Team Finland: following Ruutu and Pitkanen in the Olympics

[v1atlantis]

Something about Joni http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/olympialaiset2010/uutiset.shtml/arkistot/olympialaiset/2010/02/1065670

He is saying hes expecting USA game to be very high tempo game , and that team USA is very dangerous and skilled. He has also talked with Tim Gleason and there was some picking between these two.

[GhoulieGirl]

[quote name='v1atlantis wrote:

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GhoulieGirl wrote:

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v1atlantis']Looking forward to that too. I promise to keep my celebrations very subtle if we manage to win this.

  

The lines have been drawn between friends here.  Most of my friends are for USA, while I am pulling for Team Finland.  

  

Well , don´t fall into pits of despair and melancholy if we don´t win. Your friends won´t  probably forget to rub it in your face  if we lose the game tonight , right?

  

I won't do that, but trust me, it will be shoved into my face.  I would love for the Finns to win.  I know it's going to be a hard fought game.   That being said, Go Team Finland!

  

[GhoulieGirl]

Something about Joni http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/olympialaiset2010/uutiset.shtml/arkistot/olympialaiset/2010/02/1065670

He is saying hes expecting USA game to be very high tempo game , and that team USA is very dangerous and skilled. He has also talked with Tim Gleason and there was some picking between these two.

Hopefully Joni learned his lesson.   He is right about the game, and it will be very good.  I will have it on my computer while at work...I won't miss this game! 

[v1atlantis]

That s nice friday at work then. But how can you manage your enthusiasm? You probably can´t jump up and down in your workspace.

[GhoulieGirl]

That s nice friday at work then. But how can you manage your enthusiasm? You probably can´t jump up and down in your workspace.

I've shown it before.  LOL  I jump up and down in my chair when we score.  Rather amusing. 

Go Team Finland!

  

[dinz]

the chemistry between u two...aah i  mean the    usa   and finland shouldmake this a nailbiter...wont be easy for usa..

[TSA]

Ok you two, time to get the conversation back to hockey.

Here's the game preview for the 3pm match up between Finland and the USA.  Pretty cool to think that as many as 4 of our players could bring back a medal to Raleigh and at least one stands a really good chance of theirs being gold.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/pr...=2009090027&navid=DL|CAR|home

Finland -- The Finns haven't scored an even-strength goalagainst a manned net in its past two games. They won Wednesday'squarterfinal against the Czechs will a power-play goal by Niklas Hagmanand an empty-net tally. Three days earlier, in the final group gameagainst rival Sweden, the Finns were shut out. So scoring is an issue-- especially because Selanne and Koivu -- two-thirds of the Finns' topline and the co-leading scorers four years ago in Turin -- have yet tomanage a goal.

So clearly offense is an issue heading into the semifinal, but it isnot paralyzing the Finns. "We won't score four, five goals against topcountries, so we have to play defense well," Finnish coach JukkaJalonen said. "We have to snuff them out, maybe let them score onegoal, maximum two goals; and then we have a chance to win the game."Finland can play like that because Kiprusoff has been terrific. Healready has two shutouts and leads the tournament in save percentage.

Total NHL players on rosters -- USA: 23. Finland: 18.

[GhoulieGirl]

Pull Kipper now!!!!! Kipper has sucked since the game started. Jalonen you should have pulled him before now!

[djharley]

At least a few of the Canes Olympians (#25.) will get some extra rest!!

[TSA]

I'm not even sure that Jussi would have helped make this any better.

[dinz]

looks like canada gets a chance for revenge,cant see slovakia  beating them...lets move ahead to sunday afternoon

[GhoulieGirl]

Don't forget to go and shake Kipper's hand and thank him for completely sucking today and not giving the Finns any chance to remotely get back into this game.

Yes Backs allowed two goals, but the damage was done by Kipper.

[Pkling40]

[quote name=GhoulieGirl]Don't forget to go and shake Kipper's hand and thank him for completely sucking today and not giving the Finns any chance to remotely get back into this game.

