Showing Some International Love: Final Olympic Qualification - Group F

Denmark host Group F of the Final Olympic Qualification round. The host will be in tough, as this is the hardest of the three groups to predict. Belarus is on a international losing streak and will need to snap out of it quickly. Slovenia has quite a bit of pressure on them. They were recently promoted to the main tournament in the World Championship, then had a bad EIHC tournament in December, and will need to rebound in order to have a shot at the Olympics and establish themselves before the WC in April. Ukraine needs to keep rolling through qualification without their two NHLers (Fedotenko and Ponikarovsky) who helped them power through the last round.

Note: Most information from the IIHF website.

World Rankings

12. Denmark
13. Belarus
18. Slovenia
20. Ukraine

Rosters

Rosters as of February 6th

Belarus

Goalies: Stepan Goryachevskyh (Donbass Donets'k), Vitali Koval (Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod), Dmirty Milchakov (Metallurg Zhlobin)
Defense: Pavel Chernaok (Dynamo Minsk), Vladimir Denisov (Dynamo Minsk), Andrei Filichkin (HK Gomel), Oleg Goroshko (Dynamo Minsk), Ilya Kaznadei (Metallurg Zhlobin), Yaroslav Maslenikov (HK Gomel), Nikolai Stasenko (Severstal Cherepovets)
Forwards: Sergei Demagin (Yugra Khanty-Mansisk), Sergei Drozd (Dynamo Minsk), Alexei Kalyuzhni (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl), Alexander Kitarov (Dynamo Minsk), Konstantin Koltsov (Atlant Mytishi), Alexander Kulakov (Dynamo Minsk), Dmitri Meleshko (Dynamo Minsk), Andrei Mikhalyov (Dynamo Minsk), Artyom Senkevich (HK Gomel), Andrei Stas (Dynamo Minsk), Mikhail Stefanovich (HK Gomel), Andrei Stepanov (Amur Khabarovsk), Alexei Ugarov (Torpedo Nizhni Novgorod)

Denmark

Goalies: Frederik Andersen (Norfolk Admirals), Patrick Galbraith (Frolunda Indians), Simon Nielsen (Lukko Rauma)
Defense: Mads Bodker (IF Malmo Redhawks), Mads Bech Christensen (Frederikshavn IK), Philip Hersby (IF Malmo Redhawks), Jesper B. Jensen (Rogle BK), Stefan Lassen (IF Malmo Redhawks), Daniel Nielsen (Hamburg Freezers), Rasmus Nielsen (Blue Fox Herning)
Forwards: Patrick Bjorkstrand (Mora IK), Mads Christensen (Eisbaren Berlin), Thor Dresler (Herlev Eagles), Morten Green (Hannover Scopions), Nichlas Hardt (Jokerit Helsinki), Julian Jakobsen (Hamburg Freezers), Jesper Jensen (Karlskrona HK), Niclas Jensen (AIK Stockholm), Lasse Lassen (Blue Fox Herning), Morten Madsen (MODO), Morten Poulsen (IK Oskarshamn), Kirill Starkov (IK Oskarshamn), Frederik Storm (IF Malmo Redhawks)

Slovenia

Goalies: Luca Gracnar (EC Red Bull Salzburg), Andrej Hocevar (Sokol Kyiv), Robert Kristan (KHL Medvescak Zagreb)
Defense: Blaz Gregorc (Odense IK), Sabahudin Kovacevic (HK SKP Poprad), Ales Kranjc (Kolner Haie), Ziga Pavlin (IF Troja-Ljungby), Matic Podlipnik (Dukla Jihlava), Klemen Pretnar (EC VSV), Mitja Robar (Krefeld Pinguine), Andrej Tavzelj (Rouen)
Forwards: Luka Basic (Amiens), Bostjan Golicic (Briancon), Gaspar Kopitar (Mora IK), Ziga Jeglic (Sodertalje SK), Ales Music (Olimpija Ljubljana), Rok Pajic (HC Val Pusteria), Ziga Pance (Olimpija Ljubljana), Tomaz Razingar (EV Ravensburg), David Rodman (Bietigheim Steelers), Marcel Rodman (Bietigheim Steelers), Robert Sabolic (HK SKP Poprad), Rok Ticar (Kolner Haie), Jan Urbas (Vaxjo Lakers)

Ukraine
Goalies: Igor Karpenko (Free Agent), Yevgeny Napnenko (Donbass Donets'k), Vadim Seliverstov (Levy L'viv)
Defense: Volodymyr Aleksyuk (Donbass Donets'k), Igor Kugut (Dynamo Kharkiv), Mykola Ladygin (Yuzhny Ural Orsk), Vitali Lyutkevych (Donbass Donets'k), Yuri Navarenko (Shakhtyor Soligorsk), Denys Petrukhno (Berkut Kyiv), Olexander Pobiedonostsev (Berkut Kyiv), Vasili Polonytsky (Dynamo Kharkiv)
Forwards: Roman Blagy (Donbass Donets'k), Artem Bondaryev (Dynamo Kharkiv), Sergi Chernenko (Sokil Kyiv), Artem Gnidenko (Berkut Kyiv), Olexander Karaulshuk (Berkut Kyiv), Maxym Kvitchenko (Donbass Donets'k), Andri Mikhnov (Berkut Kyiv), Dymtro Nimenko (Donbass Donets'k), Shamil Ramazanov (Berkut Kyiv), Oleg Shafarenko (Yunost Minsk), Olexander Toryanyk (Berkut Kyiv), Oleg Tymchenko (Yunost Minsk)

Schedule

February 7
Belarus - Slovenia
Denmark - Ukraine

February 8
Belarus - Ukraine
Slovenia - Denmark

February 10
Ukraine - Slovenia
Denmark - Belarus

Last 5 International Matches

Belarus: Loss (Slovakia) - Loss (France) - Loss (Canada) - Loss (Switzerland) - Loss (Norway)
Denmark: SO Loss (Norway) - OT Loss (Norway) - SO Win (Latvia) - SO Win (Slovenia) - Win (France)
Slovenia: Win (France) - Win (Austria) - Loss (France) - SO Loss (Denmark) - OT Loss (Latvia)
Ukraine: Win (Estonia) - Win (Poland) - Win (Romania) - Win (Kazakhstan) - OT Loss (Poland)

Predictions

1 (Qualify) - Denmark
2 - Belarus
3 - Slovenia
4 - Ukraine

Originally I thought this would be a two-tier group, with Denmark and Belarus fighting for the top spot and Slovenia and Ukraine trying not to finish last. Then this happened for Belarus, and I laughed and laughed. No doubt, Belarus still has a chance to take first place, but Denmark still seems like the better team. Slovenia does have a chance to surprise teams, but I don't think they will. Ukraine has a less-than-ideal team (and that is not including Fedotenko and Ponikarovsky), so a fourth place finish seems likely.