GDT: May 12 • Finland vs. Russia

[Systemfel]

2015 IIHF World Championship
Group A

May 12
2:15 PM ET • 20:15 CET

Finland
Last game's lineup.

Left Wing​

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Center​

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Right Wing​

15 Tuomo Ruutu

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27 Petri Kontiola​

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71 Leo Komarov​

| -

36 Jussi Jokinen

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16 Aleksander Barkov​

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72 Joonas Donskoi​

| -

41 Antti Pihlström​

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26 Jarkko Immonen​

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70 Teemu Hartikainen​

| -

20 Janne Pesonen​

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24 Joonas Kemppainen​

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50 Juhamatti Aaltonen​

| -

Left Defense​

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Right Defense​

18 Sami Lepistö

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38 Juuso Hietanen​

| -

28 Anssi Salmela​

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7 Esa Lindell​

| -

63 Topi Jaakola​

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55 Atte Ohtamaa​

| -

6 Tuukka Mäntylä​

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2 Jyrki Jokipakka​

| -

Starter​

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Backup​

35 Pekka Rinne​

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32 Juuse Saros​

| -

Scratched​

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Details​

F 25 Juha-Pekka Hytönen​

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Healthy​

| -

F 23 Ossi Louhivaara​

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Healthy​

| -

G 33 Atte Engren​

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Healthy​

| -

Russia
Last game's lineup.

Left Wing​

|

Center​

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Right Wing​

9 Artemiy Panarin​

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87 Vadim Shipachyov​

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63 Yevgeniy Dadonov​

| -

10 Sergei Mozyakin​

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11 Yevgeniy Malkin​

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41 Nikolai Kulyomin​

| -

71 Ilya Kovalchuk

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42 Artyom Anisimov​

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91 Vladimir Tarasenko​

| -

52 Sergei Shirokov​

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14 Viktor Tikhonov​

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16 Sergei Plotnikov​

| -

Left Defense​

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Right Defense​

77 Anton Belov​

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44 Yegor Yakovlev​

| -

82 Yevgeniy Medvedev

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73 Maxim Chudinov​

| -

7 Dmitriy Kulikov​

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93 Viktor Antipin​

| -

94 Andrei Mironov​

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-​

| -

Starter​

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Backup​

72 Sergei Bobrovskiy​

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31 Anton Khudobin​

| -

Scratched​

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Details​

F 25 Danis Zaripov

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Out for tournament​

| -

D 48 Yevgeniy Biryukov​

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Out for tournament​

| -

G 30 Konstantin Barulin​

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Healthy​

| -

Officials​

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Referee​

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TBA | -

Referee​

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TBA | -

Linesman​

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TBA | -

Linesman​

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TBA | -

Click to read more...

 

[MMANumminen]

Ruutu, Kontiola, Pesonen, Immonen and Pihlström need to do better so we wil have all pistons running. Or they need to sit more

 

[Finnpin]

Barkov answering some questions to Russian journalists:

-Obviously the game will be different than against Belarus or Sweden as Russia is my second homeland but I want to win.

-I'm Finnish. I was born there and lived there whole my life.

-I can speak Russian but I stay Finnish and I'm proud that I have made it to National Team.

http://www.mtv.fi/sport/mm2015/uuti...ainotti-venalaisille-olen-suomalainen/5080262

 

[roto]

What would we Finns think about Selänne kid if he was as good as Barkov, and considered himself as American and would like to represent USA instead of Finland. I think many Finns would be pissed off, like many have been pissed off when Nico Rosberg has said that he's German and not Finn.

Barkov sounds like a prototypical Finnish player: hard working, humble, quiet and unselfish. I guess the main reason for Barkov selecting Finnish team is how his parents have upbrought him: not as a Russian living in Finland, but as a Finn with Russian roots.

 

[Raimo Sillanpää]

What would we Finns think about Selänne kid if he was as good as Barkov, and considered himself as American and would like to represent USA instead of Finland. I think many Finns would be pissed off, like many have been pissed off when Nico Rosberg has said that he's German and not Finn.

