GDT: Finland vs Germany

[TheFinnishTrap]

Tarasenko, Kempe, Hischier and friends can play good street hockey in Marbella or somewhere while we are in the final. I can't understand the amount of salt here, you do the necessary and move on.

There are no style points, only gold matters. Jalonen is here to win, everything happens for a reason. Finns trusted their defence and Olkinuora while Germans were fighting for their life, and as we can see it was enough.

But even the Finnish defence was bad. Germany was skating circles around our trap all-game long and generated good and great chances easily. It was all Olkinuora and puck luck in this game. Play like this against even a mediocre Canada and you lose 9 times out of 10.

 

[Mara]

I bet tomorrow's game will not be anything like this. Canada is not as organized and disciplined as Germany and their intense and aggressive style is better for us than Germany's highly organized version of our own playstyle.

That's a fantastic point. The USA vs Canada game earlier was a completely different beast than this one and the final is definitely going to be a game of aggressive offence vs organized defence.

 

[BullLund]

This team looks pretty much like the one we had in 2019 - and then we beat in succession Sweden, Russia and Canada, each full of NHL talent. This year's Canada is far weaker than those teams. So I do think that we have a good chance of winning tomorrow.

All of those guys were younger, fresher, hungrier back then.

Can they pull it off? I guess they could. But I think we still have to treat it as a major upset if they do. The lack of skill and talent is just so unfortunately obvious with this team.

 

[RageQuit77]

The party is probably over for Finland. They made it as far as they could go with a team like this.

Don't want to take anything away from the teams that faced Finland, but this is like Finland's D-team or something, realistically-speaking, and we don't have that much depth in the first place.

It's just that Jalonen has a tendency to take scraps, put them together, and make it work. This is really Jalonen's magic that is allowing this team to be competing for gold.

Considering our material, it is borderline miracle he is able to pull this again. Even if losing the final, it doesn't take much out from Jalonen the Magician. The game is generally very boring to watch, but it works. There aren't many coaches in the world who can pull something like this out. He, and utilization of his system to available material are showing he is the real Wizard.

If Finland somehow repeats 2019, then Jalonen would be just the second from God.

 

[thestudent]

.

 

[OKR]

Worse team won tonight, not complaining tho.

 

[kirppu]

Did Finland fans think their team defended well? To me it seemed like a gift to Germany how they completely gave up their own blue line and let our guys walk right in. It's not like they totally clogged up the middle either, Germany found a bunch of soft spots. Worked in the end but it seems like Finland could've spared their goalie some trouble since whenever opponents put pressure on the German breakout this tournament, it wasn't pretty.

If there was so many soft pots why only one goal just kidding.. Germany was strong today and It would have been no injustice if Germany had won the game.

 

[D1az]

I'm happy to see the Germans play hockey this excellent. Really fun to see more nations rising and I sure hope that the Germans continue along this path.

As a Finn I was almost hoping for the Germans to win this. Would be fun to see them win gold at some point and I think German newspapers had some really good articles on the German team and the 2021 championship, so I hope that this can be one more piece to solidify a more and more active hockey-culture in Germany.

 

[thestudent]

People start hating teams that consistently win regardless of the situation.

It just means that the team is successful, so just be happy and ignore the salty bunch.

 

[QnebO]

If Style points would count, Finland would have couple more golds. Best team hands down 2006 Torino Olympics. Sweden got that games last, 3-2 goal that was caused by stick breaking in wrong situation.

 

[ts11]

If there was so many soft pots why only one goal .

Because our players don't like scoring. That's basically the German MO for as long as I am watching. There were two years where we had the opposite experience and they scored with nearly no chances, but most of the time they can't buy a goal. I guess the players think it would give them an unfair advantage and like to show some generosity

 

[karhukissa]

Our best players don't give a flying F about world championships = we play with what we got. You gather a team with lower class players, have a great goalie like always and focus on team spirit and defensive game.

Why would this team play some cool hawaii hockey with fancy dekes and lacrosse goals when they are not skilled enough for it? This team is like a machine, effective one.

 

[PenDuhNotPittsburgh]

In what way?

catchy and uplifting I'd say

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

A bit like the USA game. Goalie is a part of the team.

 

[DieSendungmitderMaus]

If there was so many soft pots why only one goal just kidding.. Germany was strong today and It would have been no injustice if Germany had won the game.

Heh, wasn't that much to be sure, Finland did often just get a stick in there or got a save for the rest. Still- in the group stage game, Germany mustered all of 13 shots. Seemed questionable to me to only start defending so close to your own goal.

