GDT: Semifinals - May 21 - Finland (3) vs Russia (1)

[Lempo]

Damn i'll miss 1st period because i'm in the Sauna when game starts.

Can't you like arrange with a friend or someone to have yourself washed at their place earlier in the afternoon or anything?

 

[Kshahdoo]

It pains me that Kovaltchuk isn't playing. You can outplay the Russian stars, but if the team shows up instead then you're in trouble.

We have 2 lines that play as a team. And two lines with Datsyuk, Mozyakin, Ovechkin and Kuznetsov. If one of these two lines plays good, it'll be hard to stop Russia.

Of course, our defense is suspicious...

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

You Finns and your sauna. I actually smiled and chuckled to myself reading that. Can't miss the sauna for anything.

Going to sauna is the best thing what Finns can do without clothes
Of course i'll watch the 2 last periods ( 2nd and 3rd period) Finland vs Russia game

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

We have 2 lines that play as a team. And two lines with Datsyuk, Mozyakin, Ovechkin and Kuznetsov. If one of these two lines plays good, it'll be hard to stop Russia.

Of course, our defense is suspicious...

So is Finland's you guys have easy job to shutdown Finland's powerplay just cover to passing lanes and take puck off to Juuso Hietanen and we are in troubles.
Hietanen is good to avoid mistakes but he's lousy shooter in powerplay.
And Esa Lindell is hazardous sometimes also.

 

[Eisen]

To me our defense makes us the non favourites for this game, it feels like a bit of a miracle that they haven't lost a game with that defensive group.
Though Canada has been the only true test so far but they focused on wrong things on that game.

It's the same thing with the Russians though. There defense can be successfully pressured. It has been done in this tournament before.

 

[snipes]

Going to sauna is the best thing what Finns can do without clothes
Of course i'll watch the 2 last periods ( 2nd and 3rd period) Finland vs Russia game

It was good for a laugh, I thought it was funny you saying you had to miss the 1st period because of the sauna. You Finns just can't miss the damn sauna, not for nothing. Even in the summertime.

I've had a stressful day at work and that was a nice break from the seriousness of my day. Thanks for the chuckle. Good luck tomorrow against Rossiya. I'm more excited for that game than I am the Canada v USA game.

 

[jaloviina]

Russia is somewhat untested against this quality of competition so far, and everyone knows that Finland will lay everything on the ice when they play Russia. I expect Russia to be motivated by the home crowd and be ready to fight. Will probably be the game of the entire tournament.

yep best game of the tournament coming up! I just hope that the game is clean and we will see some amazing skills. Hope Laine doesn't **** his pants when he meets his idol.
thats really cool btw that they meet not the other part.

offtopic: let's not start treat by whining of refs and putler jokes. think before you post I know I do to correct spelling..

 

[jaloviina]

oh and for the game of course Russia has advantage. they have an elite level team (hey come on who are we kidding) impressive roster and they play in Moscow for fantastic home crowd can't wait.

 

[hockeykicker]

This is a thread about the upcoming game, not about the refs or anything else that may have occurred years ago. thanks

 

[snipes]

impressive roster and they play in Moscow for fantastic home crowd can't wait.

Agreed. The Moscow crowd has been amazing.

 

[IAM]

Agreed. The Moscow crowd has been amazing.

Yesterday against Germany they started to cheer after the game was tied. I don't call that amazing crowd but glory hunting. Tomorrow if Russia plays well the crowd could be their 6.th player. If they does not the crowd can be burden for them.

 

[CanadianPantherFan]

Let's go Barky ! Hopefully all is well. I have watched every game of Finland. One thing people are not mentioning about Finland's D (people even Finns thinking they will breakdown) is that Finland has ELITE two way forwards in Barkov, Koivu, Jokinen etc. These guys come back hard and know how to play system hockey. Faceoffs help at times too. It just masks some of the weaknesses this vanilla D core may have. Lastly, I think both Finnish goalies have played well outside of maybe one game or so. Koskinen is a big goalie who relies on puck hitting him where Saros is smaller more agile goaltender. Different styles but both working.

 

[Mestaruus]

I predict that Canada beats either team in the final because it's very hard to get ready for Sunday's final psychologically if FIN-RUS game is a war.

I expect Canada to beat USA easily and that 6½ hours more rest for either FIN or RUS isn't as important as the easy win in the previous day in the semifinal.

I'm still glad Finland was on this side of the bracket though because you'll never know how the quarterfinal would've gone against Sweden.

 

[c9gunner]

Should be a good game. Really looking forward to enjoying it. Lets Go Russia!!!

 

[Fantomas]

American/Canadian journos have been quite complimentary about their experience at the tournament. This is a welcome change from the Sochi days Cathal Kelly-style arrogance.

 

[snipes]

American/Canadian journos have been quite complimentary about their experience at the tournament. This is a welcome change from the Sochi days Cathal Kelly-style arrogance.

