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Semifinal predictions

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Rob

Rob

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
9,255
1,628
New Brunswick
USA v.s Finland: The Finns play a North American style of hockey and have a great goaltender in Kiprusoff. Tough to predict but I'm giving the edge to the US because of the way they played against the Russians and because of the home town crowd. 3-2 USA.

Canada v.s Czech Republic: I can see the Czechs playing the trap and trying to set up the counter attack which they do so well. They have a lot of talented players who can put the pucks in the net. Not sure which Czech team will show up though. Canada is the only team in the tournament which has won every game and they have a lot of confidence right now. It is going to be close but I give the edge to Canada. 2-1 Canada
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Finland - USA 5 - 3
Given that Finns show up. Both defences will have problems, Finns with hard US forecheck and somewhat slow US defence with Finns skating. Even game where Kipper is the deciding factor.

Canada - Czechs 4 - 2
Czechs are in a good position. They don't have any real preasure and can relax and just stick to their own style, which is a perfectly suited against Canada. Canada will push very hard, but Czechs co-ordinated (and underrated) defence will limit the damage, and they will score on PP and counter attacks Brodeaur or not.
 
I am on record here as having predicted before the tourney began that it'd be a Canada-Finland final, and nothing's making me doubt that.

My only other prediction on record was, before the game, a 6-1 Czech win over Sweden (off by one goal).

I am not tempted to predict the scores of the semis, just who'll win, though I expect Canada will have more trouble with the Czechs than Finland will with the U.S. team.

I almost wish I'd taken a vacation to Vegas and invested with some bookies.:thumbu: But who knows when a lucky streak will end?

I still think it'll be Canada over Finland 4-1.

I hope a Tkachuk doesn't mess it all up.
 
teme said:
Finland - USA 5 - 3
Given that Finns show up. Both defences will have problems, Finns with hard US forecheck and somewhat slow US defence with Finns skating. Even game where Kipper is the deciding factor.

Canada - Czechs 4 - 2
Czechs are in a good position. They don't have any real preasure and can relax and just stick to their own style, which is a perfectly suited against Canada. Canada will push very hard, but Czechs co-ordinated (and underrated) defence will limit the damage, and they will score on PP and counter attacks Brodeaur or not.
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If Finland couldn't score more than two goals against Germany what makes you think they'll score five against the U.S.? If anything, this is going to be a tight skating, defensive affair with the team making the one key turnover losing the game. I'm going 3-1 U.S. with the last goal being an empty netter. As for the Canada/Czech Republic game, hard to bet against Canada although the Czechs are peaking. I'll say Canada wins 4-2.
 
Finland vs. U.S.A, 2-3(OT)
Canada vs. Czech Republic, 3-1(EN)

Both of the losing teams really play well and push the winning team very hard. I predict great goaltending for all four goalies.

Goal Scorers:
Finland- Teemu Selanne(S. Koivu, Lehtinen), Niko Kapanen(Kimmo Timonen)
U.S.A.- Chris Drury(Gomez, Rafalski), Bill Guerin(Modano, Leetch), Keith Tkachuk(Modano, Guerin)

Canada- Joe Thornton(Niedermayer, Heatley), Dany Heatley(Lecavalier), Jarome Iginla(Lemieux)
Czech Republic- Milan Hejduk

I find it tough predicting who will get the assists for some reason.
 
Rabid Ranger said:
If Finland couldn't score more than two goals against Germany what makes you think they'll score five against the U.S.?
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My prediction is based on them actually giving a good effort.

If anything, this is going to be a tight skating, defensive affair with the team making the one key turnover losing the game.
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Neither team hasn't looked that great on defence, so there should be lot of chances. I'm betting on Kipper letting fewer goals in.
 
The Finns will win.. because Kipper is the first good goalie the states will face since Brodeur

however, defensively, the Finns are weaker as is their offense but their north american style of play will ultimately beat the Americans

3-2

Canada over Czech team... i dont know about score because I still dont know which team got off the plane.. the Czech team that beat Sweden 6-1 or the Czech team that went 1-2 in the round robin
 
Rabid Ranger said:
If Finland couldn't score more than two goals against Germany what makes you think they'll score five against the U.S.?
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I saw all the three games against Germany (4-2, 3-0, 2-1) and Finland played them all with same kind of attitude, and they did won all of them. And i dont think way they played against Germany has anything to do with the USA game.

Of course i hope that they would beat USA. But its gonna be difficult, USA is still defensively good and Eche is tough to beat. Hoping finns will win it 3-2 but afraid that USA takes it 4-1

Canada will bash Czechs 5-1
 
I won't predict scores. Just that I think it will be a Canada/U.S. final due to the fact that the European teams have had to travel to play in North America, while the Canadians and Americans have only traveled within North America. And the North American teams don't have to travel between the quarter-final and semi-final games.

I've flown to and from Europe, and it usually takes a couple of days to overcome the jet lag on the way back to North America. I know these guys are professionals, but you can't discount the effect of travel, IMO.
 
Kenadyan said:
I've flown to and from Europe, and it usually takes a couple of days to overcome the jet lag on the way back to North America. I know these guys are professionals, but you can't discount the effect of travel, IMO.
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Good point. It is difficult to predict how the jet lag will affect the play of the Euro teams but the NA teams are in a better position because they did not have to travel at all.
 
I'm not so sure how much the travel will affect the Finns and the Czechs. They're all used to it in the NHL. Plus, I'm sure they were all here in NA on Tuesday. That should give them plenty of time to adjust.

Someone pointed out that the Czechs are peaking, and that will make it a close game. Maybe they are peaking, but let's face it - so is Canada. They walked all over the Slovaks last night, with Lemieux, Sakic and Iginla finally getting their game going. Canada matched lines a lot last night and I assume they'll do so against the Czechs. One thing Quinn and Hitchcock do is match lines.

It was obvious last night that Chara and Hossa don't like playing in Toronto. They seem to lose the important games every time they play there. I wonder how the game for Havlat will go? BTW, I am an ardent Sens fan, and I want the Sens players to do well... but no so well that it hurts Canada!
 
chriss_co said:
The Finns will win.. because Kipper is the first good goalie the states will face since Brodeur
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Yes.

chriss_co said:
...defensively, the Finns are weaker
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No. Not weaker than the U.S. blueline. Not even weaker than Canada's, except on the powerplay.

The Finn goaltender, defensemen and checking forwards are solid, as Tkachuk will soon discover.

(Finland loses to Canada 1-4 in the final.)
 
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