Ron Wilson quotes

What Ron Wilson said:

"Sometimes, the best team in the tournament doesn't win a gold medal"

"It's just a shame that both teams couldn't have received a gold medal today."

"Canada and the United States play the game like it should be -- not sitting back and playing on your heels and waiting for something bad to happen and counter-punching, but actually going on the attack. I know Mike (Babcock)'s teams play that way and I try to play that way, not very successfully right now with my team in Toronto."

That crack at the Maple Leafs, Wilson's current NHL home, drew ripples of laughter from the packed press conference. But, Wilson wasn't laughing.

"It's nothing to laugh at," he snapped. "I'm teaching them to play the right way; not the Slovakian, Czech or Russian way where you sit back and wait and wait and wait. We are on the attack."

"I'm teaching them to play the right way; not the Slovakian, Czech or Russian way where you sit back and wait and wait and wait. We are on the attack."

"This was a classic hockey game, just as our game was a week ago with the Canadians and to me it is exactly the way the game should be played. To me, the game was invented in Canada and I think we in the United States have morphed into the same style of play, and it is fun to play that way and I hope Mike agrees."

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=519340



Both teams should have received a gold medal? Yeah, no!
You lost Ron. And Canada had the best team. You only had the second best. Get on with it.

Sisu

just great.

Dropping dead in 12 minutes

Selänne: "When a game is over after 12 minutes, I don’t know what to say. I'm stunned. This has never happened in my career on the national level. I don’t know what happened. It's something you don't want to experience. I have no words. It's just unbelievable."

Kipper: "The first goal did surprise me. From that one on it was a tough day."

"Everybody gets knocked down, how quick are you going to get up? "


"it's not how you start, it's how you finish"

Selänne: "I hope we're smiling tomorrow. There's bronze on the line. It's all about bouncing back and trying to take what's left. A bronze medal from this kind of tournament is huge. We have to remind ourselves it's not over yet."


So once again, LET'S GET THE GODDAMN BRONZE!

USA - FIN, quotes

nhl.com: Does it bother you that when people think of Finnish hockey, they think defensive posture and goaltender?

Kurri (smiling) -- Do they? Yeah. It bothers me because we don't think that way, no. We don't teach this team to play that way. It's a big part of our game, for sure. We don't have as much talent as other countries have, We really need to be a good team, with good team chemistry and play as a team together. Plus the good goaltending, which we have for many, many years.

But we don't tell players not to attack. We tell them, 'Attack. Go for it. Have the puck. Keep the puck.' For example, you play against the Russians, who have so much skill. The best way to stop them is you have the puck. Don't let those guys have the puck.

It's confusing that people would think that way. We don't think of our hockey that way.

The Finns will play a passive 1-2-2 forecheck, hoping the lead forechecker can force the American defenders into turnovers. In the offensive zone, the Finns will cycle and try to punish the American defenders. They will also activate their defense more than most teams the Americans have faced in this tournament.

Both Kimmo Timonen, a member of the all-tournament team in Turin, and Joni Pitkanen are world-class offensive defensemen.

"They are really active in the zone from what we have seen," American defensemen Erik Johnson said. "Timonen likes to go back door, and Pitkanen he likes to get on the offense, too. That will be a little more of a challenge because we have only played Canada that really likes to involve their D."

Yippe Ya Yeah!

YIPPIE!



AND YEAH!

Ovechkins new skates

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Fourth-Place-Medal-investigates-mystery-of-Ovech?urn=oly,220328

"He's a colourful guy and he comes with some new stuff," Selanne said. "Again this year he has something new. I think it's awesome."

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/hockey/news/newsid=47729.html?cid=rsstsn


I think it's awful.

Vancouver, Swe-Fin

"We'll have to go back and watch some videos to see what went wrong. Obviously, we weren't ready to play tonight," said Finland's Ville Peltonen.

Even with the loss, Finland finished fourth in overall standings, and receives a bye to the quarterfinals.

"We've played five games in eight days so any extra rest is huge," said Selanne.

Pitkänen's game misconduct also means that he will receive an automatic one-game suspension and will miss at least the quarterfinal game.

"It's a big loss, because he's a key part on the power play and on the breakouts, he's such a good skater," said Sami Salo.

http://www.iihf.com/en/channels10/olympics-2010/news/news-singleview-world-championship-2009/article/sweden-lundqvist-still-perfect.html?tx_ttnews[backPid]=3471&cHash=0a768a0400

Bettman vs Fasel

In trying to explain the problems of Sochi, Fasel reflected and said: “The trouble is about two such different cultures. Gary is so American – and the Russians are so Russian.” To which Bettman offered: “And, you, René, are so Switzerland.”


http://www.iihf.com/channels10/olympics-2010/news/news-singleview-world-championship-2009/article/fasel-bettman-meet-the-press.html?tx_ttnews[backPid]=3471&cHash=deb54691d4

Some quotes

Jaromir Jagr
"Canada, Russia and Sweden all have the best teams when you look at the statistics and the last World Championship, they should be on the top. But don't forget that this is a tournament that is all about one game. You can be the favourite, but if you lose once you go home. That's why it's not easy to win it. You don't have to be the best, but you have to be very lucky. Everyone here has a chance.

