Ice Hockey 2016 - 2017 Discussion Thread

[hckošice 14,899]

5 Days after the tragedy, Colorado Avalanche played yesterday their first home match and remembered Marek with tribute

 

https://www.nhl.com/video/avs-remember-svatos-with-tribute/c-46153703

[phelps 7,706]

22 hours ago, hckosice said:

Champions League day,

 

Round of 16, 2nd leg

 

Vítkovice won the czech derby beating Liberec 3-1 after OT (3-2 in aggregate) and will face the swiss Fribourg-Gotteron in quarterfinals, Fribourg eliminated KalPa kuopio of Finland 3-2 after OT (4-3 in aggregate)

 

As expected Frolunda (SWE) defeated Eisbären Berlin (GER) also in second leg this time 4-1 (10-2 in total) and advance to the QF where they will play another swedens team Linkoping which won today in Helśinki against IFK 0-1 (1-2 in aggregate)

 

Another team from Sweden in QF is Växjo Lakers beating Saipa Lappeenranta of Finland 4-2 after overtime (6-5 in total) now they are waiting for their opponent which will be known tomorrow when Zurich will host in the swiss derby Lugano. Lugano won first match 3-2.

 

The last QF will face the czech Sparta Prague and swiss SC Bern. Sparta defeated HV71 (SWE) 0-5 (4-7 in agg.) Bern played a draw 3-3 in Finland with Jyväskylä (5-6 in Total)

 

 

 

So 2 czechs Vitkovice and Sparta Prague, 3 swedens clubs Frolunda, Linkoping and Växjo and 3 clubs from Switzerland Bern, Fribourg and one of Zurich/Lugano remains in the competition for the quarter finals.

 

Incredible but true, there no more any Finlands team in the competition

 

 

 

 

wow! I'm quite shocked by the Finnish epic fail...

by the way, yesterday I watched the 2 games of the Czech teams...and it wasn't the most entertaining show of the week, I must say...

Vitkovice vs Liberec was played at a very slow pace, with many youngsters getting a lot more ice time than what they get in their own domestic league and all the highlights condensed just in the 3rd period and OT...the only good note was the Ostrava arena, almost filled to capacity...

meanwhile, Sparta Prague played a great game, but it was clear that HV71 didn't have any special interest in this tournament (they played a lot of youngsters for longer than normal, too)...and moreover, watching the stadium basically empty was really depressing...

right now, instead, I'm watching Zurich vs Lugano...and once again we have an empty stadium and teams playing with less than 1% the intensity and hustle they have in their domestic NLA matches...

frankly, I really don't understand why almost every European Hockey Club (and European Hockey fans, too) always seem to boycott this way any attempt to establish a true European Hockey Flagship event...we saw the same attitude in the past and nothing seems to have changed, despite all the the shouting when this competition was restarted 3 years ago and the IIHF's good will...

[hckošice 14,899]

41 minutes ago, phelps said:

 

wow! I'm quite shocked by the Finnish epic fail...

by the way, yesterday I watched the 2 games of the Czech teams...and it wasn't the most entertaining show of the week, I must say...

Vitkovice vs Liberec was played at a very slow pace, with many youngsters getting a lot more ice time than what they get in their own domestic league and all the highlights condensed just in the 3rd period and OT...the only good note was the Ostrava arena, almost filled to capacity...

meanwhile, Sparta Prague played a great game, but it was clear that HV71 didn't have any special interest in this tournament (they played a lot of youngsters for longer than normal, too)...and moreover, watching the stadium basically empty was really depressing...

right now, instead, I'm watching Zurich vs Lugano...and once again we have an empty stadium and teams playing with less than 1% the intensity and hustle they have in their domestic NLA matches...

frankly, I really don't understand why almost every European Hockey Club (and European Hockey fans, too) always seem to boycott this way any attempt to establish a true European Hockey Flagship event...we saw the same attitude in the past and nothing seems to have changed, despite all the the shouting when this competition was restarted 3 years ago and the IIHF's good will...

 

Yes, it is a mistery for me too, especially when you consider the sigificant enthusiasm and interest among the club of small countries which is considerably higher than among the top clubs and top nations. I don´t know why..

 

for example here is the interest reaaly great. Nitra for example had one of the best attendances, and their fans traveled in higher numbers also for the away matches like this in Plzeň, you can see that they practically were the only peoples in the stadium, incredible if you consider that we are talking about fans from away team, at least they did great atmosphere

 

 

and atmosphere at home champions league matches (this one against Viking Stavanger )

 

 

 

[hckošice 14,899]

Zurich defeated Lugano 4-2 after overtime (6-5 aggr.) in the swiss derby and is the last 8th quarterfinalists of the Champions league.

 

The QF are scheduled 6th december and 13th december the 2nd leg.

[hckošice 14,899]

Tomorrow we will have a important NHL - IIHF meeting in New York about possible participation of the NHLers in PyeongChang... still doesn´t look good..

 

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/growing-skepticism-ahead-nhl-iihf-olympics-meeting-wednesday/

[hckošice 14,899]

as expected doesn´t look good for a possible deal...most likely after 5 consecutive winter olympics appearance we will have again a ice hockey tournament without NHL players. last time it was in Lillehammer 1994.

