The U20 Men’s Ice Hockey World Championship will be held in Ottawa, Canada from December 26, 2024 to January 5, 2025.
The Finnish under-20 men’s ice hockey team will fight for the world championship on the night between Sunday and Monday in Ottawa, Canada. The United States will skate against Nuori Leijon in the World Cup final at 2:30 Finnish time.
The USA is the favorite for the final match in the preliminary settings, but Finland has Urheilu’s hockey expert Top Nättinen including good seams for World Cup gold.
– The fact that we are playing for the World Cup gold is a great setup – the team gets a prize when they get to play in the final, Nättinen stated.
Finland advanced to the final by defeating Sweden 4–3 in overtime in the World Cup semi-final. In their semi-final, the USA clearly beat the Czech Republic 4–1. The USA has solved the toughest games of the tournament even with a routine, Nättinen saw.
Before the start of the tournament, in Nättinen’s papers, the United States was the very early favorite of the tournament. Now the puck expert sees that the USA will win the final with about 60 percent certainty.
The confidence of the young Lions is on the decline
The young Lions’ self-confidence is high going into the final match, as Finland beat the USA in the group stage sweetly in extra time with goals 4–3 Tuomas Uronen on the finish line.
– The self-confidence of both teams is good, but Finland has that good experience from the previous match against the USA. Finland knows how to overthrow the United States, but on the other hand, the United States knows how to play against Finland. The premise of the finale is really delicious.
Nättinen sees that Finland’s chances of winning are around 40 percent. In addition to the previous USA match, Finland’s support for the expert’s tip is Finland’s growth story in the tournament. The Young Lions lost their opening game to Canada 0–4, but have since kept winning.
– There is not a single team in the tournament that Finland cannot beat. You have to remember that anything can happen in a single match. Finland has every chance to win. The USA has a good goalkeeper, but Petteri Rimpinen is even slightly better.
Finland’s defense can withstand pressure
Finland’s strengths in the tournament have been the goalkeeping and the underpowered game, which have been at the top level in terms of percentages. Rimpinen has the best save percentage of the tournament, 93.95, and underdogs Finland has killed with the second best percentage (90.18).
USA goalkeeper Trey Augustine is fourth in the goalie exchange with 92.42 percent.
– Our cornerstones are really strong – underpowered play, goalkeeper play and patience. I believe that Finland will go to the final with really, really good confidence. Patience is still the number one thing, Nättinen sharpened.
You have to be able to trust your own cornerstones, no matter what the result is on the board.
– Finland has shown in the quarter-finals and semi-finals that it can defend for long periods of time, and Rimpinen has taken care of his territory excellently.
Do not become passive
Finland should not become passive in the final, even in the lead position. You have to make the game yourself, and not just accept.
– In the final, you must not become passive in the same way as in the quarter-final against Slovakia and in the semi-final against Sweden. Against Slovakia, Finland was inactive for almost half of the match, and in the Sweden game, Finland was weak in the third period and overtime. Especially if Finland takes the lead, you have to be more active.
USA’s strength in the tournament compared to Finland is that it has finished with a higher percentage of its goals than Finland (Finland 9.05%, USA 15.42%). The superiority percentages are also clearly in favor of the USA, 36–18.18. The USA has also spent less ice time than Finland in the tournament.
– Finland’s superiority game has developed little by little during the tournament. Thanks to the superiority game, we are now in the final. It’s pretty hard to win without overtime goals, Nättinen stated.
Greater pressure in the USA
According to Nättinen, Finland must boldly join the USA’s game.
– You also have to attack yourself, and not just accept. In the group stage, this was our best medicine against the USA. You have to hold the puck, but also attack bravely. The USA should not be given all the keys – let’s take the puck to the USA end.
According to Nättinen, Finland has a better ability than the United States to mentally bore the opponent. Finland should try to get under the opponent’s skin. Nättinen has noticed during the tournament that the top players of the USA team, up to the captain, are sometimes frustrated.
– Even though Finland beat the USA in the group stage, the USA feels that it is the pre-favorite for the final. They have a little more pressure. Finland has to be a little annoying in the second game, push, look for boundaries and tackle until the end, Nättinen listed.
– We will certainly see a really great hockey match. Both teams want to play and not hope and splash. I believe that we will see a fast-paced and emotional game, where the tension will be maintained until the end.