I know if we played 10 games, we are not going to beat Canada even three times, but once? We can do it."

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/hockey/news/newsid=39596.html?cid=rsstsn

Brian Burke
"I cry less every day," Burke was saying Sunday, his voice cracking just for a moment. "It's been tough.
I was asked to do a job here and I'm going to do it. The fact that I've had a tragic event in my life shouldn't change that."

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/hockey/news/newsid=41763.html?cid=rsstsn

Sidney Crosby after blocking shot
"I will be there," Crosby said of Vancouver, where Canada was to practise Monday and open against Norway on Tuesday. "I'm on the flight tonight."

Finland Olympic Roster

this is it.

GK

Miikka Kiprusoff Calgary Flames
Niklas Bäckström Minnesota Wild
Antero Niittymäki Tampa Bay Lightning

Defence
Kimmo Timonen Philadelphia Flyers
Sami Salo Vancouver Canucks
Joni Pitkänen Carolina Hurricanes
Lasse Kukkonen Avangard Omsk
Toni Lydman Buffalo Sabres
Sami Lepistö Phoenix Coyotes
Janne Niskala Frölunda

Offence
Mikko Koivu Minnesota Wild
Tuomo Ruutu Carolina Hurricanes
Antti Miettinen Minnesota Wild
Teemu Selänne Anaheim Ducks
Saku Koivu Anaheim Ducks
Jere Lehtinen Dallas Stars
Niklas Hagman Toronto Maple Leafs
Olli Jokinen Calgary Flames
Valtteri Filppula Detroit Red Wings
Jarkko Ruutu Ottawa Senators
Niko Kapanen Ak Bars Kazan
Ville Peltonen Dynamo Minsk
Jarkko Immonen Ak Bars Kazan

Average Height 183,70 cm
Average Weight 88,35 kg


fucking love it. ok, kipper. but he is a tremendous. glad, to see him dress up for the finns. if he brings his a-game, he is THE game-decider.
the D is the best what finland can call up. no nummelin, but WTF, we need NHLers we got NHLers.
the F is just pure legend, allmost a legend-team. old, but all of this old dudes have one last great tournament left. awesome to see koivu, lehtinen and peltonen skate togheter for a last time, 15 years after the wc in sweden. pure aweseomness. plus selänne, both ruutus and immonen and kapanen we have a very competitive roster. please no injuries till vancouver.

ready or not, here we come.

FINLAND BEATS SWEDEN IN SHOOTOUT TO WIN CHANNEL ONE CUP

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=303091

"It was very important for us to win this tournament," Finland coach Jukka Jalonen said. "We also watched our best players."



ready or not, here we come



btw1: comment of the week below this article on tsn.ca from a fan from team canada:
"I don't think it is very fair thet other teams have their rosters playing tournaments before the Olympics starts"
you know what: get on with it!


btw2: possible Finnland roster for Vancouver (as seen in a Finnish newspaper):

Forwards:

Valtteri Filppula - Mikko Koivu - Tuomo Ruutu

Jere Lehtinen - Saku Koivu - Teemu Selänne

Jussi Jokinen - Olli Jokinen - Niklas Hagman

Ville Peltonen - Niko Kapanen - Antti Miettinen

13. hyökkääjä: Jarkko Ruutu

Defenders:

Sami Salo - Joni Pitkänen

Toni Lydman - Kimmo Timonen

Lasse Kukkonen - Sami Lepistö

7. puolustaja: Ossi Väänänen

Goaltenders:

Miikka Kiprusoff, Niklas Bäckström, Antero Niittymäki

I hope Jalonen will not go like this (btw. Jalonen got his contract extended, good news IMO).

I`d vote heavily against Ruutu as extra skater! Make Peltonen the 13th guy. Not Jakke. What the fuck.
(btw: in a vote in the newspaper, 61 % voted for Pyörälä to stay home. N. Kapanen, Ruutu an Peltonen only got 9 % -16 % of the anti-votes.)

And add Nummelin instead of Lydman or Väänänen. Nevermind if he`s missing now because of injury. He`s our most dangerous d-man. Best shot from the blueline and awesome in shootouts (6/7 in the 06/07 season in the nhl).

And by the way, who or what is "Kiprusoff"?

Miika Kiprusoff

Miikka Kiprusoff wants to start for the Finnish hockey team at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, but the Flames goaltender says if he isn't going to be the team's No.1 guy, he'd sooner stay home.

"I'd probably not go in that case," says Kiprusoff in a Tuesday story in The Calgary Herald. "If I'm not going to start for sure, I think I'm going to take that time off and rest."

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/hockey/news/newsid=20550.html?cid=rsstsn

I'm not surprised, but once more, very disappointed.
He's a great goaltender but he plays for the name on the back, not the logo on the front.

Stats

stats comparison:

Jarkko Ruutu, 17 GP, 9 Points

A. Kovalev, 17, GP, 8 Points
D. Krejci, 17 GP, 7 Points
Ch. Drury, 18 PG, 6 Points

(for example)


get on with it.