World Juniors: Alberta

The refereeing in the final was so biased against Russia as to make the result bogus. Russia was under constant pressure to be penalized by Canadian refs. WJC is actually a bogus event like Canada Cup. Altho it says IIHF in actuality IIHF gave it over to Canada to run years ago. If you notice the refs uniforms do not say IIHF. Thats because they are not IIHF refs. They are Canadian. Russian refs are not invited to participate. I am telling you this because it means nothing to me who wins, but I do care when a bogus event is portrayed as officially sanctioned & fair when it is not. I saw Canadian referees talking to Swedish players which is Not allowed. They talked to Swedish players throughout the game to reassure them. Like I said following the 3rd period of Russia- Canada the refereeing was beyong bad. It was criminal fixing.

I am biased concerning this perhaps since I chant for my Sweden. But generally refs a re allowed to communicate with the players, which is probably welcomed by all involved out their on the ice.
I also don´t see why a ref. would be bogus in this game?! What would be the reason? I do agree that there were some instances later on where he definately should have peanalised a couple of swedes. But then he on the contrary missed a couple earlier in the match against the russians. And if we look in hind-sight the russians held strong in box play and subsequently wasn´t punnished by any bogus. The goal was made through an indvidual effort for that matter when no russian was in the peanalty box. Also we could see that the swedes played at times even better when playing 5 on 5. With all this set apart I think it´s safe to say that Sweden outplayed the russians for most part. I don´t remember the shots statistics but it tells all the story really. I know it has nothing to do with your questioning but I´m guessing that even the most biased russian watching the game could see that the swedes outplayed them and that 1-0 was a fair result in the end (Golden goal).
Mind you the Russians played really fine hockey throughout the tournament but against Sweden it was above all their goalie keeping the scores down. The only other player that impressed was off course their big star Kuznetsov.
I´m sure Russia will be a hard nut to crack next year on home turf. Russia a great hockey nation just like Canada!


ifkgötet

That comment is pretty asinine there fella. There were only 6 penalties the entire game. Truth of the matter is because it was Canadian referees they would've called the game Canadian-style, which is to allow more physicality and call only obvious penalties.

I agree that the Canada Cup was a bogus event. The only purpose of it was to allow for Canada and the Soviet Union to ice their best players against each other because their was no other venue to allow for it.

There were only 3 Canadian officials in the tournament. Even the Gold Medal game wasn't an all-Canadian officiating crew, there was a Swiss Referee too. Every participating nation also gets to provide on-ice officials, the Canada-Finland Bronze medal game had a Russian referee, an American referee, and one linesman from Germany and one from the U.S. The Sweden-Russia game was the first Gold Medal game featuring Canadian officials since 2001 since Canada had been involved in every Gold Medal game between 2002-2011.

What the hell are you talking about? Officials are allowed to talk to players. If you rewatch the game you'll see Russian players talking to the officials too. It always happens, players don't like or understand calls so they talk to officials to complain or seek clarification.

You realize Canada had three times as many penalty minutes as Russia in that game, right?

Canada will not participate in a game where the refs are Russian. Canada refuses to allow their hockey to be judged by Russian values. But Canada has no restraints about imposing its narrow values on Russian hockey. WJC is as bogus as it gets. The 3rd period of Canada-Russia was one of the most biased I have ever seen. The final was reffed in such a way that Russia were afraid to throw a check. & of course Sweden were not afraid to check. The whole event is bogus. Somebody even posted an article by a Canadian writer saying exactly that. The WJC has been bogus for 10-15 years now. Its like wrestling. It looks like hockey but there are so much shenanigans that make it bogus. The format is rigged. Its entirely run by Canada. a legit wjc would be run by IIHF. NO talking to players is not allowed. If you think talking to players is OK then you know very little about hockey. refs can talk to coaches when & if the need arises. I don't care who on this board thinks this or that. Have an opinion - its ok but don't kid yourself. Don't take stupid hockey pills.

In regards to next years WJC ... Canada will be setting it up. IIHF turned over operations of the event to Canada. Canada sets up the format, schedule, hires the refs etc. Its a Jr. Canada Cup.

Refs and captains talk to each other all the time. For claiming to know so much about hockey, you really know very little.

If we mention the refereeing part it´s always going to be a subjective matter in one way or another. Referees are no robots.

If we turn it around (as you would see it)and say that if the russians would have had some of the most biased referees ever seen ("helping them") they could have changed the outcome of the final this time around. Sweden were so overwhelmingly outplaying their opponents that my guess is that they would have been triumphant anyways......And as I wrote, Sweden actually played better 5 on 5.

But I must protest strongly against the the part you mention concerning the referees not being allowed to communicate with players and for that matter coaches. I have watched games each week in Elitserien in Sweden for about 23 years now and not once have there been any referee not keeping a communication going with the players and coaches. There´s a rather apparent reason to why they do so: To get a good sense of the game and get "the feel of it". I think a referee not doing so is a bad referee actually. Also if you notice for example there are times when players might be injured and f.ex linesmen aren´t quite sure. They then have to ask the player if he´s okey. Or you might have instances where a referee has to explain why he´s taken a certain decision if players are swarming him. But sure there are different refereeing-styles. Some are more communicating than others. My guess is that players generally preferr referees that are the latter of the two.

I guess you don´t read what we write!? You just continue to spew your discontempt. There´s no use arguing since you unable to grasp any of the input given to you......!?

