Czechs won't lose this game. Finland sucks
Finland
Jere Lehtinen - Saku Koivu - Teemu Selänne
Ville Peltonen - Olli Jokinen - Tuomo Ruutu
Niklas Hagman - Niko Kapanen - Jukka Hentunen
Mikko Eloranta - Mikko Koivu - Jarkko Ruutu
Kimmo Timonen - Teppo Numminen
Janne Niinimaa - Sami Salo
Aki-Petteri Berg - Toni Lydman
Miikka Kiprusoff (Kari Lehtonen)
Czech Republic
Martin Rucinsky - Robert Reichel - Milan Hejduk
Martin Straka - David Vyborny - Jaromir Jagr
Patrik Elias - Josef Vasicek - Petr Sykora
Martin Halvat - Jiri Dopita - Radek Dvorak
Tomas Kaberle - Jiri Slegr
Marek Malik - Jaroslav Spacek
Martin Skoula - Roman Hamrlik
Jiri Fischer - Marek Zidlicky
Tomas Vokoun (Roman Cechmanek)
Finland
Jere Lehtinen - Saku Koivu - Teemu Selänne
Ville Peltonen - Olli Jokinen - Tuomo Ruutu
Niklas Hagman - Niko Kapanen - Jukka Hentunen
Mikko Eloranta - Mikko Koivu - Jarkko Ruutu
Kimmo Timonen - Teppo Numminen
Janne Niinimaa - Sami Salo
Aki-Petteri Berg - Toni Lydman
Miikka Kiprusoff (Kari Lehtonen)
Czech Republic
Martin Rucinsky - Robert Reichel - Milan Hejduk
Martin Straka - David Vyborny - Jaromir Jagr
Patrik Elias - Josef Vasicek - Petr Sykora
Martin Halvat - Jiri Dopita - Radek Dvorak
Tomas Kaberle - Jiri Slegr
Marek Malik - Jaroslav Spacek
Martin Skoula - Roman Hamrlik
Jiri Fischer - Marek Zidlicky
Tomas Vokoun (Roman Cechmanek)
are you sure about every team qualifying?
so the only advantage to finishing first is that you would play the 4th place team?
No real advantage to finishing second over third? cauz there is no home ice advantage here as the venues are pre-set?
seems very strange?
can anyone else confirm this?
also can anyone confirm what happens if they are tied at the end of regulation during these opening games?
so the only advantage to finishing first is that you would play the 4th place team?
No real advantage to finishing second over third? cauz there is no home ice advantage here as the venues are pre-set?
seems very strange?
can anyone else confirm this?
also can anyone confirm what happens if they are tied at the end of regulation during these opening games?
It Looks like they are playing for Home ICE:
It would seem that these games ARE ALMOST MEANINGLESS....
am I missing something?
World Cup of Hockey 2004 Schedule
Date Venue, City Matchup Time Nat'l TV
Mon, Aug 30 Hartwall Arena, Helsinki Czech Republic vs. Finland 1:00 PM EDT ESPN,CBC
Tue, Aug 31 Globe Arena, Stockholm Germany vs. Sweden 1:00 PM EDT ESPN,CBC
Tue, Aug 31 Bell Centre, Montreal United States vs. Canada 7:00 PM EDT ESPN2,CBC
Wed, Sep 1 Globe Arena, Stockholm Czech Republic vs. Sweden 1:00 PM EDT ESPN,CBC
Wed, Sep 1 Bell Centre, Montreal Canada vs. Slovakia 7:00 PM EDT ESPN2,CBC
Thu, Sep 2 Cologne Arena, Cologne Finland vs. Germany 1:30 PM EDT ESPN2,CBC
Thu, Sep 2 Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul Russia vs. United States 7:00 PM EDT ESPN2,CBC
Fri, Sep 3 Sazka Arena, Prague Germany vs. Czech Republic 1:00 PM EDT ESPN,CBC
Fri, Sep 3 Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul Slovakia vs. United States 7:00 PM EDT ESPN2,CBC
Sat, Sep 4 Hartwall Arena, Helsinki Sweden vs. Finland 8:00 PM EDT CBC
Sat, Sep 4 Air Canada Centre, Toronto Russia vs. Canada 7:00 PM EDT CBC
Sun, Sep 5 Air Canada Centre, Toronto Slovakia vs. Russia 7:00 PM EDT CBC
Mon., Sep. 6 QUARTERFINAL
Home Arena of E1 E1 vs. E4 1:00 PM EDT CBC
Tues., Sep. 7 QUARTERFINAL
Home Arena of E2 E2 vs. E3 1:00 PM EDT ESPN,CBC
Tues., Sep. 7 QUARTERFINAL
Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul NA1 vs. NA4 or
NA2 vs. NA3 7:00 PM EDT ESPN2,CBC
Wed., Sep. 8 QUARTERFINAL
Air Canada Centre, Toronto NA1 vs. NA4 or
NA2 vs. NA3 7:00 PM EDT ESPN2,CBC
Fri., Sep. 10 SEMIFINAL
Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul 7:00 PM EDT ESPN2,CBC
Sat., Sep. 11 SEMIFINAL
Air Canada Centre, Toronto 6:30 PM EDT ESPN2,CBC
Tues., Sept. 14 CHAMPIONSHIP
Air Canada Centre, Toronto 7:00 PM EDT ESPN2,CBC
It would seem that these games ARE ALMOST MEANINGLESS....
