The most successful country since NHL players are permitted to participate in the Olympics has enough of finishing with just another medal. Tuukka Rask and Team Finland's "Mission for Gold".
When Tim Thomas decided to have a year off from hockey last summer, people in Boston weren't sure if Tuukka Rask is capable of beeing an elite starting goalie. Who could blame them after they lost the goalie that got them their first Stanley Cup in 39 years ? A year and an almost succesfull Stanley Cup run later, Rask is well on the way to lead the world's best team in terms of goaltending.
Antti Niemi, Pekka Rinne, Niklas Bäckström, Kari Lehtonen just to name a few goalies head coach Erkka Westerlund can choose from apart from Boston's netminder. With Rinne still suffering from his hip surgery the 3rd goalie spot is pretty much open for everyone, including strong guys from europe. Antti Niemi and Tuukka Rask should be set, especially regarding their great performances in last year's playoffs.
Rask's 2013 Stanley Cup run with the B's wasn't as succesfull as the one with Timmy two year ago, but sure that wasn't his fault. Throughout the playoffs he was even on the way to surpass Thomas outstanding Conn Smythe performance, finishing with the same save percentage and an even better goals against average. He put up the best goalie stats for a not Stanley Cup winning team in NHL history.
Remarkable, Rask also has the highest save percentage of any goalie who's played in 100 or more games since the 2005-06 season. He hadn't dressed for Suomi since playing for them at the World Juniors in 2006 before returning for one game only during last years Lockout, when he played for Czech side HC Plzen.
A gold medal in Sochi would be the perfect career ending for NHL legend Teemu Selänne, who's likely to retire after this season. The "Finish Flash" is still a big emotional boost for the nation, as he passed on his leadership assignements to younger guys like Mikael Granlund or Mikko Koivu who's still in his prime.
Finland won their first gold since 1995 beating their arch rivals from Sweden in an amazing World Championship final in 2011, when they scored five goals in the 3rd period in a tied game. Jarkko Immonen
lead the tournament in goals (9) and points (12) scored and might even make the Olympic roster, currently playing for Nizhny Novgorod in the Russian KHL.
Center Petri Kontiola could be another player from Europe who makes their roster, as he was last years World Championship top scorer (8 goals, 16 points in 10 games) when Finland went out in the Quarterfinals against Sweden. Just like Immonen he plays in the KHL, where he lost last years playoff finals with his team Traktor Chelyabinsk besides beeing the leagues top scorer.
At the back end, Veterans Sami Salö and Kimmo Timonen will likely make their last Olympic appearances, while NHL prospects Olli Määttä (Penguins) and Sami Vatanen (Ducks) the biggest stage in sports for the 1st time. After beeing an Assistant Captain for Finland at the World Juniors last year, Määtä had an impressive start to his NHL career this season. The 19-year old was drafted 22nd overall in 2012 and could have still played at the World Juniors right now, if the Penguins could have afforded to let him go.
All in all Finland doesn't have the best roster on paper. That beeing said their biggest strength, which is their goaltending, has to shine in Sochi in order to give them their first ever gold medal. And who would deserve it more than Tuukka Rask after what he's been going through in game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Keine Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen