Pittsburgh Penguins Olympics Report Card: Grading The Performances In Sochi
By Matt Gajtka
Olli Maatta (in white) was a revelation for Finland’s bronze medal effort in Sochi. (Credit: USA Today Sports)
Olli Maatta: A
Let’s move on to happier subjects like the 19-year-old Maatta, improbably a man amongst boys during the Olympics. The NHL rookie skated nearly 17 minutes a game for the bronze medalists, chipping in five points (2g, 3a) from the blue line.
The precocious Maatta played more than veteran defensemen Sami Salo, Sami Lepisto, Ossi Vaananen and Lasse Kukkonen, a tribute to his responsible, yet dynamic style. Fittingly, his goal in Saturday’s romp over the Americans accompanied two by 43-year-old Teemu Selanne, giving Finnish hockey a glimpse of its past and future in a 60-minute span.
A poorly-timed turnover in the semifinal against Sweden notwithstanding, Maatta’s high confidence level should be further boosted as the Penguins resume play this week. Who knows what’s next for the 2012 first-round draft pick?
Jussi Jokinen: A-
Much like his role in Pittsburgh, Jokinen provided stability to Finland’s second scoring line in Sochi. Although he was robbed of two sure goals in elimination play, the crafty forward still racked up five points (2g, 3a) in the tournament.
Jokinen’s second-period strike Saturday came 11 seconds after Selanne’s icebreaker, taking the starch out of the United States attack and setting Finland on track for its fourth medal since 1998, the most for any country in the NHL Olympic era.
A huge part of the Finns’ consistent success is solid team play from versatile athletes. In that sense, Jokinen is the epitome of his underappreciated hockey nation. As Selanne accurately put it during the Olympics, the Finns don’t have four “first lines” squabbling for ice time, helping them exceed their apparent talent level.