  Team Canada's Jarome Iginla, right, and Shane Doan joke around during practice in Toronto Sunday September 12, 2004. Canada faces Finland in the World Cup of Hockey final Tuesday Sept. 14th.(CP PHOTO/Ryan Remiorz) |
Two common misconceptions about Finns: 1. Their national anthem and the Monty Python parody 'Finland' are the same song.
2. Their national hockey team considers its work day done whenever it can finish ahead of Sweden.
Both myths will be dispelled tomorrow night when a stirring rendition of Maamme (Our Land) is heard at the Air Canada Centre, followed by the puck drop in what should be a spirited World Cup final versus Team Canada.
This Suomi squad has a steely goaltender, a fiery coach, combined with a group of buzzsaw forwards that have already been Cup giant killers with the Swedes and Team USA. Suggest to Tuomo Ruutu, Finland's version of a young Wendel Clark, that his team has a North American bent and you'll quickly be corrected.
"We have to play the Finnish game. That means never give up," he said.
With a day off to rest from Friday's 2-1 win over Team USA, the Finns practised yesterday, stating every intention to take this impossible dream to its conclusion.
Since capturing the world championship in 1995 and the Olympic bronze in '98, they have begun lagging behind on the international hockey scene. Blowing a 5-1 lead to Sweden at the 2003 world championship was rock bottom.
Then came Raimo Summanen, loathed more than loved in the dressing room according to reports. There was a falling out with defenceman Janne Niinimaa, but a nice-guy coach might never have got this Cup team out of Helsinki.
This also has been the year of Miikka Kiprusoff and a Finnish goaltending revival.
"Their orientation is the same as the Czechs (Canada's difficult semi-final foes)," Canadian coach Pat Quinn said. "The Finns' success has come from their 5-on-5 play. We expect they'll fall back and have good reads in terms of their play without the puck."
Finland also will try to get under Canada's skin. Ruutu is one of 16 Finns with at least one penalty in the World Cup, with top scorers Olli Jokinen and Saku Koivu often leading the way in rambunctious behaviour.
Given Team Canada's arsenal, you can't blame the Finns for going after big hits and turnovers.
"We're not a team that will be intimidated by that sort of stuff," Quinn said. "We feel that's the sort of game some of our guys should play as well -- be strong on the puck, use the body and not get distracted.
"They want us to retaliate and that's certainly one way of trying to distract us. Twenty years ago, it might have worked, but it won't with this team."
Forward Kris Draper said the Canadians can learn from their restraint in the 4-3 overtime win over the Czechs.
"There was just one penalty (each) in a fast-skating game, even though they were in our end most of the time," he said. "That's when you usually get in a little bit of (penalty) trouble. To our credit, we didn't."
Martin Brodeur (sprained left wrist) was excused from yesterday's practice, which was expected, but defenceman Robyn Regehr's absence was a surprise. Quinn gave him a rest day to work on an undisclosed injury, but says he'll be back tomorrow. That closed a small window of hope for Wade Redden, who is trying to get back into lineup since spraining his left shoulder.
