GDT: Group H • May 13 • Finland 0, United States 5

[Alicat]

I didn't see it anywhere but was Tuukka Rask invited to play/could he be called if Lehtonen is out?

 

[William H Bonney]

I didn't see it anywhere but was Tuukka Rask invited to play/could he be called if Lehtonen is out?

They've already registered 3 goalies.

 

[cagney]

This was one of the best games for a US team at the WCs that I've ever seen. Hopefully this group has finally found their game for good and the earlier inconsistancy won't be an issue going forward.

 

[The Great Dame]

Where can I watch this game/ the hit?

 

[MMANumminen]

I hope Vehanen starts the last 2 games. Mäenpää and Hietanen can't play in QF

This was the second time I couldn't watch the game to the end. It was so horrible. Last time was also against USA when we were losing 6-0 after 1st

 

[DekeLikeYouMeanIt]

Pitkänen has never shown interest in the world champs and he was not "discarded". He himself didn't want to come because of a yet another injury-riddled season and the fact that he has no contract at the moment.

Pitkänen has 2 more years on his NHL contract.

 

[The Optimist]

Where can I watch this game/ the hit?

This is the hit I believe.

 

[Raimo Sillanpää]

We were buttraped by a well prepared, gritty, speedy, skillful and more willing team.
I don't remember anyone dominating us like that for 60mins for a long time.

I do.

USA 6-0 FIN, Vancouver 2010

Damn yanks!

 

[Finnpin]

I said it in the beginning of the tournament that USA wins Finns but I didn't know it would be this easy...embarrassing Team Finland congrats USA you did your homework well and executed it well.

Vehanen in please.

Salmela is tool.

 

[doakacola*]

Will someone explain why this turd Salmonella will be allowed to play
in a championship game? The guy s/b banned from the tourney. I'm losing
all respect for the officiating and administration of this tourney.

 

[Finnpin]

Will someone explain why this turd Salmonella will be allowed to play
in a championship game? The guy s/b banned from the tourney. I'm losing
all respect for the officiating and administration of this tourney.

He got 5+20min and 3 games suspension...the way Finland is playing you will not see the tool Salmela in this tournament anymore...and that's good.

 

[Lapa]

I've never liked Salmela. As a player or a person.

Glad to see him being suspended. Just wondering, why Jalonen chose Mäenpää/Hietanen over Kousa/Söderholm..

 

[FiLe]

Just wondering, why Jalonen chose Mäenpää/Hietanen over Kousa/Söderholm..

Because they played better during the exhibition games? Well, at least better than Söderholm.

It's a crying shame Vatanen got injured again.

 

[QnebO]

Because they played better during the exhibition games? Well, at least better than Söderholm.

It's a crying shame Vatanen got injured again.

Agree on söderholm easily. But as you kinda mentioned, Kousa was tons of better. I rea§lly dont see or didint see that time how on earth he was not picked. He was right there With Väänänen as our Best D (regardless being OD).

 

[InjuredChoker]

Glad Salmela is out. You won't be missed.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

I love seeing the Finn fans rail against their team, not b/c I dislike Finland, but just b/c it's genuinely hilarious, y'all go in on your guys

 

[zorz]

I love seeing the Finn fans rail against their team, not b/c I dislike Finland, but just b/c it's genuinely hilarious, y'all go in on your guys

The most interesting is a fair amount of hate against Jalonen, which suddenly poped up. Few days ago I was reading here that he should be NHL coach and is possibly the best coach in the game....

 

[ThinMcWhistle]

The most interesting is a fair amount of hate against Jalonen, which suddenly poped up. Few days ago I was reading here that he should be NHL coach and is possibly the best coach in the game....

Jalonen is the best Finnish coach of all time. So the record speaks.

 

[ThinMcWhistle]

I've never liked Salmela. As a player or a person.

Glad to see him being suspended. Just wondering, why Jalonen chose Mäenpää/Hietanen over Kousa/Söderholm..

Only thing I respect him for is making a mockery out of that useless muumimamma president!

 

[Caz]

I love seeing the Finn fans rail against their team, not b/c I dislike Finland, but just b/c it's genuinely hilarious, y'all go in on your guys

With the risk of over generalization, I don't think us Finns are
easily very critical towards others, but towards ourselves there's
little or no limits.

If there was a sport called "mental self-whipping" we'd be very
close to a medal spot even in best-of-the-best tournaments.

 

[FiLe]

I've never liked Salmela. As a player or a person.

Only thing I respect him for is making a mockery out of that useless muumimamma president!

Yeah, not exactly a role model. Drinks like a fish, is involved in every grill queue fight from Helsinki to Rovaniemi, and has bad taste in women.

 

[Joe MacMillan]

Jalonen is the best Finnish coach of all time. So the record speaks.

What record? Coaching his team to one gold at a meaningless B-class tournament and to a bronze medal at the Olympics after his team got crushed in the semis? I'd take Summanen and Westerlund over Jalonen any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

 

[FiLe]

What record? Coaching his team to one gold at a meaningless B-class tournament and to a bronze medal at the Olympics after his team got crushed in the semis?

Perhaps his record can be disputed as it is, but let's keep in mind regardless, that this "one gold" is still something that had eluded every Finnish coach before him, including Summanen and Westerlund.

 

[Joe MacMillan]

Perhaps his record can be disputed as it is, but let's keep in mind regardless, that this "one gold" is still something that had eluded every Finnish coach before him, including Summanen and Westerlund.

That gold shouldn't award him the title of "the best Finnish coach of all time." Finland played much better hockey under Summanen and Westerlund. They both took huge underdog teams to the final in a best-on-best tournament (Westerlund in a dominating fashion), something Jalonen has yet to do. Also in Summanen's defense, he never got to coach our national team at WHC so who knows what he could have accomplished.

 

[FiLe]

That gold shouldn't award him the title of "the best Finnish coach of all time." Finland played much better hockey under Summanen and Westerlund. They both took huge underdog teams to the final in a best-on-best tournament (Westerlund in a dominating fashion), something Jalonen has yet to do.

Perhaps underdogs compared to the opposition, but they still both got teams consisting of the most talented Finnish player crop ever - aged to their prime. Finland has never had a team as strong on paper as they had in the last World Cup.

Jalonen never got that chance - he operated largely with the same material, but the years had taken their toll. Resultwise, that puts the Vancouver bronze on line with those achievements. Gameplaywise, that tournament of course left a lot to be desired, I'm not going to deny that.

So yeah, Jalonen may not be the undisputed best coach Finland has ever had, but he is definitely a contender.

Also in Summanen's defense, he never got to coach our national team at WHC so who knows what he could have accomplished.

2004.