Team Finland vs Team Slovakia for bronze

Yours truly is home in time for this game, and ready to live blog.

I don't know what's wrong with Team Finland, but the commentators are right. There's no urgency, no desperacy, no passion in their play.

And it seems to be translating into a lack of goals on the ice.

At the first intermission, the score stands 1-0 Finland.

On the power play in the 2nd, it starts to look like Team Slovakia want that bronze (it would be their first team medal ever) a little bit more. Nobody's watching Marian Gaborik and he sneaks into the defensive borders of the Finns. From there, he's able to wrist the puck straight in past Miikka Kiprusoff.

The Fins get a couple of power play chances to retake the lead, but are unable to capitalize. Instead, the Slovaks take advantage of some Finnish recklessness and pull ahead with a goal on a 5-on-3.

And again on a short-handed breakaway.

At the second intermission, things are looking bleak for Finland as they trail 1-3.

Yours truly is feeling absolutely bummed. The last Olympic games for Saku and Teemu, and this is how they're going to go out? Please no!

As the 3rd begins, the commentators are pointing out that Teemu has only had eight minutes of ice time. He's also spending the Finland power plays on the bench! If yours truly was the Finnish coach, I'd have my number one goal scorer out there on each and every power play. Don't worry about him, he wants to play!

On a Finnish 5-on-3, Suomi closes the gap with a deflected goal off of Niklas Hagman. Mere minutes later, Olli Jokinen nets another. The score is tied 3-3 with 13 minutes left in regulation.

Finland finds themselves on another power play, courtesy Hossa. Who should grab the puck and get on a breakaway but Jokinen again. He shoots and it's in!

Suomi has just now taken the lead, 4-3. Unbelieavable rally! Three goals in barely over three and a half minutes. Slovakia is reeling. Finns need to keep up the pressure.

Talk about keeping the fans on the edge of their seats, Team Finland has to fight through a penalty kill before the game ends. At one point, the equalizer is right at the Slovak fingertips, but Zednik can't pull the trigger.

In these final minutes, Kipper has GOT to come up huge. The Slovak net is empty with a minute left...

Kimmo sets up Valteri Filpula for the empty netter... and it's in!

Yours truly is just elated to watch the Finnish boys on the bench jumping and cheering and yelling at Filpula as he converges on the empty net. Watching them hug and clap each other on the back, I can't help but feel so good for Teemu as the cameras cut to him jumping up and down like a little boy, a huge smile on his face. The excitement just pours out of him.

Teemu, Saku, and SUOMI with the bronze! Way to go, guys! The big gold medal game is tomorrow, Team USA and Team Canada.

No matter who wins and who loses, Ducks came out winners these Olympics. They'll be bringing seven medals home to Anaheim!

Team Canada vs Team Slovakia Semifinal

Don't count the Slovaks out just yet... after all, Sweden did, and where did that get them?

During the first period of this game, you can see why. Team Slovakia touts a good defensive system, collapsing down really low around the net.

It isn't until 14 minutes through the first that Shea Weber fires one from the point, which gets redirected by Patrick Marleau past the Slovak netminder. There's a review to make sure Marleau's redirect was below the crossbar, but it's pretty obvious that it was.

An assist for Captain Scotty Niedermayer.

Shortly after, great play by our Duck boys on the ice. Perry below the goal line fighting for a puck, getting it to Getzlaf who manages a pass under pressure to Pronger at the point. It's a patented Pronger rocket, with a redirection from Brendan Morrow in front.

Goal. 2-0. First intermission. Can I just say I've never missed Prongs and his point shots more than right now?

And boy, points for our Ducks in spades. Yours truly is pleased.

The Slovak goalie, Jaromir Halak, is good... but it appears that Team Canada has found his weakness: shots from the point or back from the blue line, with a well-placed deflection near the crease. Granted, those are difficult shots for any netminder to block, but both of Team Canada's goals came from that setup.

Halak denies the Canadians through most of the second, but what he really needs are his offense to get some pucks behind Roberto Luongo. Can't win if you can't score.

Before the end of the second, and on the power play at that, Prongs gets the puck to Perry who's skating up and down along the left wing, angling for passing lanes. He decides to fire on the net and the rebound comes out to Getzy who backhands it home from his knees.

It's a beautiful play, and it takes us into the second intermission with Canada leading 3-0.

The Slovaks haven't given up hope, however, and they are rewarded with a puck that squirts between Luongo's pads and the post. 3-1 Canada, with eight left in regulation.

Chants of "We want USA" echo around the arena. It's looking as if the gold medal game will be between Team USA and Team Canada...

Wait... maybe I've spoken too soon.

Michael Handzus bats one out of the air in the crease, and it's in behind Luongo. One-goal game with five minutes to go!

The Slovaks came on strong in the last few minutes. Lots of shots on Luongo, but Canada holds on. I don't know what it says that Canada let this one almost slip away, but maybe that's a good sign for the US come Sunday. Great game, Slovakia.

Team USA versus Team Canada for the gold. Hockey fans may have dreamed about this matchup, but who really thought it would happen?