The Lions hit the hockey World Cup semi-final in Tampere, USA 4–3. According to Sports expert Ismo Lehkonen, Finland is like a machine that always finds a way to win.
1. Finland always finds ways to win
The Lions have lost their regular time in the World Cup in the last tournament in Slovakia in 2019, when Germany was better in the final game 4-2. Since then, the Lions Tube has stretched amazingly to 22 matches.
Just like in Thursday’s semi-final against Slovakia, the United States also managed to strike a slightly nervous Finland in the opening round. The further the game progressed, the better Finland found its own game.
– It is the German national football team that always wins the steady games at the end. Jukka Jalosen the mathematical approach to the game and the tournament format works like the rails of a train, Lehkonen praises.
– These World Cup playoffs are about small margins and things. Whether it’s winning blue lines, a change of direction on your own, ice cold or special situations, Finland is always a little better.
According to Lehkonen, it is a matter of preparing each individual to play at the five-level level according to the system.
– At the individual level, all players are quite close to each other. In the projects that have ended in Jalonen’s value finals, tactical know-how, discipline and self-confidence can be emphasized. After all, it has grown along the way when everyone is confident that the job will be done in the end.
2. Miro Heiskanen’s dominance dazzled
Dallas NHL star defender Miro Heiskanen has gotten used to a new way of playing and a rotation of four pairs of defenders. In Saturday’s semifinals, the wonder was behind us, and 22-year-old Heiskanen collected 1 + 2 with his world-class performance.
– She enjoys getting on the stage. As a skater, he is one of the best in the world, he sees the field well and it looks easy. The pressure tolerance of a young player is at an incomprehensible level.
Heiskanen, who was awarded the best player in Finland, was clocked at 21.36, and it was the highest among the Lions. Responsibility came more briskly than in previous games.
– Of course it makes it easier for this type of player who is used to playing half the game. It’s a whole different game when you play every fourth shift. He seemed to be slowly getting used to this rhythm as well, Lehkonen grins.
3. The end of the game needs to run better
In the lead over the two goals in the final round, the Lions ’game was deactivated and the United States reached the end of the goal. According to Lehkonen, coaches would almost exclusively want their team to be active, legged and aggressive in the lead, but this is not always the case.
– The end of the game is the kind of aspect that coaching has to think about. Leading two goals against five to six play was passive, and when the U.S. scored a narrowing goal, coaching made the game more aggressive. As a spectator coach, I am in favor of the latter.
– Players have a license to pull it through passivity, and when one makes a choice for some reason, the other four follow. I think that’s a psychological thing.