So the WC's started today with the USA spanking Austria 6-2 in the opening game of the tournament, An expect result of course and Finland thumped the Ukrainians 5-0. I like this competition despite it being rated as "Mickey Mouse" by some. I wonder if the tournament would actually gain some more respect in North America if it was played later in the year. Anyway the competition gives a few of the European based players a chance to shine on the world stage, a chance for them to show the T.V cameras from around the globe what they can do out on the ice. Take Zbynek Irgl of the Czech Republic. He became a national hero last year after he scored 7:58 into overtime to give the Czechs a 4-3 victory over Russia in the quarter-finals. A moment the Vitkovice forward and many fans will never forget...
I think this years competition is going to be a very close fought affair. It's highly competitive with the games amongst the bigger teams being very difficult to call. I think the Slovaks and the Russians have the most talented forwards lines. The Russians have named a very strong squad including Malkin, Ovechkin, Morozov, Kovalchuk, Radulov, Forlov and Gonchar. They of course also have the home crowd on their side in Moscow. That is why I'm tipping them to take the gold medal this time around. I expect run and gun hockey from them with plenty of goals being scored and little attention being paid to the defence.
The silver medal, could go to any team really. So hard to predict the Czechs, Slovaks, Canadians, Finns and Americans are all obviously in with a decent shout. I'd love to see the Czechs picking up a medal but I'm not so sure it's their year, too many questions about the line-up chosen. I think the Canadians will have the goal-tending to take them far, probably up their with the Finns as the best in the competition but I question their commitment to the tournament. So I'm going to go with the Finns for the Silver. They deserve some more success, I love their hockey and they have the main man Janne Pesonen on their squad.
Bronze will go to Slovakia. Marián Hossa, Miroslav Šatan, Richard Zedník, Pavol Demitra, Marián Gáborík and Branko Radivojevič will see to that!
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