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Why is Finland so tough opponent for Russia?

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FVM

FVM

This does not please me.
Jan 26, 2010
4,311
280
Helsinki
I was thinking about our opponents in our group. North America, Sweden and Russia. They are all world class and this group feels frankly unfair. But intuitively Russia feels the most beatable, even with their stacked forwards. This is no doubt influenced by Finland's good record against Russia in recent international tournaments. As best-on-best is only played every four years, there's no statistically meaningful sample size for that. Still, the two times these teams met in the last 10 years, Finland took both games. 2006 in Torino semifinals Finland won 4-0. In Sochi two years ago, Finland won the quarterfinal 3-1. In World Championships these teams always play competitive games and the results have been very evenly split.

On paper, Russia always has advantage. Why do you think Finland does so well against them? Is it the coaching and well-organized team play? Tight team defense and great goalies? Why does Finnish game plan work so well especially against Russia?
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Finland- Russia is always captivating...you have on one hand, a extreme team-team, based on roles and working together. On the other hand you have an extreme individual-team based on personal skill.


I'm not surprised that the team work comes out on top
 
I really think part of it is just the Finns getting in the Russians' heads. They simply have some sort of mental edge on them, as if the Russians know the Finns have their number for whatever reason.

Finland had never beaten Russia in a senior-level elimination game until the 2006 Olympic semifinal (4-0).

Since then Finland has eliminated Russia in each of the last three times Russia has hosted an event.

2007 WHC - Finland 2-1 OT (SF)
2014 OLY - Finland 3-1 (QF)
2016 WHC - Finland 3-1 (SF)

Granted, Russia has beaten Finland a few times as well (most recently the 2014 WHC final), but Finland's record vs Russia is still quite remarkable, especially their ability to spoil Russia's chances of winning at home.
 
Basically frustrating the hell out of Kovalchuk and Ovechkin. Then it's dominoes.
 
One thing we know is that all those elimination games have happened on the big ice surface.
Fin & Rus never met in the 2004 World Cup and Vancity 2010, and the last time they met on the small ice with very strong teams on paper (2008 Can WHC) Russia took it quite easily.

Finland did beat Russia in the 2002 olympics round robin in Salt Lake City though.

Who knows, this time around Russia could easily take it if Finland's defense makes too many stupid mistakes. I do predict a tight game and whoever wins, will win by 1 goal.

I also see Russia giving Sweden a run for their money. Swedes have a harder time with Russians than Finns do for some odd reason.
 
I hate to be the dull person but, what is the sample size again? :)

Russia has been getting a short end of the stick lately and the statistics will bounce back sooner or later and this is not just against Finland it includes the international play as a whole.

Russia right now is seriously underrated.
 
Murky said:
I hate to be the dull person but, what is the sample size again? :)

Russia has been getting a short end of the stick lately, and the statistics will bounce back sooner or later, and this is not just against Finland it includes the international play as a whole.

Russia right now is seriously underrated.
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International play is always small sample sizes spread out over long periods of time.

In the end, it's about showing up in the one game that matters, and in that regard, Finland has come out on top over Russia more often of late.
 
I actually think Suomi is more likely to beat Russia on Big Ice, as opposed to small, for reasons stated previously, on the Team Russia thread

Me:
...Suomi are more disciplined, and tatically more sound. By clogging up the neutral zone, forcing everything to the perimeter and playing a patient counterattacking style, they are able to exploit Russia's inept team play, the schizoid separation of RUS forwards and D, and the russian forwards tendency to try to play lone wolf, especially when they fall behind and become increasingly frustrated. But that's what tends to play out on Big Ice.

Small Ice will be different, and here the vast difference in skill level should be telling. On paper team Suomi at forward are nothing compared to Russia. And even though their team D is better, their D itself ( young and not very talented ) isn't. Russia has no business losing this game...
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"Leaders" never show up.

I fully expect Ovechkin-Malkin-Tarasenko line to be formed to save the day and play the last 5 minutes of every match.
 
Because they are not very good.

A couple of stars don't make a team.

They lack depth, D and good goalies.

Finnish D is actually young but very talented.
 
They're a tough opponent for everyone, and I don't see why Russia is being singled out.
 
MXD said:
They're a tough opponent for everyone, and I don't see why Russia is being singled out.
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cause styles make fights...and team Suomi does things on Big Ice which Russia doesn't respond well too...

In game adjustments, adjustments on the fly, hell adjustments period, are NOT T-Russia's forte
 
Kshahdoo said:
When Russia is alright, Finland isn't that tough opponent, and when Russia sucks, almost any team is tough for us.
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What happened in 2006 Torino then? Russia sure looked better than alright.
They beat Sweden 5-0, USA 5-4, Canada 2-0. etc. :help:
 
Finland has a balanced roster. They're not as good as Russia offensively, but they are way better defensively. Russia is cooked, no way they make it out of this insane group.
 
Russia has immense skill, but lacks system and team effort.

Finland has mediocer skill but has immense team effort and a great system.
 
Finland plays with more motivation and passion than Russia, and they play a defensive clogging drone system that, once a goal lead is obtained, its almost impossible for the Russians to score a goal unless they are willing to fight for it. Good teams that are committed to defense can totally shut down the Finns' offense, but Russia isn't one of those teams.
 
Not to slight Finland but every team is pretty tough for Russia. They don't win anything major.
 
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