WJC: U18 WJC Latvia vs Finland game thread.

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Team Finland tonight
Maalilla:
1 Petteri Rimpinen

Varalla:
30 Kim Saarinen

1:
28 Lauri Sinivuori – 19 Konsta Helenius – 32 Emil Hemming
12 Aron Kiviharju – 10 Veeti Väisänen

2:
33 Tuomas Suoniemi – 27 Aatos Koivu – 24 Joona Saarelainen
15 Niklas Nykyri – 4 Mitja Jokinen

3:
37 Markus Loponen – 23 Ville Väärälä – 29 Kasper Pikkarainen
2 Onni Amhamdi – 3 Daniel Nieminen

4:
21 Natan Teshome – 22 Anton Kettunen – 34 Roope Vesterinen
7 Veikka Mononen

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[JohnWillow]

That 2nd line for Latvia.

 

[Namejs]

I'm very excited about a number of prospects on the Latvian team and can't wait to see them in action against Finland. For some this is going to be their first real test against high calibre opposition.

#14 Murnieks has been lauded as the most talented forward prospect in Latvia in history - will be paying particular attention on how the 15 yo does today

 

[Jussi]

First PP to Finland.

 

[Namejs]

Murnieks with real good skating and speed on the PK forecheck

 

[Jussi]

Hemming!

 

[Namejs]

A couple of good looks on the Latvian PP there

 

[SantosHalper]

Mitja Jokinen can skate

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Passable 1st period for Finland and 1 goal lead.
Screen play front of the net should be much better now Latvian goalie took some easy saves.

Powerplay needs also improvements
but these first 3 games ( Latvia, Norway and Slovakia ) are made for that.

Rimpinen hasn't much got shots and hasn't been tested often
so hard to say nothing yet how good he'll be during the tournament.

 

[Jussi]

Ruohonen 2-0!

 

[JJTT]

Kiviharju cut with a skate on his chin. Kid can't catch a brake.

 

[Jussi]

Kiviharju cut with a skate on his chin. Kid can't catch a brake.

"Nyt muuten sattu Juhaa Aaronii leukaan..."

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

How freaking difficult it is to win one goddamn Latvia more than 1 or 2 goal difference.
Always when Finland plays vs Latvia no matter what tournament were playing
Finland has seroius scoring problems vs Latvia every single time
and powerplay is atrocious bullshit.

And to win the game Finland needs to do double or triple jobs to get 1 goal scored.
Is it really that our player development lack goal-scoring practices or what's the problem.
Or is it that the quality of our top prospects is more SM liiga / mestis level than NHL level.

 

[Namejs]

How freaking difficult it is to win one goddamn Latvia more than 1 or 2 goal difference.
Always when Finland plays vs Latvia no matter what tournament were playing
Finland has seroius scoring problems vs Latvia every single time
and powerplay is atrocious bullshit.

And to win the game Finland needs to do double or triple jobs to get 1 goal scored.
Is it really that our player development lack goal-scoring practices or what's the problem.
Or is it that the quality of our top prospects is more SM liiga / mestis level than NHL level.

Or, you know, the Latvian team is actually decent and has a number of NHL prospects.

 

[Svedu]

Well Hemming and Helenius do seem to be on another level than others after seeing the beginning of the third.

Murnieks with real good skating and speed on the PK forecheck

Great prospect. Two years younger than the rest.

 

[Svedu]

Or, you know, the Latvian team is actually decent and has a number of NHL prospects.

A factor for sure but also because this Finnish team ain't that good or talented depth wise. When Hemming or Helenius gets going it's easy to spot them. Especially Hemming.

 

[karhukissa]

Not a good look when you are only 2-0 up against Latvia. Hemming and Helenius are great but otherwise pretty meh.

 

[Namejs]

Not a good look when you are only 2-0 up against Latvia. Hemming and Helenius are great but otherwise pretty meh.

The other team has a say in how many goals you get to score. 'Latvia' isn't some static benchmark, the variation in talent from year to year can be huge.

This is a very good team for Latvian standards.

 

[kudla]

Latvia - Slovakia tomorrow is going to be interesting

 

[Namejs]

And the 2008-born Murnieks with an assist on that Latvian goal.
Need that win vs. Slovakia now

 

[Jukurit]

Hemming, Helenius and Kiviharju very good. Everybody else meh.

 

[SantosHalper]

Solid start by our boys, Finland usually is nervous in the opening game but i didn't see any of that.

 

[JohnWillow]

And the 2008-born Murnieks with an assist on that Latvian goal.
Need that win vs. Slovakia now

Mistake by IIHF. Flugins with the secondary assist not Murnieks.

 

[JohnWillow]

Still a great game by Murnieks. Over 20 minutes ice time by the 15 year old, second most between all Latvian skaters.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Mediocre game from Finland but win is a win.
Powerplay was absolute bullshit with those penalties
what Latvia took you should score more powerplay goals than 1.

Penalty killing was good and Rimpinen into net looked good too.
Only thing which freaks me out on Rimpinen is that how often he comes out of his zone.

It is good goalie is active and he can play with the puck.
But leaving from net that often and wide open will cause later too many easy goals.

Especially vs USA Rimpinen cannot leave his zone that often what he did today.
USAs top scorers like Eiserman, Hutson and Hagens will score of those chances
if Rimpinen continues that way.

Now only question is that is Aatos Koivu getting suspended on his 5+20 penalty.
Hopefully not but i afraid IIHF will give at least 1-2 games suspension on that hit.

Finland has a lot serious improvement jobs to do
if their goal really is to play in gold medal game next sunday.

Solid start by our boys, Finland usually is nervous in the opening game but i didn't see any of that.

More mediocre than solid start.
That bullshit powerplay should be better what it was today.
We cannot win any medals or even quarterfinal if we continue waste powerplay chances that much.