United States, Finland men's hockey teams quite similar
USA's Zach Parise (9) is congratulated after scoring a goal in the third period of a men's quarterfinal round ice hockey game against Switzerland at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. (February 24, 2010) Credit: AP
When the Americans look across the ice for today's men's hockey semifinal, they'll see a team much like their own: unheralded, dotted with veterans who know their roles and backboned by a world-class goaltender.
About the only difference is that Finland's team is a bit older. The Finns advanced to the semis in the same style as the U.S. did, with a 2-0 win in a game that was scoreless through 40 minutes. Finland, like the U.S., is not a team laden with high-powered scorers; the Finns generated almost all of their offense against the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals by drawing power plays.
"We are probably not the biggest favorites here," said Flames goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff, who has allowed only four goals in the three games he's played. "When you play as a team, anything is possible."
Sound familiar? That has been the Americans' rallying cry since even before they went from underdogs to a win away from the gold-medal game. So both of these teams can deflect and defer to the other as the one everyone's talking about, but it's of no consequence anymore. The matchups are what matter.
The Finns' defense is much older than the Americans', but both have similar question marks. Hurricanes defenseman Joni Pitkanen served a one-game suspension in the quarterfinals, but he'll be back to provide a serious physical presence. Other than Pitkanen and Sami Salo, the Finns do not have the toughest group of defensemen.
That role belongs to a couple of their forwards, notably Jarkko Ruutu, a true pest for the Ottawa Senators in the NHL who isn't afraid to muck around and try to get U.S. goalie Ryan Miller off his game.
Add in longtime NHL and international competitors Teemu Selanne, Saku Koivu, Jere Lehtinen and Ranger Olli Jokinen, and this is a team that knows how to play and what it needs to do to win.
The Finns were the silver medalists in Turin; if they earn a medal this weekend, they will be the only nation with three medals in the four Olympics since NHLers joined the fray.
"They are always in the mix, they are going to be very organized, they are going to play a very patient game and they are going to look for their openings," Miller said.
This will be more chess match than all-star affair, which should suit the Americans.
And ultimately whoever's better between Miller and Kiprusoff may be the difference between playing Saturday for bronze or Sunday for gold.
