GDT: 2014 Gold Medal Game • Sweden vs. Finland

[Ben Matlock]

How big of a deal is this in Finland?

Does this win get national coverage and big deal?

How big is hockey in Finland (#1 or is it #2 sport?) and will this victory mean for hockey Finland?

Big deal. Surprisingly big.

Probably front page headline in every paper tomorrow.

#1 sport for sure when it comes to spectators.

 

[Arto Kilponen]

Hockey is sports for many here. This victory will be celebrated all over, probably nearly as much as the gold from Bratislava.

I don't think it is celebrated that much, but I'd say over 99% of Finns are aware of the win right now. For example in USA the percentage would probably be way less than 20.

 

[Zeitung]

Are you seriously implying that "drove away the slavery" refers to Sweden? Get a clue.

Yes. Swedes came here armed and conquered us. Thats what I'd call oppression. It was Russian empire who gave us the autonomy. Not a big surprise from u, Ã…land wants Sweden right.

But its not history lesson so lets rock.

 

[FF de Mars]

Pirates say : Avast ye landlubbers !

Yes. Swedes came here armed and conquered us. Thats what I'd call oppression. It was Russian empire who gave us the autonomy. Not a big surprise from u, Ã…land wants Sweden right.

But its not history lesson so lets rock.

I know. I get you guys. We feel the same ICI. That's why this gold medal was sooooo awsome !

 

[Hagged]

Well, I guess it's quite a bit about this "little brother" mentality. Sweden is a country that in real life is pretty much identical to Finland, and in real life Finns do feel that there is not much to separate us. But history does weigh quite a bit, and undoubtedly with Denmark and Norway too. You have been too successful for your own good in this sense, I guess. It just should be a well known reminder to us that actually most Swedes cheer us if their own chances have gone, it's hugely silly not to know this.

There are some situations where finns are rooting for Sweden. But many times we feel like Sweden has won enough, and we would like the history books to be a little bit closer for the "rivalry" to continue. It feels like in hockey and soccer in particular Finland is so much behind there just isn't a way to make up for the huge difference in success rates.

Finland is "a known loser" in hockey, and there is a lot about rooting for the underdog as a finnish fan. So when finland gets tossed from the tournament, until there is a Canada-Sweden final, there always is some underdog like Slovakia or Switzerland to root for.

You wouldn't want to be on the bandwagon of the winner if you were finnish Losing gives you more of that "taste of life"

 

[King 88]

Yes. Swedes came here armed and conquered us. Thats what I'd call oppression. It was Russian empire who gave us the autonomy. Not a big surprise from u, Ã…land wants Sweden right.

But its not history lesson so lets rock.

Yea... russian has been very good for us NOT.

 

[Svanstrom]

I was responding to another poster. Just because you think it's irrelevant, doesn't mean it is irrelevant.

And even if it was irrelevant who the hell are you to tell me it is.

Obviously you wanna make a point. So do I, and it is irrelevant.
But you can focus on what ever you want. Im going to focus on the impressiv game the finns put up today.
All the Canadian fans I met down in Malmö were super friendly and nice (as always).
But you for some reason wanna kick some extra dirt in our faces for some reason.

 

[QnebO]

Hockey is #1 sport here and there is no question about it. Stating something else is laughable.

 

[Caz]

I really feel sorry for Hägg. He really took it hard. Sure wasn't a good play by him, but it's a team game

I agree. I was just watching the clip from
Aftonbladet and I feel bad for the kid.
It's heavy now and probably difficult to see
that he has a good future ahead of him.

 

[Arto Kilponen]

There are some situations where finns are rooting for Sweden.

Give me some examples.

 

[behemolari]

How big of a deal is this in Finland?

Does this win get national coverage and big deal?

How big is hockey in Finland (#1 or is it #2 sport?) and will this victory mean for hockey Finland?

it's huge, it will get some major coverage especially this team wasn't expect to do a thing. #1 sport clearly, everyone remembers last time champions from 1998 who they were and where they end up, this has some impact

 

[rduck1]

Hockey is #1 sport here and there is no question about it. Stating something else is laughable.

After boot-tossing that is, but that's pretty impossible to beat.

 

[21]

Extremely painful loss but congrats to Finland. It's good for hockey in Europe and the Nordic countries. Now if only Norway and Denmark could get better... ;-)

Finland did play very good in OT but in general Finland played a bit like Russia usually do vs Sweden the last years, defensive counter attack hockey. They simply have to play this sometimes boring way because Sweden have so much offensive talent. I'm very happy Canada and USA don't do it though because I strongly prefer offensive hockey.