 

http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/18065270/nhl-meeting-olympics-end-decision

[hckošice 14,899]

Hockey Hall Of Fame inducts four

International achievements this year’s theme

The Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto inducted four new members last night, and all of them are known for their international careers as much as their play in the NHL.

Eric Lindros, Sergei Makarov, Pat Quinn, and Rogatien Vachon were all honoured for their years of service to the game, and each one crafted an induction speech touching on their lives in hockey.

Lindros was the biggest name this night, physically and figuratively. A giant even as a teenager, he was a super-power forward who could hit as hard as anyone but who had hands of gold around the net.

Lindros was famously the first overall draft choice of the Quebec Nordiques in 1991, but he refused to play for the team and forced a trade, to Philadelphia, which resulted in Quebec acquiring, among others, Peter Forsberg. Lindros went on to have a great NHL career, notably centring a line with American John LeClair and Swede Mikael Renberg known as the Legion of Doom.

At his best in the mid-1990s, Lindros won the Hart Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award during the shortened 1994-95 season, and a year later he had his only 100-point season, finishing with 47 goals, 68 assists, and 115 total points. Although he never won the Stanley Cup, he was the most dominant player of his generation.

In addition to his NHL career, which was cut short because of concussion problems, Lindros was a force with Team Canada. He won two gold medals in three appearances at the World Junior Championships, played at the 1993 senior Worlds, and played in both the 1991 Canada Cup and 1996 World Cup. Most important, though, he was on Canada’s gold-medal Olympic team of 2002 and also won a silver at the 1992 Olympics as an 18-year-old in Albertville.

Lindros made a tremendous gesture at the end of his speech last night, calling his younger brother to the stage to share the moment with him. Brett was forced to retire after only 51 NHL games because of his own serious head injuries. “I’d like to close this chapter with you beside me,” the “Big E” said with Brett by his side.

Makarov was the opposite of Lindros in many ways, but he was equally a great player of a different style. Makarov was diminutive by comparison, and didn’t play in the NHL until age 30. But by the time he made his NHL debut, with Calgary, he had already won eight gold medals at the World Championships and two gold medals at the Olympics (1984, 1988).

Playing on the famed KLM line with Igor Larionov and Vladimir Krutov, Makarov was a dynamic offensive force in the Soviet Union. In 101 World Championship games, he scored 55 goals and 123 points to rank among the top scorers in IIHF history.

The entire KLM line has been inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame, and Makarov joins Larionov in the Hockey Hall of Fame. “As great a player as he was on the ice, he was an even greater person off ice,” Larionov commented last night.

Also inducted into the IIHF Hall this past May was Pat Quinn, and he was honoured again last night. The late coach had a remarkable career, winning gold at the Olympics, World Cup, U18 and U20. He also ranks 7th on the all-time list in wins at the NHL level.

As in Moscow in May, Quinn was represented by his daughter, Kalli, and, as in May, she had a tough time controlling her emotions. Quinn passed away in 2014, leaving behind many admirers not only for his on-ice success but his generosity of time and spirit off ice.

“For those of you who know my father, you know that he would be taken aback by this recognition,” Kalli said, voice cracking with emotion. “Believe it or not, he would be at a loss for words.”

Last but not least, goaltender Rogie Vachon was accorded a very late honour. He is best remembered by international fans as the small goalie who played a huge role in Canada’s victory in the inaugural Canada Cup, in 1976. In the NHL, Vachon played on three Stanley Cup-winning teams with Montreal between 1966 and 1972.

After being traded to Los Angeles, he was the Kings’ top goalie for many years, and soon after he retired in 1982 his number 30 was retired by the team. Incredibly, 34 years after his final game, he is now a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Vachon made the most touching conclusion to his speech by talking about how the induction experience was incomplete for him. “There is someone very important missing here,” he began in a whisper. “I just lost my wife Nicole. I wish she could be here. Sometimes it’s not fair. She should be here, but it’s not going to happen. She was a wonderful woman. We spent 45 years together. I love you. I’ll see you on the other side.”

 

[hckošice 14,899]

Today start the 3rd round of the Continental Cup.

 

2 groups of 4 are scheduled this weekend in Denmark and Italy. first 2 teams from both round-robin tournaments will qualify for the final round.

 

In Odense will play the host Odense Bulldogs, runner-up Angers Ducs, champion HC Donbass Donetsk and qualified from previous round champion Nottingham Panthers.

 

In Ritten will plays the host Italian reigning champion Ritten Sports, vice-champion Shakhtyor Soligorsk, champion Beibarys Atyrau and winning team from previous round runner up GKS Tychy.

 

 

 

 

[hckošice 14,899]

Day 1 of the Continental Cup 3rd Round

 

 

In Group 1. Angers Ducs defeated HC Donbass Donetsk   3-2 and Nottingham Panthers the host Odense Bulldogs   5-4.

 

Nottingham and Angers started the round-robin tournament with 3 points, Odense and Donbass without points.

 

 

In Group 2. Beibarys Atyrau won against Shakhtyor Soligorsk   4-1 and host Ritten Sport over GKS Tychy   4-3.

 

Beibarys and Ritten lead the group standing both with 3 points, Tychy and Soligorsk with 0 points.

[Finnator123 292]

About CHL, thankfully it's a BS league for most finns (Not me) so it was forgotten very quickly