Time to start talking about ice hockey as the championship games in Finland are getting hotter...

So far the most disappointing team has been the USA....The jokes tell that the team came to the game against Denmark straight from the disco.
I cannot think of any other reason as well as they lost 5-2....

I heard that the Finns were not prepared for this and played as well the wrong anthem, not the USA´s but anyway something that was not the right antional anthem.


2003 World Championship - Preliminary Round

April 26: USA 2, Denmark 5 at Tampere

The 2003 United States Men's National Team was defeated by Denmark, 5-2, on Saturday in the opening game for both teams at the 2003 International Ice Hockey Federation Men's World Championship. Danish goaltender Peter Hirsch made 53 saves and Denmark scored goals on three of the team's first four shots to earn an upset victory against the Americans.

http://www.usahockey.com/usa_hockey/2003_wc/2003_wc/

April 27: USA 0, Switzerland 1
at Tampere

The 2003 United States Men's National Team suffered its second straight setback in a 1-0 loss to Switzerland here today at the 2003 International Ice Hockey Federation Men's World Championship. The Americans were unable to mount a consistent offensive threat throughout the contest, and Switzerland protected a one-goal lead it earned in the first period.

AND

April 29: Russia 3, USA 2
at Tampere


The 2003 United States Men’s National Team fell to Russia, 3-2, in the final Preliminary Round game for both teams at the 2003 International Ice Hockey Federation Men’s World Championship. The U.S. tied the score in the third period but Russian forward Ilya Kovalchuk notched a shorthanded highlight-reel goal to seal the victory.

http://homepages.tcp.co.uk/~sonic/Wo...mpionship.html

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GO SWEDEN....I take it Sweden is in it...work sometimes close to their hockey stadium just outside Stockholm...by big BGC buiding if youve been there Kai...got me interested in a few matches..came home with tops...helmets you name it for the kids..who looked at this expensive stuff and said..yeah..but it aint football is it...GO Sweden....

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Prepare to repel borders.
William L. McGonagle, MOH, U. S. Navy, Commanding Officer, USS LIBERTY 1967.

Kai...I see Sweden have completed 3 games in their group...how many games do they play..3 or 6 and how many go through to next round..top one or top 2??

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Prepare to repel borders.
William L. McGonagle, MOH, U. S. Navy, Commanding Officer, USS LIBERTY 1967.

Urgh,

Do you mean Globen?



I have never been there but if I remember right it was used first time ca 1990. Somewhere in the south of Stockholm (?), never been there myself.

As for the number of games I see for Finland that the countries are placed in groups twice, 3( the first groups )+3 games ( second groups ) after which the quarterfinals begin.A **** many games and again it´s the money the international associations think of. What was it, 20 teams altogether....Japan as one as it has been decided that one country must be from Asia anyway!



PS. By the way Denmark just draw level 2-2 with Canada....

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Well since I'm not that intereste in hockey, let's discuss about soccer.

My favourite team is CLUB BRUGGE, the new Belgian champion. we only need one point in 4 matches to become the new champion.

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Yep Globan Kai...the Swedish banking clearing house is just a few metres away...just a few km from Stockholm...Finished work one Saturday..and this normaly quiet shopping centre office area was full of chanting screaming vikings..impressed me...heading one way...so followed...saw first game of ice hockey...Dont know about Finland..but the Swedes live for that game from what I saw...

Talking about vikings...on flying out of Stockholms old airport of Friday nights...noticed many Swedish soldiers...relaxed ..no caps etc..with kit bags and camoflauge jackets...in airport areas..obviously goint to and thro on weekend leaves..bieng ex soldier..I was bloody impressed by the average size of these guys..and made mental note...dont get into war with Sweden...

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Prepare to repel borders.
William L. McGonagle, MOH, U. S. Navy, Commanding Officer, USS LIBERTY 1967.

Urgh,

Today you have to watch out for their pony tails ( the Swedish soldiers!) and I don´t mean women soldiers...The secret weapon!

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Canada would kill everybody if our players, who were not good enough to make the playoffs, actually went to Finland to play, The Great Jarome Iginla isnt even there Team Canada got like 40 no's to go play, USA is having the same deal but they still have a good team, Craig Conroys there, is Selanie playing? Anyway, I still think, with our bottom line players....... We will come home with Gold!!!

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Go-Flames-Go

???????? We today tied Denmark 5-5 WHAT IS GOING ON!

