WJC: U20 WJC Semifinal game thread Sweden vs Finland

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Finland tonight
MAALILLA

Juha Jatkola

1. KETJU

Roni Hirvonen (C) – Aatu Räty – Joakim Kemell

Ruben Rafkin – Topi Niemelä (A)

2. KETJU

Roby Järventie – Joel Määttä – Kasper Simontaival

Eemil Viro – Aleksi Heimosalmi

3. KETJU

Eetu Liukas – Oliver Kapanen – Kalle Väisänen

Joni Jurmo – Kasper Puutio (A)

4. KETJU

Juuso Mäenpää – Samuel Helenius – Roni Karvinen

7 puolustaja Matias Rajaniemi
13. hyökkääjä Ville Koivunen

Meriläinen backup tonight
Lambert in the press box ( healthy scratched )

Click to read more...

 

[NyQuil]

Have to be pulling for our Swedish brothers in this one.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Hopefully Finland won't blew out this game
It has been really good Friday / Saturday night for Finland.
Finland has got 2 medals in athletics European Championships
Topi Raitanen gold
Kristiina Mäkelä silver
so lets not ruin this day.

Expecting tight and great game.
Let best one win.

Lets play hockey guys.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Heart says Sweden, mind says Finland.

Lambert scratched? Wow, haven’t seen Finland’s games, just the highlights, but has he really been that bad?

 

[Ace]

Lambert scratched? Wow, haven’t seen Finland’s games, just the highlights, but has he really been that bad?

Yes.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Heart says Sweden, mind says Finland.

Lambert scratched? Wow, haven’t seen Finland’s games, just the highlights, but has he really been that bad?

First 2 games Lambert was OK then something happened.
But this isn't news by any means Lambert has been demoted 4th line last games and he's got benched twice.
So what you can expect when writing is on the wall.

 

[Summer Rose]

Should I root for Sweden, or Finland? I'm thinking Finland, for two reasons.

1. I'm fourth-generation (am I counting this right? My great-great grandfather came to the USA from Norway) Norwegian-American, and Norway has a bit of a rivalry with Sweden. Yes, this is a silly reason.
2. I feel like Finland has a more realistic chance of beating Canada than Sweden does, even though they lost to them in group play. I could be completely wrong on this, and feel free to tell me I'm stupid for thinking it.

Either way, whoever wins this game is my preference to win the gold medal.

 

[Jukurit]

What a goaltending duel: First round draft pick Wallstedt against undrafted Jatkola.
Who will win?

 

[ThirdPeriodTurtle]

1. I'm fourth-generation (am I counting this right? My great-great grandfather came to the USA from Norway) Norwegian-American, and Norway has a bit of a rivalry with Sweden. Yes, this is a silly reason.

That's a perfectly valid reason!

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

What a goaltending duel: First round draft pick Wallstedt against undrafted Jatkola.
Who will win?

I hate to say this but my vote goes to Wallstedt.
Clearly one of the TOP goalies in entire tournament.
If we had Blomqvist in our team then our goalie would've been favorite.

But even 2016 we had serious goaltending and defence issue and everyone remembers how it end
Yes Kaapo Kähkönen was the savior in that year so now lets hope Jatkola can at least try same.

 

[Erikfromfin]

Its big honor our North American brothers dont support us anymore. We used to be the pesky underdog Finns not seen as a threat but since then we started beating you more often than not the oppinion changed.

 

[Statsy]

Merilainen not starting? Lambert a healthy scratch? What the hell?!

It‘s like these Finnish coaches don’t care about my hockey pool team at all!

 

[NyQuil]

Its big honor our North American brothers dont support us anymore. We used to be the pesky underdog Finns not seen as a threat but since then we started beating you more often than not the oppinion changed.

Has more to do with Alfredsson and Karlsson but your reason is adorable.

 

[Statsy]

Its big honor our North American brothers dont support us anymore. We used to be the pesky underdog Finns not seen as a threat but since then we started beating you more often than not the oppinion changed.

Indeed it has. Congrats, I guess.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Have to be pulling for our Swedish brothers in this one.

If Finland is gold medal game Canada would be still favorite to win that game.
Our PK and goaltending sucks so that'll be an obstacle to our gold medal dreams.

And keep in mind that we are already celebrated 2 golds ( Olympics and IIHF worlds ) this year
so i don't expect us to win this one ( U20 WJC )

 

[Erikfromfin]

Has more to do with Alfredsson and Karlsson but your reason is adorable.

Ou okay.. so you were not a fan of Jarkko Ruutu

 

[Jukurit]

I hate to say this but my vote goes to Wallstedt.
Clearly one of the TOP goalies in entire tournament.
If we had Blomqvist in our team then our goalie would've been favorite.

But even 2016 we had serious goaltending and defence issue and everyone remembers how it end
Yes Kaapo Kähkönen was the savior in that year so now lets hope Jatkola can at least try same.

Well, I was just being sarcastic.

 

[NyQuil]

If Finland is gold medal game Canada would be still favorite to win that game.
Our PK sucks so that'll be an obstacle to our gold medal dreams.

And keep in mind that we are already celebrated 2 golds ( Olympics and IIHF worlds ) this year
so i don't expect us to win this one ( U20 WJC )

Meh, anything can happen, look at the Americans.

That’s what is fun about single elimination tournaments.

Canada certainly has holes in their play so I’m not exactly overconfident.

Cameron’s decision making doesn’t help.

 

[jj cale]

Its big honor our North American brothers dont support us anymore. We used to be the pesky underdog Finns not seen as a threat but since then we started beating you more often than not the oppinion changed.

swell guys like you made the switch feel natural.

Thank you.

 

[NyQuil]

Ou okay.. so you were not a fan of Jarkko Ruutu

Actually I was!

For such a pesky player, his secret weapon was in the shootout where he was very effective.

 

[Jukurit]

5-2 Sweden

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Should I root for Sweden, or Finland? I'm thinking Finland, for two reasons.

1. I'm fourth-generation (am I counting this right? My great-great grandfather came to the USA from Norway) Norwegian-American, and Norway has a bit of a rivalry with Sweden. Yes, this is a silly reason.
2. I feel like Finland has a more realistic chance of beating Canada than Sweden does, even though they lost to them in group play. I could be completely wrong on this, and feel free to tell me I'm stupid for thinking it.

Either way, whoever wins this game is my preference to win the gold medal.

I think Wallstedt makes Sweden a tougher opponent for Canada than Finland.

 

[NyQuil]

I’m thinking 4-1 Finland.

 

[hockey20000]

i predict 5-2 Sweden

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

swell guys like you made the switch feel natural.

Thank you.

JJ getting spicy early.