Posted: Mon May 7, 2007 10:55 pm
Switzerland, eh? A team with fewer NHL players than Latvia? Sounds like a good game
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Russian flags were waving all over a packed Khodynka Arena during Saturday's early semi-final, but in the end it was the Finnish flag that was raised.
At 5:40 of overtime, Mikko Koivu skated into the slot to chase down Tuomo Ruutu's centering pass from the right boards, lifted goaltender Alexander Eremenko's stick in mid-pokecheck, and pushed the puck into the net while being checked from behind by Ilya Nikulin. The goal gave Finland a hard-fought 2-1 victory, one of the biggest in the nation's history.
Canada manhandled Sweden 4-1 to earn a spot in Sunday's gold medal game, where it will face Finland. Sweden, meanwhile, will play Russia earlier in the day for the bronze.
This will mark the fourth time in the last five years that Canada has made it to the gold medal game. The result ends Sweden's reign as defending World Champions from Riga 2006.
On April 28, 1986, the Russians captured the IIHF World Championship with a 3-2 win over Sweden at Moscow's Luzhniki Sports Palace. Twenty-one years later, the host country earned another medal in Moscow with a 3-1 victory over Sweden at Khodynka Arena, but this time it was a bronze, and the celebration just wasn't the same.
The roads to Quebec City and Halifax are paved with gold after Canada won its third IIHF World Championship in five years and 24th gold all-time tonight by outplaying Finland with clinical precision in the May 13 finale in Moscow.
The score was 4-2, but make no mistake--Canada was in control virtually from the drop of the puck to the final horn. Cam Ward was in net for Canada and made 20 saves for the win. Tournament MVP Rick Nash led the way with two goals.
NOTES: Although the game was sold out, the absence of the home side ensured more empty seats than usual...Jonathan Toews became the first Canadian to win gold at both the World Juniors and World Championships in the same year...Canada now owns four of the five major world titles--World champions, World Junior champions, World Women's, and Olympic women's...the success of Steve Yzerman's first foray as a general manager at the national level greatly increases the likelihood that his name will be added to the mix for possible 2010 Olympic candidates...with the gold medal victory, Canada leapfrogs over Finland in the World Rankings. Canada is now second and the Finns third...
The tournament MVP is: Rick Nash (CAN)
The IIHF Directorate announced its winners for the 2007 World Championship.
BEST GOALIE--Kari Lehtonen (FIN)
BEST DEFENSEMAN--Andrei Markov (RUS)
BEST FORWARD--Alexei Morozov (RUS)
The media All-Star Team was also announced:
Goal: Kari Lehtonen (FIN)
Defense: Petteri Nummelin (FIN), Andrei Markov (RUS)
Forward: Alexei Morozov (RUS), Evgeni Malkin (RUS), Rick Nash (CAN)
UTMCretin wrote:Canada has Rick Nash. Canada is thusly invincible. I rest my case
UTMCretin wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
Almost seems kind of prophetic now, doesn't it?
moose man wrote:One thing I dont get is how Rick Nash wins the MVp but doesn't win the Best Forward?? That seems rather puzzling to me. Supposedly the best player in the tournament isn't even the best player at his own position!