Finland’s men’s ice hockey team finally defeated Hungary clearly by 7–1 at the World Ice Hockey Championships.
Hungary stayed on board for the first two sets, but in the final set Finland enjoyed five goals in Hungary’s net.
NHL stars Kaapo Kako (1+1) and Kasperi Kapanen scored their first goals of the tournament in the match. Mikko Rantanen on the other hand, three hits in a wonderful way. Rantase has 0+7 points in the World Championships.
Finland’s head coach Jukka Jalonen demonized the team’s play in the first two sets.
– Through difficulties to victory. There was a bit of lack of playing that we played too much through individual sports and got frustrated. We got better team play in the third set, Jalonen summed up.
At the beginning of the game, the Lions’ play looked uncertain and nervous. Only Jussi Olkinuora kept the Lions in the lead with a couple of saves.
However, Leijonat got a liberating goal after their superiority in 12:52, when Mikko Lehtonen grabbed Rantanen’s pass with his wrist.
Hungarian goalkeeper Bence Balizs was the star of the opening set. He stretched at the end of the set Juho Lammikon in the way of the company, although the center had plenty of time to lift the puck over the mattress after Kapanen’s pass.
The second got a water spray
At the beginning of the second period, Kakko scored his first goal of the tournament, when the sophomore’s palm beat the spot for the NHL star in the corner of the goal.
– I have had places that I have been satisfied with. But it can’t last forever that there are places and you can’t get in anywhere. Of course I can say that it feels good, Kakko stated.
Kako’s goal was followed by a special episode when the Hungarian goalkeeper Bence Balizs sprayed the water from his bottle on the Finn. Kakko turned to look at the Hungarian keeper very confused.
– I was a bit wondering who is throwing water down the neck. There’s nothing more surprising than that. We scored a goal, it doesn’t matter, Kakko repeated.
However, Hungary managed to score with a free goal. The straw bounced Tamas Pozsgain an easy shot from inside his flipper into the upper air, and familiar from the SM league Balazs Sebok poked the puck into the net.
At the end of the second period, the crowd went wild Antti Suomelan (0+2) situation. Hungarian Istvan Sofron tackled the puck-less Suomela, who stayed on the ice surface in agony for a moment and slowly drifted to the substitution fence.
Suomela survived the situation with a start, as she already played in the middle of the second chain in the next change.
Faucets open
In the final round, it became clear that Hungary, who had fought happily, had already run out of gas. Leijonat constantly got long runs and also high-quality goal chances.
The Lions scored a total of five goals in the third period. First Atte Ohtamaa and Teemu Hartikainen succeeded from Rantanen’s preliminary work. A good five-minute power moment was sealed by Kapanen from Kako’s pass.
Made his WC debut Walter Merelä also got to the goal in 54.42. The hit was also his first in Leijon.
– You have to know how to live in the moment. You never know how many of these will come across, Merelä was happy.
– It wasn’t a close match, but luckily we got goals in the third period and a good result.
The final scores were scored by an NHL player Joel Armiawho spectacularly sailed through the Hungarian defense.
Hungary–Finland final result 1–7 (0-1, 1-1, 1-5)
12.52 0-1 Lehtonen (Rantanen, Ohtamaa)
23.09 0-2 Second (Armia, Finland) yv
26.46 1-2 Sebok (Pozsgai, Gallo)
40.51 1-3 Ohtamaa (Rantanen, Manninen)
43.24 1-4 Hartikainen (Rantanen, Lehtonen) yv
46.20 1-5 Kapanen (Second, Finland)
54.42 1-6 Merelä (Friman, Björninen)
59.01 1-7 Armia (Määttä, Olkinuora)
Goalkeeper saves: Bence Balizs HUN 9+ 9+19= 37 Jussi Olkinuora FIN 5+ 5+ 2= 12