Ice Hockey 2015 - 2016 Discussion Thread

[hckošice 14,829]

Italy-Poland very important match in this years division I A championships live livestream

 

if the stream doesn´t start, just click on play untill the stream will work

[hckošice 14,829]

Italy won 3-1. extremely important win for the Azurri, they are now close to the return to the top division. Poland will have a hard task now, they have to win back those 3 points against Slovenia, which is for me the top favorit of this years division I A championships.

 

anyway great start of the Div I A champs. looking forward for the next days matches and the battle for the 2 tickets to the A category.

[Gianlu33 4,568]

2 hours ago, hckosice said:

Italy won 3-1. extremely important win for the Azurri, they are now close to the return to the top division. Poland will have a hard task now, they have to win back those 3 points against Slovenia, which is for me the top favorit of this years division I A championships.

 

anyway great start of the Div I A champs. looking forward for the next days matches and the battle for the 2 tickets to the A category.

Finally an important win for us but i think that is hard the qualification in the A group.

 

Ps. It write Azzurri  

[Finnator123 292]

FIIINNLLAANNDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  GOING FOR U18 GOLD!!!!!!!!  WE BEAT TEAM USA AND NOW U18 GOLD IS POSSIBLE!!!        


Once again, our GOALIE was amazing  

Aapeli Räsänen scored twice, PP and SH Goal

Edited April 23, 2016 by Finnator123

[hckošice 14,829]

Ukraine moves up

Wins gold after dramatic final day

 

 

Ukraine celebrates promotion after a helping hand from Croatia, while Lithuania rues missed unique opportunity to win gold.

 

Ukraine won the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I Group B in Zagreb after a helping hand from hosts Croatia.

Croatia edged Lithuania 2-1 after penalty shots in an pulsating thriller of a game, which saw Ukraine finish top of the table to move up to the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I Group A.

 

Great Britain finished second while Lithuania won their third consecutive bronze medal at this level.

 

With the medal race being wide open ahead of the final game of the tournament between Lithuania and Croatia, Ukraine watched the drama unfold from the edge of their seats.

 

During an exciting day of final day action Ukraine had earlier ousted Great Britain in a three-goal thriller and now were rooting for Croatia to get a point off Lithuania in their final game for the Ukrainians to get their hands on the gold medals and bounce back to Division IA on their first attempt.

 

Going into the final game between Lithuania and Croatia, both teams were stepping out on the ice chasing a regulation team win. Surprise package Lithuania had a sensational gold medal within their reach, while Croatia chased a bronze model to cap off a successful tournament as hosts.

 

Add to the mix Great Britain who after their heartbreaking final day loss against Ukraine, also kept their fingers crossed for Croatia to take grab a point to win silver.

 

In the pulsating end-to-end game with chances aplenty at both ends, Croatia drew first blood with 49 seconds to go of the first frame.

Lithuania's Rolandas Aliukonis was serving a hooking minor, when Kevin Brine, from centre ice picked out Michael Glumac trundling down on his right. He staved off a challenge by Daniel Bogdziul and unleashed a wrister from the right point past Artur Pavliukov in Lithuania's net.

 

Roared on by 2,500 fans inside the Dom Sportova, the second period saw Croatia win the shots 10-4 and also have the best chances. Perkovich squandered a chance following a pass from Borna Renulic behind Pavliukov's net. Ivan Puzic then hit a long range pass to Glumac who did all the hard work right, but failed to hit the target once he got past Pavliukov with the goal at his mercy. In a period which finished goalless Lithuania also came close when Neijus Alisauskas with the puck in the slot decided to look for a pass instead of firing one of his trademark bullets.

 

The level of excitement rose during the final frame. After Lithuania showed great spirit to get through a 3-on-5 boxplay they soon after hit on the break to pull the game level at 5:41. Bogdziul picked up the puck along the left boards ahead of Croatia's Marko Tadic, to pick out Donatas Kumeliauskas in front of net who made no mistake with a shot past Vilim Rosandic for 1-1.

 

With the Ukrainian players sitting in the stands getting more nervous for each Lithuanian attack, a golden chance to win a sensational Baltic gold medal came with two minutes left of the game. The influential Bogdziul picked out Arnoldas Bosas clear in the slot who saw Rosandic keep the puck out of his net with a marvellous blocker save.

 

With the final seconds ticking down fast, the cheers from revelling Ukrainian players and supporters in the stands were in sharp contrast to the mood out on the ice after 60 minutes, as 1-1 meant both sets of players left wondering over what could have been.

Looking at it from a wider perspective and once the dust had settled, both sets of head coaches preferred to focus on the many positives at their post-match interviews.

 

"It was a great hockey game. The fans like it, and in the end if you win, everybody goes happy home. But we came here with the intention of not going down. I missed eleven players that should be here," said Lithuania coach Bernd Haake.

