WC: Finland vs USA semi final!

[AKQJ]

29	Harri Säteri		1	Jeremy Swayman
35	Frans Tuohimaa		31	Strauss Mann
45	Jussi Olkinuora		32	Jon Gillies
2	Ville Pokka		2	Andrew Peeke
3	Niklas Friman		4	Seth Jones
4	Mikko Lehtonen		5	Jon Merrill
23	Esa Lindell		7	Nick Blankenburg
38	Juuso Hietanen		43	Luke Hughes
41	Miro Heiskanen		44	Jaycob Megna
42	Sami Vatanen		88	Nate Schmidt
50	Mikael Seppälä		11	Riley Barber
55	Atte Ohtamaa		12	Matt Boldy
10	Joel Armia		14	T.J. Tynan
12	Marko Anttila		15	John Hayden
21	Jere Innala		16	Austin Watson
24	Hannes Björninen		17	Adam Gaudette
25	Toni Rajala		22	Kieffer Bellows
51	Valtteri Filppula		24	Sam Lafferty
64	Mikael Granlund		25	Karson Kuhlman
65	Sakari Manninen		26	Sean Farrell
70	Teemu Hartikainen		27	Alex Galchenyuk
76	Jere Sallinen		28	Vinni Lettieri
80	Saku Mäenalainen		34	Thomas Bordeleau
82	Harri Pesonen		38	Ryan Hartman
91	Juho Lammikko		59	Ben Meyers
HC	Jukka Jalonen		HC	David Quinn

On papers there is no question. It is Finland. And despite having less NHL experiene the team is a bit stronger in every aspect. Goalie could be a question of taste, but '19 World Champion and Olympic Champion (back up in key games) after breaking records this Worlds must be a slight favourite against very solid Swayman. US improved a lot in that department after the first meeting. Defence after adding Heiskanen/Lindell Finland is better. US defence bench too short, though with 5 players they outshot Switzerland. Offence of US added Hartman, Tynan, Boldy, Finland Granlund after their first meeting. I prefer Finnish guys who have a lot of international (sucess) experience. Jukka Jalonen is the best international coach in the World.

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[ORRFForever]

As a Canadian, I'd much rather play the Americans in a GMG. In Finland, against a wounded American team, I can't see this strong Finn team losing.

 

[Zero Pucks Given]

As a Canadian, I'd much rather play the Americans in a GMG. In Finland, against a wounded American team, I can't see this strong Finn team losing.

Us losing in a semifinal yet again?

At least even in these times we're still consistent at something!

 

[Eye of Ra]

With Jalonen there can be no loss. He could coach a mestis team and still win the wch gold.

 

[MBrodeur]

As a Canadian, I'd much rather play the Americans in a GMG. In Finland, against a wounded American team, I can't see this strong Finn team losing.

As a Finn I don't want a third Canada - Finland final in a row. Those games have been so stressful

 

[ORRFForever]

As a Finn I don't want a third Canada - Finland final in a row. Those games have been so stressful

The rubber match.

 

[JabbaJabba]

Swayman is a real goalie. This game will be tougher than the previous FIN-USA match.

 

[Mestaruus]

This game will be tougher than the previous FIN-USA match.

I agree on that.

In the previous FIN-USA game Finland scored many PP goals and I think that the refs helped Finland a bit in that game, so in the rematch we'll see a different kind of game with USA that has improved a little bit. However I'm still not impressed enough by USA. USA took out a very tough Switzerland with their defensive effort and USA was defensively solid against Sweden too in USA's OT win. So I expect a low scoring game, unless the referees feel like calling many penalties. USA's first two goals against SUI included some lucky bounces and a really bad goalie screw up. That dictated how the game went. USA got confidence of those goals. I don't think that USA gets those bounces every game.

It would be nice for USA to get gold finally considering that they are one of the top teams. It's been 62 years since USA won gold in WHC, but I don't think that it will happen now. Finland will take this on regulation. Here are USA's last WHC gold details:

Year: 1960
Host country: USA
#1 USA, #2 Canada, #3 Soviet Union

So I see Finland beating USA and if Finland gets in the final, the opponent in the final would be a dream opponent no matter which of Czech or Canada wins.

In 2021 WHC Finland was better than Canada on 5on5 by quite a bit but then the 3on3 OT started and it was clear who would have the advantage in that, because Canada's top individuals were little bit better. Although these teams have different rosters now, it would be nice to see that rematch.

FIN-CZE final would be a dream as well. Jalonen vs Jalonen match up on Finnish soil and I don't think that we saw the real Czech team in Finland's and Czechs's preliminary meeting because Czech had no reason to win that game. So they were just looking forward to keep everyone uninjured and ready for their QF game.

 

[mattihp]

Hopefully Vatanen will be fit to play. Pokka does nothing to me.

 

[Lartsaman]

Americans dont usually give a shit about this tournament, so can we make a deal that it will continue that way also tomorrow?

