GDT: May 10 • Finland 2, Latvia 3

[ThrashersfanSVK]

I might be wrong, but I don't think a European national team has ever been led by an active NHL coach in recent history.

Well, Glen Hanlon was HC of Belarus while coaching Capitals as well. But still talking about coaching along with Hanlon is little bit misleading.

 

[ugrimugri*]

I always thought Hungary was Southern Estonia.

Linguistically, the Hungarians belong to our group of course, they are in principle Southwestern Estonians

 

[ThrashersfanSVK]

Linguistically, the Hungarians belong to our group of course, they are in principle Southwestern Estonians

That's true, but that might be the only similarity. Hungarian and Estonian language are quite different.

 

[ugrimugri*]

Word is Southern Estonia wants to hold a referendum to join Latvia so that their hockey team no longer sucks. Government sources have already announced the results of next Saturday's vote to be 93% in favour.

Congrats to LV on a well deserved win! About time they beat Finland and win their first game of the Championship (0-18 is not a nice record to have).

Now off to the bar to watch the Canada game! For God's sake Canucks, don't pull a USA 2010.

Well, it's true that Central Estonia does not have a competitive team atm, we are not allowed to discuss politics here unfortunately, so we can't go into why,

-but in the meantime North Estonia and South Estonia will make us proud anyway and the Central Estonia is soon going to have a better team as well.

 

[Jussi]

i can't understand all these crapping about on the khl with latvia having lots of khlers itself.
cheer up, you'll beat russia as usual without much efforts tomorrow

It's just that we had NA players available for the defense which is far too soft and slow currently. Ristolainen and Järvinen would have been improvements over a couple of the midgets.

 

[The Right Price]

As a Finn I was cheering for Latvia from the start. Well deserved win over KHL-Jokerit. I hope Finland drops to the relegation round. Tomorrow we will take a big one deep into the ... well you know... from Russia.

 

[obv]

This cant have been a surprise to everyone who knew that the Finnish team is a EHT squad+Rinne & Jokinen. You could already see at the Oddset hockey games that this team is not good enough, This is pretty much Finlands C or D squad.

 

[matzz]

After cooling down a bit... Congratz Latvia, well deserved. Hopefully our guys do a better performance tomorow, wont be easy to win Russia but its possible.

 

[Namejs]

I think this belongs here

 

[BalticWarrior]

I think this belongs here

I love how smug the dude looks right after taking off that jersey

 

[Finnswiss]

After cooling down a bit... Congratz Latvia, well deserved. Hopefully our guys do a better performance tomorow, wont be easy to win Russia but its possible.

Though the statistic of the Finns against Russia in the recent past years looks good, I doubt that this team is able to beat Russia. If Pekka Rinne won't do miracles it's almost impossible. The defense of the Finns seems to me to weak to stand up to the russian pressure.

To avoid misunderstandings I cheer for the Finns and I don't want offense the Finns in this forum, but I think this year Russia is the much stronger team.

 

[FiLe]

As a Finn I was cheering for Latvia from the start. Well deserved win over KHL-Jokerit. I hope Finland drops to the relegation round. Tomorrow we will take a big one deep into the ... well you know... from Russia.

Familiarize yourself with the tournament format before speaking. There is no relegation round. The last seed in group gets automatically eliminated.

And even if this group could use a lesson, it'd still be a little too harsh. Because it's not this coach and this team, but the new guy and his new team that would pay the price - next year.

 

[mikkoz]

- Think this was just like the start last year, except we didn't tie it, it was close, but Jormakka didnt score.
- This "Jokerit" talk is just bs.
- Why Ristolainen, Teräväinen or Keränen arent on the team is a mistery to me(but T.Sallinen etc. nobodies are)
- Allways liked Latijans, the team and the fans, congrats!!

 

[kelsier]

- Think this was just like the start last year, except we didn't tie it, it was close, but Jormakka didnt score.
- This "Jokerit" talk is just bs.
- Why Ristolainen, Teräväinen or Keränen arent on the team is a mistery to me(but T.Sallinen etc. nobodies are)
- Allways liked Latijans, the team and the fans, congrats!!

This.

Happens every year though. While they should be letting younger generation step in when having same (or better) level of skill they decide to "play save" and take in the slow and sluggerish veterans time and time again. Not only does it make it less entertaining to watch it's certainly not bringing Finnish hockey forward keeping these guys off the spotlight. Have to say I'm almost more into wjhc than wc nowdays anyway.

