Finland’s star player Konsta Helenius does not feel that he caused problems for the referees in the match.
GOTHENBURG. The young Lions’ season at the World Cup ended in a dramatic way, when the Czech Republic won 8–5 thanks to a wild final set.
The Czech Republic scored a total of six goals in the final set. It shot the last two into an empty net.
– Yes, this left quite a lot of hunger. We didn’t even get a medal when there were places to go to the final. It’s the little things that matter, Konsta Helenius stated to Urheilu.
Helenius, born in 2006, will get new opportunities at the World Junior Championships. Instead, the junior national team career of the players of the 2004 age group ended with a bitter defeat.
– We went over in the booth that there has been a great group together. Sometimes it all ends, but we would have liked a nicer ending to their path. Nothing can be done, Helenius said.
In light of the points, Helenius, who played a quiet tournament, opened his tournament goal account against the Czech Republic. In the final, however, he emerged in a different light.
Helenius had a bad word with the Czech players, but the situation was no worse. The linesman arrived and tore Helenius’ shirt with an exceptionally hard force.
Helenius felt that the line judges played a big role in the match.
– I don’t feel that I was any problem. The guy had a thing and then he ripped me off. I was wondering what was going on here. This has never happened before.
– The players are not allowed to touch the referee, but I don’t know if the referees are allowed to rip like that. It doesn’t bother me, but I don’t know why it happened.
Konsta Helenius is known, at least at the adult level, more as a scorer than a hustler. However, he also had to be approached by a Czech player for the second time in the match near the wing.
According to Senter, the Czech players tried to warm up the Finnish players right from the practice games.
– We knew they were trying to get under the skin. It’s the Czech way of getting into the game. I’ve been in situations like that before.
When the game was already decided, Finland Jani Nyman in turn got into a fight Matyas Sapovalivin with. According to Nyman, in this situation it wasn’t about the Czech players mouthing off.
– There was nothing like that. It was a certain kind of emotional outburst and that kind of thing belongs to hockey. Sure, the game was clear and pointless in that way, but there was nothing like that. A little bit of rustling, Nyman acknowledged.
Nyman was upset that the Czech Republic was able to score an underpowered goal at the end of the second period and got new life for the final period.
– They gained momentum and the third set was bad for us. We went a little too small when the guy got excited and scored goals. Should have just cut it off.
– No need to worry anymore. It went, but I’m satisfied with what the team performed in the two sets.
Nyman and Helenius were counted among Finland’s number one stars. Nyman scored 2+4=6 in the games, but Helenius’s score was 1+1=2.
Helenius, who will be booked at the beginning of the NHL booking event next summer, knows that he could have done better.
– It was a little difficult with the points, but otherwise I’m quite satisfied with my own game. There were places, Helenius said.
– Of course, this was a little different game than in the league. Maybe there was a bit of searching, but I’m quite satisfied.