Finland fell under the fierce pressure of the United States at the Ice Hockey World Championships, which led to a hail of shots faced by goalkeeper Anni Keisala. Urheilu’s expert Ismo Lehkonen describes that the skill level difference between the teams was huge.
On Saturday, Finland came in clear second place against the United States in their second preliminary group game of the World Cup. Finland lost 1–6 in Herning and was under a real storm for most of the match.
The harsh picture of the match is told, among other things, by the shots. The United States shot at the Finnish goal 72 times and the Finnish goalkeeper Anni Keisala stretched to the path of the puck 66 times.
In many ways, Finland lagged behind the United States in the match. The United States, driven by fierce pressure, were able to send Finland into chaos, and the constantly prolonged defensive exchanges made the Finns’ play even more challenging. The female lions couldn’t get out of the pressure by moving the puck, nor by skating.
Urheilu’s ice hockey expert Ismo Lehkonen watched the struggle with his head spinning. Finland’s evening speech was very sweaty. Lehkonen gave goalkeeper Keisala all the credit despite the result.
– Mankeli was really tough. Fortunately, Finland had the tournament’s best player in goal. I could say that Keisala had a real “peak mode” on. If the goalkeeper had had a worse than average day, the readings could have been a dozen goals worse, Lehkonen described after the match.
The skill gap shone far away
Finland’s problems in the match started right from the start of the match. Finland’s head coach Juuso Toivolan the team led by and its coaching certainly knew that it would be under enormous pressure from its own end when trying to leave. The female lions, however, could not get their departures under control at any point. This led to a hail of shots.
– When that kind of pressure comes, which the Finnish coaching staff was certainly aware of, there is no space or time. If all handling of the puck is therefore uncertain or timid, which is why you lose the game tool or constantly move it in the direction of pressure, then that mangle is just continuous, Lehkonen states.
In particular, the difference in personal skill level was clearly visible for this very reason between Finland and the United States.
– There is a lot to do. Especially when it comes to technical skills, the Americans were light years ahead. Especially in skating, actually in all its forms, Lehkonen describes.
– Right from balance, to corner skating, backward skating, turns and smaller steps. Every US player was more skilled in those areas. Likewise in puck handling. In taking over and protecting the puck, for example. They are at the level of a small junior player, he elaborates.
Alternatives must be found
According to Lehkonen, Finland should already in the long run find ways to act under, for example, the pressure game presented by the United States.
– After all, this has been talked about for almost the last two Olympics, Lehkonen states.
– When we talk about the pressure exerted by the North Americans on Finland’s puckish defensive zone play, Finland already knows about it. We will come to how the bottom three of Finland, which is formed by the defenders and the central striker, is prepared for this.
According to Urheilu’s puck expert, different models must be created for this lower triangle, which can release the pressure. He also brings up as one point here that in the women’s version of the sport, you are not allowed to tackle, at least not yet.
– When facing pressure as a puck, you have to dare to protect and thus get out from under there as a puck. In that situation, you have to recognize where there is space. In addition, the North Americans have players who are able to skate under the puck towards the attack area themselves. Finland doesn’t really have that kind of player in defense at the moment.
The bravery of Finland’s young guard has been shown in the first two games. Now against the United States, a 20-year-old forward Elisa Holopainen boldly caused problems and punishments for the USA by misrepresenting.
Lehkonen underlines that this kind of courageous act must be supported everywhere, even in the national team.
– These young women, who are passionate about hockey, desperately need help with their coaching. Here, you need exactly those sports skills and especially that skating ability. If the skating is at an elite level, then playing it will improve a lot. In my opinion, another thing that, in addition to sports skills, should be practiced a lot on the ice is puck playing position. The player must be able to play with his eyes up with the puck, and not bent over, he says.