WJC QF: Jan 2 GDT - Finland 3 vs. USA 6

[Matti_A]

No, I'm not saying one side has a distinct problem with the other side, I'm just saying that Finland seems to have problem with officiating. I didn't see this game, I'm saying it seems to always be an issue

The last two WJC's Finland has had problems with penalties.

I think our style of play is/has been too north american for our own good.

IIRC ever since last years WJC's they started calling the games with the so called "zero tolerance" (thanks alot Bettman and NHL).

It seems Finland still hasn't been able to adapt, we are still playing too aggressively and too physically.

 

[FinnswissX]

They are teenagers for god sake.

Edit: actually I didn't read your post carefully enoug. Yes, I agree they behaved ridiculously in the last minutes of the game, but calling them "a shame for the nation" is a bit too harsh.

Ok, i apologize for "a shame for the nation" that was exaggerated. But I was nerved because without so many penalties they may be had a chance to win the game against USA.

I still like Finland as nation and there are a lot of things the Finns can be proud of it in their country.

 

[pihinalle]

Better team always wins. USA was better in this game.

And about the reffing: it's always bad in U20-tournament and everyone should know that. We will see more whining later in this tournament for sure. That's also one thing the teams have to be able to react to and Finland couldn't do that, mostly due to bad coaching.

And something on team Finland. There were many reasons why Finland played such a bad tournament:

1: One good offensive line doesn't take you far. Komarov isn't good enough for the 2nd line. That was a mistake by Tolvanen. He should have made changes early in the tournament. The main reason still is that there was not enough talent.

2: Finland had too many hotheads. Laakso must be the stupidest player Finland has ever had. Every time I saw him taking a penalty it was clearly his own fault. Those were really taken penalties, not given. Komarov as a captain lost his temper way too often. Also coaches should have reacted to these stupid penalties.

3: Coaching staff. Tolvanen just can't react to anything. Things he did and say before the tournament also showed he's the wrong man to stand behind the bench.

4: Playing style. Finland had monsters on their lineup. They should have been physical. The team I saw on the ice wasn't Finland at all. Even the big guys didn't check.

There's lots to change for the next year. Almost all the players will be new and I hope the coach will be kicked out from the team with a heavy boot.

 

[Pipeandin]

I think its funny that people on this board could not help but lay into EJ and JJ so hard at the beginning of this tournament. Yet no one seems to give them the credit they deserve for being dominant the last 3 games or so. They are playing well, people expect way to much in my opinion.

Also, whats the deal with Okposo, I have seen him at Minnesota and he has been great. Anyone know the deal.

Sounds like the Finns had their chances, but USA capitalized on theres.

 

[Buffalo87]

Also, whats the deal with Okposo, I have seen him at Minnesota and he has been great. Anyone know the deal.

I haven't seen the last 2 games but in the first 3 he was great.

 

[Panopticon]

Laakso must be the stupidest player Finland has ever had. Every time I saw him taking a penalty it was clearly his own fault. Those were really taken penalties, not given.

Yes. Like that 2+10 in the Belarus game that wouldn't have been a penalty anywhere else.

Most of his penalties wouldn't have been penalties in the SM-liiga. He always plays like that and doesn't get nearly as much penalties. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that players don't fall down that easily in the SM-liiga. Like Mueller today. Or like the Swiss player that got Laakso the interference call in that game.

I admit, some of his penalties were stupid. Some even taken outside of the play in the neutral zone. And the meltdown today ruined his chances to improve his stats in the last game. But his penalties rarely cost the team anything.

But calling Laakso the stupidest player Finland has ever done is, perhaps ironically, pretty damn ignorant. He was the best defenseman on that team BY FAR. And I'm not talking about his points or his penalty minutes, I'm talking about his defensive play, his consistency and the workload he had to carry and mistakes others made that he had to fix and the amount of mistakes that he didn't make.

He was the only defenseman not making stupid passes in the own zone that led to turnovers. This was the trademark of Lehtivuori, Leinonen, Kurki and especially Seppänen. He had the sense to clear the puck when it needed to be done. He had the most takeaways, he had the least giveaways and he made the least mistakes. But I guess that's really stupid...


EDIT: By the way, Team Finland still has a lot less 2 minute penalties than certain teams last year. If they take 10 penalties in the last game they will match Canada's 63 penalties last year. 11 to match USA... and 19 to match Germany. That's not really important, but I thought I'd point it out.

 

[pihinalle]

I agree that Laakso was our best d-man and made less mistakes with the puck than the others.

By being stupid I mean that he could have been so much better without those penalties. Players have to adjust to the reffing line and Laakso just couldn't do it. He saw it very well what it would be like, but still continued to act like he did. He could have had one helluva tournament if he changed his way of playing, especially against men without the puck.

 

[Panopticon]

I agree that Laakso was our best d-man and made less mistakes with the puck than the others.

By being stupid I mean that he could have been so much better without those penalties. Players have to adjust to the reffing line and Laakso just couldn't do it. He saw it very well what it would be like, but still continued to act like he did. He could have had one helluva tournament if he changed his way of playing, especially against men without the puck.

That's true. There's no one even close to him in 2min penalties, it's not just the big penalties that make up his impressive total.

But to his defense I'm just going to say that it's not easy to change your style in a short tournament like that when you've played a certain way your entire career. Some things just come naturally. It doesn't make him necessarily stupid.

Anyway, I think the biggest mistake with the penalties was made by Tolvanen who blamed the referees as well. I don't know if he yelled at the players about the penalties, but he should've. Criticizing the refs only gives your team the idea that they aren't doing anything wrong, the ref is.

I'm not saying he didn't have a reason to blame them (because he did), but he still shouldn't have.

I also noticed that I'm wrong about Laakso being banned now... he is able to play in the last game. Hope the team still tries to play and they do well.

Also, Laakso should've gotten an assist in this game, but it was credited to Lehtonen. That's the second freebie for Lehtonen, it's no wonder he's so high in the scoring