2 replies to this topic

[Erik C.]

December 31, 2012
7:00 AM Eastern
Ufa Sports Palace, Ufa, Russia

Television:

Absent a formal gave preview, I’m including with the team rosters the NHL.com preview written for each team.

Coach: Roger Ronnberg

Team Roster

#	Player Name	Pos.	NHL Rights
8	Linus Arnesson	Defense	2013 Draft Eligible
13	Viktor Arvidsson	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
5	Rasmus Bengtsson	Defense	Florida Panthers
11	Jeremy Boyce Rotevall	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
15	Sebastian Collberg	Forward	Montreal Canadiens
35	Oscar Dansk	Goalie	Columbus Blue Jackets
25	Jacob de la Rose	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
4	Christian Djoos	Defense	Washington Capitals
6	Emil Djuse	Defense	2013 Draft Eligible
16	Filip Forsberg	Forward	Washingotn Capitals
17	William Karlsson	Forward	Anaheim Ducks
1	Joel Lassinantti	Goalie	2013 Draft Eligible
19	Elias Lindholm	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
30	Niklas Lundstrom	Goalie	St. Louis Blues
29	Emil Molin	Forward	Dallas Stars
7	Tom Nilsson	Defense	Toronto Maple Leafs
24	Rickard Rakell	Forward	Anaheim Ducks
23	Victor Rask	Forward	Carolina Hurricanes
27	Filip Sandberg	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
26	Nick Sorensen	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
9	Mikael Vikstrand	Defense	Ottawa Senators
10	Alexander Wennberg	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible

Last year: Mika Zibanejad scored the only goal of the gold-medal game against Russia 10:09 into overtime to give Sweden its first World Junior Championship title since 1981. Sweden had won seven silver medals since its prior gold.

2013 NHL Draft watch: Center Elias Lindholm is a potential top-10 pick already playing well against men (21 points in 32 games) with Brynas in the Swedish Elite League. Right wing Nick Sorensen, who plays for the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL, is scoring at near a point-per-game pace, and is No. 16 in Central Scouting's ranking of QMJHL skaters.

Schedule: Dec. 26, Czech Republic, 7 a.m. ET; Dec. 28, Switzerland, 7 a.m. ET; Dec. 29, Latvia, 7 a.m. ET; Dec. 31, Finland, 7 a.m. ET.

Outlook: Six players from last year's title team return, meaning Sweden will have mostly a new squad to defend its title. However, there is a ton of talent, topped by captain and Washington Capitals prospect Filip Forsberg. The forward should supply the scoring that last year's captain, Zibanejad, provided. The goaltending is untested, and the team won't be as deep. Another gold medal is a possibility, but the road to get there will be far more difficult.

Coach: Harri Rindell

Team Roster

#	Player Name	Pos.	NHL Rights
15	Miro Aaltonen	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
10	Joel Armia	Forward	Buffalo Sabres
8	Henri Auvinen	Defense	2013 Draft Eligible
16	Aleksander Barkov	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
11	Markus Granlund	Forward	Calgary Flames
13	Markus Hannikainen	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
19	Ville Jarvelainen	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
31	Janne Juvonen	Goalie	2013 Draft Eligible
30	Joonas Korpisalo	Goalie	Columbus Blue Jackets
24	Matti Lamberg	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
1	Eetu Laurikainen	Goalie	2013 Draft Eligible
28	Artturi Lehkonen	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
26	Robert Leino	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
4	Petteri Lindbohm	Defense	St. Louis Blues
2	Olli Maatta	Defense	Pittsburgh Penguins
21	Thomas Nykopp	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
12	Ville Pokka	Defense	New York Islanders
3	Juuso Riikola	Defense	2013 Draft Eligible
5	Rasmus Ristolainen	Defense	2013 Draft Eligible
23	Saku Salminen	Forward	2013 Draft Eligible
22	Miikka Salomaki	Forward	Nashville Predators
20	Teuvo Tervainen	Forward	Chicago Blackhawks
27	Juuso Vainio	Defense	2013 Draft Eligible

Last year: After losing to Canada in its tournament opener, Finland didn't lose again until a 3-2 setback to Sweden in the semifinals. Finland finished fourth after losing 4-0 to Canada in the bronze-medal game.

2013 NHL Draft watch: Alexander Barkov is a likely top-five pick in June. Central Scouting's top-ranked Finnish skater is dominating SM-liiga, the top Finnish professional league, with 14 goals and 28 points in 32 games. Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is considered a top-end all-round defenseman who can dominate at both ends of the rink.

Schedule: Dec. 26, Latvia, 2:30 a.m. ET; Dec. 28, Czech Republic, 2:30 a.m. ET; Dec. 30, Switzerland, 2:30 a.m. ET; Dec. 31, Sweden, 7 a.m. ET.

Outlook: Finland could be the surprise team of the tournament, and its matchup with Sweden on New Year's Eve likely will decide the winner of Group A and which team gets a bye into the semifinals. Finland has talent and depth at all positions and will be well-coached. A medal is a serious possibility.

[Erik C.]

In a wild clash of Nordic foes, Sweden blew an early 3-0 lead against Finland but rallied for a 7-4 win. First in Group A, the Swedes earn a semi-final bye, while Finland heads to relegation play.
The Swedes have set themselves up nicely to defend their 2012 world title, the first one they’d won in 31 years. They’re now just two wins away from repeating under coach Roger Rönnberg.

"Right now, we haven’t won anything," noted Swedish captain Filip Forsberg. "We’re just going to go out in the semis and hunt for the final spot. It’s no big deal to calm our guys down."

The highly touted Finns theoretically could have finished first in the group by defeating Sweden by three or more goals, or second (two goals). Instead, they failed to achieve their minimum goal of getting this game into overtime, which would have earned them the single point they needed to unseat Switzerland for third place and a quarter-final berth in Group B.

"We tried to have a good start, but we had the opposite," said Finland's Joel Armia. "It’s so hard to win the game when the other team is three goals ahead."

Instead, Switzerland moves on. In an interesting spectacle, the Swiss team gathered in one corner of Ufa’s Sports Palace, near the press tribune, dressed in toques and team jackets, cheering wildly for each Swedish goal.

From the IIHF site

[MightyPanthers]

Fuck yeah.