Barkov sounds like a prototypical Finnish player: hard working, humble, quiet and unselfish. I guess the main reason for Barkov selecting Finnish team is how his parents have upbrought him: not as a Russian living in Finland, but as a Finn with Russian roots.

I'd say teenagers venting on message boards were angry about Rosberg, everyone else was *meh*. A better comparison is, how do Slovak's feel about Paul Stasny?


Ignoring what the masses think it's about what the player himself thinks, we have universal human rights be it in UN, USA, Finland..
I grew up in a different country than Finland to Finnish parents, I can tell you for a fact that at 18 I did not feel like I was Finnish at all. I felt like a citizen of that other country. The thing that dragged me back was army conscription - and the fact that we Finns have tough names for foreigners.
It would be far easier to be a Stastny or a Barkov in the anglicised world than it would be to be a Sillanpää.

I can say quite confidently that had it been easy to slip into that other culture and be just like them - that I would have done so. But when you stick out, you are always an outsider, no matter how well you integrate into society.

 

[llwyd]

What would we Finns think about Selänne kid if he was as good as Barkov, and considered himself as American and would like to represent USA instead of Finland. I think many Finns would be pissed off, like many have been pissed off when Nico Rosberg has said that he's German and not Finn.

I wouldn't be angry about that - obviously if you feel like an American or German, then it's natural to compete for those countries. Barkov has always said that he feels like a Finn though having and appreciating also his Russian background, so it's very natural that he plays for Finland.

 

[Czech Your Math]

And the best Finnish football player right now is Yeryomenko...

As to the game, it all depends on USA - Belarus game. If Americans win, then the result won't matter, because it's hard to say what opponents are better, Swedes or Czechs.

If USA wins, I think there may be advantage to loser of this game.

Choice is to face Czechs on home ice, then probably Canada... or Sweden, then probably USA.

 

[Faterson]

A better comparison is, how do Slovak's feel about Paul Stastny?

Not a good comparison, I think. Stastny is considered to be American. He cannot speak Slovak very well. His dad wanted him to play for Slovakia, but due to the dad's conflicts with Slovakia's hockey leadership, that didn't happen. Slovak newspapers sometimes print his name "Stastny", only sometimes properly "Šťastný", which also shows he's considered American. (His dad's name would always only appear as "Šťastný", ditto for other active or past Slovak NHL players – omitting diacritics is unthinkable in press reports. Some fans dislike that diacritics are omitted on player jerseys.)

Choice is to face Czechs on home ice, then probably Canada... or Sweden, then probably USA.

I think the semifinal game is against an opponent from the original group. So it can't be Czechs, then Canada, but it can be Sweden, then US.

 

[GotTheMovesLikeJagr]

I'd love to have diacritics on the jerseys - but can't say if that is because I am half Czech or just have a weird fetish for names with loads of diacritics in them.

 

[Faterson]

I'm embarrassed we don't use them. It's indicative of insufficient national pride/confidence, I think. Big European football clubs and UEFA's English (!) website do use/reproduce diacritics on the jerseys of their foreign players, but Slovakia's national hockey and football teams (and Slovan in the KHL) cannot?

 

[Mestaruus]

Second place in this group gives Canada in the semifinals. #1 or #3 positions give Canada in the final earliest. Swedish sport sites are already saying how Finland is going to lose on purpose to be placed #3 and get Sweden in "Finland's home arena, Ostrava" in the QF. This is assuming USA beats SVK or gets enough points to win the group. Why wouldn't Russia want to lose on purpose as well though to meet Canada in the final earliest. So both teams will lose on purpose <insert popcorn smiley here>.

 

[od71]

It's not like he could play for any other country anyway, since he has never even lived in Russia, let alone played hockey there.

His father said he could have played for Russia but nobody called him

 

[Urbanskog]

His father said he could have played for Russia but nobody called him

Based on what?