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Go-Flames-Go

Yep, the Danes are kicking some serious butt...ooops, not anymore, Sweden-Denmark 7-1! Order has been restored, please return to your seats.

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"Nervous wait for the whistle to blow
Rush of blood and over we go..."
- Iron Maiden, "Paschendale"

Latvia-Russia 2-1....

No more klap-klap-klap-goal hockey by the Russians?

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Nope, the Russians aren't looking very good. Sometimes I miss the old USSR team. About the only excitement was if the other teams would lose with one or two digit numbers...and that's actually not a joke...

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"Nervous wait for the whistle to blow
Rush of blood and over we go..."
- Iron Maiden, "Paschendale"

Yeah,

those were the "good old days"...Harlamov, Krutov, Larionov ( He´s still playing...), Makarov, Tretjak...


Vladimir Tretjak

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Sweden? better hope Belerus does not come in to play! I hate Salo, and it was great to see that! Finlands got the great Toni Lydmen playing. Latvia won that game on the date of their independence too, but they would have stood no chance if their big players would get off their asses and go play..... for all countries.

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Go-Flames-Go

Tommy Salo and the "famous" goal!



A little bit of salt in the wounds before tonight´s game Finland-Sweden....

Anyway, these are the games you never know how´s it gonna end. Both teams know each other well and Sweden has a tremendous team ( Forsberg,Sundin etc ) but so do we. The Slovaks and Czechs are very tough again this years but we´ll see.

PS. Anders "Masken " Carlsson, the famous "Finland killer" of 1986 visited a sports show a couple of weeks ago, and I thought it was great to see him ober here even if we are "enemies" in the box we can still have fun about things afterwards. Like it should be. They asked Anders about how the Finns can beat Sweden and 1. get a Swedish coach 2. Shoot the buck fron the red line for Tommy Salo ( check the pic ).

PS2 May the best team win!

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That Belarus game was a classic though, in worst possibly way...

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the Finland-Sweden game, those matches are often the best ones even if they are only in the preliminary rounds. This one actually means something and should be fun, especially in front of thousands of mad Finns in the Helsinki arena.

PS. Brad...one word...uh, make that stamp:




[ 07. May 2003, 03:59 AM: Message edited by: Heartland ]

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"Nervous wait for the whistle to blow
Rush of blood and over we go..."
- Iron Maiden, "Paschendale"

I like the Salo pic better (Salo is the goalie for the Oilers, and I hate him SOOOO much)
Anyway I am happy to hear that Sundin, Forsberg and other good players are at the Worlds. Its good to see that these players will make 10+ Million a year and still play for their countries, Canada would kill em all if our players would show. Some examples. Joe Sakic, Patrick Roy, Chris Pronger, Curtis Joseph, Jarome Iginla, Steve Yzerman, Eric Lindros, I could go on.

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Go-Flames-Go

Sweden down 1-5 turns the game around and beats Finland 6-5!

Huzzah! Another classic!

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"Nervous wait for the whistle to blow
Rush of blood and over we go..."
- Iron Maiden, "Paschendale"

Ok, Congrats Sweden!



The Finnish team again showed their usual tactics: after scoring a lot of goals they panic and lose the game...OF course it has as well something to do with the Swedish magic by Forsberg and Sundin, and a great goalie ( after Salo ).

Indeed, we led in the 2nd round 5-1 and lost 5-6. Unfortunately I´m getting used to this...

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Don't feel bad Kai-Petri, we had some catching up to do, over the last years I think you have beaten us more often than the other way around.

Maybe this is a return to the good old days (make that bad old days for you, heh), but I doubt if it will last...Finland will be back.

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"Nervous wait for the whistle to blow
Rush of blood and over we go..."
- Iron Maiden, "Paschendale"

Heartland,

It was a very interesting game and I´m sure people who like a game with goals and massive turnarounds in the play would enjoy it- as such a great game.To think that Teemu Selänne scored three times and still he was in the losing team. And did you see the Tomi Kallio´s ( Västra Frölunda hero )goal...I truly believed that cracked the game for us...but not so...

I think it was the change of goalie ( Tellqvist ) that woke the Swedish team and the rest is history...

No problem,Heartland, there will be loads of games to see in the future, and actually after the first World Championship (1995 ) I´m quite satisfied because at one time I was pretty sure I´d never see it happen in my life time!



For the game though

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