Believe this is the last year of Erkka. Good.

 

[ugrimugri*]

Though the statistic of the Finns against Russia in the recent past years looks good, I doubt that this team is able to beat Russia. If Pekka Rinne won't do miracles it's almost impossible. The defense of the Finns seems to me to weak to stand up to the russian pressure.

To avoid misunderstandings I cheer for the Finns and I don't want offense the Finns in this forum, but I think this year Russia is the much stronger team.

Every year almost everyone thinks russia is the much stronger team,

- same procedure as every year, the hype of the russians goes on until they get eliminated in the first playoff game...

 

[quartus]

Every year almost everyone thinks russia is the much stronger team,

- same procedure as every year, the hype of the russians goes on until they get eliminated in the first playoff game...

You do know that 3 out of the last 6 gold medals have gone to the russians, right?

 

[Finnswiss]

As a Finn I was cheering for Latvia from the start. Well deserved win over KHL-Jokerit. I hope Finland drops to the relegation round. Tomorrow we will take a big one deep into the ... well you know... from Russia.

What do you mean with "KHL-Jokerit"? The only player from Jokerit Helsinki in the finnish squad is Jere Karalahti.

There are 3 from Tampere (2 Tappara Tampere, 1 Ilves Tampere), 1 Ässät Pori, 1 Espoo Blues and 1 IFK Helsinki (so 2 from Helsinki)and 1 from Kärpät Oulu.
You may correct me but as far as I know is Espoo a suburb of Helsinki too.

So, Latvia won against KHL-FEL, if I abbreviate correctly the Finnish ice hockey league.

 

[IceBlacks]

What do you mean with "KHL-Jokerit"? The only player from Jokerit Helsinki in the finnish squad is Jere Karalahti.

There are 3 from Tampere (2 Tappara Tampere, 1 Ilves Tampere), 1 Ässät Pori, 1 Espoo Blues and 1 IFK Helsinki (so 2 from Helsinki)and 1 from Kärpät Oulu.
You may correct me but as far as I know is Espoo a suburb of Helsinki too.

So, Latvia won against KHL-FEL, if I abbreviate correctly the Finnish ice hockey league.

Because several players have a contract to Jokerit for next season and suspiciously many of such guys were taken to NT. And Erkka Westerlund is the head coach of Jokerit next season.

1+1=?

 

[QnebO]

Because several players have a contract to Jokerit for next season and suspiciously many of such guys were taken to NT. And Erkka Westerlund is the head coach of Jokerit next season.

1+1=?

1+1 = stop the bs already (not to you personally, just find the topic stupid). They have few players from Jokerit but the reaction is dumb. Maybe there is something good in it: Only way Finland can win gold with this squad is the Karma that some people are gathering around it with this Jokerit thing. Finland should win the Gold and Jokerit should then tell they're the World Champions

 

[Arturs from London]

Well, that was terrible.

WTF, Come on Finland, our defence is so damn weak. Are they that nervous ?

LMAO Latvian's got they revenge after Jere Karalaht injured Juris Stals in 1st period ..

 

[ugrimugri*]

You do know that 3 out of the last 20 WHC gold medals have gone to the russians, right?

It's true, - in my mind I was actually including the best-on-best tournaments as well - i e the Olympics and the World Cup. During the last 15 years, Finland has in fact usually managed to beat Russia (usually incl ovechkin and many other huge stars), and more than often it has been accomplished with basically a no-name grinders' roster that performed as a TEAM.

 

[QnebO]

LMAO Latvian's got they revenge after Jere Karalaht injured Juris Stals in 1st period ..

Jere's big hit was a solid retaliation on that clipping that happened earlier on Huhtala. Sad that Latvian player hit he's head to the wall like that though.

 

[cska78]

congrats to latvia!

Russia looked better at the Olympics too, but lost...no need to decide the outcome of the game before it started.

 

[BobDobolina]

Latvian fans are the best in world in hockey.

 

[RorschachWJK]

Congratz to Latvia! A well deserved win.

Like I thought before the tourney, this 'team' will not get past quarterfinals, nor should it.

Way too many missing and declined players. On top of that Westerlund's disgraceful selections and snubbings...a recipe for a terrible team and tourney.