IIHF WC: Rivals Finland, Sweden Go For Gold
by Bruce Peter on May 15, 2011 12:15 PM EDT
in IIHF World Championship
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Heading into the tournament, this wasn't the final people were predicting. Even heading into the quarterfinals this famous geographic battle wasn't seen by too many as likely. While both offered strong teams, neither team dazzled with star power, and neither team had reached the Finals of any major senior men's tournament in the past three years. However, the two teams will finally meet for the first time in this tournament here, and the stakes are as always quite high. The two countries are co-hosting the next two World Championships, and bragging rights will be much more significant as a result. Oh yeah, and there's the whole winning gold thing: Sweden has been empty handed since their double gold in 2006, where they won the Olympic gold... over Finland. Finland, meanwhile, have not won this tournament since back in 1995, when they were led by a highly touted young centre by the name of Saku Koivu, with linemates Jere Lehtinen and Ville Peltonen.
Finland 
vs. Sweden 
- 8:15 PM local, 2:15 PM EST
Finland's path to the gold medal game wasn't easy. Placed in a group with the Czechs, Russians, and last year's 4th place finishers Germany, clawing their way to 2nd place in the qualification round was an accomplishment unto itself. Goals weren't easy to come by either: they need the shootout to beat Russia, Latvia, and Germany in those early rounds, and lost a tight 2-1 game to the Czechs in regulation. However, the percentages seem to be balancing out for them in the playoffs: they rallied to beat Norway in the quarterfinals, and they outlasted Russia in the semis. They haven't been able to score early, but persistence has been paying off for the team.
Sweden, on the other hand, have simply gotten better as the tournament has progressed. Way back in the opener, the team lost in a shootout to Norway for the first time in modern history, but the team started to come together against the Americans, who they beat soundly 6-2 in a game that wasn't even that close. The team did lose to Canada in a very even game, but when the chips were down they broke down the determined Germans in the quarters and the undefeated Czechs in the semifinals. Patrik Berglund has been a nearly unstoppable force up front, leading the tournament in goals. While on the back end, its been a combination of youth and savvy, unheralded vets that have stepped up even when one of the team's few NHLers, Nicklas Grossman, went down in the first game with an injury.
The goaltending matchup puts the spotlight on two European stars in Petri Vehanen for Finland and Viktor Fästh for Sweden. Both goalies could be in line for NHL contracts based on their play to date, although Vehanen probably has missed his window of opportunity on that front as he's now 33 years old.
For me, the past couple of weeks have made me believe that this is Finland's tournament. We've seen the emergence of Mikael Granlund, the international hockey world's brightest young star. He could to this tournament what Saku Koivu was to 1995, and maybe more. Saku's younger brother, Mikko Koivu, has been the team's workhorse, playing in every situation against the top players the rest of the world has to offer. Sweden is younger, bigger, and a little deeper, but Finland's experience advantage could play a big role in this final.
I'm picking Finland for their second ever gold medal. But take it with a grain of salt: heading into the quarters, I had the Czechs and Canadians battling it out for gold. But since Sweden is wearing their yellow jerseys and Finland is wearing their blue, I think we can all agree that everyone wins today.
Join us in the comments during the game for discussion as well as updates.
BTW, congratulations to the Czech Republic on their bronze medal, defeating Russia 7-4 in the highest scoring medal game since the new format was introduced in 1992.
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Viktor Fästh
Rod Black of TSN mentions Edmonton, Rangers, and Tampa Bay as his NHL suitors.
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Holy crap… TSN is not showing the gold medal game live. Ouch.
NASCAR on TSN2. Lacrosse on TSN.
I understand the Lacrosse game… it’s the league championship, and a Canadian team is involved. But screw NASCAR.
Two hour tape delay. Now, I assume it’s on TSN Mobile, but screw that.
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Same with Versus
NLL championship, Gold Medal game won’t be on until tomorrow.
And its not even on TSN.ca OR TSN Mobile live. TSN Mobile live is showing Lacrosse as well.
No wonder Bob Nicholson went on a rant about how Canada not medalling two straight years is unacceptable… TSN is the official broadcasting partner of Hockey Canada. A bad World Championships showing means TSN probably gets pissed.
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Ridiculous. I’ll have to avoid this blog until 4 today :(
The lack of respect that TSN (and Canada as a whole, really) shows this tournament is truly unfortunate.
It's worse in the States...
here, Versus is showing the game at 8 Eastern TOMORROW.
If only they’d allowed us to purchase the online package…
Visit bloggingthebracket.com, SBNation's bracketology/CBB rambling site!
by Chris Dobbertean on May 15, 2011 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions
Swe/Fin is allways something special in our two countries, almost kind of a sibling rivalty. To us this is a dreamfinal. I belive it will be a tight game and my heart is naturally with Team Sweden. But as Bruce pointed out, The Finns are more experienced and their hunger for Gold together with the fact that Finland often play their best games against Sweden makes me very nervous.
