WJC Exibition Games

[PCM]

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.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I saw the Belarus player who was on the receiving end after the game. He looked like he got hit by a truck.

[DMT]

Hey PCM or anybody else that was there, is this true? I read this on HF boards.

Both Slovakia and Belarus ended up bringing only their white uniforms to the game.

As a result, one team had to find dark uniforms to wear. It turned out to be Belarus, which had to borrow a local high school team (Grafton-Park River High School) dark uniforms to play the game. The borrowed uniforms did not bring Belarus

any luck as Slovakia went on to win the game 3-1.

[PCM]

Hey PCM or anybody else that was there, is this true?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, but there's more to it. Both teams came out in their white jerseys for warmups. It was immediately clear that this would pose problems because the white uniforms are very similar.

When the Belarus team came out for the start of the game, they were wearing maroon and gold Grafton Spoilers jerseys, some of which didn't fit very well.

However, when Belarus came out for the third period, the players were wearing their official red jerseys. How did they get them? The North Dakota Highway Patrol was contacted. A patrolman was sent to pick up the red jerseys and he rushed them from Grand Forks to Grafton in time for the final period.

Only in North Dakota...

[forecheck]

Great minds, forecheck. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah I saw that.

[Sioux_Hab-it]

Did anyone find a Boxscore for last nights game against Germany. If so could you please post it. Thanks

[driscol]

Did anyone find a Boxscore for last nights game against Germany.  If so could you please post it.  Thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is the only thing that I could find;

1 : 0 24:57 min. Suter (Stafford)

1 : 1 25:41 min. Kai Hospelt (Florian Busch) (Ueberzahl)

1 : 2 26:20 min. Steffen Toelzer (Marcus Kink)

1 : 3 26:47 min. Andre Reiss (Sachar Blank)

2 : 3 33:34 min. Schremp (Liken, Dowell)

3 : 3 37:54 min. Fritsche (Porter)

4 : 3 52:55 min. Fritsche (Hagemo)

5 : 3 55:51 min. Porter

6 : 3 59:25 min. Porter (Fritsche)

Shoots: 39 - 23

Penalties: 18 min. - 18 min.

[sioux rube]

How did Brian Lee look last nite?

[Air Force One]

Just got home from the Team USA booster luncheon at the Alerus. I got my World Jr jersey the REA sent out for early ticket purchases last year autographed by the whole team and two posters autographed for the kids. All the players were great! I was in uniform and Ryan Suter came up to me after the lunch as the team was leaving and shook my hand and thanked me for my service. Wow! Nice crowd and nice things said about everything that USA Hockey and the players have experienced so far here. Keep it up Grand Forks and Thief River.

Good luck boys!

[sioux rube]

That is nice to hear Air Force One.Thank you for your service and God bless.

[redwing77]

I'm going to the Czech vs Slovakia game tonight in Moorhead. I think I may try my hand at a brief recap. And no, I'm not going to try to get anywhere near as good as PCM, but perhaps it will be an interesting read.

[#1siouxfan22]

Ill be there too, should be good. Hopefully both teams have the right jerseys.

[petey23]

I remeber Lee Davidson was playing for the USA and I think it was in Canada so probably late 80's when it occurred. But Canada and The soviet Union were playing and I think the Soviets were ahead, when Canada decided to goon it up. Lee told a few of us it was incredible. Benches cleared and within a minute or so when you looked out on the ice you saw 22 guys from The Soviet Union getting their asses kicked by 22 guys from Canada. They couldn't stop it, they were turning the lights on and off and finally had to get security(or law enforcement to stop it)

[redwing77]

Ok, I thought I'd try to make a recap out of this experience but who was I kidding?

Anyways, I showed up at a crowded Moorhead Sports Center wearing my Czech Republic Hasek jersey (home jersey) and I take my seat on the maroon benches behind the penalty boxes for the game. I had a really good experience. Turns out the fella in front of me is a high school hockey ref, so I got some ins and outs of the game throughout. In any case...

This game was VERY VERY close. Both teams were pretty evenly matched and neither team ran away with the shots on goal totals. I really wish I could have seen the names of the players. The Czech red away jerseys did not have names on the backs so I didn't get any names of who was scoring and such.

Czech's team is a lot like Canada's size-wise. Smallish up front and big in the back. There were more big guys on the Slovakian team than on the Czech team. Czech's team was VERY fast.

The first period started out very tentatively on both sides with neither team being very aggressive at first. with less than 5 seconds left in the first period, Slovakian defenseman Boris V(something... #9) scores a goal from the point off the faceoff. This guy was huge compared to the rest of the players on the ice. That would be the only goal Marek Schwarz would give up. He made some outstanding saves, but overall, Slovakia's goaltender made even more spectacular saves.

The second period was all Czech Republic. The scored 2 unanswered goals, but they were VERY hard fought. There were attempts at three fights, but the refs wouldn't have any of it (Hanson was the lead ref with linesemen being Freeman and Ludwig).