 

[jonlin]

I give props to Germany. They were the far better team. I still dont understand why Jalonen actually let the Germans inside our D-zone that easy? If you start defending a 2-0 lead, you shut down the blue line so the other team has to shoot the puck in. Now we let the Germans danse all around. I hope it was some tactical genious thing, so Canada think tomorrows gonna be easy...

 

[RageQuit77]

Our best players don't give a flying F about world championships = we play with what we got. You gather a team with lower class players, have a great goalie like always and focus on team spirit and defensive game.

Why would this team play some cool hawaii hockey with fancy dekes and lacrosse goals when they are not skilled enough for it? This team is like a machine, effective one.

That machine comparison came to my mind too, but contrary to the more famous historical "Machine", Jalonen's system has a near constant look of gray, dull, dughole entrenched defensive battle at Tappokukkula where Blue-White old Valmet struggles against a snow to bring some hays to an exhausted Finnhorses toiling with partly malfunctioning AT-gunnery pieces that suffer also from lack of ammunition. It seldom feels or look 'Winning' type of hockey.

Almost like Finns would be in the motti themselves.

 

[Bruce Granville]

It‘s a shame Jalonen wasn‘t allowed to take the best offensive line from the KHL or any players participating in the Liiga finals or any NHL player.
Being the sneaky guy he is, he snuck in Ruotsalainen and Määttä arguing the latter is an advantage for the opponents.

 

[jonlin]

It‘s a shame Jalonen wasn‘t allowed to take the best offensive line from the KHL or any players participating in the Liiga finals or any NHL player.
Being the sneaky guy he is, he snuck in Ruotsalainen and Määttä arguing the latter is an advantage for the opponents.

Määttä has actually been a nice surprise. I was sure hes done, but his been one of our best defenders.

 

[Bruce Granville]

Määttä has actually been a nice surprise. I was sure hes done, but his been one of our best defenders.

Usually you‘re in deep trouble if Määttä is one of your best defenders.
Kudos to Jalonen, who turns water into wine.

 

[Fatass]

Worse team won tonight, not complaining tho.

Yup. Two best teams play for bronze.

 

[Czechboy]

If it were me... I'd tell the 3 Canadian lines to dump in and chase chase chase. Just keep the puck down there as the Finns do NOT panic when you are in their zone. Then I'd tell the top line to get as creative as they want and risk it and try to score. Either Comtois sneaks one in somwhere or the big line does (they've been flying). Other thing Canuck teams are good at is shots from point and being in the goalies way.

For the Finn's... I'd let Canada do exactly that and be patient and counter and try to get a lead. Obvioulsy very good at shutting down the ice. However, Canada will try to score very differently than the Czechs and German's did.

 

[Kuljeskelen]

Yeah they wanted to fix something bad and made it even worse

We call that verschlimmbessern haha.
You want to make something better or fix something but actually make it worse

As a Finn, the whole refereeing this tournament has been a head scratcher. It doesn't help that in 2014 in Belarus the game was set for Russia to win and the whole women's 2019 fiasco... just this time it hasn't affected enough to cause a loss, which makes opposing fans ask "what are you complaining about?". But the refereeing is just bad, can't really say anything else. Some calls have been in our way, some not, and too many have been uncalled.

Good game by Germany, but if you don't make enough goals, you don't win a game. It be like that, and we've seen it too.

 

[ts11]

Yup. Two best teams play for bronze.

I disagree. Canada picked up their play after their disastrous start and added a major part of their redemption with Mangiapane.
I think you could argue USA>Finland, but Canada has in the playoffs shown to be competent, just needed to find the right mix.

And even as a German who would have liked to see this team in the finals, putting them above Finland, the US or Canada is just wrong.
They showed to be an nearly even match for Finland for once and could upset Canada, but had difficulties beating the Latvians and scrapped by the Swiss. Deservingly so, but living on a razors edge *please insert your Iron Maiden song here*

 

[BullLund]

I give props to Germany. They were the far better team. I still dont understand why Jalonen actually let the Germans inside our D-zone that easy? If you start defending a 2-0 lead, you shut down the blue line so the other team has to shoot the puck in. Now we let the Germans danse all around. I hope it was some tactical genious thing, so Canada think tomorrows gonna be easy...

The players are just very, very slow for the most part. There are bound to be some defensive breakdowns. The hope is that with good positioning on part of the defenders, and good goaltending, they can correct those mistakes.