2010 Winter Olympics: Finland Blanks Germany, Teemu Selanne Sets Record

Friday's game between Germany and Finland featured two goalies making their Olympic debuts.  However, it was clear which one had over 200 games played in the NHL and which one had three.

In a match up that looked more like a power-play clinic than an Olympic contest, Finland cruised to a 5-0 win over a hard-working but offensively impotent German squad.

Recap

Both teams employed a rather tentative strategy to start the game, using a trapping, defensive system for most of the first frame. 

However, Finland struck on the power play as Tuomo Ruutu converted on a shot from Janne Niskala that trickled through German goalie Dimitri Patzold's pads, hitting the post before being stuffed in by Ruutu. 

Finland started the second period with a bit more energy than they exhibited in the first and drew a penalty at 17:53. 

The resulting power play allowed Finland to push their lead to 2-0 as defenseman Kimmo Timonen snuck down from the left point to the front of the crease in time to deflect a pass from forward Olli Jokinen. 

The goal was Timonen's second of his Olympic career. Saku Koivu drew the second assist, the 21st of his Olympic career, tying him for second all-time in that category with Russian great Slava Fetisov.

Though Germany attempted to open up their play a bit in search for their first goal of the tournament, the few chances they generated were turned away by Minnesota Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom.

At 3:52, while on another power play, Timonen scored his second goal of the night, putting the Finns up 3-0.  The goal was assisted by Teemu Selanne.  The point increased his Olympic point total to 37, making Selanne the highest scoring player in Olympic history.

Starting the third period up 3-0, Finland continued to put pressure on Germany, dictating the pace of the action and executing a solid passing game.  This led to Finland's first even-strength goal of the game, scored by Jarkko Ruutu at 12:51. 

The goal was Ruutu's second of the tournament as well as his Olympic career.

Less than two minutes later, at the beginning of yet another Finland power play, defenseman Joni Pitkanen of the Carolina Hurricanes scored the Finn's fifth goal of the game on a blue-line slap shot.

Backstrom finished his Olympic debut with a 24-€save shutout. 

Through two games played, Germany has yet to score a goal.

Analysis

There's not much to say about this one as Finland's play was head and shoulders above Germany's.

Germany's goalie, Demitri Patzold, whose NHL experience consists of three games with the San Jose Sharks in 2007-08, looked shaky for most of the game.

He mishandled a dump in by Finland during a Germany power-play that nearly lead to a shorthanded goal in the first period and lost track of a rebound that eventually lead to Ruutu's goal in the second.

However, he didn't have much support as the defenders and penalty-killers in front of him were largely lost amidst the dizzying passing and skating skills of the Finnish players.

Though beating Belarus and Germany, considered to be the two weakest teams in the Olympics, is hardly something for the Finns to be excited about, the skill they've exhibited in these first two games suggests that their supposed lack of offensive ability has been greatly exaggerated.

They may not have the firepower of Canada or Russia, but pitching a shutout against Finland is going to be a tough task for any team in this tournament.

What's next

Finland has waited four years for a rematch against arch-rival Sweden and on Sunday, that wait will come to an end.

Both of these teams are 2-0 in the preliminary round and will present each other with their first true test of these Olympic Games.

Though they won the game 4-2, Sweden took a bit of a breather against Belarus on Friday.  Doing the same against Finland will prove to be a fatal mistake.

The Finns are talented, hard-working and hungry, look for them to come out flying against their mortal enemies on Sunday night, 11:55 EST.

Did you know...

Though this was his first Olympic game, goalie Niklas Backstrom was named to the Finnish squad in 2006?

He was not yet an NHL player and never dressed for the team, but was third on the depth chart behind backup Fredrik Norrena and eventual tournament MVP, Antero Niittymaki.