Pre-game thread: Team FINLAND - Team CANADA

[Lintu]

I think that Finland have chance to win this world cup, but so has Canada. Of course I believe in our boys! But everything is possible. And I think I wrote that wrong...
SUOMI RULAA! MIETTIKÄÄ SITÄ!!!

 

[psycho_dad*]

Canada won the coin toss (heheh..yeah sure..) and they will be the home team and have advantage in line changes.

Will be a hard fought match. Finland has been defending as a team much better than Canada or Czechs did, but of course Canada has more tools for scoring. Both have excellent goaltending so I doubt we will see lots of scoring. I have to believe in Finland and predict a 3-1 win. Jokinen, T.Ruutu and Selänne for Finland, Smyth for Canada.

 

[Bill McNeal]

Why exactly would Canada need to win a coin toss, in theory? They had a better record than the Finns, 3-0-0 compared to 2-0-1.

 

[jj_fin]

I like our chances too. If we (Finland) stick to our defensive, high forecheck game-plan, and if Kipper is himself, we might even win. Hell, I think that I'm being overly confident here. I agree with some previous posts, our forecheck & D is way better than Czechs. And Kiprusoff is probably the best goalie in this tournament.

Of course Canada will outplay us offensively, but every team in this tournament, except Germany of course, would probably have done that too. On defense it's going be to be pretty equal I think, at least if Brodeur won't be able to play. On the special teams, at least on the PP, (Sakic, Mario, Iginla) the Canadians also have an advantage. But...

It's the heart that will win the game (as always, though). The Sisu. And we've got lots of it. It's the last chance to win something big (at least on the international level) for Selänne, Koivu, Lehtinen, Peltonen, Numminen etc, and they know it. Like someone wrote up there, if Finland wins, the players will be gods.

My very, very optimistic prediction:

CANADA - FINLAND 2-3

Draper
Mario

Koivu
Nieminen
Selänne

About Tay-moo Sell-ah-knee. About everyone has been bashing him for a year now, it's true that he had a bad season with the Avs, but in the World Cup he has, in my opinion, played well. He has never played with this kind of aggression and passion. The "vi**u" after the USA game describes his attitude now. Sure it isn't the old Teemu, it isn't the sniper. He doesn't have the scoring touch, the nose for the net or whatever. Self-confidence issues I think. Plus, his biggest asset, his speed has reduced, maybe it's the knee, who knows. But he still has a lethal shot. And he'll use it to score the biggest goal in the Finnish hockey history. I hope.

That's my cocky and arrogant North American-style prediction, and now I'll jump off Summanen's "I believe / Our day" bandwagon and say that Canada will win 5-1. Oh yeah, and if we win, we did it in a wrong way and the final was already played in the Canada-USA round robin game.

 

[psycho_dad*]

Why exactly would Canada need to win a coin toss, in theory? They had a better record than the Finns, 3-0-0 compared to 2-0-1.

Because it has nothing to do with record but the fact that both won their pools (at this point they are both equally #1) and have since won their semi's...

Thats how it was, but like I said Canada won the alledged coin toss.

 

[Masao]

My prediction is that the score will be 1-1 with 4 minutes left in the third... then all hell will break loose

 

[ehcszteiN]

but I don't think the Finns can score the way the Czechs did.

True. BUT... Finland will freeze the tempo of the game. They will DEFEND. They will HIT !! They will make the Canadiens frustrated. And then - when Team Canada thinks that they have everything under control - we strike. Just like we did against Team USA. We will force you to play the game OUR WAY !

And WE WILL WIN !!!


GO FINLAND GO !!!

 

[ehcszteiN]

Sisu!

YESSSS !!!!!!

(for those of you who are not Finnish, "sisu" means - roughly translated - GUTS. As in having the guts to do something)

We will not be a walk in the park. A day at the beach.

We WILL be a handful.

Game on.

 

[P_L]

Canada-Finland 1-2. After the game everybody says that it was "a dull and väärin voitettu game". But all the canadians can comfort themselves by listening "the best of Celin Dion".

 

[Vic Rattlehead*]

Looks like the Koivu line will matchup against the DDT line, that should be a good matchup.

 

[Vic Rattlehead*]

Canada-Finland 1-2. After the game everybody says that it was "a dull and väärin voitettu game". But all the canadians can comfort themselves by listening "the best of Celin Dion".

No one likes Celin Dion in Canada. That's why she is in Vegas.

 

[Hemsky is a gangsta]

re

And the winner will recieve...this peice of crap trophy

 

[neelynugs]

Wa...? Before the tourney I scoured the net trying to find non-Finns who thought Finland would be in the final, and found nobody who thought they would go all that way only to lose in the end.

Except me.

Here's evidence of my pre-tourney prediction, Canada wins 4-1 over Finland in the Final, along with extended reasoning as to why.