Acquiring a new national eligibility (The ‘two-year’ case)
When a player has changed his citizenship or has acquired another citizenship and wants to participate for the first time in an IIHF competition representing his new country he must:

• Prove that he has participated for at least two consecutive hockey seasons and 16 consecutive months (480 days) in the national competitions of his new country after his 10th birthday during which period he has neither transferred to another country nor played ice hockey within any other country. Female players need to have participated on a consistent basis for at least one hockey season and have been member of the new national association for at least 12 consecutive months during that period.
• Have an international transfer card (ITC) that shows the transfer to the national association of his new country and which was approved and dated at least 16 months (480 days) before the start of the IIHF competition in which he wishes to participate.

http://www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/championships/iihf-eligibility/

 

[aphyro]

Haha this will be the game of the team who wont win! to get the easiest way to final! anyway ill cheer for Finland

 

[FinnBruin]

Not a good comparison, I think. Stastny is considered to be American. He cannot speak Slovak very well. His dad wanted him to play for Slovakia, but due to the dad's conflicts with Slovakia's hockey leadership, that didn't happen. Slovak newspapers sometimes print his name "Stastny", only sometimes properly "Å ťastný", which also shows he's considered American. (His dad's name would always only appear as "Å ťastný", ditto for other active or past Slovak NHL players – omitting diacritics is unthinkable in press reports. Some fans dislike that diacritics are omitted on player jerseys.)

And except for the fact that Barkov speaks Russian (and that's actually a useful language to learn in Finland, learning Slovak in the US would be rather pointless so that's probably the reason), what is different here? I think this is a very good comparison.

The real difference is there is a rivalry between Finland and Russia, not so much between Slovakia and the US. That's the only reason this is even a discussion.

 

[IceHockeyDude]

I bet the game goes in a typical way. We rule the game but some of the Malkins, Kovalchuks or whoeverovs score the goals and Russia takes it.

 

[Atas2000]

My 2 cents on Barkov. He's a Finn, because he wants to be a Finn.

I do not understand how a kid with 2 russian parents can be a Finn, but that's on the parents, not on Alexander Jr.

 

[Faterson]

So both teams will lose on purpose <insert popcorn smiley here>.

Looking forward to that! There was an awsome football match in Latin America several decades ago, in which both teams needed to lose to get a better opponent in the play-off round. The match ended up with every team's strikers attacking their own goal, and every team's defenders defending the opponent's instead of their own goal. (No, it ain't a hoax, it really happened, look it up.) Would be great fun to see Finns attacking Rinne, and Kovalchuk firing at Bobrovsky.

 

[Faterson]

And except for the fact that Barkov speaks Russian (and that's actually a useful language to learn in Finland, learning Slovak in the US would be rather pointless so that's probably the reason), what is different here? I think this is a very good comparison.

The real difference is there is a rivalry between Finland and Russia, not so much between Slovakia and the US. That's the only reason this is even a discussion.

Oh, yeah. If Šťastný decided to play for Czech Republic, all hell would break loose. (But that would never happen, because his dad has always been strongly pro-Slovak.)

There's a similar case, Thomas Vanek, who has a Slovak mother and Czech father, but plays for neighbouring Austria. He's Austrian-born, though (not sure if he speaks any Slovak or Czech at all). You could say he was equally "stolen" from Slovakia and Czech Rep, but here again, Austria is not really perceived as a hockey rival, so it's no big deal. Vanek could have played for Slovakia, too, just like Šťastný, but apparently, Slovakia hockey officials weren't interested in him, either, while he was still very young and eligible.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Don't think we have any advantage motivation-wise here. That can sometimes help us win.

Russia had to be pissed about the first "real-test" game against USA. And now after that pretty bad game against Slovakia they're going to want to play their best game before the QF's start.

Game might be close on the ice but the score will most likely be in Russia's favor.. They just have so many players who can finish, unlike us.

But the reason why our team is always fun to watch is because sometimes and especially when you least expect it they exceed expectations So never know.

 

[Tulipunaruusu*]

Being the best Finnish soccer player is hardly an achievement.

