GDT: Semifinal - May 25 - Russia vs Finland

[Yakushev72]

One thing I will say about the Russian player comments here and all the talk about being sore losers and not being able to take a loss with class, etc,etc is that I sure hope all that is remembered by each sides fans win or lose tomorrow.

I've found that memories tend to be short around here when it comes to class and being good winners and all gets thrown out the window with some (many) fans here when the worm turns and they are on the losing side.

It's pretty easy to be all sugar and spice and everything nice when the team you cheer for wins(and some can't even do that here) but it is how someone acts when they lose is where you really see what they are made of. We had a terrible example of that today in the Canada-Czech GDT.

Food for thought.

Thanks for the lecture! We all need more help from Canadians in regulating our lives!

 

[Wings4Life]

Its too simplistic to blame the coach for an embarrassing loss in this context. These teams are together for 0-2 weeks before the tournament, depending on the NHL status of team members. They have a few practices together, and a few chalkboard sessions, and that is it. As basic as can be on such a short-term basis. Unlike Ovechkin and Malkin, Vorobyev doesn't make tens of millions of dollars a year to provide brilliant coaching. You have to depend on the players to make plays. As big a Russian fan as I am, the Russian team was overrated from the outset based on the presence of 3 offensive stars, and most fans don't factor in how much energy is wasted trying to chase a cycling team in your own zone. A Finnish team with no real superstars (maybe an 18-year old star) just wore the Russians out in their own zone. That is on the players!

The players fight an uphill battle if the man behind the bench cannot come up with a decent game plan and decent line combinations. Vorobyov failed to do this, while Jalonen (who also doesn't look like a millionaire to me) had his team making quick smart plays along the boards all game long. Coaching was a big advantage for Finland.

Tomorrow, when Canada's C-team defeats Finland for gold, the difference between a well-coached NHL squad and one with a Russian buffoon standing behind the bench will become very apparent to some on here.

 

[The Cannon of Tesoma]

YLE Article Kiekkolegenda Tretjak äimisteli Leijonien timanttista puolustusta – "Emme saaneet ottelussa yhtään hyvää hyökkäystä" shows some class of Russians (and also of Finnish Reporter).

To be honest its hard to imagine Finnish state media would give that much praise to Team Russia if the plot line would've been reversed.

At least that article makes it implicitly clear that its about a game of hockey, nothing else.

 

[Yakushev72]

Yakushev's one the best Russian posters here.

The admiration is more than mutual! I will be wearing blue and white tomorrow. Soumi!

 

[Merya]

The players fight an uphill battle if the man behind the bench cannot come up with a decent game plan and decent line combinations. Vorobyov failed to do this, while Jalonen (who also doesn't look like a millionaire to me) had his team making quick smart plays along the boards all game long. Coaching was a big advantage for Finland.

Tomorrow, when Canada's C-team defeats Finland for gold, the difference between a well-coached NHL squad and one with a Russian buffoon standing behind the bench will become very apparent to some on here.

Canada's C team vs. Finland's D-team. I bet you are proud of your predictions...

 

[Yakushev72]

The players fight an uphill battle if the man behind the bench cannot come up with a decent game plan and decent line combinations. Vorobyov failed to do this, while Jalonen (who also doesn't look like a millionaire to me) had his team making quick smart plays along the boards all game long. Coaching was a big advantage for Finland.

Tomorrow, when Canada's C-team defeats Finland for gold, the difference between a well-coached NHL squad and one with a Russian buffoon standing behind the bench will become very apparent to some on here.

I agree that Canada is a 'C' team.

 

[DoubleGold]

I wish JJ would stay with Leijonat forever. Really hope they extend his contract as it ends after the next tournament.

 

[Merya]

A Finnish team with no real superstars (maybe an 18-year old star) just wore the Russians out in their own zone. That is on the players!

Jalonen has played not only 4 lines pretty equally but also 4 d-pairs as well. Maybe the extra effort came also from having more steam in the tank? Even the goalie has rested 2 games.

 

[MoeTheHobo]

Finnish commentator Antero Mertaranta

Anttila Goal


Last 40 seconds

 

[The Cannon of Tesoma]

I wish JJ would stay with Leijonat forever. Really hope they extend his contract as it ends after the next tournament.

Indeed. Maybe skipping some years for 'side projects' to grow hockey elsewhere, and learning new perspectives, and then repeatingly coming back to be skipper of various national teams (U18,WJC, WHC, OLY) when ever needed. His status is already eternalized in the history of Finnish hockey.

