IIHF World Championship 2021

[SteelerBlade]

SLOVAKIAN SQUAD: (Will face GB):

https://www.eliteprospects.com/team/1632/slovakia

The Slovakians, under the stewardship of experienced 70yr old ex-NHL coach Craig Ramsay, have named a side full of quality playing all over Europe. There are players from both the Czech & Slovakian Extraligas, as well as KHL, SHL & Liiga to name but a few.

6”5” ex-KHL forward Pavol Skalický will be tough to handle after netting 24 times in Finland this year. Experienced Spartak Moskva netminder Július Hudáček will provide a very strong base behind a D that consists of 6”4” , 40+ point man Martin Gernát, recently crowned Czech Extraliga champion with HC Oceláři Třinec. Playmaker Marek Hrívik, of the SHL’s Leksands IF will likely be on the top unit having the most domestic points this year in the squad. Overall looks a very well rounded side of players experienced all over Europe, will be tough.

[SteelerBlade]

SWISS SQUAD: (Will face GB)

https://www.eliteprospects.com/team/151 ... nd#players

Switzerland, coached by long-time Swiss National League player & coach Patrick Fischer, have named a side of mainly Swiss National League players with some NHLers added in.

The highlight name must surely be New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier, drafted 1st overall in 2017. Other names you may recognise are current San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier & former Montréal & Colorado forward Sven Andrighetto.

Of the Swiss NL players, a number have faced EIHL opposition before in the Champions League with SC Bern, HC Davos & ZSC Zürich.

Veteran captain Raphael Díaz is consistently amongst the top defenceman in the league and won the championship this year with EV Zug, leading the league in +/-.

Playmaker Enzo Corvi was 4th in league scoring with 52 points on an average side, earning himself a spot in the media all-star side. Killian Mottet & Dario Simion are other forwards in top form coming into this.

An experienced netminding duo of Renato Berra & Leonardo Genoni will be tough for us to score on.

[SteelerBlade]

Pete Russell will not be taking charge of GB in Latvia for personal reasons.

Adam Keefe & Corey Neilson will be the men in charge.

[SteelerBlade]

1st games in each group over:

Group A:

Russia 4-3 Czech Republic

Russia Scorers:
Anton Burdasov
Artyom Shvets-Rogovoi
Alexander Barabanov
Mikhail Grigorenko

Czech Republic Scorers:
Jakub Flek
Jakub Vrána
Dominik Kubalík

Group B:

Germany 9-4 Italy

Germany Scorers:
Tom Kühnhackl
Moritz Müller
Tobias Rieder
Frederik Tiffels
Marcel Noebels X2
Lukas Riechel
Matthias Plachta
Leo Pföderl

Italy Scorers:
Alex Petan
Luca Frigo
Anthony Bardaro
Daniel Frank

[JohnJ]

GB beat Belarus to move up to 5th after 4 games.

Liam Kirk is currently joint top goal scorer.

[SteelerBlade]

Great result against a side full of KHL talent.

[Mark_Kelly]

Liam Kirk.... crikey almighty, I'd be surprised if we see him back at the House Of Steel for a few years, he's gonna get snapped up

[SteelerBlade]

Liam Kirk.... crikey almighty, I'd be surprised if we see him back at the House Of Steel for a few years, he's gonna get snapped up

Yeah no way he doesn’t trigger his get out, Allsvenskan sides already interested. But the Arizona organisation still own his rights for another year so get the final say.

[SteelerBlade]

GB end the tournament with 4 points, double what we achieved in Slovakia. Should Belarus lose in regulation today we will have enough to have survived relegation anyway if it was in force.

[SteelerBlade]

Canada take gold!

Most Points: Connor Brown (CAN - 16)

Most Goals: Andrew Mangiapane (CAN) & Liam Kirk (GBR) both with 7 in 7.

Most Assists: Connor Brown (CAN - 14)

Best +/-: Dmitri Voronkov (RUS - +9)

Most Penalised: Matthias Plachta (GER - 16PIMs)

Best SV%: Cal Petersen (USA - 95.34%)