Sport Ireland’s Post

2024 European Ice Hockey Awards: Take a look at the top players from every country in Europe before the 2024/25 season Hockey Europe is a breeding ground for top talent. At the same time, North American media pays little attention to them—and this is understandable. The favourites in Canada and the USA will always be local players. Many European stars absolutely undeservedly do not get on the front pages of NHL sports media. Today, I decided to correct this injustice and publish the list of the best players from each of the European countries. Do you agree with it? Write your opinion in the comments. Deutscher Eishockey-Bund e.V. – Leon Draisaitl (C/LW) – EDM/NHL Czech Republic – David Pastrnak (RW) – BOS/NHL Suomen Jääkiekkoliitto - Finlands Ishockeyförbund - Finnish Ice Hockey Association – Aleksander Barkov – (C) FLA/NHL Svenska Ishockeyförbundet – Elias Pettersson – (C/LW) – VAN/NHL  Swiss Ice Hockey Federation – Roman Josi (D) – NSH/NHL Danmarks Ishockey Union – Frederik Andersen (G) – CAR/NHL  Slovenia – Anze Kopitar (C) – LAK/NHL  Hockey Slovakia – Juraj Slafkovsky (LW) – MTL/NHL  Norway – Mats Zuccarello – RW – MIN/NHL Latvia – Elvis Mirzlikins (G) – CBJ/NHL Fédération Française de Hockey-sur-Glace (FFHG) – Alexandre Texier (C/LW) – SLB/NHL Austria – Marco Rossi (C) – MIN/NHL Netherlands – Daniel Sprong (RW/LW) – VAN/NHL Italy – Damian Clara (G) – Färjestad BK/SHL Ice Hockey UK – Liam Kirk (LW/C) – Eisbären Berlin/DEL  Lithuania – Mantas Armalis (G) – Leksands IF / SHL  Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation – Vilmos Galló (LW/RW) – Linköping Hockey Club/SHL Croatia – Borna Rendulic (RW/LW)  Eesti Hoki – Robert Rooba – (LW/RW) – JYP Jyväskylä Oy/LIIGA Ukrainian Hockey – Ihor Merezhko (D) – HC PLZEN 1929 s.r.o.ň/CZE Poland – Aron Chmielewski, (RW) – HC Olomouc/CZE Romania – Radim Valchar – (LW) – CSM Corona Brasov – Erste Liga

Canada's Victory Over Finland Secures Quarter-Final Berth at 2024 IIHF World Championship Canada triumphed with a 5-3 victory over Finland in a pivotal match at the 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Prague, reinforcing their position for the quarter-finals. Overcoming initial deficits of 2-0 and 3-2, Canada took their first lead of the game with less than nine minutes remaining, thanks to Brandon Hagel's decisive goal from a play set up by John Tavares. Key contributions came from Buffalo Sabres' Dylan Cozens and Owen Power, each adding a goal and an assist, while Finland's Jesse Puljujarvi scored twice for his team. This win positions Canada strongly with 14 points and two significant upcoming games against Switzerland and Czechia in Group A, while Finland stands fourth with seven points facing matches against Denmark and Switzerland. The game was marked by its high anticipation, showcasing the skill and competitiveness expected of these top hockey nations. #CanadavsFinland #PostGame #Insights

🏒 The USA defeats Sweden in the final of the IIHF World Junior Championship. Europe is without World Cup gold again. On January 5th, the World Junior Hockey Championship final brought an enthralling game between Sweden's and the USA's teams. Playing on home ice, the Swedish squad showed remarkable stability and endurance, while the USA stood out with the championship's most potent attack. The first period favoured the Americans, who took an early lead, but Sweden was quick to equalise the score in the second 20 minutes. However, a series of errors by the Swedish team gave the USA an edge, highlighted by forward Howard's impressive performance. Despite the setback, the Swedes fought back with a goal from Leckermaki but couldn't build upon this momentum. Conversely, the USA demonstrated a robust defence, extending their lead with two more goals, including a final one into an empty net. This victory marks the sixth junior-level title for the USA, emphasising their recent dominance in hockey. It also highlights the ongoing challenges for European teams, who have not clinched the world championship title since 2019. 🤔 This game was a prime example of how every moment in hockey counts. It showed how the will to win and focus can turn the tide of a game. What are your thoughts on this match? What are your predictions for the future of junior hockey? #Hockey #Sport #SportsIndustry #USA #Sweden