But off course if you don´t agree with me I still respect that you have a different perspective concerning these matters.


ifkgötet

Is there no end to your whinging? Canada lost and you're still bitter. You must be a real joy to hang around with in real life.

Canada took over control of wjc because the IIHF was uninterested in an U20 canada Cup. The only country that values it is canada. I don't get too many disagreements on this topic. There is no pot of gold outside canada on this event. So with NO IIHF control it became another canada cup. it "looks" legit but insiders know better.
With regards to this years event, the game you mentioned that supposedly had a russian referee......... the game turned out to be meaningless so naturally, if they used a russian ref its because it was meaningless & the ref had no chance to do any "damage" to canada. I have said IMO the refereeing in the 3rd period ofCan-Rus & the final was biased to such a degree as to make the event bogus. I stand by that. There is a great need to bring Russian hockey down - that its some kind of USSR placing the world under its boot nonsense. Russia plays a fast fair game of hockey with abundant passing. They don't resort to interfering with other teams goalies to win games. It is natural that canada wants to bring Russian hockey down - they are jealous beyond belief. Russia put up with the biased refereeing and while it was a great burden they still were able to display their qualities as much as they were allowed to. We are talking about fixing youth hockey - canada = pathetic.

Did you see the final? Did Sweden perhaps outplay Russia. Sweden was the team playing entertaing hockey. Russia were for most part having their backs against the wall. Sweden played actually better as a whole being 5 on 5. The game winning goal was thoroughly deserved if we look at the flow of the game, the number of chances created. Has someone in here got the shots statistics f.ex from the match?

Could you perhaps agree that Sweden were the clearly better side in the match?

FoxTerrier is still going on about the refereeing being biased in favour of Canada despite Canada having almost 3x as many penalty minutes in that game vs. Russia?

I saw a swedish player try to take out the russian goalie and as I remember it it was not penalized. in addition a swedish player nailed a russian player at the blueline drawing blood and again there was no penalty. Had a russian player did these fouls they'd be in the box ndai. The canadian refereeing was biased beyond belief. HOWEVER Russia was able to compose themselves and made a game out of it. You have to understand that you are not watching objectively - you are rooting. The degree of instability the refs caused to the russian team made all the difference in a 1-0 game. They had to play twice as hard to overcome it.

You think you saw a fairly played game. If you do well all I can say is I tried to wise you up. One thing about Russian hockey - canada have tried very hard to bring russian hockey down & you need to ask why that is. The russian coaches going back to the beginnings the 50's have tried to give their players an astute knowledge of hockey & what they need to do to go out in the world & represent the country. They don't want players doing things that bring them down as a country or as players. They want the players to have all the tools to succeed & then they can hold their heads high. They are not cheaters. They don't injure other players recklessly. don't screen goalies - don't kick pucks in etc. they leave that cheating crap to the lesser countries with no morals left. & this is why canada needs to bring russian hockey down. They occupy the moral high ground. In teaching these kids they sometimes become predictable like always passing on 2 on 1s. They played that final for one perfect shot & they succeeded. it was a back door pass - Unfortunately it didn't go in. If the russian player would have shot on the 2 on 1 instead of pass they might have had the game but canada would have just cheated some more so its just as well ......... the russian team played a great final & that is that.

Canada controlling the event means... they get to use their refs to control who wins. If IIHF was controlling the event, perhaps different refs - more - honest refs would have been appointed. If you notice on tv NHL Network calls it the "2012 IIHF WJC" - they are trying to continue the charade that IIHF controls it which is nonsense. But the fact that they are using those terms on tv means they know it isn't fairly operated & are trying to cover that up. I never heard anybody say what country the refs are from IN addition..... They need to use all 4 refs from the same country in the games & not split them up. IIHF refs are taught at seminars & given a certificate & used at various events. the WJC uses refs who are not IIHF certified. Just like Canada Cup used NHL refs not IIHF certified. that is why canada controlling the event makes it bogus. the refs are not certified.

I respect your opinion, but hey as I rwote earlier. Sweden outshot the Russian overwhelmingly and also were much better 5 on 5 (when the ref. wasn´t interfering all the time as you would see it). He also missed some incidents where Russians should have gone to the peanalty box. Did you perhaps witness the swedish icehockey style? It is by large similar to the russian style. A good passing display with players having good sound technique when it comes to puck handling and as such. You perhaps didn´t know that the swedish style is more centred around that style rather than the trans-atlantic style? Look at most of the swedes that have travelled across the pond. Most of them are technically skilled. I mention this since you seem to prefer that style more. And you also wrote that the russians have a tradition of more fair-play? From what I as a swede have learnt (and we have met thess russian NT-teams often) is that they seem to have developed a good diving technique. But sure the Czechs are even more skilled in that. At least they used to be. By the way, the Finns are the ones in Europe that plays more direct hockey. A more Trans Atlantic style if you like. Go after them intead. But just remember again-Swedish icehockey players are generally very technically skilled (puckhandling and so on....).

I am not going to put down the swedish team altho that player crashing into the goalie the way he did was a 5 min. major for intent to injure. in addition the incident at the blueline in which a russian player got nailed drawing blood was also a 5 min. major foul. its easy to play if the referees have your back. you can do stuff and not be held accountable. a real iihf ref is trained to look for drug use by players. that is why canada don't want them. they are users. an iihf ref is not going to allow the level of violence canada likes. they are strict but fair. canada refs use the 3 foul system. they get to foul you 3 times before being called. you get 1 foul before being called.