Ismo Lehkonen celebrates the Canadian goalkeeper Jordan Binnington, who stretched to important fighting in the final.
Canada retained its position as a hockey rule when it won the NHL’s four -country tournament. In the finals, the worst rival in the United States in overtime was 3-2.
Hockey mother won Olympic gold with NHL players in 2010 in Vancouver and 2014 in Sochi and the World Cup in 2016.
When the best players in the world have been available, someone other than Canada has lasted the championship last in 2006.
Now, the Canadian prize cabinet came with more filling from the tournament, which, as such, may remain unique.
EPN hockey expert Ismo Lehkonen describes the low -goal final as a great ice hockey and entertainment. The team’s five -way play in both directions was tuned to the extreme – as well as the players’ personal tactics.
Symbolic solution
The goal of the solution struck Connor McDavidwho has been seen as a 37-year-old captain Sidney Crosby as a heir of mantle. Crosby settled the Canadian Olympic gold in 2010.
According to Lehkonen, McDavid’s hit was symbolism. In his opinion, the winning goal was a consciously designed pattern.
– There was a long slump on the weightless side, and there was a guy ready. Very difficult to play in the defense for the best paint sector, Lehkonen analyzes.
– Crosby led the team in the background and made the minimum stuff perfectly. When the game had to solve, McDavid clicked into the limelight.
One of the characters in the match was the Canadian goalkeeper Jordan’s Binnington. In the spring of 2019, Binnington’s ability to guard Canada’s goal was suspected before and during the tournament in the spring of 2019 with St. Louis Blues.
The Canadian nonsense, especially in overtime, stretched a couple of parade rescue, which helped the team hanging out in the game.
-If there is a Stanley Cup winner, the talent is quite clear. Jon Cooper He is a professional coach, and he and his team seemed to know who could carry the Canadian goalkeeper, Lehkonen says.
– If the goalkeeper in Finland is under heavy pressures, the media attention that strikes the goalkeeper in Canada will probably be tenfold. It has to have an exceptional individual who can wear the pressures and play relatively relaxed.
The best advertisement
The four-country tournament was eagerly awaited, as the best NHL players in the modern generation had never met in the national team shirt.
On the other hand, before the tournament, it was suspected how serious players would take a new, short tournament before the NHL playoffs.
The fears turned out to be useless, and especially the top players of Canada and the United States in the sport put everything into the game in the match.
According to Lehkonen, the tournament was the best advertising for ice hockey.
Ice hockey is a small sport on a global scale, but took great leaps in the tournament game and market.
– The tournament was many times better than I could even expect, says Lehkonen.
– I lift my hat to players and coaches for those two top teams, doing things to a completely different level. Many people got to know such a game called hockey.
The NHL stars are also present in the Olympic Tournament next year. Lehkonen believes that there will be an even more quality national team disc.
– I think we now saw a starting point for what the future hockey is. The game will surely take the stunning leaps forward at the five level.
– With a few more players and they are more experienced, the level of the Olympics is even clearly better than this.
Below are more moods and thoughts on the final match: