Tsiouxnami

I would guess Belarus did not qualify. I think some of the lower teams have to play some sort of Olympic Qualification Tourney?? I could be wrong though. As for the uniforms, they sure look screen-printed to me. Not sure if that is the new trend or what?

1st period over, Finland up 1-0 over Russia. Russia took another interference penalty with 8 seconds to go in the period, so Finland will start #2 with a man advantage for 1:52. I have to give that period to the Finns. They look strong, lots of hard hitting and lots of great scoring chances. Russia also looks pretty good, hitting just as hard, but didn't have quite as many scoring chances. The Finns are doing a good job defensively. Ovechkin is being shadowed, so he has had few chances. When he gets some free ice though, look out! Both goalies are playing well (Nittymaki for Finland and Nabokov for Russia.) Another exciting game with lots of back and forth action!

Glad I can help you out! I too am a bit torn. I have a REALLY hard time going for Russia in anything. However, I agree with you on Ruutu. In a way, I would like a Russia/Sweden final and would like to see Sweden win it all. I think the announcers were saying that the gentleman that coached Belarus to their upset over Sweden in the 2002 Olympics is now coaching Russia. Anyway, would kind of be nice for them to exact a little revenge I guess?

Nittymaki stoned Ovechkin who then got leveled in front of the net. No call, no goal! 5 minutes left 1st period.

Finland penalty over, Russians get one shot on goal.

Russian penalty over, now Finland takes one. Russia's first power play chance.

Russia takes another penalty. Finland goes right back on the power play.

1:08 into power play, Finland scores (Peltonen). . . . 6:13 of the period. 1-0

5:05 into 1st Gonchar takes penalty for Russia. . . Finland gets the first power play of the game.

4:00 minutes into the 1st period. . Russia and Finland are scoreless. Salo is not playing due to shoulder injury and Malkin is out for Russia for kicking incident.

Game over. . . .7-3 Sweden! Biggest difference in this game, Sweden showed up to play right away! Czech's, for the most part, played an uninspired 1st period. I felt they played their best hockey in the 2nd period. The score very easily could have been 5-4 in the 2nd, as Lundqvist absolutely robbed Jan Bulis from point blank range. Sweden then stormed down and scored immediately after to make it 6-3. . . straw that broke the camel's back! Anyway, Sweden moves on to play for Gold and Czech's will play for Bronze. From the looks of it, Sweden will be very tough to beat, they are just so deep and any one of them is VERY capable of scoring! I think Alfredsson was the only one that had more than one goal, so they had 6 different scorers. Impressive!!

Little under 4 minutes left to play. . . . Zetterberg to Holmstrom makes it 7-3 Sweden. I think we can safely say, Sweden moves on to the Gold Medal game!

Oops, Czech's take a too many men on the ice penalty. . .8 minutes left in the game and Sweden will have another power play.

Oh, man, Lundqvist has had some GREAT saves!! Just robbed Jagr, not once, but TWICE!! 6 1/2 gone in the 3rd. Still 6-3 Sweden.

The thing that impresses me the most about the Swedes is how balanced they are. . . .they have 6 goals and 6 different goal scorers. Perhaps they could put on a goal scoring clinic for the US and Canada??

2nd period comes to a close. WOW - wild period! Lots of scoring chances both ways - up and down hockey! Have to say the Czech's woke up a bit, but I don't think they can win this game. Sweden is a machine, as I said before, and had they not taken some untimely penalties, the score would be 6-1. I actually kind of feel sorry for both goaltenders as they are both getting peppered. . . shots seem to come in flurries and the goalies are getting a bit lucky, as I don't think they are really seeing the 2nd and 3rd shots that are coming their way. All in all, it is an exciting hockey game!

1 minute left in 2nd period. . . . Daniel Alfredsson scores to make it 6-3 Sweden.

Swedes take a double minor. . . .4 minute power play for the Czech's.

11:25 into 2nd. . . .Czech's score again (Prospal), 5-3.

10:40 into the 2nd Czech's score on their 2 man advantage. . . 5-2.

Now Czech's have 2 man advantage.

Czech's get their first power play.

Sweden gets another power play . . . .oh, and scores 20 seconds into it to make it 5-1 7:54 into the 2nd.

3:54 into 2nd Christian Backman scores to make it 4-1 Sweden. WOW, are they a machine!

1:13 into 2nd Henrik Sedin scores off a Jagr turnover. 3-1 Sweden