GDT: Jan. 4 • Semifinal • Canada vs. Finland

[Systemfel]

2014 World Junior Championship
Semifinal • January 4, 2014
19:00 CET • 1:00 PM ET

Malmö Arena
Malmö, Sweden

Canada
Projected lineup.

10 Charles Hudon — 27 Jonathan Drouin

— 28 Anthony Mantha
17 Connor McDavid — 19 Nic Petan — 26 Curtis Lazar
21 Scott Laughton

— 11 Bo Horvat — 23 Sam Reinhart
16 Kerby Rychel — 22 Frédérik Gauthier — 25 Josh Anderson
14 Taylor Leier

15 Derrick Pouliot — 5 Aaron Ekblad
8 Griffin Reinhart — 24 Matt Dumba

2 Adam Pelech — 7 Josh Morrissey
3 Chris Bigras

31 Zachary Fucale (start)
1 Jake Paterson

Finland
Projected lineup.

8 Saku Mäenalanen — 20 Teuvo Teräväinen

— 28 Artturi Lehkonen

11 Joni Nikko — 21 Aleksi Mustonen — 25 Henrik Haapala
26 Rasmus Kulmala — 18 Saku Kinnunen — 10 Juuso Ikonen
22 Henri Ikonen — 29 Otto Rauhala — 13 Ville-Valtteri Leskinen
14 Topi Nättinen

7 Esa Lindell

— 12 Ville Pokka
4 Mikko Lehtonen — 5 Rasmus Ristolainen
19 Mikko Vainonen — 9 Julius Honka
15 Juuso Vainio

31 Juuse Saros (start)
30 Ville Husso

Scratched
G 1 Janne Juvonen

Game Officials

Tim Mayer (R)

Marc Wiegand (R)

Andreas Kowert (L)

Eduard Metalnikov (L)​

Click to read more...

 

[Get North]

Go Canada! Better take this win!

 

[Lapa]

Hoping for a good game.

How has Dumba been in this tournament?

 

[Hagged]

Canada will take this as a day off. That's why I think it won't be a blow out. Maybe 5-2 Canada or something. If they actually show up the score will be in double digits.

Teravainen's line will be the bright spot in Team Finland. And Saros, but I think this kind of game isn't really a goaltenders dream as far as Saros go.

 

[QnebO]

We can go to this game without any pressure.. Medal rounds are enough for this team, Gold is not realism for us. That's why loss won't be huge disappointment. 5-0 Canada.

 

[Shyguy]

Go finns!

 

[1Gold Standard]

Hoping for a good game.

How has Dumba been in this tournament?

He's U20 tournament hasn't been anything close to his U18 tournament... he's been sick, banged up...makes poor reads, costly turnovers....he's # 5 or 6 D man on this team.

 

[Lapa]

He's U20 tournament hasn't been anything close to his U18 tournament... he's been sick, banged up...makes poor reads, costly turnovers....he's # 5 or 6 D man on this team.

Damn, that sucks to hear as a Wild fan. We could use a top 4 defenseman.

Hope he turns it around in the remaining two games. He hasn't played much with the Wild, maybe that has hurt his performances.

 

[Yeah15]

Damn, that sucks to hear. As a Wild fan we could use a top 4 defenseman.

Hope he turns it around in the remaining two games. He hasn't played much with the Wild, maybe that has hurt his performances.

He's been by far the biggest disappointment for me on Team Canada this year. He'll show flashes of offensive brilliance, but he's constantly been making brutal decisions in the defensive zone.

 

[1Gold Standard]

Damn, that sucks to hear as a Wild fan. We could use a top 4 defenseman.

Hope he turns it around in the remaining two games. He hasn't played much with the Wild, maybe that has hurt his performances.

Ya, Minni needs to let him finish the year in junior and then a year + in the AHL. They didn't do themselves or him any favors by keeping him on the roster this year.

 

[Lapa]

Ya, Minni needs to let him finish the year in junior and then a year + in the AHL. They didn't do themselves or him any favors by keeping him on the roster this year.

Yeah, tell me about it. It really sucks that he can't be sent to Iowa.

 

[m4tt145]

Finally all the tickets are sold to a game who Sweden isn't playing. Hoping there will be a great atmosphere in both semifinals.

 

[Ajaton Azer]

This is very important game for our young Finnish lions, if they want to win the tournament. Team Canadian is very highly skilled, physical team. But maybe team Finland is more disciplined and teamly oriented squad. Hopefully it is enough, to mind winning over the matter!

 

[mindfly]

Go canada Go, go canada go ^_^

 

[f1nn]

This is very important game for our young Finnish lions, if they want to win the tournament. Team Canadian is very highly skilled, physical team. But maybe team Finland is more disciplined and teamly oriented squad. Hopefully it is enough, to mind winning over the matter!

Are you sure? I mean I'm sure there's another way to the gold

 

[Revolt]

Let's go Canada!

 

[Erikfromfin]

TSN match preview focused on what players finland missing from this game. Somewhat familiar theme during this tournament.

 

[Phil McKraken]

Go Canada!

 

[BluPuk*]

GO CANADA GO !!!!​

This will be a tight game either way. The Finns have an excellent team and are quite capable of winning this one. We need to our best today.

 

[JJTT]

Saros > Fucale so easy win for Finland.

 

[difcog]

Canada is gonna get this, easily.

 

[rduck1]

Saros > Fucale so easy win for Finland.

Are you Juhani Tamminen?

But seriously though, this is the only thing we might have in our favour. We win if and only if a)Canada collapses, or b)Saros steals the game.

 

[JJTT]

Are you Juhani Tamminen?

I tried to

 

[Loffer]

Canada should blow and wipe Finland out of the water - but there is only this one big "BUT" -namely Finland is potentially tactically light years ahead of Canada what comes to playing on international ice. They have the know how: They know how to execute Finnish Hockey Federation's (outdated?) official doctrine called "Our game". So, puck control will be the key for Finland's hopes to shake mighty Canada. That means "delayed transitions", "well-organized front array attacks", "point-blank support"... I just don't know if Finland has played "Our game" at the WJC (have they?) - or if Curry Stone even considers it an option since it is long overdue, obsolete, expired, outdated in international hockey (not really, but for the sake of argument). YET that is the case only in tactically mature and superior senior hockey due to the counter-medicines deployed successfully against "Our game". That is NOT the case in juniors; the slogan "speed kills" summarizes in a nutshell deprived tactical overview of the WJC - and North American junior hockey ideology especially. Thus, Finland should deploy "Our Game" and by doing that confuse Canada's game.

It's a hideous tactic or more generally mind-set since at best (or worst) it kills the intensity of the game, extinguishes emotion, slows down tempo rendering the sport tedious, boring - almost academic looking deliberate mental exercise. -So, if Curry Stone really wants to outcoach his North American colleague and keep winning hopes alive he should strike deep in the heart of Canadian hockey and kill the up-tempo game by "Our Game".

But if Finland hasn't executed that kind of game plan in Malmo and if it's not been planted deep in the minds of the players then it's most likely too late to pray for any change in the way the team plays.

Edit: I just read that Finland plays "hockey of co-operation" - so, yes, by still tuning it to its extremes they may find Canada choking...

 

[dmacgreg37]

Are you Juhani Tamminen?

But seriously though, this is the only thing we might have in our favour. We win if and only if a)Canada collapses, or b)Saros steals the game.

Not sure if this is what you meant by collapse, but I think that Finland's best chance to win is if Canada takes a bunch of stupid penalties and the Finns capitalize. That, or as you said, Saros steals it.