Finland ends with a bang a flavourless tournament

A disappointed Finland and Slovakia do one’s duty in the last game of the relegation round in the old Ufa Sports Palace. Both team already have their spot in the Top Division secured, so the game is a kind of friendly match. Finland opens the score at 03:53 with a classy backhand shot by Ville Jarvelainen, at his second goal in the tournament. The Finnish second goal comes by a great solo by Joel Armia getting into the Slovak defense and perfectly assists Mikka Salomaki for an easy finish. Slovakia has a good opportunity with a 5vs3 situation but produces just a couple of shot well controlled by Joonas Korpisalo and when the teams are again completed on ice, Finland scores third goal with Joel Armia at 13:53, the sixth personal for the talented Assat Pori forward. Finland has a couple more chances before the end of first period but Nagy is reactive to keep Slovakia on the track

Slovakia begins second period with a new goalie, Patrick Romancik, but he survives 2 minutes before to pick up the puck in the net, prickled by the precise shot of Aleksander Barkov and 2 more for in vain try to face Joel Armia, vacated after a catastrophic line change by Slovakia. When Armia scores his hattrick at 23:26 with a precise shot, coach Ernest Bokros decided that 3 goals in 3 minutes are enough for Romancik and call back Adam Nagy in the net. Finally Slovakia produces a chance during a power play with its best scorer Marko Dano, but his shot is well blocked by Korpisalo, but right after the end of penalty Bruno Mraz finds a roaming puck and beats the Finnish goalie for the fans’ delight. The small crowd at Sports Palace exults again at 33:49 when Richard Buri finds the net with a long range shot on power play and at 34:19 for the third Slovakian goal, scored by Andrej Bires. The dream of a Slovakian comeback is frustrated at 37:47 by the goal of Miikka Salomaki on power play.

Andrej Bires finalized an attacking line move at 44:29 to keep the game interesting, but Finland immediately restore the four-goals gap with Artturi Lehkonen in a crackling third period. Teuvo Teravainen leaves his imprint in the boxscore at 47:48 with a powerful shot under Nagy’s bar. At 48:00 the possible 10th Finnish goal isn’t allowed by referees claiming that Robert Leino doesn’t deflect the puck with the stick. After a shot by captain Karol Korim pinched by Korpisalo, Slovakia doesn’t use well another power play and suffered the goal number ten at 56:18, by Teuvo Teravainen, cleverly assisted by Aleksander Barkov. Finland ends the game with a bang: at Olli Maatta throws the puck from long range in back of Nagy sealing a raging victory.

Finland evidently doesn’t belong to a relegation round in a World Championship at any level, but Harri Rindell boys , fallen in the relegation battle, were concentrated enough for not be surprised by a superiority complex. Slovakia has many reasons to reflect about a disastrous championship.
MVP: Matus Matis – Miikka Salomaki

Slovakian forward Bruno Mraz tries to be positive: “I think we didn’t play a bad tournament all in all, except the game against USA and maybe tonight, but we were ready in decisive games against Germany and Latvia. I strongly support the project to let the U20 team play in Extraliga because not many of us otherwise have the opportunity to constantly play against great teams.”

Finnish players, despite the victory, haven’t many reasons to commemorate: “Yes, mission accomplished – said Miikka Salomaki – but we certainly didn’t come here to play a relegation round. I think the loss with Czech Republic was decisive for our destiny in this tournament. But it’s hard to say what didn’t work along the whole tournament. ”


Best players of the tournament for each team:
Slovakia: Marko Dano, Andrej Bires, Tomas Mikus
Finland: Petteri Lindbohm, Markus Grandlund, Ville Pokka

 

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