#EuropeVSNHL: When will Norway catch up with New Jersey? I continue to compare the economic, financial, marketing, infrastructure and demographic capabilities of European countries and the states and provinces of the USA and Canada, where there are NHL teams, as part of the #EuropeVSNHL project. If you missed the previous posts, where I compare #CzechiaVSQuebec, #FinlandvsNevada, #SwedenvsPennsylvania, #SwitzerlandvsAlberta, #GermanyVSOntario, #SlovakiaVSUtah and #AustriaVSOhio - follow the hashtag. Today, we will look at the potential of European hockey in comparison with the NHL, using #NorwayVSNewJersey as an example. Norway vs New Jersey Take-home pay $: <12,000,000 vs 38,943,176 Population: 10.5 million vs 7.00 million GDP 2024 Billions $: 554.105 vs 799.305 Largest arena: 11,500 vs 17,565 Hockey is the primary sport in Sweden and Finland, but what about Norway? Norway is a mountainous country. Sweden and Finland are not. This would explain why Norwegians are more interested in skiing and other winter sports than hockey. Although Norwegian hockey also has its achievements: 4th place at the 1951 World Championships, 3rd place at the 1951 and 1962 European Championships. At club level in 1966, Vålerenga reached the semi-finals of the European Cup. The 11,500-capacity Hakons Hall in Lillehammer, Norway, hosted the 1999 Ice Hockey World Championship. The level of hockey in Norway has grown significantly over the past 25 years and is now competitive in Europe. For the first time in history, two Norwegian prospects were selected in the first round at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The state of New Jersey can be considered similar to Norway in terms of GDP and population in the United States. Norway's top clubs play in the EliteHockey Ligaen. In the 2023/24 season, the income net of EliteHockey Ligaen was about $12 million. For comparison, the Take-home pay of the NJD champion team in the 1994/95 season was $9.4 million. And in the 1999/2000 championship season, it was already at $17.6. By the way, the income net of neighbours from NYI in the 2010/11 season was $13.6 million. Thus, Norway is at a level of hockey development corresponding to the NHL in the late 2000s to early 2010s. Increasing investment in professional hockey development is necessary for further developing Norwegian hockey.

Fistball league play-offs at SKW : The play-offs for the Namibian fistball league take place at the SKW grounds this coming weekend.  The first matches start at 17h15 on Friday when the u18 category will determine its league champion, while the first matches of the National Aand B Leagues will start at 08h00 on Saturday. Last year’s u18 winner Sport Klub Windhoek A (SKW A) go into the play-offs as the favourite in the youth league. After the first four league rounds, they are on top of the table, five points ahead of Swakopmund Fistball Club A (SFC A).  In the first semi-final, SKW A will face club colleagues SKW C, while SFC A, who have six national players in their side, will play against SKW B in the second semi-final. The Royal Blues (SFC A) need to improve their performance, as they have not performed as expected this season, even though they make up two-thirds of the national team that will take part in the u18 World Cup in Chile at the beginning of November. The final is scheduled for around 18h25 on Friday, with all the matches to be played best out of three sets.  In the National A League, CFC 1, SKW 1 and SFC 1 are already in the semi-finals. They will play a round robin format with two halves of 12 minutes each. In theory, the teams could have improved their position, but the reigning champions, CFC 1, are unassailable in first place and will play against the fourth-placed team in the first semi-final.  It is also certain that SKW 1 will play against SFC 1 in the next semi-final. Things will get interesting in the ‘play-in’ where the last three teams after four league rounds, CFC 2, SKW 2 and SFC 2, will each play against each other once to determine who will take fourth place and thus the semi-final ticket against CFC 1.  CFC 2 is currently leading by three points, however, SKW 2 will do everything it can to make it through. SFC 2 is far behind in sixth place and has no chance of reaching the semi-finals. All the knockout games will be played over three sets. The National B League is also set for an exciting finish with the first three teams after four league rounds having qualified for the semifinals. SKW 5 are four points behind club colleagues SKW 4 and could still push past the top team on the table to get the supposedly weaker semi-final opponent. CFC 3 can no longer improve its position and will meet the second-placed team in the second semi-final.  In the ‘play-in’ each team also plays against each other once. Here, however, it is already clear that SKW 3 has qualified for the semi-finals in fourth place, because with a 16-point lead over SKW 6, they are uncatchable. All knockout games will be played over two sets. The post Fistball league play-offs at SKW  appeared first on The Namibian.

