Sweden-Finland renew rivalry 20 years after Olympic gold medal recreation
MILAN — The Sweden-Finland rivalry returns to Italy on Friday, almost 20 years after probably the most memorable gold medal clashes in Olympic males’s hockey historical past unfolded in Turin.
Most gamers on both sides can recall precisely the place they have been when Nicklas Lidstrom blasted a one-timer from the highest of the zone to provide Sweden a 3-2 lead over the Finns simply 10 seconds into the third interval.
It in the end secured Tre Kronor’s second hockey gold, and the primary since 1994.
Olympic glory is probably not on the road Friday at Santagiulia Enviornment, however it probably might be one of many extra intense round-robin video games.
Each nations weren’t thrilled with how they performed within the first recreation of the event, with Finland dropping 4-1 to Slovakia and Sweden taking a too-close-for-comfort 5-2 victory over Italy.
The long-standing rivals will every be in search of higher leads to their second video games.
And after Finland bested Sweden in additional time at 4 Nations final February, the 2 international locations will get a rematch on the Olympic stage.
“By some means, it all the time appears that — for both nation to do properly — we now have to undergo one another in any large event,” Sweden’s Erik Karlsson mentioned after apply Thursday. “That’s form of the way it’s been all through the years, all through the a long time. Sooner or later, you’re going to must beat one another. And whoever wins that recreation normally has a number of success.”
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Rangers heart Mika Zibanejad, who was 12 the final time Sweden gained gold, remembers having that 2006 recreation on two televisions — one broadcast in Swedish, and one in Finnish — in his childhood house in Huddinge, Sweden.
His mother, Ritva, is from Paltamo, Finland.
She gained’t be in Milan on Friday, however she might be watching. Zibanejad assured she has no battle of rooting curiosity.
“She’s rooting for me,” he mentioned. “No matter staff I’m on.”
Zibanejad and the remainder of the Swedish gamers acknowledged simply how a lot the historical past of the rivalry performs into the magnitude of Friday’s assembly.
“They discuss [2006],” Sweden coach Sam Hallam mentioned. “They find out about it. They’ve seen all of the clips. They’ve seen the objectives, seen the final minute. It’s an enormous recreation. It’s like Finland’s World Championship ’95. It’s a kind of video games that’s one of many largest video games in Swedish hockey historical past.”
After Filip Gustavsson gave up two objectives on 22 photographs, Workforce Sweden seemed prefer it was making a change in purpose throughout apply Thursday.
Devils goalie Jacob Markström had his personal internet, whereas Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt shared the opposite.
In keeping with Finland’s TV4, nevertheless, Markström “unintentionally” revealed Gustavsson could be the beginning goalie vs. Finland.
Hallam, like each different head coach, wouldn’t verify somehow. There’s an opportunity he must stray from how he initially thought he would deal with the goaltending.
It’s a notable choice that may have implications on not solely the rest of the event, but in addition the following chapter of the Sweden-Finland battle.
“We’ve got a plan,” Hallam mentioned of his goalies shortly after the staff first arrived in Milan. “It may very well be that you simply begin [Wednesday], you begin [against] Finland after which it’s a back-to-back. That’s perhaps a superb alternative to vary and get a second goalie in. You’ve a plan, however then one thing might occur the primary shift tonight that breaks that plan. Any individual can get up tomorrow with a sore throat. If we are able to get two goalies in throughout the spherical robin, yeah, however I’m not seeking to play three goalies.”