am I missing something?
World Cup of Hockey 2004 Schedule
Date Venue, City Matchup Time Nat'l TV
Mon, Aug 30 Hartwall Arena, Helsinki Czech Republic vs. Finland 1:00 PM EDT ESPN,CBC
Tue, Aug 31 Globe Arena, Stockholm Germany vs. Sweden 1:00 PM EDT ESPN,CBC
Tue, Aug 31 Bell Centre, Montreal United States vs. Canada 7:00 PM EDT ESPN2,CBC
Wed, Sep 1 Globe Arena, Stockholm Czech Republic vs. Sweden 1:00 PM EDT ESPN,CBC
Wed, Sep 1 Bell Centre, Montreal Canada vs. Slovakia 7:00 PM EDT ESPN2,CBC
Thu, Sep 2 Cologne Arena, Cologne Finland vs. Germany 1:30 PM EDT ESPN2,CBC
Thu, Sep 2 Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul Russia vs. United States 7:00 PM EDT ESPN2,CBC
Fri, Sep 3 Sazka Arena, Prague Germany vs. Czech Republic 1:00 PM EDT ESPN,CBC
Fri, Sep 3 Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul Slovakia vs. United States 7:00 PM EDT ESPN2,CBC
Sat, Sep 4 Hartwall Arena, Helsinki Sweden vs. Finland 8:00 PM EDT CBC
Sat, Sep 4 Air Canada Centre, Toronto Russia vs. Canada 7:00 PM EDT CBC
Sun, Sep 5 Air Canada Centre, Toronto Slovakia vs. Russia 7:00 PM EDT CBC
Mon., Sep. 6 QUARTERFINAL
Home Arena of E1 E1 vs. E4 1:00 PM EDT CBC
Tues., Sep. 7 QUARTERFINAL
Home Arena of E2 E2 vs. E3 1:00 PM EDT ESPN,CBC
Tues., Sep. 7 QUARTERFINAL
Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul NA1 vs. NA4 or
NA2 vs. NA3 7:00 PM EDT ESPN2,CBC
Wed., Sep. 8 QUARTERFINAL
Air Canada Centre, Toronto NA1 vs. NA4 or
NA2 vs. NA3 7:00 PM EDT ESPN2,CBC
Fri., Sep. 10 SEMIFINAL
Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul 7:00 PM EDT ESPN2,CBC
Sat., Sep. 11 SEMIFINAL
Air Canada Centre, Toronto 6:30 PM EDT ESPN2,CBC
Tues., Sept. 14 CHAMPIONSHIP
Air Canada Centre, Toronto 7:00 PM EDT ESPN2,CBC
HELSINKI, Finland (AP) Miikka Kiprusoff stopped all 12 shots, and Saku Koivu and Niko Kapanen were among four goal scorers in Finland's 4-0 win over the Czech Republic in the World Cup of Hockey opener Monday.
Koivu of the Montreal Canadiens and Kapanen of the Dallas Stars were joined on the score sheet by Jukka Hentunen, who plays in Switzerland, and Mikko Eloranta, one of only two players on the team who plays in the Finnish League.
Finland outshot the Czech Republic 34-12.
''It was important to get the right feeling,'' said Kiprusoff, who helped lead the Calgary Flames to the Stanley Cup finals last season. ''There was not much work to do, but a few times they broke in to the goal from the corners creating danger. I knew beforehand how the Czechs play, they don't fire that fast, rather they want to hold on to the puck.''
Hentunen tapped a pass from Kapanen past Czech goalie Tomas Vokoun in the first to give Finland an early lead. The score stayed 1-0 until 30 seconds into the third period, when Koivu beat Vokoun with a backhander between the goalie's legs to make it 2-0.