Jukka Jalonen - Wikipedia
Coaching Awards and honours[edit]

head coach

• 
  Winter Olympics (1): 2010
• 
  IIHF World Championship (1): 2011
• 
  IIHF World U20 Championship (1): 2016
• 
  Euro Hockey Tour (1): 2009–10
• 
  Euro Hockey Tour (1): 2018–19
• 
  IIHF European Champions Cup (1): 2007
• 
  SM-liiga, Kanada-malja (1): 2005-06
• 
  SM-liiga (4): 2001-02, 2002-03, 2004-05, 2006-07

Assistant coach

• 
  IIHF World Championship (1): 2008

And at least Silver medal coming from this tournament.

 

[DoubleGold]

Finnish commentator Antero Mertaranta

Anttila Goal


Last 40 seconds

That's some old school Mertsi right there. Can't remember the last time he narrated with such emotion.

 

[Loffer]

Russian media and players just said that Finlands hockey is bad for the game.

Bad for the game, what else! Lol. Oh, didn’t know it is good for the game to open avenues for scoring to the Russians and hail them while bowing deep as they score like primadonnas on ice?! Nah, it is good for the game to make them find something else to beat this almost unbeatable Finnish collective system of playing.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Jokerit 4th line is more like Kris Drapers 3rd line in Detroit's best days. Check the average icetime Anttila has got in Jokerit.

He's 11th forward in average TOI. Don't know if that really helps his case. I'm not saying he's a bad player in that role but come on. If that qualifies him as someone who "didn't get a fair shot at the NHL" that list contains hundreds of players.

 

[Hanji]

I did and it has like two or three articles concerning this match, none of them have much to do with "praising the finns". What you quoted originally from ovechins wife translates as follows, "Meidän on oltava ylpeitä maanmiehistämme, jotka ovat miljoonien ihmisten epäjumalia ympäri maailmaa ja toimivat esimerkkinä nuoremmalle sukupolvelle !!! Sinun täytyy pystyä hyväksymään riittävästi tappiota ja arvostamaan muiden ihmisten työtä! Kaikki hyvä, onnea huomenna, "- kirjoitti Shubskaya Instagramista."

"We have to be proud of our countrymen who are false gods to millions of people around the world (?) and act as an example to the younger generations. You have to be able to accept accept defeat and appreciate other people's work. All is good, best of luck tomorrow (refererring to the bronze medal game). Whoopdiduu

You seem to have an agenda. That Russian website was loaded with articles and quotes giving props to Finland, even quoting Finnish players about the great victory.

 

[MoeTheHobo]

That's some old school Mertsi right there. Can't remember the last time he narrated with such emotion.

Well the Marjamäki era didn't bring much excitement

 

[crowi]

Must be tough for russian posters here to get beaten time after again with their team having top NHL players in it - all the while claiming victory beforehand. Yikes.

 

[Stubu]

Oilers taking Jalonen as Coach?

First he'd press box McDavid and Draisaitl for too much skill for his team.

 

[Stubu]

Aww...oooh! :3 Jukka.

he looks like they just woke him up after a three day bender

 

[Stubu]

Anti hockey by Finland brings them the victory

Congrats

You misspelled "Anttila" Sir

 

[Stubu]

Finland isnt a scandinavia country tho

BTW, is Denmark, technically?

(Obviously the phrase is usually used as a synonym for "Nordic", in the cultural sense, unless someone wants to be really pedantic about geography.)

 

[Stubu]

All for one, one for all. Absolutely beautiful.

"all for one and fun for all"

 

[jj cale]

Thanks for the lecture! We all need more help from Canadians in regulating our lives!

I was talking about both teams fans and did make sure to include Canadian fans in that post in case you didn't notice.

Which apparently you didn't. Good work!!

 

[Stubu]

Must be tough for russian posters here to get beaten time after again with their team having top NHL players in it - all the while claiming victory beforehand. Yikes.

staaaahp

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Kaski will make against Känädä 2. Savinainen with one and ofc. Kakko will make last one.

I'm more than surprised if Kaski scores even 1 goal.
That muffin shot ( read weak shot) what Kaski has isn't enough good to beat NHL goalies.

 

[Wings4Life]

Canada's C team vs. Finland's D-team. I bet you are proud of your predictions...

This is more like Canada's D team versus Finland's B team.

Canada is the better team and should win comfortably tomorrow. That said, in a one game elimination tournament, anything can happen.