Just scroll down to the 6th post, dated August 30th:
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=20750&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=45


Smoothskater, okay, I admit you might be one of the very small minority who thought likewise. But it's hard to believe because, of over 75,000 who voted in the nhl.com poll before the tourney, under 2% chose Finland to go all the way, and I suspect that most of those were Finns.

Slovakia was the overhyped "longshot" pick; the Swedes and Americans were given a lot of credit for aged star forwards despite the lack of goaltending, I mean, obvious lack. Russia was considered talented but unorganized, yet suddenly received a bandwagon of supporters after the first few games of the tourney, as did Finland after a great start.

The Finns are NOT lucky to be in the final, NO luckier than Canada (and arguably less so). Finland played their game, and did it well. They deserve to be there. Having enough role players is more important than assembling an all-star team, as Canada learned in putting together this year's team.

don't get hurt while patting yourself on the back

 

[monkey_00*]

To achieve something significant. To go down in hockey history. To be remembered.

We - the Finnish - do not get chances like this every day.

To win Team Canada - IN TORONTO !! IN THE WORLD CUP FINAL !! - would be something unthinkable. We would definately be remembered.

Anyhoo.. We. Are. Ready.

Game on.
-----------------

This would be like GREECE defeating Portugal at EURO2004...........IF it were to happen that is.........Good Luck.......you're gonna need it.

Cheers!~

monkey_00

 

[monkey_00*]

My Prediction:

Finland 3.....Canada 2 (In Overtime)
Miikka Kiprusoff- MVP

 

[Knucklez]

It's gonna be a great game. I'll enjoy it, because it'll be the last elite-level game I see for a long time I'm sure.

Go Canada!

 

[ALF AmericanLionsFan]

4 -2 win by Finland. Kiprusoff stands on his head and makes up a little for losing the Stanley Cup.

 

[deandebean]

Finland is a great team, with good players. Canada is a good team with great players. We'll see what matters more.

This quote is probably the most intelligent I've read on this thread. It resumes this world cup to a tee.

Now Canada has to make itself a great team.

 

[Bloody Sabbath]

I'm gonna miss the game cuz I'm workin Tuesday night

 

[VanIslander]

Now Canada has to make itself a great team.

Yes! Sometimes people forget that a good team is more than the sum of its parts (a bad team, less than).

I laugh when people go "This team has player A+B+C+D+E, so they will win" like with the Avalanche last year (NY Rangers most years lately).

The NHL all-star game is loaded with offensive talent but would get their butts kicked by many Stanley Cup champion teams with talent and coordination in all those aspects of the game underrepresented among superstars (aggressive forechecking, penalty killing, taking puinishment near the crease, blocking shots, checking forwards, big hits,... not to mention chemistry and the like).

Finland has all the parts of a great team, all the so-called "role players", and they are playing together well. Canada needs to bench some scorers and put all the parts out there, as they should have earlier in the tourney, and play together well as a team. I expect they can do it. But not with a bunch of Richards, Lemieux, Lecavalier out there often!

Canada 4 Finland 1... but only if they play a team game.

 

[mikkoz]

Canada was so good against Russia and Slovakia, but then Czechs were really tough opponent. I hope we´ll win.

Taistele Suomi!

 

[Sting]

My quick breakdown:

Goaltending - If Brodeaur plays I say its even, if not, Finns advantage.

Defence - This in early season tournament with insane amount of skill on ice, so it is hardly suprising that defencive play has been less than perfect. Still Canada hasn't really impressed that much here, Finnish dman on the other have mostly looked great which I attribute to solid team effort and confidence on Kipru. Advantage Finns.

Offence - Canada. The big difference is Sakic - Lemieux.

Special teams - Canada, mainly due to a more effective PP. Both Finnish PK and PP units leave lot to be desired.

Intagibles - Finns. They have no real preasure and the Niinimaa/Summanen mess seems to have been overcome, they are perfectly happy being underdogs. Canada has looked nervous, and I don't see that chancing. Reffing is almost always an advantage to the home team, and in this case could be more so on than usual. Still, if the refs just don't call anything, it will favour the Finns because of Canada's better PP.

Say whaaat? You mean to tell me that Kiprusoff is as good as Brodeur? Not even close. Goaltending will be a huge advantage for Canada if Brodeur plays.

Intangibles - Canada without a doubt. Too much heart and too much character in the dressing room to lose this game. Do the Finns have a Mario Lemieux or Joe Sakic in the room? Not to mention Canada is on home ice.

I think the Finnish fans here are underestimating the team. I know the players definately are not...but you're dealing with the best goaltender in the world by a huge margin (Brodeur..who will most likely be playing), the best defenseman in the NHL, the top two goal scorers, the highest point-producer in the NHL, the mvp of the playoffs, etc etc. It's no surprise right now that they're undefeated...they know how to handle pressure and win big games.

