Finland’s national under-18 girls’ ice hockey team scored two goals out of three of their superiority, but lost to the United States in the World Cup semi-final with 2-4 goals.
With a 4-2 semifinal win, the United States advanced the Girl Lions to Sunday’s World Cup bronze medal match against Canada in Zug, Switzerland. Instead, the United States will play for the world championship against the Czech Republic, which made a huge surprise.
The USA’s power players had scored two goals Josie St. Martin and pitched three hits Jordyn Petrie. Finnish goalkeeper Kerttu Kuja-Halkola saved 40 times in the match, while I face Layla Hemp finished with 14 saves.
Tinja Tapani leveled the scores at 1–1 for Finland’s first superiority in the second set in 28:24. Emma Ecocreature brought the puck into the attack area and cleverly left the game tool in the second wave, from which Tapani was able to complete the equalizer with his wrist. For the girl lions’ best scorer, Ekoluoma, the power point was already the tenth in the tournament (7+3). For Tapani, the point was the first of the tournament.
Like Finland, the United States used the special situations they got in the second set to sneak away Mary Derrenbacher and Margaret Scannell with a special situation score for a 3–1 lead.
Defender of Finland Nelly Andersson narrowed the numbers down to 2–3 at the end of the second set, in a time of 38:23 thanks to the excellent mask play of two Finnish players. Andersson’s point and goal was also his first in the tournament.
Finland had one advantage in the third period, which it failed to exploit. St. Martin sealed the final score to 4–2 with his second full hit of the evening in 57.20.
In the opening series, Canada crushed Finland 10–0, so it will go to the bronze medal game starting at 4 pm as a big favorite. The World Cup final between the USA and the Czech Republic starts at 20:00.