Olympic Hockey: USA beat Finland 6-1
By admin on February 27, 2010 / Sports, World News
The Brian Burke-built Americans ran roughshod over Finland in Friday’s first semi-final, storming to a 6-0 first-period lead en route to an easy 6-1 triumph.
Finnish starter Miikka Kiprusoff was ventilated for four goals on seven shots before he was hooked at the 10:08 mark of the opening 20 minutes. Niklas Backstrom took over and was beaten twice on six shots. So much for stemming the tide and stopping the bleeding.
The undefeated Americans, 5-0-0, are now guaranteed no worse than a silver and will await the winner of today’s other semi-final between Team Canada and Slovakia. Sunday’s gold-medal final faces off at 12:15 p.m. The Finns will play for bronze Saturday night.
Kiprusoff didn’t help himself with a horrendous giveaway 2:04 into the game when his clearing attempt landed on the stick of American forward Ryan Malone, who took the gift and deposited it into the vacated Finnish cage.
Zach Parise made it 2-0 on a power play, followed by Erik Johnson on another power play, followed by a pair from Patrick Kane and then Paul Stastny at 12:46.
The carnage: six goals in a span of 10:42 in arguably the worst period played by the Finnish national team in modern times.
With the game devoid of any drama after that, the teams played out the string in the final two periods. The scoreless second featured a near Finnish goal by Jarkko Immonen, who rang a shot by Ryan Miller and off the far post.
Miller made 18 saves but didn’t finish the game as USA coach Ron Wilson gave backup Tim Thomas some work, inserting the Boston netminder with 11:31 remaining in the third period.
Thomas surrendered the lone Finnish goal to Antti Miettinen on a late power play.
Miller will enter Sunday’s final with just five goals allowed in the tournament — and none in five-plus periods. Canada’s Sidney Crosby was the last player to beat Miller, the goal coming with 3:09 remaining in last Sunday’s 5-3 American victory. Miller blanked Switzerland in a quarter-final game Wednesday.
Upcoming games:
Fri, Feb 26, 2010
6:30pm – 9:30 pm Ice Hockey – Men’s Semifinal: CAN vs SVK
Sat Feb 27, 2010
7pm – 9:30pm Ice Hockey – Men’s – Bronze medal game
Sun Feb 28, 2010
12:15pm – 2:45pm Ice Hockey – Men’s – Gold medal game
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Source: http://www.boston.com/sports/other_sports/olympics/extras/olympics_blog/2010/02/mens_hockey_usa_1.html
http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/Olympic+hockey+Americans+crush+Finland+reach+final/2618091/story.html
VANCOUVER — Team USA will be going for men’s hockey gold Sunday afternoon.
The Brian Burke-built Americans ran roughshod over Finland in Friday’s first semi-final, storming to a 6-0 first-period lead en route to an easy 6-1 triumph.
Finnish starter Miikka Kiprusoff was ventilated for four goals on seven shots before he was hooked at the 10:08 mark of the opening 20 minutes. Niklas Backstrom took over and was beaten twice on six shots. So much for stemming the tide and stopping the bleeding.
The undefeated Americans, 5-0-0, are now guaranteed no worse than a silver and will await the winner of today’s other semi-final between Team Canada and Slovakia. Sunday’s gold-medal final faces off at 12:15 p.m. The Finns will play for bronze Saturday night.
Kiprusoff didn’t help himself with a horrendous giveaway 2:04 into the game when his clearing attempt landed on the stick of American forward Ryan Malone, who took the gift and deposited it into the vacated Finnish cage.
Zach Parise made it 2-0 on a power play, followed by Erik Johnson on another power play, followed by a pair from Patrick Kane and then Paul Stastny at 12:46.
The carnage: six goals in a span of 10:42 in arguably the worst period played by the Finnish national team in modern times.
With the game devoid of any drama after that, the teams played out the string in the final two periods. The scoreless second featured a near Finnish goal by Jarkko Immonen, who rang a shot by Ryan Miller and off the far post.
Miller made 18 saves but didn’t finish the game as USA coach Ron Wilson gave backup Tim Thomas some work, inserting the Boston netminder with 11:31 remaining in the third period.
Thomas surrendered the lone Finnish goal to Antti Miettinen on a late power play.
Miller will enter Sunday’s final with just five goals allowed in the tournament — and none in five-plus periods. Canada’s Sidney Crosby was the last player to beat Miller, the goal coming with 3:09 remaining in last Sunday’s 5-3 American victory. Miller blanked Switzerland in a quarter-final game Wednesday.
Upcoming games:
Fri, Feb 26, 2010
6:30pm – 9:30 pm Ice Hockey – Men’s Semifinal: CAN vs SVK
Sat Feb 27, 2010
7pm – 9:30pm Ice Hockey – Men’s – Bronze medal game
Sun Feb 28, 2010
12:15pm – 2:45pm Ice Hockey – Men’s – Gold medal game
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