The third period was the most spirited hockey of the night. It started out all Czech Republic with a goal to make it 3-1. It seemed a few times that they would run away with the game until a wicked slapshot sailed past the Czech goaltender that evidentally hit the pipe, went in, and bounced right out without being called a goal. There were tons of complaints, Hanson talked to the goal judge, and the goal was allowed. After this, it started to get more Slovakia controlled with a flurry of activity in the Czech zone. With 50 seconds left, Hanson calls a Czech player for slashing (Olescz?). Now it is 6x4. In such a span of time, Slovakia turns it over and Czech turns it into a 2 on 1 odd man rush the other way with an empty net. The play of the game happens when the Slovakian defender picks uff the pass to break up the 2 on 1 and takes it the other way. The Czechs still end up scoring an empty net goal, but it was an unbelievable defensive stand.

All of the goals, save the empty netter, were unbelievable "highlight reel" quality goals IMO. Of the 6 goals scored in the game, one was empty net, two went high glove side, one went high stick side, one went low glove side (between leg pad and glove) and the one from the point I didn't see where it went..

I think these two teams were pretty evenly matched. It was a very well played game. I enjoyed it a lot.

[forecheck]

Just got back from the Sweden-Russia game in East Grand Forks. Sweden was able to hang on for the first 2 periods, with shots being pretty even and Russia up by 2 goals. But by the 3rd period, you started seeing just how good Russia is. They're fast with good, crisp passing and fantastic moves. Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin for Russia, the #1 and #2 NHL draft picks last summer, were highly noticeable. They were all over the ice. I believe Russia ended up with 3 power play goals.

Final score: Russia-6, Sweden-1

[BinaIsGod]

off the top of my head...i believe the huge slovakian defenseman refered to would be Boris Valabik, i think he plays for the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL, drafted by the Thrashers 10th overall...and the Czech forward name was Rastislav Olesz...he's a really good player as well, first rounder by Florida, 7th overall...some very good skill in that game for sure, wish i could have seen it.

[DMT]

I'm lazy.

I remember hearing about another Slovakian (an aquaintance of Spirko's) playing in the USHL. Is he playing on the WJ team?

[#1siouxfan22]

Hey redwing I saw you. I remember seeing that HaSUCK jersey. Overall that game was fun to watch. That 2 on 1 at the end is still bothering me. Shoot the puck! I also saw Spirko was in attendence.

[redwing77]

Hey redwing I saw you. I remember seeing that HaSUCK jersey. Overall that game was fun to watch. That 2 on 1 at the end is still bothering me. Shoot the puck!  I also saw Spirko was in attendence.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ha ha. Hasuck. He's a great goaltender and you know it!

In any case, yeah, I was wondering why the player didn't just shoot the puck instead of passing it, but I guess that was just how it happens. The next opportunity, though, the Czechs capitolized because he shot it in from the red center line.

Was Spirko wearing a red Czech jersey? I didn't see many wearing Czech attire except for that person and myself. I didn't see any Slovakian jerseys.

Oh, on a slightly odd note, it seemed as though the Slovakian team got the most cheers. Is that because the crowd decided just to cheer for the home team or is there some strange connection? For those of you who didn't know: The Slovakian team was the home team.

[#1siouxfan22]

No he just had a winter hat and coat on. Redwing i think you made the front page of the sports section, check it out.

[redwing77]

No he just had a winter hat and coat on. Redwing i think you made the front page of the sports section, check it out.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh my Parise... that's me!

[NDFlyer]

Forecheck,

You didn't go far enough in describing the Russians. I can think of only one word to describe them: SCARY.

They have it all. It's just attack, attack, attack. No dump ins. Skate, pass and move the puck. Constantly moving and skating and at near the speed of light.

These guys are not boys or teenagers. They are men. There could be a new sheriff on town........and he is wearing a red hat.

That was an impressive exhibition. We'll see what USA Hockey is made of in about 33 hours.

[forecheck]

I can think of only one word to describe them:  SCARY.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree. We were talking about how Canada and the US have another thought coming if they think they are the only two contenders for the gold. On another note though, those friendship medals must have worked....the game wasn't anywhere near as chippy as the Belarus-Slovakia game.

[MafiaMan]

A half-full barn for the UND/USA game? Wow. That's downright embarrassing.

I thought the same thing back in 1988 or early 1989 when Moscow Dynamo came to town on a Sunday night. The arena was about 2/3 full and it looked liked the commies were gonna steamroll another WCHA team. A Justin Duberman hat-trick kept the game close, but the final ended up being 6-4 Dynamo. Still one of my favorite games of all-time at Engelstad Arena. They had beaten other WCHA teams by scores of 8-1 or 11-0, so it was really amazing that that bunch of kids kept it close. For those who stayed home that night, you sure missed one heck of an effort by the Sioux.

I'm not sure what kept fans away from the USA game...exhibition or not, the chance to see O'Sullivan, Montoya, and others should have made that a prime ticket.

[Diggler]

Because alot of people are just there to be seen. They don't know who any of these USA players are and don't care. It was an exhibition game, so why go?

[#1Hakfan]

Usa/Sioux game was more than half full. I would guess 8500 to 9000. The place holds 11,400 and had over 12,000 for it biggest attendance ever.