WJC QF: Jan 2 GDT - Sweden vs. Finland

[VladNYC*]

Congrads to the Finns. Hope to see you guys in the gold medal game against Russia

 

[SChan*]

Well, it is nonsense. 80% of our shots on goal were totally unecessary and helped the finns more than it did us. Swedish teams need to play another style of hockey. We don't even create good counter attacks using the trap anymore. You can count the number of good transitional rushes by the swedes on your left hand. Instead we waste energy trying to play some kind of puck possession game.. And this is how the SEL teams play and how the "grown up" national team plays.. it's not effective.

ah well we need some new blood in the SEL. Maybe in 10-15 years. Our golden generation is done.

 

[deandebean]

Well, I reaaly did not think the Finnish D was good, allowing so many shots on goal just will not cut against teams with finishing skills. Canada should be able to take Finland apart tomorrow.

On that, we agree.

 

[deandebean]

Because this team is unable to create offence, we are playing defence over and over and over again..
If the same goes on with Canada we have no chance. Let's hope that Canada is worse in their forecheck than Sweden.

Even Aravirta's 1+1+3 is a solid system i think we should play 2-man forecheck against Canada. Simply to prevent them forechecking our D.

I hope you're not serious. Canada's forecheck is like a freightrain compared to that of the Swedes.

 

[Riddarn]

ah well we need some new blood in the SEL. Maybe in 10-15 years. Our golden generation is done.

We need North American sized rinks, north american coaches and russian technique trainers in the SEL.

 

[Vikke]

We need North American sized rinks, north american coaches and russian technique trainers in the SEL.

And Finnish goalie coaches.

 

[SChan*]

And Finnish goalie coaches.

actually we need that one the most of everything.

 

[Rise from the Ashes]

i told u it was gonna be close and finland would win because of rask

 

[SChan*]

i told u it was gonna be close and finland would win because of rask

have a cookie


goodnight fellas.

 

[Le Golie]

As I expected. Le Golie decided the game by jinxing Rask even before the game had started. You are now the enemy of the Swedish people and I will make it my purpose from now on to find you and stuff lutfisk down your throat

Don't Ever Ever jinx a goalie like that before a game. Worst move ever.

 

[Kaizer]

I feel that it was right decision to sleep a bit after 1st period and before USA-CZE game

 

[shaner8989]

Tuukka Rask

 

[Raimo Sillanpää]

Allow me to eat a bit of crow. Rask looks like a different goalie than any time I've ever seen him before. He is playing a very good game and even though the Swedes have been far better, Rask is giving the Finns a chance to win. I've never seen that in him before.

I'll wait to see this consistently before I change my opinion on him, but he's shown me a lot tonight.

Props!

Truly good teams find a way to win. Finland won and deserved it too. Why? Because they had the better, although alot fewer, chances to score AND they had a good goalie.

I agree 100%
Even on a bad night, bad game, great teams find a way to win. Finland did that tonight. It's not a great team though, but it has great character.
Canada will still smoke us.


Rask was great, Toronto fans must be smiling. Ref was solid, Finland was ugly. I can't think of a better term, there were good moments but nothing lasting. We had some good attacks but they were few and far between and between all of that Sweden had control and created pressure, although our defence succeeded in keeping them from real scoring positions, it's not enough. You can't be happy if your goalie has to stop the puck 53 times.
Besides, Canada will be far tougher to keep out of those scoring positions.

Only watched it from the 3rd period on, was the most frustrating match of all to watch, an ugly Finland yet still in it.. then exstacy at the end.

Congrats to Sweden too, 53 shots against anybody is an accomplishment and they can go home with their heads held high. Luck wasn't on their side but..

 

[RorschachWJK]

Wow, was I ever wrong with my prediction. It's a win, so I'll take it but it's becoming tiring like this, only getting wins because of goalies standing on their heads. When will we get a team with quality forwards and D-men? I don't think we deserve to be in the semis really.

I feel for Swedes. You guys probably understand now how we Finns felt after the Swedish 6-5 come-from-behind victory a few years ago at the men's WC.

 

[Taze]

Huh, what a game.

Eventhough Sweden dominated for whole game, they only had very few quality scoring chances (especially compared to shot amount) and Rask was there to cover those. Our defense (team defense) did great job to keep Swedes out of the good scoring chances. If Swedes could create only few chances, we didn't have even those.

And after giving some credit to defense, it's time to face the reality. Our defense can't clear the puck from own zone, even if their life depends on it. Specially Leppänen is flat out horrible, I think he might have made one good clearance, but otherwise he was just horrible and looked very sluggish. Another defender with poor performance was Seppänen, not quite as horrible, but still poor. None of the defenders stood out, Laakso got the goal, but showed very little aside. Are these six guys really the best we have in this agegroup? Doesn't look convincing.

