By Sam Hallam coached Sweden has kept a clean sheet for 120 minutes and started the World Cup tournament with victories over Germany and Austria. Instead, Finland lost to the United States 1-4 on Friday, but brightened their appearance with a 4-3 win over Germany.
Expert Juha Juujärvi can see that the pressure of the Lions’ forced victory is lessened mentally, when Sweden has played well throughout the season and also won their opening game at the World Cup on ice.
– Finland-Sweden is always an exciting extra-lattic game, where you can kind of throw the pre-sets into the scrap bin. A single game often comes down to very small details.
Last year, Finland’s only loss at the World Cup came to Sweden. At that time, the crown jerseys won by Emil Bemström by scoring the winning goal with the only hit 3–2. Defender Mikko Lehtonen (1+1) was the power pack of the Lions.
– I believe that through courage and emotion, Finland will get even more in their playing. Sweden is a good opponent for this, as it plays good hockey with structures. The Lions like to play against a well-rhythmic, clear opponent. Then Finland will also be able to use its own strengths, emphasizes the expert.
The lions’ net has swung too much – “There are medicines for that”
Juujärvi is expecting a close defensive battle between two teams playing with a little different spice on Monday night.
– I believe that through emotion alone, Finland’s offensive and defensive game will improve.
Leijon still has a lot of development sites. From the Finnish defenders, Juujärvi expects even bolder opening play and support of attacks – including occasional drives to the goal from the attacking blue.
– These are moves that break the defense of the opponent’s five. In addition, it would be important for the defenders if they were able to distribute pucks in the middle at full speed to the centers at certain moments.
Juujärvi believes that the Lions will improve their defensive game. At the moment, Finland has scored the second most goals in Group A – seven, which is an exceptionally high number compared to previous years. In last year’s World Cup, Finland’s net stretched in the seven games of the preliminary series only four times within the framework of the actual game time and overtime.
– The defensive game will definitely tighten up and there are remedies for that. In the big picture, the smoothness and speed of the attacking game, and thus the efficiency of the attacking end, are the big things for Leijon this year, Juujärvi lists.
“The resistance is getting tougher, the top group is facing”
Sweden, which defeated Austria late on Sunday night, will face the Lions with less than a day’s recovery time. The Finnish players, on the other hand, spent the day off and enjoyed the summer heat in Tampere.
– The resistance is getting even tougher, there is a strong group in front, evaluates the person who got his race passport stamped in the Saksa Mittello Harri Pesonen.
Against Germany, Leijonat took twice as many ices as the opponent, although in a five-on-five game, Finland was in control of the game.
– Let’s try to stay away from the ice bench, when we tried our luck too much on Saturday. Sweden has good strengths and skilled players. When we can improve the cooling ratio, the odds are more on our side, Pesonen reflected.
Finland has taken a total of seven two-minute ice-outs in two games. The understrength percentage is a good 85.7.
Finland has played underpowered for 13 minutes and 18 seconds. So far, the lions’ superiority time is only 6:27.
Four chain credit attacker Hannes Björninen according to Sweden has a top team. The lions must be ready right from the start and be able to improve their own play from the last matches.
– The goal is to develop the game all the time as the games progress and then be at your best at the end of the tournament. One game at a time we progress, and we look more at our own doing – not so much at the opponent.
Emil Larmi has never made a save against Sweden, although the goalkeeper from Lahti saved Växjö’s SHL champion with great performances last season.
– It would be nice to get a draw. The Finland-Sweden setup probably brings a little more to everyone, even though it is a match among others in the finals. Surely a hard-level ladle match coming up.
William Nylander would like to join the Swedish team
According to Aftonbladet (you will switch to another service) NHL forward from Toronto William Nylander, 26, has announced his desire to join the Tre Kronor crew. However, according to the newspaper, he must pass a health check and have a discussion with the Toronto management before a possible trip to Tampere.
The Swedish coaching staff had not commented on Nylander’s situation by Sunday evening.
This year, William’s younger brother plays in Tre Kronor’s team Alexander Nylanderwhich makes the WC tournament interesting and at the same time unique for the brothers.
Sweden’s players in the first two matches:
Attackers:
Alexander Nylander-Leo Carlsson-Lucas Raymond
Carl Grundström-Oscar Lindberg-Jakob Silfverberg
Jonatan Berggren-Pär Lindholm-Andre Petersson
Dennes Everberg-Jacob De la Rose-Marcus Sörensen
Defenders:
Henrik Tömmernes-Rasmus Sandin
Anton Lindholm-Jonathan Pudas
Patrik Nemeth-Lukas Bengtsson
Goalkeepers Jesper Wallstedt and Lars Johansson have alternated in previous games. Johansson kept a clean sheet with 19 saves against Germany on Friday, and Wallstedt needed 18 saves to win the game against Austria.