Exhibition- USA v.s Finland

[Canadian]

USA's lines

Eaves - O'Sullivan - Moore
Kesler - Fritsche - Sterling
Parise - Murray - Werner
Dowell - Stafford - Booth

I know this is jumping the gun, but when the tournament begins and as time goes on if Patrick Eaves and Patrick O'Sullivan are unable to click. Mike Eaves might take Patrick and put him on a line with Brady Murray and Zach Parise. These three played on a line together in prep school for the Shattuck St. Mary's. However, I do know Eaves and O'Sullivan played together on the NTDP Under-17 team.

 

[Flonaldo]

A chippy game with a lot of incidents behind the play and after the whistle. Sami Lepistö, Patrick O'Sullivan and Eaves were in the thick of things of always.

Finland played excellent D limiting the shots by the US. Toivonen picked up the rest convincingly, easy and fluid. Montoya looked a little shaky but had nothing to do with the goals.

Finnish PP rocked, keep it simple. Just put guys in front and shoot the puck from the blueline.

Bergenheim rested with the flu, Petrell with a sprained shoulder.

Unimaginative offense from both teams. Both played good D and there were little shots from the prime sector and the slot. Neither looked to have any offensive wizards and relied on up&down-hockey with speed.

A couple of pics from the game:
http://www.jatkoaika.com/albumit/Liljaniemi2/Suomi_USA_425.jpg
http://www.jatkoaika.com/albumit/Liljaniemi2/Suomi_USA2.jpg
http://www.jatkoaika.com/albumit/Liljaniemi2/Suomi_USA.jpg
http://www.jatkoaika.com/albumit/Liljaniemi2/Al_Montoya2_USA.jpg
http://www.jatkoaika.com/albumit/Liljaniemi2/Hannu_Toivonen_Suomi.jpg

 

[Jacob]

So Toivonen is a native of Snickers?

I really hope they take the ads off when the games start to count.

 

[Flonaldo]

So Toivonen is a native of Snickers?

I really hope they take the ads off when the games start to count.

They do. The same thing with the men's team. The sponsor jerseys look baaaad.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

A chippy game with a lot of incidents behind the play and after the whistle. Sami Lepistö, Patrick O'Sullivan and Eaves were in the thick of things of always.

Finland played excellent D limiting the shots by the US. Toivonen picked up the rest convincingly, easy and fluid. Montoya looked a little shaky but had nothing to do with the goals.

Finnish PP rocked, keep it simple. Just put guys in front and shoot the puck from the blueline.

Bergenheim rested with the flu, Petrell with a sprained shoulder.

Unimaginative offense from both teams. Both played good D and there were little shots from the prime sector and the slot. Neither looked to have any offensive wizards and relied on up&down-hockey with speed.

A couple of pics from the game:
http://www.jatkoaika.com/albumit/Liljaniemi2/Suomi_USA_425.jpg
http://www.jatkoaika.com/albumit/Liljaniemi2/Suomi_USA2.jpg
http://www.jatkoaika.com/albumit/Liljaniemi2/Suomi_USA.jpg
http://www.jatkoaika.com/albumit/Liljaniemi2/Al_Montoya2_USA.jpg
http://www.jatkoaika.com/albumit/Liljaniemi2/Hannu_Toivonen_Suomi.jpg

Thanks for the info. Here's another recap of the game:

http://www.usahockey.com/usa_hockey/main/home/031224_wjc_usafin/


I hope the U.S. got the message that undisciplined play can kill you in tournaments like the WJC's. Things are called fairly tight. If the they got that message, and carry that with them the rest of the way I'll be happy. I know a ton of offense wasn't generated in the game, but the U.S. has some very skilled players, so I wouldn't worry about the team putting pucks in the net.

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

Team Finland has prepared for a long time - they are a Team with capital T.

Their lines know their roles, d-men and forwards keep the optimum distance between each other, forwards are defensively sound.

Yeah, their preparation this year is unbelievable! I think people underrate them based on the roster. Games aren't played on paper and I strongly suspect Finland will medal this year.

Remember - ALL these kids have played atleast semi-regularly against FULL PROFESSIONALS.

That's not the case for majority of north-american players.

So what?

That part actually doesn't make much of a difference, IMO.

 

[I_r_1337]

Werner is a guy under alot of people's radar, but is highly skilled.

I have to agree.. hard not being a homer since he's from Maryland and drafted by the Caps.. But I actually got to play with him a few times when I was younger(19 now) at a place called the Ice Gardens. It's our local hockey place..big facility a few times U.S. touring teams have played there. Anyways I played with him a few times in pickup games and the guys unbelievable. He's so fast it's insane. His offensive skills are right on point too but even if they quit developing where they're at he can make it in the NHL on speed alone. I remember him skatign circle around everybody but when I watched him at camp he was faster than Bondra on the ice. The kids got the best wheels in our organization from top to bottom including NHLers, AHLers and Juniors. I see a lot of Bondra in him actually in terms of skill at the age. Bondra came into the league with mainly pure speed and as he cerated chances for himself with the speed made things happen offensively and began to learn his offensive game more and more and eventually became one of the best snipers in the game.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

It looks like the U.S. team understands that undisciplined play did and will cost them:

http://www.usahockey.com/usa_hockey/main/home/04wjcdiary_booth/


I'm looking forward to seeing how they respond against Austria.

 

[Raimo Sillanpää]

Yeah, their preparation this year is unbelievable! I think people underrate them based on the roster. Games aren't played on paper and I strongly suspect Finland will medal this year.

Mestis (Div I) was adjusted for this season because an Estonian team was invited to take part.. they pulled out at the last minute meaning there was now a hole in the Mestis schedule.. rather than waste the hole they'd worked hard to create, they decided to give those game-dates to the U20 team.

A great move, both for the kids and hockey in general. Attendances to those games has been above the Mestis average crowds so it really should/could/is worth making a regular event of..

And thus, 1 extra division 1 team would be born simply by playing with U20's who can't make their big team..