Well Barkov doesn't need much more to top those 48 points that best Finnish offensive ice hockey players can bring to their NHL teams... Best Finnish footballer with skates on would likely put around 35 assists a season. That's some Jussi Jokinen superstar stuff.

 

[Juppy61]

Second place in this group gives Canada in the semifinals. #1 or #3 positions give Canada in the final earliest. Swedish sport sites are already saying how Finland is going to lose on purpose to be placed #3 and get Sweden in "Finland's home arena, Ostrava" in the QF. This is assuming USA beats SVK or gets enough points to win the group. Why wouldn't Russia want to lose on purpose as well though to meet Canada in the final earliest. So both teams will lose on purpose <insert popcorn smiley here>.

Why would you want to avoid Canada in quarter finals? Have you seen our record in quarter finals in the last few years?

 

[FiLe]

I do not understand how a kid with 2 russian parents can be a Finn, but that's on the parents, not on Alexander Jr.

It should be not so difficult to understand at all. You see, nationality can actually be perceived in two ways: Ethnically and culturally.

The first is what you are born with. But you grow into the second. In Barkov's case, he was born to Russian parents, but spent his entire early life in a place that's as Finnish as Finnish can be, and therefore ended up adopting that identity.

It's of course anybody's guess if his parents willfully steered him into that direction or did they do their best to emphasize his Russian roots. But even if one does the latter, one can still fail unless they lock the kid completely into the confines of his home for those first few years.

---

In other news, Pihlström is injured and won't play today. Not sure yet if I'll miss his legs, but I'm pretty sure that I don't miss his hands.

 

[Atas2000]

It should be not so difficult to understand at all. You see, nationality can actually be perceived in two ways: Ethnically and culturally.

The first is what you are born with. But you grow into the second. In Barkov's case, he was born to Russian parents, but spent his entire early life in a place that's as Finnish as Finnish can be, and therefore ended up adopting that identity.

This might sound normal to you and to most Europeans. It is not for Russians. If you are russian you are russian. If you spend your whole life abroad you obviously learn languages and cultures, but you stay russian. It's a pretty simple fact to me.

It's of course anybody's guess if his parents willfully steered him into that direction or did they do their best to emphasize his Russian roots. But even if one does the latter, one can still fail unless they lock the kid completely into the confines of his home for those first few years.

You don't need to prevent anything if you do it right. Restrictions never work, especially with kids. It is also his personal right and decision to do what he thinks is right for him.

There is just that difference about russian culture. European pretty often ask ppl who live in Europe for a long time if they start to fell like Finns, Swedes, Germans, Austrians or whatever... This is a question you'll never hear in Russia. Nobody expects an American who lives in Russia to stop being american at some point in time.

 

[Mestaruus]

Looking forward to that! There was an awsome football match in Latin America several decades ago, in which both teams needed to lose to get a better opponent in the play-off round. The match ended up with every team's strikers attacking their own goal, and every team's defenders defending the opponent's instead of their own goal. (No, it ain't a hoax, it really happened, look it up.) Would be great fun to see Finns attacking Rinne, and Kovalchuk firing at Bobrovsky.

I saw a soccer clip few months ago which had teams from South-East Asia. It was in Indonesia, Philippines or Malaysia and many of the players had got death threats from the mafia and were scared and it just got ridiculous. I believe it's on Youtube.

Will be interesting to see will Bobrovsky and Rinne play. It would be smart to not risk injury here, so I'd sort of understand if they won't play. If one of them doesn't play and the other does play that could be a little sign of which team is maybe planning to throw the game.

Why would you want to avoid Canada in quarter finals? Have you seen our record in quarter finals in the last few years?

Yeah, but I'm afraid this Canada is different. I remember it very well how they were HUGE favorites back then and we still won, but Canada is just so scary this year. 50 goals made or something and Finland made like 15-20 goals. We have a better goalie but I've seen good games from Mike Smith as well so... I just don't see Finland upsetting them this time.