Future looking extremely good for Sweden anyway, most of the time dominating and outplaying Finland is not bad at all in a final. Never thought it would be so easy shifting generation from the Forsberg, Lidstrom and Sundin era, I'm lucky I was wrong.

Sweden played a decent game but ran into a hot goalie and was too inneffective. Especially the Quick first goal was a shock for me anyway, I hated it, in a final... wtf. Pettersson's suspension wasn't good at all, we need tough players like him vs Finland. Pettersson is playing with heart and soul, a winner.

I still think it would be best for hockey worldwide if we could unite upon one standard icesize but it will probably never happen.

 

[Eple]

Number one sport for sure. This gets a lot of coverage, it is not as big deal as it is in Canada, but still.

It will get a lot of media coverage tomorrow, but the general public isn't very intrested in the tournament.

WHC or Olympic gold on the other hand...

 

[Nordic*]

I really feel sorry for Hägg. He really took it hard. Sure wasn't a good play by him, but it's a team game

He was dead tired and had no legs.

But then again...

The one who passed him was Riistolainen, who had like 45 minutes of ice-time, haha...

 

[NikoEhlers]

Agree. A lot of Swedes actually enjoy when Finland succeed (not in this game for obvious reasons)
A couple of years ago (2010) Denmark made it to the world cup in football and a lot of Swedes started to support them because Sweden failed to qualify. So a newspaper picked up on this and made a poll in Sweden and Denmark and a majority of the Swedes where happy to cheer for Denmark since they could not cheer for Sweden. The danes however would not cheer for Sweden if the roles where switched. It is the same with Norway. We cheer for them when we are not in the game but they would never cheer for us. Since when did we become the bad guys for every one in the North? We have not been an aggressive state for 200 years. We have done our best to support our neighbors in the ww2 and also afterwards. I am not expecting a thank you or anything that silly. But none of Finland, Norway or Denmark are inferior to Sweden so why have an inferior complex?Is it just because we are bigger?

Try going to one of the bigger danish football discussion pages and you will see most rooted for Sweden during your recent WC qual. vs Portugal. A lot root for Germany too here, when we are not in it ourself. I don't know how Norwegians looks at swedes, but I'm guessing no one in scandinavia has an inferior complex, we are too much alike

 

[Arto Kilponen]

Hockey is #1 sport here and there is no question about it. Stating something else is laughable.

I think with some nit-picking you get others to go ahead, like pesäpallo (Finnish version of baseball) is the national sport and floorball/football has more people playing them (like non-licensed), but like said, that is nit-picking.

 

[Hagged]

Give me some examples.

Canada-Sweden WJC game in NA ice for example. Sweden going surprisingly long way in some soccer tournament.

Well there aren't that many examples, but there are some occasions when it happens that finns are rooting for Sweden

 

[1912]

If Sweden won on a goal that was originally offside i know how most of you Finns would act. You would go completely *******. Don't pretend like you would'nt. Don't be bad winners.

 

[Arto Kilponen]

It will get a lot of media coverage tomorrow, but the general public isn't very intrested in the tournament.

WHC or Olympic goal on the other hand...

I agree with this. Sure, the thing that the tournament isn't shown in TV (that is, outside of payment channels), does a lot for it, but still, a random Finn doesn't just care unlike they do about World Championships.

 

[Zeitung]

Give me some examples.

I root for Sweden in hockey if opponent is USA,Canada or Russia.
In football Euro and World Cups I hope Swden makes it far. Otherwise I always hope the underdogs win..

Hockey is by attendance the biggest sport, also in media. Football of course has more players(Id guess 10 times more).

 

[Arto Kilponen]

Canada-Sweden WJC game in NA ice for example. Sweden going surprisingly long way in some soccer tournament.

Well there aren't that many examples, but there are some occasions when it happens that finns are rooting for Sweden

Point a Finn that seriously does that. I will never and that is absolutely never support Swedes in that kind of situations.

 

[heksagon]

I have to say that I'm sorry that I childisly complained about the refs in the third period, I got carried away with the heat of the game.

Always love the games against the Swedes, you played really hard and always ice a great team. I'm just really glad we won this time, better luck next time our beloved neigbours!

 

[FF de Mars]

So glad the swedish meatballs lost

 

[Hagged]

After boot-tossing that is, but that's pretty impossible to beat.

Well wrestling with polar bears and swimming among penguins comes close.

Making love on the beach also is very popular. You could say it isn't a sport, but when the water is frozen and there is a meter of snow on the beach, it is a kind of a feat.