2018 IIHF Women's World U18 Championship - Dmitrov, Russia; 6th-13th.Jan

[Ciremya]

This tourney is starting on hot wheels with host Russia beating Canada 3:2. It must be the first time either Canada or the US lose a game to a european team at that level. USA and Sweden complete the "upper" Group A. In the "lower" Group B, Czech Republic beats Switzerland 4-3 while Finland is facing promoted Germany today

IIHF website
http://u18worldwomen2018.iihf.hockey/en/

Live stream
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkX...t40TYZsj4YZR0w

[Heatleysucks]

This tourney is starting on hot wheels with host Russia beating Canada 3:2. It must be the first time either Canada or the US lose a game to a european team at that level. USA and Sweden complete the "upper" Group A. In the "lower" Group B, Czech Republic beats Switzerland 4-3 while Finland is facing promoted Germany today

The Canadians play Sweden next and that might be a tough game too.
The Swedes took the Americans to OT before losing 2-1, despite being out shot 59-13.

[Ciremya]

Russia loses to USA 5-3. Too many penalties and efficient American power play in the opening period gave the impression it was going to be a long game for the hosts but they did put their act together afterwards. Sure they got outshot 38-16 overall but it was only 7-6 to the US and 2-0 on the scoreboard for the Russians in the last period.

Canada takes 4-0 over Sweden. The Swedes also completly outshot 34-9 and didn't even come close to the Canadian net in the second period. I don't get why Swedish goalie Dahlgren still kept going to the bench while the play was coming back her way and as a result offered a wide open net to the Canadians.

But Saturday's results may end up weighing heavily not only on the group standing but the final one as well. With now Russia facing Sweden and Canada against USA on Tuesday, it's hard to see the final picture. While I do fancy US and Russia as winners, both games can go either ways. And that means we may end up with Russia on top or Canada at the bottom or even Sweden going straight to the semifinals among a plethora of possibilities. And one that could be likely as well is to find ourselves with a USA vs Canada semifinal, a first in the history of IIHF women's events. And sure the North Americans are way better than their European counterparts but, apart for the 15 minutes Farkhutdinova wasn't in the net, Russia was able to ally very strong defense with efficient offense against both Canada and USA two day in a row. And if they can get their way to the final without having to face one or the other on their way they may show up fresh enough for that game and turn out to be a suprise winner.

Meanwhile Finland won against Germany 4-1 on Saturday night. Germany did show on Sunday they are not here to go down again by taking a 2-1 OT win over the Czechs. Finland then battled hard to get a second win over Switzerland 3-2 to guarantee their place in the playoff round and sending the Swiss to their fouth relegation round in as many years.

[Ciremya]

Highlights

Canada vs Russia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqvjXINKppc
Russia vs USA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH423Endryg

Full game videos
Group A
Canada vs Russia (I always love opening ceremonies )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SYifXq0JoI
Sweden vs USA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZunxAIktKAU
Russia vs USA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCBpH-4owAg
Canada vs Sweden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTRx9ZAqxWk

Group B
Czech Rep. vs Switzerland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROcOYI5p8sc
Finland vs Germany
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx1ZNE-jZEI
Czech Rep. vs Germany
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obrW7Pdt274
Switzerland vs Finland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8crOeftHDss

[Trim]

Canada and the USA will always have the advantage in women's hockey due to sheer weight of numbers. That said, from the time the Russian NGB put attention into the women's game, results have climbed and climbed. Sochi is starting to prove a boost in participation, so Russia may be closing the gap faster than the Mirakel team of 2006 (which was played in Italy anyway).

[Ciremya]

The US beat Canada 6-2 to finish at the top of the group and forcing Canada to go through the quarter-final round. This result is one of the widest losses Canada has suffered in the history of this tournament. And to add insult to injury, Sweden won 2-0 against Russia pushing Canada all the way down to the bottom of the table and placing them in the same half as the US in the playoff round. So no Canada vs USA final this year. The Swedes finish ahead of Russia and get a bye to the semi-finals.

Is it a bad loss for Russia? I don't think so. Sure everyone wants to win as many games as possible and they could have gone straight in semis but they would have most likely ended up facing Canada while now they are in an European-only playoff path to the final.

In Group B, Germany won against Switzerland 2-1 but their hopes to make it to the playoffs were dashed when the Czechs beat Finland 3-2 later in the day to top the group. A tight affair as well in this lower half with 5 games out of 6 ending with a single goal margin.

Germans and Swiss will face each other again in the best-of-three relegation round starting tomorrow while Canada will play the Czechs and Russia faces Finland.

[Ciremya]

Highlights

Sweden vs Russia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4SeJfxQr8U

Full game videos
Group A
USA vs Canada
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmkeGZw1UVY
Sweden vs Russia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL2ySIKnfrk

Group B
Germany vs Switzerland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j65OOspdoqk
Finland vs Czech Republic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HvNem0m6kI

[Heatleysucks]

Is it a bad loss for Russia? I don't think so. Sure everyone wants to win as many games as possible and they could have gone straight in semis but they would have most likely ended up facing Canada while now they are in an European-only playoff path to the final.

Situations like this have occurred before in other sports, notably football.
There are certain instances when a loss is actually more beneficial than a win
In this case Russia losing means forgoing a bye to the semis but the upside is avoiding both Canada and the Americans.
Their path to the final is the 'easiest' for them.
I don't think the Russian players purposely under performed to lose...17 year old hockey players aren't that cynical.
But it certainly may have crossed their coaches minds.

[Trim]

Situations like this have occurred before in other sports, notably football.
There are certain instances when a loss is actually more beneficial than a win
In this case Russia losing means forgoing a bye to the semis but the upside is avoiding both Canada and the Americans.
Their path to the final is the 'easiest' for them.
I don't think the Russian players purposely under performed to lose...17 year old hockey players aren't that cynical.
But it certainly may have crossed their coaches minds.

Remember how Canada was spuriously accused of intentionally losing to Switzerland at the 2006 Olympics? That tournament went well for them...

Let's not forget that Sweden pushed the Americans to the brink through goaltending, so Russia being shutout isn't that much of a glaring "let's tank it for the playoff seed."

[Bennison]

Too bad for Germany, they defeated the Swiss and was just one point shy of Finland in the preliminary round. Bit after two straight losses in the relegation games they are back in division 1.

[Heatleysucks]

Right now, the Americans are demolishing Sweden 9-1 in what purportedly is a championship game.
SOG are 32-4.
The bad news for the Swedes is that this is only after 40 minutes and they have another period to endure before it's finally over.
I don't think it is too presumptuous to say that yesterday's game between Canada and the US was the de facto gold medal game.

[Bennison]

There is no question that USA and Canada are miles ahead of the rest in women's hockey, both at junior and senior level.

Canada lost unexpectedly against Russia and Sweden stole a point from USA in the preliminary round. Those two together cost Canada their place in the finals.

Ending up fourth in the preliminary group must be considered an anomaly for Canada at this point and for years to come.