The good news for Sweden is you have the top goal scorer in Berglund and top goalie in Fasth. If Berglund scores and Fasth continues his excellence, you have to like your chances.
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Found a live stream
Not in english, but it has the game.
You can find good coverage at http://livetv.ru/en/
user livetv.ru/userinfo/268489/ if you want some conversation.
Not on RDS, either. That was my last hope for watching it on my TV. Much easier to watch and provide updates when game is on the TV…
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FIN Lineup
Koivu-Ruutu-Pyörälä,
Kapanen-Aaltonen-Komarov,
Pesonen-Immonen-Granlund,
Lajunen-Nokelainen-Pihlström
Lepistö-Salmela,
Välivaara-Niskala,
Väänänen-Puistola,
Kukkonen-Jaakola.
G: Vehanen
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SWE lineup
Thornberg-Berglund-Pääjärvi,
Eriksson-Persson-Nilsson,
Tedendy-Kruger-Silfverberg,
Ericsson-Wallin-Backlund
Gunnarsson-Petrasek,
Rundblad-Kronwall,
Fernholm-Erixon,
Ekman-Larsson the 7th D.
G: Fasth.
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Game on!
Lineups courtesy of @tomppaaax on Twitter.
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First chance to Finland… deflection of Niskala point shot. Off Fasth and wide.
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Sweden responds with some good cycling and pressure.
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First real bad pass there, about 10 mins in, results in icing against Finland.
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Been a while between chances.
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Bruce can you write about National Hockey Programs of Top countries? Not only junior but whole developing from children to senior(main national team) if you have such info.
I don’t really have the resources to go below junior. I can only find participation rates, really. But in the offseason, I will be doing recaps and hope to show some trends.
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I can try, though, to contact the federations and have them supply me number of youth teams/programs, coaches, ice time concerns, etc.
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First penalty to Ekman-Larsson for interference. 2:08 to play in 1st.
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lol, Sweden doesn’t fall for the Granlund-Immonen Norway play.
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0-0 After 1
Shots 13-12 for Finland, but I’d say Sweden played a bit better. Finland got some shots on the late PP, but Fasth hasn’t had to make a real big save yet.
Low event period.
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Had to switch streams. Mine got too choppy.
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More action this period, it seems.
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Kruger takes down Aalatonen as he made a nice move inside. Finnish PP.
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Penalty killed off by Sweden. Some tense moments, though.
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Jimmie Ericsson saves a goal twice.
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1-0 SWE
Paajarvi goes top shelf on a rush.
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Bad call against Kapanen… he got nothing but stick on that ‘hook’. Still, first Sweden PP. Big chance to go up by 2.
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Another Swedish PP, hit the goal post early.
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Finland playing sloppy right now. Need to re-organize and get to the intermission down by only the 1 goal.
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Or Granlund can make a move and force Sweden to take a penalty. That’s good for them, too.
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1-1
Immonen with an absolute blast on the PP. 7 seconds left in the 2nd.
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Shots are 23-22 Sweden after 2. Tie game. Shades of 2006 Olympics?
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And in Canada, no one watching this game, and likely not the lacrosse game or NASCAR, either. Jose Bautista of the Blue Jays just hit his 3rd HR of the day against Minnesota. Ridiculous.
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Pretty good goal by Immonen, can´t really say I enjoyed it though. ;)
But it could have been a couple of more finnish goals i Fasth didn´t have some helpful teammates and a few lucky bounces. I would say that so far, a tie is fair.
3rd period
Has started! Mikko didn’t break his stick on the draw, good sign.
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Gotta think that goal by Immonen got him a big push for tourney MVP. Media must hand in ballot during 2nd.
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2-1 FIN
Nokelainen on a 2 on 1.
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3-1
Kapanen off a Swedish turnover behind the net.
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And the Toronto Rock win the NLL Championship. Whatever the heck that trophy is called.
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Another Finnish PP coming up. Road is tough for Sweden as is, this is an absolute must kill for them.
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Now watching a really horrid stream. Others were getting too choppy.
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All Star Team
Berglund-Immonen-Jagr; Petrusek-Zidlicky; Fasth. Fasth tourney MVP.
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Four minutes left. Desperation kicking in.
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4-1
Pensonen on a set play dump-in from Granlund.
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5-1
Pyorola sneaks one through Fasth. All over but the crying.
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6-1
The party began a long time ago, and the Finns just keep making it bigger.
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Pihlstrom with the goal.
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This was the first year Finland didn’t have a single player from the ’95 Championship roster. New generation, new legend.
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Seems to me
Finland will be led by the MN Wild for the foreseeable future. Koivu, Granlund and Backstrom(even though he isn’t playing this year)
Marts… silver twice at world juniors, senior in first year at seniors. Does not have the golden touch.
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Talk away in here for a while. Going on a bike ride, then get ready for a BBQ. Will recap late.
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