Canada defeated Finland in the quarter-final game of the World Cup with a score of 4–1. Leijonat fell out of the medal games for the first time since 2018.
TAMPERE. This year, the Lions’ streak in the World Cup home games was cut short in the quarterfinals. Canada was more accurate and efficient than Finland and won the game 4–1.
The Lions have been left out of the medal games for the last time in 2018 under Lauri Marjamäki. Now three-time champion coach Jukka Jalonen experienced the same fate as his troops.
Thursday night’s game of fate started badly for the Finns, while Canada’s Jack Quinn challenged Atte Ohtamaata and swept the loose puck with a quick sweep Emil Larmin under the mattress in 7.12. Finland’s chances were few and far between in the opening set, although the home team was able to try a couple of times with superiority.
In the second round Sammy Blais doubled after Canada’s lead countered. Ville Pokka tried to break the harpoon, but didn’t succeed and Blais finally shot from near the puck into the top corner.
Leijon had a couple of top places in the second round, but Kaapo Kako didn’t make it through the drive-through, and no Kasperi Kapanen Kako’s great pass.
In the final round, Finland’s coaching screwed the attack chains anew. Second and Mikko Rantanen they got to try together Sakari Manninen side by side, but that didn’t help either. The coaching decision to mix up the chains now surprised me, because these compositions were not tried in the group stage. Rantanen, who scored 55 goals in the regular season in the NHL, was amazingly scoreless in eight World Cup games.
– I understand the coaching line, that it had locked the chains in its mind and trusted them. Apparently, the coaching saw that the chain game developed during the tournament. Yes, I must say without a doubt that at no point did I see the first chain Hartikainen, Manninen and Rantanen working, Urheilu expert Ismo Lehkonen your sum.
Canada’s Michael Carcone got to enjoy the third hit at the end of a nice pattern, when Larmi had been played completely out of the situation.
Teemu Hartikainen gave Finland hope a good three minutes before the end. He beat so long that the puck went by by Sam Montembault.
In the last moments, Leijonat couldn’t get any more top spots and the evening ended in a big disappointment. Canadian skipper Tyler Toffoli did Final readings to an empty net.
– As a game, this was not Finland’s worst in this tournament. Maybe Finland’s level was just this. Canada was determined not to give up any scoring chances. When the first goal was missed a little easily, it brought more confidence in Canada’s way of playing, Lehkonen estimated.