Preview: World Championship
The 76th World Championship in the ice hockey starts on Friday 4th May in Sweden and Finland. Four Colorado Avalanche players will represent their countries.International ice hockey federation approved the new system of the tournament. Sixteen teams are divided in two eight-member groups. One team will play against each other in one group. Four best teams will advance to the quarterfinals. First team will play against the fourth and second with the third, all from the same group. The last teams from each group will be relegated to the Division B for the next year. Tournament will finished for the rest of unsuccessful teams.
Group H (Helsinki) –
my order of the favorites
Canada
Finland
USA
Switzerland
Slovakia
Belarus
France
Kazakhstan
Canada has definitely the best roster of the tournament over the last
years. Many fans talk about the Olympic team. Canada has players only from the
NHL, what was not usual in the past. The success of Finland depends on the
goalie again. They have only four players from the NHL on the roster, but will
be one of the biggest favorites. USA national team focuses also on the players
from the other side of the Ocean. I doubt they will pass the quarterfinals with
only a few stars there. But do not forget – Americans could surprise in the
past. Switzerland is the black horse again.
Slovakia will fight for the last advanced place with Switzerland.
Slovaks had terrible pre-tournament phase. Maybe they will get help from the
tallest players in the NHL. Belarus has lost long-time captain in the terrible
accident. This will have influence too. Kazakhstan or France will be relegated
to the Division B.
Group S (Stockholm) -
my order of the favorites
Sweden
Czech Republic
Russia
Germany
Norway
Latvia
Denmark
Italy
The second hottest team has definitely Sweden. NHL players will have and
play key roles. No doubt. Czechs do not have many big names, but they can play
great hockey all the time. Russia has had problems over the years and it will
continue. Germany will advance only with good defensive tactic like the last
year.
The situation between the other four teams could mix up. I guess Latvia,
Denmark and Italy will not play much.
My
prediction
Finals: Canada – Sweden
Game for the 3rd
place: Czech Republic –
Finland
Colorado
Avalanche
These four players of the Avalanche team will appear in the tournament –
Ryan O´Reilly (Canada), Paul Stastny (USA), Semyon Varlamov (Russia) and Gabriel Landeskog (Sweden). There is a
big chance two of them will face each other in the final game. Varlamov is the
alone NHL goalie on Russian roster, but the competition is big. They can get
his national team to the semifinals. O´Reilly will focus on the defensive unit.
The biggest shows are expected from Landeskog and Stastny. Will young Swede
score the goal in the overtime of the last game?
Schedule
of the regular games
4th May
USA – France o 11:15
Canada – Slovakia o 15:15
Sweden – Norway 20:15
5th May
Latvia – Russia o 16:15
Canada – USA o 18:00
Sweden – Czech Republic o 20:15
6th May
Russia – Norway o 16:15
7th May
France – Canada o 15:15
USA – Slovakia o 19:15
Denmark – Sweden 20:15
8th May
Russia – Germany o 20:15
9th May
Canada – Switzerland o 19:15
Sweden – Germany o 20:15
10th May
USA – Belarus 15:15
Denmark – Russia o 16:15
11th May
Kazakhstan – USA o 15:15
Finland – Canada o 19:15
Russia – Sweden o 20:15
12th May
Kazakhstan – Canada o 19:15
Italy – Sweden o 20:15
13th May
Finland – USA o 15:15
Russia – Czech Republic o 16:15
14th May
Italy – Russia o 20:15
15th May
Canada – Belarus o 11:15
USA – Switzerland o 19:15
Sweden – Latvia o 20:15
You can find all rosters on this link. Eurolanche will inform you about
everything regarding the Colorado Avalanche players during the whole
tournament.
David Puchovsky, Slovakia, eurolanche@eurolanche.com
04/05/2012 - 00:00