Kapanen tipped in defenseman Sami Salo's wrister from just inside the blue line five minutes into the period to make it 3-0.
Eloranta rounded out the scoring at 8:51, knocking in a rebound after Vokoun made the initial save on defenseman Kimmo Timonen's shot.
''We were ready to play and could use the points of strength we had practiced for the last 10 days,'' said Koivu. ''We were able to skate up front enough to put pressure on their defensemen. We have often had problems in offense, but now every line got the taste of goal.''
Koivu's line, with Teemu Selanne of the Colorado Avalanche and Jere Lehtinen of Dallas, were reunited for the first time since the 1998 Winter Olympics in Japan, when Finland beat Canada for the bronze medal.
''We played well, but every team will improve,'' Koivu said. ''I was a bit surprised the Czechs were not better. The key was that we were moving very well and could put pressure on their defensemen, and they had to take penalties.''
Sweden and Germany, the two other European pool teams, meet on Tuesday in Stockholm.
This was the first non-exhibition game for the Czechs since the death of coach Ivan Hlinka, who was killed in an automobile accident in the Czech Republic on the eve of the tournament.
Hlinka, a former coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, was replaced by former NHL player Vladimir Ruzicka.
With all four teams advancing to the quarterfinals after round-robin play, home-ice advantage could be vital before the tournament moves to North America for the semifinals and the final.
The United States, which beat Canada in the inaugural World Cup in 1996, opens play on Tuesday in Montreal against Canada. The other teams in the North American pool are Russia and Slovakia.
The championship game is Sept. 14 in Toronto. The collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and its players ends the following day. There is fear of a long lockout that could wipe out the 2004-05 regular season.
The World Cup is jointly run by the NHL and the NHL Players' Association.
Koivu of the Montreal Canadiens and Kapanen of the Dallas Stars were joined on the score sheet by Jukka Hentunen, who plays in Switzerland, and Mikko Eloranta, one of only two players on the team who plays in the Finnish League.
Finland outshot the Czech Republic 34-12.
''It was important to get the right feeling,'' said Kiprusoff, who helped lead the Calgary Flames to the Stanley Cup finals last season. ''There was not much work to do, but a few times they broke in to the goal from the corners creating danger. I knew beforehand how the Czechs play, they don't fire that fast, rather they want to hold on to the puck.''
Hentunen tapped a pass from Kapanen past Czech goalie Tomas Vokoun in the first to give Finland an early lead. The score stayed 1-0 until 30 seconds into the third period, when Koivu beat Vokoun with a backhander between the goalie's legs to make it 2-0.
Kapanen tipped in defenseman Sami Salo's wrister from just inside the blue line five minutes into the period to make it 3-0.
Eloranta rounded out the scoring at 8:51, knocking in a rebound after Vokoun made the initial save on defenseman Kimmo Timonen's shot.
''We were ready to play and could use the points of strength we had practiced for the last 10 days,'' said Koivu. ''We were able to skate up front enough to put pressure on their defensemen. We have often had problems in offense, but now every line got the taste of goal.''
Koivu's line, with Teemu Selanne of the Colorado Avalanche and Jere Lehtinen of Dallas, were reunited for the first time since the 1998 Winter Olympics in Japan, when Finland beat Canada for the bronze medal.
''We played well, but every team will improve,'' Koivu said. ''I was a bit surprised the Czechs were not better. The key was that we were moving very well and could put pressure on their defensemen, and they had to take penalties.''
Sweden and Germany, the two other European pool teams, meet on Tuesday in Stockholm.
This was the first non-exhibition game for the Czechs since the death of coach Ivan Hlinka, who was killed in an automobile accident in the Czech Republic on the eve of the tournament.
Hlinka, a former coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, was replaced by former NHL player Vladimir Ruzicka.
With all four teams advancing to the quarterfinals after round-robin play, home-ice advantage could be vital before the tournament moves to North America for the semifinals and the final.
The United States, which beat Canada in the inaugural World Cup in 1996, opens play on Tuesday in Montreal against Canada. The other teams in the North American pool are Russia and Slovakia.
The championship game is Sept. 14 in Toronto. The collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and its players ends the following day. There is fear of a long lockout that could wipe out the 2004-05 regular season.
The World Cup is jointly run by the NHL and the NHL Players' Association.
Condition of ice in Helsinki was very lousy and puck bounced a lot. I think it hurted Czechs more than Finns and that's why only four goals were scored. Maybe same thing will happen today in Sweden and skilled Swedes doesn't score many goals.