Yes Backs allowed two goals, but the damage was done by Kipper.

   Kipper wasn't good but... the defense kinda hung him out that first period along with the coach who had a chance to pull him after the third goal and give his team a chance...

[fallen_apostle]

I so totally called this. Just saying haha.

[caniac_fan]

At least a few of the Canes Olympians (#25.) will get some extra rest!!

They still have to play Saturday for the Bronze

  

[v1atlantis]

First of all , great job team USA. So... i really didn´t have to celebrate after this one. Quite a shock to say at least. I´m even more pale today than i was yesterday if that is possible. That must have been the worst 6 mins 20 secs of icehockey that i´ve seen Finland perform , EVER. After the sixth goal i just wanted to diminish and dissappear from the universe. But little disappointments like this can´t kill the spirit of a finn! As we say in Finland:

Leuka rintaan ja kohti uusia pettymyksiä. I don´t know what the correct translation would be, maybe something like this: chin to the chest and towards new disappointments.

Ok , about the game. I find it really curious that these so called ?PROFESSIONAL? hockey players trembled in their skates like they did. obviously there was a difference in the skill level of these two teams , but this kind of  collapse is unacceptable. In the third period , when USA slowed their tempo, we were able to compete. That´s not a very rosy picture for Team Finland in the coming years . Our future looks pitch black . We just don´t have the talent to compete anymore against the big ones. 

USA looks scary. I just wonder how good your team will be in next olympics. Good luck in your hunt for gold medal.

Canes´ Finns had a poor game as did Finland as whole.

[v1atlantis]

Don't forget to go and shake Kipper's hand and thank him for completely sucking today and not giving the Finns any chance to remotely get back into this game.

Yes Backs allowed two goals, but the damage was done by Kipper.

Kipper gave an amazing pass on that first goal. After that he just couldn´t catch a thing. He is not Vezina potential anymore. And Jalonen said that he will be in net when we face Slovakia.

  

[v1atlantis]

Tuomo here http://www.iltalehti.fi/kisaextra/2010022711209914_ki.shtml saying he doesn´t blame Kipper, that we lost the game as a team (true so true) and he wants to take the bronze medals (of course) and wash the taste of garbage from his mouth that way.

Team Finland lines:

Ryti - Mannerheim© - Kallio

Tanner - Ehnrooth(a) - Airo

Häyhä - Lagus - Törni (later known as Larry Thorne)

Talvela - Heinrichs - Nenonen

Sihvo - Sihvo

Hägglund - Enckell

Juutilainen - Pajari(a)

Oesch (starter)

Wind

If Team Finland takes these guys as their role models , bronze will be ours.

[jbk_ltd]

^ V1atlantis, thanks for posting the above link. That's the first post-game interview I've seen where someone actually held the entire team up to scrutiny and said it's not the fault of one player, and one bad play 2 minutes into a 60-minute game shouldn't cripple a team. "We should all look in the mirror". As expected from my favorite player, well said.

[dinz]

anyone have a stream to finland-slovakia game?

[OBXer]

Tonight the choice is clear cut. Finland..Go Get the Bronze!

[dinz]

see the game is on  MSNBC  awesome

[ivyleager]

And NBC just pissed me off again. They didn't show the Finn medal ceremony, cut to the commentators. What crap.

[Faceoff-ch1]

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And NBC just pissed me off again. They didn't show the Finn medal ceremony, cut to the commentators. What crap.

Yes not happy about that one.  Do they really think we would rather look at JR?  Don't they realize we can still hear the commentators while they show the Fins getting their bling?

I can't believe I am going to post something from Ecklund, but this one is worth it:  Tweeted:

Canucks crowd gives Salo huge ovation as the medal is placed around his neck. Tuomo Ruutu gives a huge "YES" and smiles.

[Diane-1]

Congrats to Finland!  I can only imagine what their mindset must have been coming into this game, after what happened with Team USA. For them to then fight through the push by Slovakia (sorry Chara!), and come through it all with an Olympic medal, says a lot.

A big   to Ruutu and Joni!!