Don’t …
… Mess With The Country Boys.
Hello Finland !
As Finlands prime rockers of the 80’s – Peer Günt – would have it - Don’t mess with the country boys !
In the Torino Olympics Finland are considered, at best, to be a dark horse in the games among media ( here in Swearike anyway ) when warnings go out to sort out the winner of the Olympic games. Finland are ranked as the sixth team over here. Even Slovakia goes ahead. But remember, this is Sweden I’m talkin’ about. Head full, and dread full, of pride … like the pride in the Second World War. When they ( Sweden ) only could compete with Italy about writing the thinnest book in the world – Wartime Heroes of the era.
There was none to.
I say this only once, Finland has as good chance as anyone to win the whole shit. The underdogs Finland – who played the mighty Canada in the finals last time it counted, remember ? – ain’t a bad hockey team. Remember freakin’ that.
Finlands first line with: Selänne-Koivu-Lehtinen will kill ‘em all. Now when Teemu Selänne is fit for fight again. I remember when Selänne did Rob Blake ( and Canada ) over in Norway quite while ago ( and I was there to watch the lot ) in the World Championships. Jere Lehtinen has a killer season in Dallas Stars first line, with Mike Modano and Jussi Jokinen, and has scored impressive 24 goals already, and he ( Lehtinen ) is considered to be a defensive forward … oh, well.
I’ve seen a plenty of NHL this season. I’ve seen pretty much of every player in the Finland squad. And nobody has failed. Teppo Numminen and Tony Lydman in Buffalo Sabres – have they ever played better ?
Aki Berg is a defensive king. Even if he doesn’t dominate in the offensive, but THAT no one expected. He often plays behind the Sundin-line in Toronto – so if Finland needs a guy to take hold of Swedens team captain, and if Sweden and Finland meets in the quarter finals or so, in the Olympics, there’s a guy who knows Sundin’s tricks.
Sami Kapanen is another guy who knows the tricks the other national team ( NHL ) stars can come up with in the Olympics, as he often ( always ) plays box play against the lot. As well as he’s a point man in power play for the Philadelphia Flyers in power play. If Sami Kapanen won’t play for Finland – well, I don’t count him a national born hero no more. And he’s fallen from grace in my eyes. If you can play for your NHL team all day and all night out, then you can play for your national team for two weeks or so in the Olympics. The nations pride is more worth than a dollar or two more. Miikka Kiprusoff , hey that’s a story. He plays for Calgary Flames every night in NHL – but he’s to hurt to play the Finlands national squad. Fuck that.
Talkin’ of goalies. If Finland wants to win the Olympics – forget Fredrik Norrena of Linköping HC.
He’s the second goalie for Finland after Atlanta’s Kari Lehtonen. Kari Lehtonen maybe hasn’t had the best of season starts – but remember he plays in Atlanta, not the prime of the hockey world exactly.
But Fredrik Norrena who plays in Linköping HC, one of the top teams here in Sweden, Fredrik Norrena is no bad goalie – forget that – but in the last games over here he’s shown … nothing overwhelming. He’s been bad – simple as that. As a matter a fact I saw him live in action in an away game Linköping HC – HV 71 a while ago and Fredrik Norrena is no Olympic goalie. That’s for sure … But Antero Nittymäki ( Philadelphia Flyers ) is. For sure.
The goaltenders, and the teams power play, is the important thing in the Olympics - as always - to win the games. When the teams plays five-to-five aside they outtake each one another. Every Finn in the NHL has played against the “stars” in the league and they are not afraid of no one, believe me.
When the teams play five-to-five - then it's a even game.
It's the special teams who win the game nowadays.
But as as always ... Don't Mess With The Country Boys ( Finland ) !