The Hockey National Team: Why did the bright world championship end with tears in the eyes? Hockey

Probably, if someone said a week ago that hockey fans in Ukraine would be upset from the elite, not returning to the IB Division, it would cause, if not shock, then at least surprise.

The players of the national team of Ukraine performed demiurges, messiangs, almost gods – gave hope to fans – and themselves, of course – and took it themselves. Despair. Great despair. It was written by tears on the face of most collections, although only real men play hockey. Men Don’t Cry is the same lie as Money have no smell.

Perhaps a little and wrong to look for reasons for criticism after the speech, which in the total result is a total of 5+. We will not do that. We will summarize the results that will help move on .. and then – New peaks.

Reason # 1. The game is in the majority

31 minutes and 51 seconds. It was for so much time « blue and yellow » in the majority. This with a stock is the best performance of the tournament.

A total of 17 quantitative advantages. No one was implemented. Even the Romanians who have completely failed the home -made World Cup were able to use the 5 to 4 format once.

The leader was the Japanese – 4/15. They showed their skills of « samurai » and in the eye duel against the team of Dmitry Christich.

Well, you can somehow justify such actions against Italy and the United Kingdom. These teams were approached in the status of favorites. Somehow you can explain this in a duel with Poland – a strong team. With Romania, the score did not make it full, because there was comfortable to break away in the first 10 minutes, sending the puck three times to the gate grid.

But with Japan … No, no one diminishes the level of the team from Asia (especially, we cannot overcome them in the official match for 10 years). Here is another. Namely: the Japanese approached the match without two major players, had no tournament motivation, but The most important twice (!) remained in format 3 by 5.

For the majority, there was everything: throws, control of the washer in the opponent’s zone, and even annoying mistakes that led to the removal of Ukraine. The same Deniskin was fined when they had two players.

If the national team went out into the elite right after the Ib Division – It would be a miracle. If the elite came out a team that has 0% quantitative advantage in five matches – It would be a miracle # 2.

Reason # 2. Protection played securely but not brightly

For 5 matches None of the defenders was distinguished by the abandoned puck. Yes, it is not their main work, but also Igor Merezhko, and Philip Pangelov-Yuldashev have a powerful blow.

The throw from them was scarce. And sometimes there were moments that are particularly unfortunate to mention: the peculiar broke, the opponent blocked, the miss on the washer.

There was also not enough to throw on the gates of rivals. If you look then most of the heads of the national team – This is only the merit of the players of the attacker (especially the first link, but later) with individual actions or rapidly the fluttering of the washer after intercepting as a result of active pressing.

I understand that the level of rivals in this league is much higher. For two previous World Cup Network for 10 matches threw 7 pucks, Pangelov -Yuldashev – 4 washers for 9 duels.

Igor Network Statistics on Last Year’s World Cup in Ib Division

EliteProspects.com screenshot

Pangaelova-Yuldashev’s statistics on last year’s World Cup

EliteProspects.com screenshot

I will repeat just in case. Everyone understands everything. Undoubtedly, even the fourth link of the Italians and the British has a higher level than the first links of last year’s rivals. Still, you want the washers and sharpness in the attack.

Reason # 3 first link – super. And then?

We have a weak championship. And every year only becomes weaker. These theses are heard every year.

Looking at the statistics of this tournament, it is thought that the best masters of this game with the Ukrainian passport are at home.

Viktor Zakharov threw 6 washers. He is 31 years old. Forward for a career only once played abroad – The 2014/15 season spent in Kazakhstan. The rest of the years played for Falcon, Donbas, Legion (Kalush) and Falcon again.

Another forward of Kyivans Denis Borodai was the most relaxed in the attack. He was not ashamed to go at speed, to throw (which is worth the goal at the Great Britain), just sharpen.

22-year-old Denis in 5 matches against the weaker rivals had scored only 1 assistant and did not throw a single puck. But the year of the game in the native league did not lower its level, but vice versa. He fits perfectly into the first link in Zakharov and Denikin.

First link leaders hit the top three tournament players

But other links were unable to support this level. Tryka Zakharov (6) – Denikin (4) – Borodai (1) threw 11 pucks out of 16. Straight Greek – Curri – Anderson from Edmonton of the 80’s.

Reason # 4. Dyachenko’s injury

Alexander Levshin is only 18 years old. As for his age he plays very reliably. It is enough to look at all six missed washers to make sure that none of them, as they say, are not « goalkeeper ». Of course, the chances of saving were, but goals « workers ». They could be missed by both a lover in some shopping mall and Conor Hellibak or Martin Broder. This is already this hockey that is here for the goalkeeper and the puck-two for the match – Already a good result

Everything is known in comparison. Bogdan Dyachenko spent absolutely phenomenally all his 3 matches. Goalkeeper of the Kiev falcon (And again – From our native championship!) missed only three times, made 83 saves (96.51%), made 1 out of 2 brown -ups in the tournament, won a series of Bulites against the Italians, parrying all 4 attempts by « Skuadra Apsocurism ».

And here Levshin in Bulites did not help – Two attempts by the British implemented, and the third time crossed the cross. If the victory was in that match, then as a result of the tournament we would have 10 points and reach the strongest division.

However, history does not know the concept of « what if ». There may be no goalkeeper, and if it would be, not the fact that Bogdan would show such a performance.

In short, our last border was securely protected, but we would like to protect Dyachenko in the last game.

Goalkeeper statistics at the World Cup

Screenshot Iihf.com

Reason # 5. Psychology does not train

Frankly, Japan was predicted by the main competitor for the « blue and yellow ». That is, it was necessary to keep the importance of this match in advance, before the beginning of the world championship.

Probably, it was for this purpose that they held a friendly match on the eve of the World Cup. Then the victory was for the national team of Ukraine.

But in official matches, representatives of the country of the Sun, which rise to play Ukrainians already 8 matches in a row – every time in the main time. The difference of washer is terrifying – 13:34.

Even the defeat of May 3 was permissible – not in the main time. But that didn’t work out .. The revenge will be in a year.

iihf.com

If you managed to pick up points from the British, beat Italy and « out » Romania with Poland, maybe the Japanese are not so invincible?

The combinations were. Character not surrender after 1: 3 in the account also showed, And the mentality of the winner was missing.

The main thing is to believe in your own strength. If you have already flew, you need to wave the wings to the end, because the turbulence and hope for other teams does not bring good. Get ready to fall. No one will lay a straw to soften the fall.

Such is the nature of the Ukrainian fan. You showed you can – We believed.