India vs Belgium in a thrilling men's hockey match during the Paris 2024 Olympics, marking a significant encounter in Pool B. This match not only showcased the competitive spirit of both teams but also had implications for their standings in the tournament. Match Overview The match took place on August 1, 2024, with India entering the game with an unbeaten record from their previous matches, having secured victories against New Zealand and Ireland, along with a draw against Argentina. Belgium, the top-ranked team and defending Olympic champions, had won all their prior games, making this clash a critical test for India. First Half Highlights The first quarter began with both teams displaying solid defensive strategies. India managed to maintain possession but struggled to convert opportunities into shots on goal. Belgium, on the other hand, looked dangerous in their attacks, forcing India to defend against several penalty corners. Olympic 2024 Hockey: India vs Belgium Match Highlights Olympic 2024 Hockey: India vs Belgium Match Highlights The breakthrough for India came in the 18th minute when Abhishek capitalized on a defensive error by Belgium's de Sloover, scoring the opening goal and giving India a 1-0 lead. This moment energized the Indian side, who had been under pressure for much of the first half. Second Half Dynamics As the second half commenced, Belgium ramped up their efforts to equalize. Their persistence paid off when Stockbroekx scored, leveling the match at 1-1. This goal shifted the momentum in favor of Belgium, who continued to press forward. In the final quarter, Belgium's Dohmen scored the decisive goal, bringing the score to 2-1. Despite India's attempts to respond, they were unable to find the back of the net again, resulting in their defeat in the tournament. Key Players Abhishek: Scored India's only goal, demonstrating his ability to seize opportunities. Harmanpreet Singh: The Indian captain and a key player throughout the tournament, known for his leadership and scoring capabilities. Belgium Defense: The Belgium team showcased strong defensive skills, particularly in the second half, limiting India's chances to equalize. Tactical Analysis India's strategy relied heavily on maintaining possession and building play from the midfield. However, their inability to convert possession into clear scoring opportunities was a critical factor in their loss. The team had previously shown strength in penalty corners, but the match highlighted the need for improvement in open play to enhance their scoring ratio. Belgium's approach was more aggressive, utilizing their experience and skill to create scoring chances. Their ability to capitalize on defensive errors was evident, and their tactical adjustment in the second half proved decisive.

Fantastic read on the intersection of building analytics and how users feel about them. Point 1. Build it and they’ll use it doesn’t exist. It doesn’t solve the WIIFM. As 2 pro goalies are quoted, I see the value but it doesn’t help me do my job any better. Plus, as a technical pro, much like senior claims adjusters, they didn’t ascend the ranks via luck. Point 2. It’s great for the leadership team and company. True. This is where where the biggest payoffs lies: those that control the work of others. Get them to buy in, use it & implore their underlings to use analytics and you’ve hit a homer (yes I’m blending sports analogies.) Point 3. Use but don’t abuse analytics. Absolutely. They serve a significant purpose and will empower you to make a more informed, data-infused decision, but it’s the merger of technical acumen/experience augmented by analytics, a human in the loop design, that delivers the best outcomes. —- The technical build is really important, you need good data all the time and you must dial in UX…. But without adoption, you’ve got another shiny, unused toy. #analytics #analyticstranslator #digitaltransformation

MANU'S HISTORIC DOUBLE BRONZE WITH SARABJOT, NEERAJ'S SILVER+ HOCKEY TEAM'S BRONZE THE FEW HIGHS IN INDIA'S LACKLUSTRE CAMPAIGN AT THE PARIS OLYMPICS ONE TWO MANY NEAR MISSES COUPLED WITH EARLY EXITS OF MEDAL PROSPECTS DENTED INDIA'S DREAM OF 10-PAAR AT PARIS'24 5-medals@Paris'24 (notably without a gold) is 2 medals short of India's Tokyo'21's 7-medal tally, let alone the double-digit haul the Indian contingent had set for itself heading into the Paris Olympics. An upward trajectory from the Tokyo Games is what India had aimed for@Paris'24 factoring at least 10+ strong medal contenders on the back of their medal-winning sprees at major tourneys/competitions heading into the Paris Games. The century+ Indian contingent for Paris'24 did boast of multiple Olympic, World Championships and Asian Games medalists and hence the 10+medal target set was realistic and not over-optimistic. Manu Bhaker's historic double bronze (one with Sarabjot Singh in mixed 10m pistol team event), Neeraj Chopra's silver (gold surely missed) + the hockey team's bronze may be the few highs in what otherwise will be deemed as a lackluster performance by India@Paris'24. A spree of near misses coupled with early exits of our best bets to medal shattered India's dreams of 10-paar @Paris'24. Among India's 10 strong medal prospects, only Manu, Neeraj and the hockey team could medal. One would fairly consider Swapnil Kusale's bronze (Men's Rifle 3 position) as surely a bonus medal. A dozen+ Indian sportspersons did get into the medal rounds but were just not good enough to get onto the podium.The sheer pressure of facing a formidable opponent in the semis or beyond or being over-odd by the magnitude of the Olympics? A plethora of 4th place finishes headlined by Lakshya Sen (Squandering a game against Lee Zii Jia), Mirabai Chanu (lost by 1 kg in aggregate), Manu Bhaker (losing the 25m Air pistol shoot-off) and Arjun Babuta (10m Air Rifle) does sum up a bleak story. Vinesh Phogat missing out on at least a silver medal owing to a bizarre weight disqualification was indeed a thunderbolt that shook the nation. Our female paddlers (Manika Batra and Sreeja Akula) certainly punched above their weight with their maiden pre-quarters and so did Army rower Balraj Panwar making the quarters. Avinash Sable making the 3000m Steeplechase final was another laudable effort.. In short, Paris'24 was a comedown from Tokyo'21 as India's campaign in the French capital could be rounded off as one with few highs, too many near misses+ early round exits. Hopefully, the Indian athletes will come back stronger in LA'2032 and ace the rounds that can see them finish on the podium. #Paris2024 #ParisOlympics2024 #IndiaAtParis2024 #NeerajChopra #ManuBhaker #sarabjotsingh #hockeyteam #swapnilkusale