I've heard and read nothing but good things about the Moscow/St. Petersburg experience. By all accounts it's been hosted excellently. St. Petersburg looks beautiful, I hope to go visit there one day.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Is Rantanen expected to still be in the lineup? I'd really not like to get up at 7am if he isn't.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Last time we faced each other? anyone remember? who won?
win is always a win,no matter of the rosters,we won 3-2.
(we also won 3-1,couple days before that)

Our roster in that game was:

F: Komarov,ToSallinen,Pulkkinen,Pyörälä.Koskiranta,
Aho,JeSallinen,Filppula,Rantanen,MaGranlund,Malinen,
Jormakka,Wärn

D: Jaakola,Hietanen,Kukkonen,Ohtamaa,Melart,Kivistö,
Ahonen,Virtanen

G: Bäckström,Metsola


Now i don't remember russia's entire roster,but
you had Datsyuk&Mozjakin resting,but otherweise
you had relatively strong team,sure there were no
Panarin,Ovie,Orlov,Kuznetsov,Burmistrov,but you
had pretty much the same D and Goaltending,
Bobrovski played in the net.

 

[Lapa]

Just like always, making this thread political is not allowed.

You don't have to bring up Putin every time the referees make a bad call. Consider yourselves warned.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

This is how the game goes:

You start the game skating hard with tons of physicality,
jabs&chatter after every whistle,trying to unnerve us.
We start smart,play good defense,
goaltending,goaltending,goaltending,we stay away from
penalty box and do not react on your tries to unnerve us,
just smile and laugh back to the bench.

We score first,you get frustrated,lots of 1 on 1 from your
star players,slowly the game turns in our favor,you frustrate more,
dirty plays appear,you take stupid penalties,we score two goals.

Game ends 4-1,you weap,we celebrate.

 

[snipes]

The amount of confidence in victory and lack of humility by some (not all) Finnish posters is very unusual by Finnish standards.

If I have learned one thing over years of watching international hockey, it is never underestimate the Russians. Never, ever underestimate a Russian team playing for their country. It's surprising to me to see how bold some Finnish posters have been.

Finland is on the rise and I can see them eventually joining Canada and Russia as hockey superpowers. But they aren't there yet. I'm cheering for Russia this game. Hopefully Canada does their part and we have a Canada v Russia Gold medal game.

Canada and Russia have a score to settle with each other after what happened last year (no need to get into it, Russian fans overwhelmingly were upset at about what happened). With these games In Moscow, on the international stage you can't ask for anything better than Canada v Russia.

Take care of business Russia and see you for Gold . There is no better international hockey than a Canada v Russia game with a Championship at stake.

ROSSIYA!!

 

[Eugene85]

No chance for us. We'll be crushed with something like 5:1 or 6:2.

 

[moropanov]

Russia aint no anykind of hockey super power this skoda joke tournament means almost nothing. Russia is about 5. best national team atm. Some people can maybe be fooled by this tournament some idiot might even think Finland to be better than Sweden now, because Sweden sucked in this Skoda. Still like 2 finnish players excluding goalies would make it to team Sweden A team. Its ridiculous to think that this tournament is any kind of measurement of top hockey countries hierarchy. Skoda aint no much more meaningful than EHT tournaments. If Finland now wins this it doesnt mean that Finland should be considered better team than Usa or Sweden only Olympics and World cup mean anythink, and even World cup is questionable because it may be seen as a gimmick.

 

[snipes]

No chance for us. We'll be crushed with something like 5:1 or 6:2.

That would be shocking. I have a feeling the Russians will come out flying and play their best game of the tournament. Hopefully Russia pulls off the win for their fans.

I want to see the Moscow crowd loud and rocking. The Finns are a very good team and play a turtle style disciplined defence, but if Russia can figure out a way to crack that defence and get pucks to the net they can win.

Russia has more than enough talent to win this game. Plus with the way they feed off the crowd, I can see Russia playing their very best game of the tournament. Can't wait .

Good luck to both teams.

 

[McStimperi]

Russia aint no anykind of hockey super power this skoda joke tournament means almost nothing. Russia is about 5. best national team atm. Some people can maybe be fooled by this tournament some idiot might even think Finland to be better than Sweden now, because Sweden sucked in this Skoda. Still like 2 finnish players excluding goalies would make it to team Sweden A team. Its ridiculous to think that this tournament is any kind of measurement of top hockey countries hierarchy. Skoda aint no much more meaningful than EHT tournaments. If Finland now wins this it doesnt mean that Finland should be considered better team than Usa or Sweden only Olympics and World cup mean anythink, and even World cup is questionable because it may be seen as a gimmick.

Using "Skoda cup" as a mockery name for the tournament shows just how prejudiced and biased your opinions are. Nothing to see in this post.