The co-op paint of Sami Vatanen and Mikko Lehtonen was created from a pattern agreed before the start
STT Sports,
Joska Saarinen
18.5. 23:53 • Updated May 19th. 00:01
Sami Vatanen transferred another defender from Finland to Sweden in a second round against Sweden in the second round, Mikko Lehtonen from the team.
The situation spoke, as rarely do two defenders swing at the top of an attack to settle matches. This time, however, it happened.
The idea of the pattern leading to the goal was born among the players on the ice.
– Ten or fifteen seconds before it was agreed. Sami was left very open on the back pole, Lehtonen revealed.
Lehtonen had leveled the hockey game to 1-1 a couple of minutes earlier when his shot first stopped Magnus Hellbergin to the guards, but then slipped into the finish between his legs.
– A little bad from the position I shot. It wasn’t a perfect shot, but it doesn’t have to be perfect if it goes in, Lehtonen said.
Vatanen said that the pattern leading to the finish had to be tried a couple of times before it was successful.
– It’s been a long time since I’ve scored a goal for the national team. It was even nicer when it was born from a pack-pack feed, Vatanen said.
The success of the defenders was a meager consolation, as the Lions lost 2–3 after winning the match.
In Vatanen’s opinion, in the second and third rounds, Finland managed to play with the puck as it wanted, but was left behind in the opening round.
– This was a tight twist, there were not many finish points. There is always a small extra charge against Sweden, Vatanen said.
In the winning shootout Sakari ManninenSami Vatanen, Hannes Björninen, Mikael Granlund and Toni Rajala tried in vain to overtake Swedish goalkeeper Magnus Hellberg. Rajala, who was the last to try, turned his back on the goal.
– That’s what I’ve tried before. Yes, it has succeeded against those of our molars. Let’s invent new ones, if you can still try, Rajala repeated.
According to Rajala, Finland improved its grip after a poor opening round.
– The loss is annoying, of course. We had good stuff in the game, but little was left in the barrel. Should have been able to do better. We should have had even more of a puck behind their packs, Rajala analyzes.