Brankárska otázka
(SLOVENSKÁ VERZIA TEXTU NIŽŠIE)
For me, the „goalie riddle“ has been solved for almost three years. Braňo is No. 1 and recently it was just a matter of finding a more experienced substitute than Filip Orčík is – just to make sure we have a safe option during the play-offs in case anything happens to Braňo.
I trust and rely on Braňo – especially this season – more then ever before. He had saved Slovan from a disaster on several ocassions, or had won games on his own when the forwards were not able to convert the greatest of chances they created. It appears however – at least on the internet chats – that for the third season there are still some scoffers who are not willing to recognise Braňo's achievements. Well, no wonder! If I take into account that for example one of the most outspoken ones actually has not been to a single game in person this season (am I wrong Vlad?). That apparently does not prevent him from criticising wildly. Who knows how it is with the others who have been getting to my nerves with bad-mouthing Braňo since the final in Ružinov. In that memorable season Slovan had played well untill the ill-fated finals came, which by my opinion Slovan lost in the second game played home. I am still haunted by a memory in which Miro Lažo scored to lead 2:1 – meaning Slovan was leading for the first time in that final. However shortly after „Kuľha and Hujer's“ line conceded two goals in less then 60 second time and that was basically the end of it.
I would rather avoid talking about the last season at all and as I said earlier Braňo's goalkeeping so far this season has been (even when on antibiotics) outstanding.
At the same time, I very much welcome the arrival of Tomi Karhunen. Although it is a bit too soon to judge I would say Tomi seems to be pretty good and ambitious goaltender and it is only desirable that he creates a healthy competition for the No. 1 post. The only thing which I could criticise are the goals he conceded between the legs. But I am sure he is already working hard to improve that aspect of his game.
Whoever the manager chooses to put into the net will have my full support and I'll have fingers crossed for both of them (and thus for Slovan) to do well.
And to some of my fellow net-scribblers: Please consider if it is appropriate to call yourselves „a fan of HC Slovan“ and at the same time to actually wish for one of the playres not to play well and only wait for his mistakes so you can unleash your aversion. I do not see any logic in it, though I just might be wrong.
PS: off the “goalie topic” – I'd like to add that I was very pleasantly surprised with Kevin's performance during the first game. I wish he will keep playing like that as long as it gets! It's actually quite amusing that a presumed „hit-man“ seems to be after all better forward then half of the squad. His potential in our league is higher then just beating other guys and it would be a shame to waste it like that. I believe he can make a lot of points and leave the beating to defensemen – that's what they are there for after all.
Pre mňa je brankárska otázka zodpovedaná už tri roky. Braňo je jednotka a bolo len potrebné zohnať k nemu náhradníka, ktorý má viac skúseností ako Filip Orčík, pre prípad nejakého Braňovho zranenia, alebo choroby počas play off.
Špeciálne v tejto sezóne verím Braňovi viac ako kedykoľvek pred tým. Niekoľkokrát zachránil Slovan od hanby, alebo vychytal tesné víťazstvo keď sa útočníkom nedarilo triafať. Zdá sa však, aspoň podľa diskusií na internete, že už tretiu sezónu tu máme skupinku jeho zaznávačov, ktorí akosi nie sú ochotní vidieť realitu tak ako je. Niet divu, keď zoberiem do úvahy, že napríklad jeden v najvášnivejších prispievateľov-kritikov Braňa nebol túto sezónu ani na jedinom zápase osobne (či Vlad?), čo mu však nebráni kydať o106. Kto vie ako je to s ostatnými, čo mi už od ružinovského finále lezú na nervy s ich hádzaním viny na Braňa. V tú pamätnú sezónu hralo mužstvo dobre až do osudného finále, ktoré Slovan podľa mňa stratil v druhom domácom zápase. Do dnes ma máta živá spomienka, ako Miro Lažo dal v druhej tretine na 2:1, čo zmanemalo, že sme v tej sérii prvý krát viedli, ale vzápätí si „Kuľha s Hujerom“ nechali nasúkať dva góly v priebehu minúty a bolo po finále. Minulú sezónu si netreba pripomínať, ale ako som už povedal túto sezónu chytá Braňo (niekedy aj na antibiotikách) vynikajúco.
Príchod Tomiho Karhunena veľmi vítam. Je síce ešte priskoro na hodnotenie, ale javí sa ako šikovný ambiciózny brankár a je len dobre, že vytvorí zdravú konkurenciu na brankárskom poste. Jediné čo mu možno vytknúť sú lacné góly, ktoré dostal medzi betóny, ale som si istý, že na tom rýchlo popracuje. Kohokoľvek tréneri postavia na zápasy ten bude mať moju podporu a budem im obom fandiť, aby sa im a tým pádom aj Slovanu darilo.
Niektorých mojich internetových spolu-pisálkov by som sa chcel spýtať, či sa im zdá v poriadku vydávať sa za fanúšika Slovana a pritom sa takmer tešiť z chýb niektorého z hráčov a len na ne čakať, aby sa mohli vyzúriť? Mne osobne to nedáva žiadnu logiku, ale možno je chyba na mojej strane.
PS: ešte by som mimo brankársku tému rád povedal, že Kevinov výkon v prvom zápase ma veľmi milo prekvapil a prajem mu nech v tom vydrží tak dlho ako sa len dá! Pretože je až úsmevné že náš nový „tvrdý muž“ hokejovo predčil v danom zápase viac ako polovicu útočníkov. Jeho potenciál je o mnoho väčší než sa len biť a v našej lige by ho bola škoda nevyužiť. Verím, že ho naplní a nech sa ruvú obrancovia. Na to by tam koniec-koncov mali byť.
P | Tím | Z | B |
---|---|---|---|
1. | CSKA Moskva | 38 | 81 |
2. | Jokerit Helsinki | 38 | 68 |
3. | Lokomotiv Jaroslavľ | 40 | 77 |
4. | Torpedo Nižnij Novgorod | 39 | 67 |
5. | HC Soči | 39 | 65 |
6. | Dynamo Moskva | 39 | 65 |
7. | SKA Petrohrad | 38 | 62 |
8. | Dinamo Minsk | 38 | 56 |
9. | Medveščak Záhreb | 40 | 56 |
10. | HC SLOVAN Bratislava | 40 | 55 |
11. | Spartak Moskva | 39 | 50 |
12. | Viťaz Podolsk | 39 | 46 |
13. | Dinamo Riga | 37 | 46 |
14. | Severstaľ Čerepovec | 38 | 40 |
# | Hráč | Z | B |
---|---|---|---|
1. | Barker Cam | 36 | 27 |
2. | Kaspar Lukas | 38 | 24 |
3. | Ticar Rok | 37 | 19 |
4. | Jeglic Ziga | 40 | 18 |
5. | Bartovic Milan | 40 | 15 |
6. | Nagy Ladislav | 34 | 14 |
7. | Stastny Andrej | 31 | 13 |
8. | Surovy Tomas | 40 | 12 |
9. | Viedensky Marek | 40 | 12 |
10. | Nedorost Vaclav | 34 | 11 |