HOCKEY Kiprusoff gives hope to Finland

The goalie will try to lead Finland past Canada in the World Cup tonight.
TORONTO (AP) -- Miikka Kiprusoff is carrying the weight of a small European country aching for athletic success.
Finland has a rich hockey tradition, but in recent years that history hasn't included a lot of winning. That could all change tonight.
That's when Kiprusoff will take his place in goal for Finland, trying to shock the hockey world by knocking off Canada in the World Cup.
"It's our only chance, for Kipper to play well," said Ville Nieminen, Kiprusoff's teammate with Finland and the Calgary Flames.
On top of game
And he has seen all year long how much Kiprusoff is on top of his game. His fine play got the Flames into the playoffs after a seven-year absence and then lifted them to the Stanley Cup final.
He hasn't cooled off in the summer heat, either, going 4-0-1 with two shutouts in the World Cup. Kiprusoff really made his mark Friday night when the Finns stunned the United States with a 2-1 semifinal victory in Minnesota.
"If you want to win, your goalie has to have a good game," Kiprusoff said Monday.
Finland is in the World Cup/Canada Cup finals for the first time and hasn't won a world hockey championship since 1995. The country also carries a stigma of not rising to the occasion when a big game is on the line.
But there is no fear among the Finns with Kiprusoff behind them. He's a few weeks shy of his 28th birthday but is already widely considered to be the best goalie to come out of his country.
"Our goalies have always been good, but we've had some letdowns in some big games," said assistant coach Jari Kurri, a former star on the Edmonton Oilers' dynasty teams.
Kiprusoff has allowed only six goals in five games. He opened the tournament with consecutive shutout victories just days after Finland's disappointing Olympics performance in Athens that only produced two silver medals.
"I think we're kind of underdogs, and people didn't expect too much from us," forward Tuomo Ruutu said. "Everybody is behind us in Finland, and I don't think there's pressure."
That probably falls more on Canada (5-0) and goalie Martin Brodeur.
Brodeur was on the ice for the first time in four days and his injured left wrist came through a full workout just fine. If his sore catching hand keeps improving, Brodeur is expected to return from a one-game absence.
"For the first time in five or six days I was able to use it," said Brodeur, who has allowed only three goals on 100 shots in four games.