 

[mattihp]

Americans dont usually give a shit about this tournament, so can we make a deal that it will continue that way also tomorrow?

Their players usually care though..

 

[FinPanda]

Thinking it will be another 3-2 hockey game one way or another.

 

[SanDogBrewin]

Stay out of the damn penalty box US. US actually played a pretty good game against Finland 5v5 last time out. Boldy and Bellows got get going in this one.

Swayman will have his hands full. I see a stingy tight defensive battle. Seth Jones will play some monster minutes again.

 

[SantosHalper]

It would be nice for USA to get gold finally considering that they are one of the top teams. It's been 62 years since USA won gold in WHC, but I don't think that it will happen now. Finland will take this on regulation. Here are USA's last WHC gold details:

Year: 1960
Host country: USA
#1 USA, #2 Canada, #3 Soviet Union

That's an Olympic gold actually. Back in the day there weren't WHC tournament in Olympic year and also back in the day Olympic medals was treated as world championship medals as well.

USA's "real" WHC medal chart.
1 Gold medal 1933
4 Silver medals 1931, 1934, 1939 and 1950
8 Bronze medals 1949, 1962, 1996, 2004, 2013, 2015, 2018 and 2021

So USA has never played in WHC tournament's gold medal game, since the 1st gold medal game was played in 1992.
-----------------------------
Let's try to keep it that way. I think the comeback victory against Slovakia was the final piece of the puzzle, now the team is more united than ever. We will never have the individuals, but we can have the best team.

Finland 2 - USA 0

 

[IceHockeyDude]

There's no question this will be a different game and different circumstances than previous one between the countries. Swayman looking confident and Minnesota guys Boldy and Hartman are like adding Hintz and Puljujärvi to the Finnish offence.

But I trust in Jalonen and the blue machine. The mental strength should be talked about more. If we lead by 2 after the first period, so be it but if we are down by 2 or 3 even,, everyone knows we can come back by just creating goal-scoring chances or Anttila putting on a mörkö-mode.

Looking for a low-scoring game and blue-machine victory by 1-2 goals.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Mörkö lyö couple of goals in for the W.

You just know thats gonna happen.

 

[karhukissa]

With Jalonen there can be no loss. He could coach a mestis team and still win the wch gold.

Haha if Jalonen left this team it wouldn't change much. He has planted his fingerprint to Finnish hockey already and that winning culture is now around our hockey.

But it's much more than just one coach, Swedes can hope that one coach can come and change everything but you'll notice that it doesn't work so easily.

 

[FinPanda]

Haha if Jalonen left this team it wouldn't change much. He has planted his fingerprint to Finnish hockey already and that winning culture is now around our hockey.

But it's much more than just one coach, Swedes can hope that one coach can come and change everything but you'll notice that it doesn't work so easily.

I hope the next coach is not Marjamäki..

 

[karhukissa]

I hope the next coach is not Marjamäki..

He's gone from failure to failure for the last few years and i strongly believe that Jalonen gives his recommendation to hockey association who will be his successor and they will listen.

 

[IceHockeyDude]

He's gone from failure to failure for the last few years and i strongly believe that Jalonen gives his recommendation to hockey association who will be his successor and they will listen.

Yep, and they will listen. Manner could continue the legacy. That would be a no-brainer. Then there's Ahokas and Pennanen.

 

[Husqvarna]

Go home Yankee boys from Tampere , Finland - even if Finland only have a populations of 5.54 million or so we'll give you a real go, go U.S.A. And you bloody know it.

You U.S.A even have larger cities than that all of Finland.

But Finland boys will fix it all.

 

[jj cale]

You should fix it all, you prepare for this tournament far more then the U.S does.

If you don't win you've messed up.

 

[Finnswiss]

I'm quite optimistic for the Finns. I don't think they commit the same mistakes as the Swiss. Additionally Olkinuora is the better goalie than Genoni on international level.
If the Finns win it's in any case the first medal in history at their home WHC.

 

[illone84]

Go home Yankee boys from Tampere , Finland - even if Finland only have a populations of 5.54 million or so we'll give you a real go, go U.S.A. And you bloody know it.

You U.S.A even have larger cities than that all of Finland.

But Finland boys will fix it all.

Americans are just tourists in Tampere enjoying the cheap beer and amazing night life. I doubt they are taking this tournie seriously

 

[Ippenator]

Yep, and they will listen. Manner could continue the legacy. That would be a no-brainer. Then there's Ahokas and Pennanen.

Please not Manner! He is isn’t really a very good coach. I know that he has been in the Jalonen’s coaching team, but still I don’t have much trust in him coaching the national team. Jalonen is a masterful tactician and motivator, and Manner isn’t really either. He’s just stubborn and stuck in his ways and not that great in motivating players either.

I’m so far not very convinced with Pennanen either, but he seems still like a much better option. I guess much depends also on how Finland does in August in the U20 tournament. If the team is a disappointment, then I think he might lose the chances for coaching the men’s national team in at least the near future. Ahokas could probably be a pretty realistic option in that case.