The Young Lions lost their lead and missed the quarterfinals for the first time in five years – “Three and a half minutes destroyed our dreams”

Sweden won 3–2 over Nuori Leijon in the quarterfinals of the under-20 World Cup tournament.

The Young Lions lost their lead in the last moments and lost to Sweden by 2-3 goals in the quarter-finals of the Under-20 World Championships in Moncton, Canada.

The head coach of the team Tomi Lämsa was naturally disappointed. Finland missed the quarterfinals for the first time in five years.

– It leaves a bad taste that the tournament was stopped. Second place after the preliminary series. A slightly fluctuating performance. However, a lot of good things, the players raised their heads during the tournament and were able to adapt to the fast game of the small rink. There were elements all along that this was going to be good. Three and a half minutes destroyed our dreams.

– A huge disappointment. We went to get gold, but the journey ended here, having scored the opening goal Oliver Kapanen said.

Kapanen started scoring in the fourth minute of the first period. Leo Carlsson skillfully brought the Swedes to level at the end of the opening set, practically from the team’s first situation.

The second period was scoreless. Finland scored a 2–1 lead in the third period with an accurate wrist shot Niko Huuhtanen.

Finland was close to winning three and a half minutes before the end, but in 56.33 Carlsson equalized again by hitting By Filip Bysted into the loose puck that bounced off the shot. Victor Stjernborg broke away and scored the decisive 3-2 hit with about a minute left in the match.

Shortly after this, the Swedish goalkeeper Carl Lindbom grabbed Joakim Kemellin in the last few moments, it flapped its fins.

– This was our best match of the tournament. We were determined to win until the end and everything went according to plan. Then black for three and a half minutes and the sky collapsed. The team was in an emotional state as well as in unity, and also game-wise, they were after what was sought and showed character. Lämsa said.

Fluctuating tournament

Finland, which played in the Vaisuhko tournament, beat Slovakia and Latvia in its initial group of the tournament, but lost to Switzerland and the United States and was finally the group winner after the USA. Sweden was third in its group.

– There was a bit of fluctuation in our tournament. Sometimes we played well and sometimes badly. I bet this was our best game. At the beginning of the first period, Sweden had nothing left. Everything was in my own hands and then it happens like this, Niko Huuhtanen said in an interview with Discovery.

According to the head coach, the tournament could have gone worse.

– From the preliminary series, we advanced from second place. If they continue to the quarterfinals from that position, things have not been done badly, Lämsä said on Discovery.

Sweden’s future semi-final opponent will be determined after tonight’s matches. In the semifinals, the team pairings are determined in such a way that the best of the initial group meets the weakest of the initial group.

Updated at 21:30: Added Lämsä’s comments.