New Post: India Lose To Germany 3-2 In Hockey, To Play For Bronze In Olympics 2024 - https://lnkd.in/giVQxZaQ India men's hockey team after losing their semi-final defeat to Germany at Paris Olympics 2024.© AFP &#13; &#13; India missed a golden chance to enter the hockey final of the Olympics for the first time in 44 years as they went down 2-3 to Germany in a close last-four clash at the Paris Games here on Tuesday. The Indians started brightly and dominated the early exchanges, before the Germans regrouped themselves. It was a great opportunity for India to enter their first final of the Olympics since the 1980 Games but Germany dashed their hopes with a decisive goal in the fourth and final quarter. Skipper Harmanpreet Singh (7th) and Sukhjeet Singh (36th) struck for India, while Gonzalo Peillat (18th), Christopher Ruhr (27th) and Marco Miltkau (54th) were the scorers for Germany.India will now take on Spain in the bronze medal match, while Germany will be up against Netherlands in the final.The Indians were on the front foot, pressing the German defence hard in the opening quarter and in the process scored the first goal of the match through Harmanpreet.But the Germans, known for their steely resolve, came back strongly in the second quarter and equalised from a penalty corner through Peillat, before talking the lead through a penalty stroke conversion by Ruhr.The Indians secured both their goals through penalty corners as in the 36th minute, Sukhjeet nicely deflected in a variation from Harmanpreet's flick.The Germans attacked with intensity in the fourth and final quarter and just six minutes from the final hooter, they scored the winner when Miltkau deflected in a cross to break Indian hearts.The Indians had their chances in the match as they earned as many as 11 penalty corners but converted just one.Germany, on the other hand, secured only four penalty corners.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

Volleyballeyball is a popular team sport played by two teams of six players each, divided by a net. The objective is to score points by hitting a ball over the net and into the opposing team’s court. Here are some key aspects: ### Basic Rules - **Scoring System**: Points can be scored by either team on every serve, known as rally scoring. - **Set Structure**: Matches are typically played in best-of-five sets. A team must win a set by at least two points, and sets are played to 25 points (or 15 in the fifth set). - **Rotations**: Teams must rotate positions each time they win the serve from the opposing team. ### Key Skills - **Serving**: The act of putting the ball into play. Can be performed overhand or underhand. - **Passing**: Receiving the serve or attack and accurately directing the ball to a teammate. - **Setting**: Positioning the ball for an attack, usually performed by the setter. - **Attacking**: Hitting the ball over the net to score points, often executed by front-row players. - **Blocking**: Defending against the opponent's attack by jumping near the net to intercept the ball. ### Positions - **Outside Hitter**: Primary attacker and often plays both front and back row. - **Setter**: Playmaker who sets up attacks by delivering accurate sets. - **Middle Blocker**: Key defensive player at the net and also attacks quickly. - **Libero**: Defensive specialist, wears a different color jersey and cannot attack the ball above the net height. - **Opposite Hitter**: Plays opposite the setter, key attacker and blocker. ### Major Competitions - **Olympics**: Volleyball has been an Olympic sport since 1964, featuring both indoor and beach volleyball. - **FIVB World Championships**: Held every four years for both men’s and women’s teams. - **Professional Leagues**: Various leagues exist globally, including the AVP (USA Beach Volleyball) and various national leagues. ### Beach Volleyball Beach volleyball is a variation played on sand with two players per team. The rules are similar, but the environment changes strategies significantly due to wind and sand surface. ### Popularity Volleyball is played worldwide, with millions participating at recreational and competitive levels. Its accessibility and teamwork make it a favored sport for many. If you have specific aspects you'd like to know more about, let me know! #snsinstutition #snsdesignthinker #designthinking