I didn't like the refreeing at all. Weak calls allover the game, but I suppose that's the way they want to go to. Tripping penalties to Wirtanen and Viklund (or whoever the Swede in the penaltybox at overtime was) and roughing call to Joensuu were just brutal.

 

[hifk88]

Tuukka Rask # 1

 

[Seiza]

Congrats to Finland for the win. Hope you can give Canada a good fight and repeat what you just did to us.

Too bad it didn't work out for Sweden this year, I really thought they had a good team. But we'll be back next year on home ice.

 

[Rob]

What city will be hosting the games?

 

[Mess]

This is a 'devil you know' situation for me, so go Finland. I haven't seen the Swedes yet, but I'm not afraid of Rask at all. So I hope the Finns make it to the semis.

Nice jinx. Expect a Rask shutout tonight.

Good Call

 

[Padawan]

The only thing to do is to invade those damn Finns!!

Just BRING it!

Rask was awesome! Some great saves. However many shots came from a bad angle or were low in quality. Team Finland did a good job at directing the swedish attack to the corners. Still, Team Sweden dominated the game. Luckily, there aren't no style points but only goals decides the winner. Both teams had great goalies and great defence. This time Team Finland got the lucky bounce. Usually it's the swedes.

I was especially happy that Erkka Leppänen got much ice time and played well. Hopefully he gets more ice time also in the game against Team Canada.

Rask won this game for Team Finland. No question about it, but also to the the whole Team Finland who never gave up and helped Rask when he needed help. Thank you, young lions.

 

[Telecaster]

What city will be hosting the games?

Leksand and Mora.

 

[Taze]

I was especially happy that Erkka Leppänen got much ice time and played well. Hopefully he gets more ice time also in the game against Team Canada.

Played well? How awful he is when he plays bad? Just watch his outlet pass or clearing from own zone... flat out horrible. I don't think he managed to get a single opening pass to own players in neutral zone and I actually counted his "clearings", he succeded in ONE (in third period) and he tried around a dozen times. Granted, getting the puck out of zone wasn't a problem only for him, but all defenders. He also looked somewhat lazy in own zone and I know there was few looooong shifts. None of his shots in powerplay got past first defensive player. Played well? Time to remove those JYP-glasses.

 

[Padawan]

Played well? How awful he is when he plays bad? Just watch his outlet pass or clearing from own zone... flat out horrible. I don't think he managed to get a single opening pass to own players in neutral zone and I actually counted his "clearings", he succeded in ONE (in third period) and he tried around a dozen times. Granted, getting the puck out of zone wasn't a problem only for him, but all defenders. He also looked somewhat lazy in own zone and I know there was few looooong shifts. None of his shots in powerplay got past first defensive player. Played well? Time to remove those JYP-glasses.

Maybe I have a slight of JYP glasses on but I'm still behind my original opinion. He had few problems getting the puck cleared out of the defensive zone but to his defence he had a long shift. He didn't even get to try to clear the puck because he didn't have it. That's where he needs to improve. To get the puck from the opposition. There was this one time in the third period where he had the puck and tried to clear it. It hit his fellow team member who tried to clear it but was also unable to do so. The commentator from Yle on said Leppänen was unable to clear it. I think this is what you remember? However, he did keep his man away from scoring opporturnity, played well in the pk as well as the pp. He did sent puck towards the opponents goalie to get deflected in but Team Sweden also played good defence and keep Team Finland players away to deflect these shot in. Aravirta rewarded Leppänen and his defensive pairing (forgot about his name already ) with good amount of ice time.

I tried to watch Leppänen closely so I could see how he played all the game, can you say the same and back your claim?

 

[Larkin]

Played well? How awful he is when he plays bad? Just watch his outlet pass or clearing from own zone... flat out horrible. I don't think he managed to get a single opening pass to own players in neutral zone and I actually counted his "clearings", he succeded in ONE (in third period) and he tried around a dozen times.

Yeah, i'm with you. Leppänen was just awful and i thought many times during the game, how he could get so much ice time. His passing was very poor just as you said and so was his clearings. Physical play... what is that? Yes Padawan, you had JYP-classes on, big ones!

Positive was that Komarov didint get any penalties, I still can't ficure why he is in second line and in powerplay. Many stupid penalties and what he is contributing? Korpikoski could get lot more done if he would have a better center.

 

[Taze]

I tried to watch Leppänen closely so I could see how he played all the game, can you say the same and back your claim?

Actually yes, as he played with Matti Koistinen (Tappara junior) .

And I remeber far more than that one missed clearance, since I noticed the probelm (that was problem for ALL our defenders) in first period already.