Austin Watson of the United States tackled Teemu Hartika at the World Hockey Championships. Finnish captain Valtteri Filppula condemned the tackle. Watson’s exit was a turning point in a match that Finland won 4-1.
Jussi Saarinen,
Joska Saarinen
16.5. 23:59 • Updated May 17 00:15
The most talked about situation in the men’s hockey World Cup match between Finland and the United States became Austin Watsonin tackle Teemu Hartikainen.
NHL striker Watson’s hands rose in a tackle and hit Hartika’s head. Watson was sentenced to 5 + 20 minutes for this situation. Hartikainen was able to continue his match after the situation.
Finland settled the match during Watson’s five-minute penalty. The Lions overcame two goals and went their way. Finland won the match played in Tampere on Monday 4–1.
Watson is remembered for what happened in 2018. In 2018, Watson was given a suspended prison sentence for beating his girlfriend. The NHL suspended Watson for 27 matches due to a ban.
Vice Captain of the Finnish World Cup team Mikael Granlund moved to the Nashville Predators during the same period. Granlund commented on his former teammate after the match.
– I have always liked. He is a good team player. It always hurts and happens on ice. It was a well-deserved vitone for sure and that was the big reason why the game ended that way. But … Good dude, Granlund said.
Granlund said he didn’t see Watson’s tackle on Hartikainen properly, but believed the eviction was the right verdict on the situation. Granlund and Watson are no longer teammates as Watson plays in the Ottawa Senators.
Captain Valtteri Filppula condemned Watson’s tackling more directly.
– It could have been tackled purely. A legitimate big punishment for it came, fortunately the judges saw it. The most important thing was that Hartika did not get any worse. Fortunately, those (tackles) are no longer seen very often, Filppula said.
Filppula and Granlund were reluctant to comment on what Watson was doing in civilian life.
Mäenalanen admitted that his own Taklaus went over
The nerves of the US players were badly disappointed in the match. After Watson was out, the team took the coolers one after the other and felt hot in any situation. The United States took 41 ice minutes in the match
Saku Mäenalanen responded to the harshness of U.S. players with their own physicality.
The U.S. demanded a big penalty for Mäenalas when he tackled at the end of the second round Jaycob Megnaa drastically near the edge.
– It was a hot game overall. That own rigging was perhaps a bit dangerous when the momentum in the situation was pretty much the same. They will have to be taken away in the future, Mäenalanen moaned himself.
Finland has won all three matches in their home tournament. The lions’ contract continues against Sweden at 8.20 pm on Wednesday.