Finland triumphs over Germany in a hard-fought match
Finland secured a 3–1 victory over Germany with a late empty-netter on the second day of the World Juniors.
Germany - Finland 1-3
Finland set the tone early, dominating the opening period with a 20–9 edge in shots. Their persistence paid off when Emil Pieniniemi scored at 17:30, assisted by Konsta Helenius and Aron Kiviharju, giving Finland a 1–0 lead.
The pace picked up in the middle frame as Arttu Alasiurua extended Finland's lead to 2–0 at 25:10 with a pinpoint shot, assisted by Tuomas Uronen and Jesse Nurmi. Germany quickly responded two minutes later, with Clemens Sager capitalizing on a setup from Julius Sumpf to bring the game to 2–1. Despite sustained pressure, Germany couldn't find an equalizer, as Finnish goalie Petteri Rimpinen stood tall.
Germany pushed hard for a comeback in the final period, even earning a late power play. However, Finland’s disciplined defense and Rimpinen's stellar goaltending thwarted every attempt. With time winding down, Jesse Kiiskinen sealed the victory at 58:43 with an empty-net goal, assisted by Topias Hynninen and Konsta Helenius, making it 3–1.