attendence were the same people that showed up for the two other games.

Students typically comprise a significant proportion of the attendance at Sioux games. Between most of them being gone for the holidays and the Sioux playing a weak nonconference opponenent, attendance was bound to suffer.

G. It was a meaningless exhibition game for the Sioux.  No game is meaningless.  Try get the Sioux players/coaches to say that.

It was meanigless in terms of conference standings, PWR and the national polls.

[sioux rube]

My family and I were there,and we traveled 340 miles round trip.Weather was fine for us.Its ND aint it.

[CoteauRinkRat]

PCM, I couldn't agree with you more on all the reasons you gave.

[Goon]

[forecheck]

We went to the Slovakia - Belarus exhibition game in Grafton tonight to take stats. What a chippy game. Belarus and Slovakia both got a 5-min major for fighting, and 30 seconds later Belarus gets another 5-min major for slashing. Slovakia had a 4 1/2 minute 5x3, until they took a penalty in the middle of it. One good fight, many attempts at fights. It all turned ugly when a Belarus player got his stick up high and had a Slovakian player pouring blood on the ice, looked like from his nose.

Final score: Slovakia-3, Belarus-1

[PCM]

Great minds, forecheck.

[dunker2001]

From USA Hockey.com

Team USA crossed the Red River separating North Dakota from Minnesota -- and the 2005 IIHF World Junior Championship venues in Grand Forks and Thief River Falls -- to face Germany in exhibition play Wednesday. And while the United States opened the scoring, it would need a significant comeback effort to win, 5-3, in its final exhibition game before opening the '05 WJC in earnest on Dec. 25.

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[Air Force One]

Russia vs. Sweden tonight at the EGF Civic Center. I'm anxious to see this one. This will be my first international game besides the Tues games back in August at the eval camp. My son, an EGF Squirt, will be one of the kids giving out commemorative medals to the teams after the game.

As far as the Sunday Sioux vs. USA, I was there with the family, our 5th of 6 games on Saturday and Sunday for us (3 Sioux games and 3 Squirt games, 2 of which were in Red Lake Falls). We only missed 3/4 of the 1st period of the Sat Canisius game because our son's 2nd game on Sat didn't get over until 5:50.

Hockey is (our) life!

[NDFlyer]

Forecheck is on the $$$.

I was at that Slovak-Belarus game last night and that 3rd period was a particularly brutal one. There was some hitting going on the entire game and you got the feeling that it might escalate a bit, but no one was prepared for what occurred midway through he third.

Basically, the volcano began spewing smoke and lava when the Slovak team captain was the recipent of a rather malicious crosscheck or buttender right on the nose. Kid spilled about 2 pints of blood and had to be helped off the ice. I haven't heard of his condition, but a concussion is not out of the question. There were scrums all over after this one. Major penalty assessed.

The volcano fully erupted a few moments later when another Belarussian slashed a Slovak. When I say slash I do not mean your routine little hack at the guy going around you with the puck.....I mean a Tiger Woods 4 iron out of 6 inch rough type of slash. Kid coulda split firewood with that slash.

Latislav Scurko (Flyers 2004 draft pick) then proceeded to beat the living crap out of some Belarus dude. Belarussian played the role of human punching bag during this one and for his efforts received a match penalty. I honestly thought both benches were gonna clear. It was that close. Coaches screaming/waving at each other.

If you wanted to teach a clinic on slashing and high sticking all you needed to do was to show a video of the 3rd period. It was AWESOME! After most faceoffs all you could hear was the sound of blade hitting shinpad. Whenever anyone went near the boards they were getting hit......cleanly, all though there were few of these, or you were gonna get it up high. Everyone was finishing their checks.

I suspect that Belarus might be short a few players for the next game or the entire tournament after IIHF officials discuss this one. I don't know if Belarus is gonna win a game but these guys are tough, mean and never quit. Keep your head up when you play these boys.

One of the most intense and exciting periods of hockey I have ever seen.

[Poncho & Lefty]

Russia vs. Sweden tonight at the EGF Civic Center. I'm anxious to see this one. This will be my first international game besides the Tues games back in August at the eval camp. My son, an EGF Squirt, will be one of the kids giving out commemorative medals to the teams after the game.

What a thrill for your young boy, an opportunity like that really brightens there day and even week. I remember back in 97 when my grandson Kyle was 10 and he got to skate with the Rochester Mustangs of the USHL. I don't think my June got him to sleep for a week! As for the exhibition games themself i'm angered that i wont be able to see any of them, but at least me and my buddy Sal from Cando got the package for the big games. Go Patriots!