As much as that Czech game scared me, I know tomorrow night you're going to see Canada's best game of the tournament.

 

[JLand]

Say whaaat? You mean to tell me that Kiprusoff is as good as Brodeur? Not even close. Goaltending will be a huge advantage for Canada if Brodeur plays.

Now look who's underestimating who. Brodeur is the best goalie over the last 12 years no doubt, but Kipper is red-hot right now and Marty is human too, especially if he'll be playing with a sore hand.

If Brodeur plays - slight advantage Canada.

Luongo vs. Kiprusoff is a wash.

Intangibles - Canada without a doubt. Too much heart and too much character in the dressing room to lose this game. Do the Finns have a Mario Lemieux or Joe Sakic in the room? Not to mention Canada is on home ice.

Canada has home ice advantage, but it can also be a burden. What happens if the Finns score first? Then you HAVE to answer back as soon as possible, because it'll become more and more difficult every minute as the crowd grows impatient...

As for character in the locker room...the Finns hold the likes of Saku Koivu and Teppo Numminen in high regard. Koivu isn't the first European captain of the Habs by accident.

I think the Finnish fans here are underestimating the team. I know the players definately are not...but you're dealing with the best goaltender in the world by a huge margin (Brodeur..who will most likely be playing), the best defenseman in the NHL, the top two goal scorers, the highest point-producer in the NHL, the mvp of the playoffs, etc etc. It's no surprise right now that they're undefeated...they know how to handle pressure and win big games.

And I think you are underestimating Finland. Sure we (I'm half-Finnish) are the underdogs, but if you're expecting a 6-1 blowout, you'll be sadly dissapointed.

As much as that Czech game scared me, I know tomorrow night you're going to see Canada's best game of the tournament.

Same can be just as well said about Finland. After seeing how the Finns outhit, outskated and just ouworked the US, I can easily say that they have what it takes to pull off another upset.

Should be a great game.

 

[CREW99AW]

Good luck team Finland

 

[psycho_dad*]

Say whaaat? You mean to tell me that Kiprusoff is as good as Brodeur? Not even close. Goaltending will be a huge advantage for Canada if Brodeur plays.

Intangibles - Canada without a doubt. Too much heart and too much character in the dressing room to lose this game. Do the Finns have a Mario Lemieux or Joe Sakic in the room? Not to mention Canada is on home ice.

I think the Finnish fans here are underestimating the team. I know the players definately are not...but you're dealing with the best goaltender in the world by a huge margin (Brodeur..who will most likely be playing), the best defenseman in the NHL, the top two goal scorers, the highest point-producer in the NHL, the mvp of the playoffs, etc etc. It's no surprise right now that they're undefeated...they know how to handle pressure and win big games.

As much as that Czech game scared me, I know tomorrow night you're going to see Canada's best game of the tournament.

Has Kiprusoff been worse than Brodeur this year in your opinion? Thought so. Stop using stupid remarks like "huge advantage"...nobody at this level has HUGE advantage. Huge advantage is Marty Brodeur vs. a 18 year old CHL goalie. The margin between Kipper and Brodeur is a very fine line. Stop kidding yourself.

You think the Canadian heart is somehow bigger and better than the Finnish one? That pretty much sums up your horrible bias and vast underestimating of opponent. That is boarderline insulting to even suggest that the "heart and character" are somehow a Canadian trademark that everyone else lacks. Take Koivu for example. There you have heart and character just as much as ANY of your Canadian hockey hero ever. The only thing preventing you from seeing this is the fact that Koivu is not Canadian.

Everybody knows Canada is filled with talent and has the best pack of individuals in this tournament. You could argue Sweden and Russia had the second best packs of individuals..see how that worked out. You are like one of those kids who count....

"We have Sakic, Lemieux, Iginla, Brodeur......and they have nobody I have heard of so we win 10-0. Sakic scores 2 per game against no names always, mario 4, Iginla 3 and St.Louis will throw one in as well.."

Hockey is a team game. Finland has been playing several international tournaments with this core of players. They know eachother very well. They have loads of experience together. They are a Team. Finland has had the best team defense so far. Of course I am expecting Canada to play better defense than they did in the Czech game. They are mainly a young bunch and not as experienced and it takes more time to learn eachother.

Canada is the big favourite here, but trying to list names and proving your point as Canada being a sure thing by a "HUGE MARGIN" or whatever lame exaggerations people love to throw around in these boards is just fooling yourselves. Finland won in Nagano, in SLC Canada won 3-2 and neither time we didnt have goaltending even close to what we have today. Maybe you wanna start thinking about that and stop being blinded by all the fancy names in the backs of the red jerseys. Come tuesday night, they mean jack ****.