FINLAND +? +130
i think that after all we have decent chances to win or take it to the over time ( bet is after 60 min ).
Finland has better goalie.
We are more physical team, if referee let's play hard we are ok.
We are better in face-offs (so far).
We have better third and fourth line.
Finland has 20 2min pen in 5 games/ Rus 32 in 4 games
Player to watch: Tuomo Ruutu #22
Canadian hockey:
The Russians have looked dominant thus far in the tournament. They controlled Pool A from the drop of the first puck in Sydney on December 26th, with three four-goal wins over the USA, Slovakia and Belarus to begin their journey. A narrow 7-5 victory over an inspired Swiss team was their last action of the round robin before the two-day rest that has preceded this semi-final. Russia has a solid team from top to bottom, but a few of their key players in this tournament stand out.
Goaltender Andrei Medvedev has posted a 2.00 goals against average, through three games of work, looking solid in a shutout over Slovakia and a one-goal against victory over the USA, before wavering slightly, allowing five goals against Switzerland. Seventeen-year-old sensation Alexander Ovechkin has had an excellent showing, as he currently leads the tournament in goals with six. As with Medvedev, however, consistency is a concern with Ovechkin, as his six goals came off a pair of hat-tricks, while he was held off the score sheet in both of the team?s other games.
Consistency is also something that has plagued the Finns. After a troubling pre-competition, and bumpy round robin portion of the tournament, Finland finally looked as though they were firing on all cylinders against Slovakia in the quarterfinal game yesterday. The Finns whitewashed the Slovaks, beating them by a 6-0 margin. Last night?s game showed the kind of offense that when coupled with the solid goaltending of Kari Lehtonen, was what made onlookers predict Finland as one of the favourites to take the gold medal in Halifax. The Finns leading goal scorer Jussi Jokinen added a pair last night, while Tuomo Ruutu, Jesse Niinimaki, Matti Aho and Tomi Maki all had two-point nights.
The awaking of the slumbering Finnish offense is good news for the team, as it will be their only hope of victory against the Russians. Special teams could also play a major role in the game, as Russia enters the game the second most penalized team, while the Finns sport the second most effective powerplay of the tournament.
The Russia vs. Finland semi-final promises to be a great battle of two teams that don?t care that much for each other. Will Russia be too much for the Finns, or has the Finnish squad picked the right time to find their game?
Daniel Bonner
Game Night Reporter
GOOD LUCK
i think that after all we have decent chances to win or take it to the over time ( bet is after 60 min ).
Finland has better goalie.
We are more physical team, if referee let's play hard we are ok.
We are better in face-offs (so far).
We have better third and fourth line.
Finland has 20 2min pen in 5 games/ Rus 32 in 4 games
Player to watch: Tuomo Ruutu #22
Canadian hockey:
The Russians have looked dominant thus far in the tournament. They controlled Pool A from the drop of the first puck in Sydney on December 26th, with three four-goal wins over the USA, Slovakia and Belarus to begin their journey. A narrow 7-5 victory over an inspired Swiss team was their last action of the round robin before the two-day rest that has preceded this semi-final. Russia has a solid team from top to bottom, but a few of their key players in this tournament stand out.
Goaltender Andrei Medvedev has posted a 2.00 goals against average, through three games of work, looking solid in a shutout over Slovakia and a one-goal against victory over the USA, before wavering slightly, allowing five goals against Switzerland. Seventeen-year-old sensation Alexander Ovechkin has had an excellent showing, as he currently leads the tournament in goals with six. As with Medvedev, however, consistency is a concern with Ovechkin, as his six goals came off a pair of hat-tricks, while he was held off the score sheet in both of the team?s other games.
Consistency is also something that has plagued the Finns. After a troubling pre-competition, and bumpy round robin portion of the tournament, Finland finally looked as though they were firing on all cylinders against Slovakia in the quarterfinal game yesterday. The Finns whitewashed the Slovaks, beating them by a 6-0 margin. Last night?s game showed the kind of offense that when coupled with the solid goaltending of Kari Lehtonen, was what made onlookers predict Finland as one of the favourites to take the gold medal in Halifax. The Finns leading goal scorer Jussi Jokinen added a pair last night, while Tuomo Ruutu, Jesse Niinimaki, Matti Aho and Tomi Maki all had two-point nights.
The awaking of the slumbering Finnish offense is good news for the team, as it will be their only hope of victory against the Russians. Special teams could also play a major role in the game, as Russia enters the game the second most penalized team, while the Finns sport the second most effective powerplay of the tournament.
The Russia vs. Finland semi-final promises to be a great battle of two teams that don?t care that much for each other. Will Russia be too much for the Finns, or has the Finnish squad picked the right time to find their game?
Daniel Bonner
Game Night Reporter
GOOD LUCK
but canada will put them in there place