World Cup SF: Sep 10 GDT - USA vs. Finland

[miss hockey]

We'll see I guess but to compare someone who hasn't even gotten his feet wet to Patrick Roy is truly laughable.

maybe true. But Lehtonen is cabable of just this.

 

[broman]

- I didn't like the way we tried to cross center ice.
What's the deal with flipping the puck 40 feet in
the air? That happened way too often. Whether
that's a page out of coach Summanen's play book
or desperation caused by an overcrowded neutral
zone, I don't know, but I hope I see less of it in
the final.

Not sure if it had anything to do with going forward, it looked like a safety measure. When under pressure, don't rush, don't take unnecessary risks, just flip it. Gives the team time to regroup as it takes a while for the puck to return to play.

- Selanne. Yeah he's a great guy and I was
impressed by the hits he dished out in the first,
but offensively he's a shadow of his former self;
not very good at shooting and his skating speed,
sadly, is but a memory of The Finnish Flash glory days.
I'd almost be tempted to put Peltonen on the first
line with Koivu and Lehtinen, but doing that, I wouldn't
know where to put Selanne because frankly he doesn't
fit on the second line either, nor on the third or fourth.

Granted he didn't set the rink on fire, but IMO he was a major force in the buildup that led into Koivu's goal. First controlling the puck behind the net and delivering it to Koivu, then circling back to the blue, covering for Ossi when he went forward and finally speeding into the slot just when it mattered, distracting US defence and Leetch in particular just that little bit more. Fine example of five-man teamwork instead of superstardom or whatever. I know I will take this Selanne Mk II any day if these are the results.

The 1-on-1 on Esche was tame though, I would've expected him to charge harder and maybe deke for a backhander at the near post, I dunno. In games like this you don't get that many changes, so you should capitalize on the little you get, especially when you're supposedly the #1 gun in the team.

If the story about knee and hip injury is for real -- a real injury, not just some nagging feeling -- I am ready to change my earlier stance and say we are not going to see him return to play whenever NHL returns to action. He will take WCH glory (whatever becomes of it) as his crowning achievement. It's not Lord Stanley but it will do.

 

[mattihp]

Broman of Kummeli Kultakuume?

:lol

 

[Karl Pilkington]

Anyone know where I can find highlights of last night's game? I had to leave after the first period.. .. and TSN doesnt have any.. the only video they have is for team canada..

 

[MrMastodonFarm*]

Anyone know where I can find highlights of last night's game? I had to leave after the first period.. .. and TSN doesnt have any.. the only video they have is for team canada..

http://wch2004.com/highlights/index.html

 

[markov`]

at his best, Kipper is as good as this
at his best, Lehtonen would set a new standard, like Roy

Exactly my point.

 

[Karl Pilkington]

http://wch2004.com/highlights/index.html

Thank you very much..

 

[Mr. Penguin]

Still feels so good... ah!

 

[MrMastodonFarm*]

at his best, Kipper is as good as this
at his best, Lehtonen would set a new standard, like Roy

Oh my.

If I went around saying Dion Phaneuf -- playing at his best -- is going to set the new standard for defencemen I would be hung on the cross. Lehtonen has the skill set and the potential to be a top notch netminder, lets stop with the best goalie ever comparisions.

 

[mattihp]

Oh my.

If I went around saying Dion Phaneuf -- playing at his best -- is going to set the new standard for defencemen I would be hung on the cross. Lehtonen has the skill set and the potential to be a top notch netminder, lets stop with the best goalie ever comparisions.

Dion Phaneuf isn't as close a prospect as Lehtonen is.

I don't think that Lehtonen will come close to Roy.
He'll be great... but Roy... nopes...

But I don't see Phaneuf being a comparable prospect.

 

[MrMastodonFarm*]

Dion Phaneuf isn't as close a prospect as Lehtonen is.

Incorrect, but glad you seen my point anyways.

 

[markov`]

Phaneuf is not comparable to Lehtonen. In my mind, Phaneuf is a really overrated prospect, while Lehtonen is underrated at the highest point by many (and I am not a Thrasher fan).

 

[mattihp]

Phaneuf is not comparable to Lehtonen. In my mind, Phaneuf is a really overrated prospect, while Lehtonen is underrated at the highest point by many (and I am not a Thrasher fan).

Phaneuf isn't overrated by anyone except a couple of guys on these boards. He'll be a very good player... Maybe top 5 of the league for awhile...

 

[Habsaku]

Very happy the fins won, I actually wouldnt be sad to see Canada lose in the finals.

Great to see Koivu having yet another amazing internationnal tournament, wether you guys like it or not, Finland would not have nearly as much success without him, just like the Habs wouldve been in even deeper ****. Injuries and 4th line forwards are the only thing that kept him from being a super star sadly.

Btw, Kurri is the best fin, although it can be argued that Koivu is as good or better internationnally, a lot of people say he's a top 5 player in the world internationnally.