 

"The boys were working hard, disciplined, both yes and no, but this is an emotional game. Today the outcome could had been different, but overall to win a bronze medal is a big success for Lithuania, even though we had the chance to win a gold, but that is almost out of our reach. I am very happy with a medal."

 

While Croatia in the end beat Lithuania on penalty shots, head coach Alan Letang hopes the experience from their fourth place finish can come in good stead in the future for his young fledging team.

 

"It hurts, because throughout the tournament they have given me everything," he said. "They wanted to win, they wanted a medal and they deserved it, but both teams did really, and it is not an easy tournament to play in, it is game after game, and I think our young kids will be better for this experience."

 

Ukraine heads hunt for gold

Stuns GB 2-1 in final day thriller

 

A final frame surge sees Ukraine move top of the table to secure at least silver as Great Britain suffers a last day setback for the second year in a row.

 

Defenceman Olexander Pobyedonostsev was Ukraine's saviour of the day as he scored their winner with 3:56 left of their pivotal game with Great Britain.

 

A 2-1 win during the final day at the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I Group B puts Ukraine into the driving seat and top of the table.

 

Ukraine now need to wait for the outcome of a nail biting final game of the tournament between Lithuania and Croatia to find out whether they will be celebrating gold of mourning a silver medal.

 

A regulation time win for Lithuania against Croatia would mean that the Baltic state would sensationally win gold and Ukraine would move down to second place.

 

Dmytro Chernyshenko and Pobyedonostsev scored Ukraine's goals in their final period charge which saw them topple Great Britain. Eduard Zakharchenko recorded 27 saves between the pipes for Ukraine.

 

Great Britain who were chasing their first gold medal at World Championship level since 1993, needed only one point to secure promotion and are now left to lick their wounds after missing out on promotion during the final game for the second year in a row.

 

Captain Jonathan Phillips scored Great Britains sole marker. Whether Great Britain will travel home with silver or bronze will also be decided in tonight's late game.

 

"You could say we were mad about losing last night's game against Lithuania and wanted to prove to ourselves that we deserve to be one of the contenders for the first place, so today we just buried our heads down and worked really hard and deserved to win," said a delighted Vladyslav Gavryk.

 

Great Britain took the play to Ukraine during the opening stages. Russel Cowley won a battle with Ukraine's Vsevolod Tolstushko behind the net and his feed forced Zakharchenko to a double save on efforts from Ross Venus and Ashley Tait.

 

Winning the shots 15-3, Great Britain had the upper hand during the first frame, while Ukraine failed to get any flow into their powerplay during their two attemps at playing on a man advantage.

 

Ukraine's Roman Blagy showed fine individual skill when turning David Clarke inside out along the left boards to charge on netminder Ben Bowns after 51 seconds of the second period, but soon after the contest had firmly tilted over in Great Britain's favour.

 

Instigated by a Robert Lachowicz surge down the left he picked out Joshua Batch who hit a one-timer from the blueliner which saw captain Phillips tip home Great Britain's opener at 21:54 to put GB ahead.

 

Ukraine got into further trouble when Oleg Shafarenko drew a boarding penalty at 26:50. Withstanding bullets from Ben O'Connor and Jonathan Weaver, Ukraine's Artem Gnidenko then snapped up the puck from O'Connor to surge ahead on a 2-on-1 but Bondarenko missed target with the goal at his mercy.

 

But Ukraine got their reward in the final frame. Mark Richardson lost the puck in his defensive zone, snapped up by Gavryk he picked out Chernyshenko who tied the game at 15:35.

 

With all left to play for, Ukraine now came to full life. Winning the shots in the final frame by 12 to 5 they completed their fightback at 3:56 when Shafarenko rounded Bowns' cage and picked out Pobyedonostsev who charged down from his defensive position to rake home the winner with 3:56 to go.

 

"I don't know what to say, I am just stunned. It is like last year all over again and I just can't put it into words," said a dejected Peter Russell, head coach of Great Britain.

 

"We gave it everything we had and I really am proud of everyone. We were fantastic all week but we just couldn't get over the line. This is a horrible feeling.”

Estonia stays up

3-0 win sends Romania down

 

Three middle frame goals during their final day relegation decider sealed Estonia's place in Division IB

 

Estonia eked out their first win at the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I Group B when they needed it the most.

 

Roman Andrejev, Andrei Makrov and Vadim Vasjonkin were on the scoresheet as Estonia sweeped Romania 3-0.

 

Estonia's Villem-Henrik Koitmaa recorded his first shutout of the tournament with 20 saves, while a defensive minded Romania recorded their first game in the tournament without a goal.

 

Five straight defeats sees newly promoted Romania move straight back down to Division IIA.

 

After having hit the post twice during the first frame, Estonia stepped up their efforts in the second period and soon get their reward for their diligence and settle nerves.

 

Romania's defenceman Alpar Sallo hit a careless pass behind his own net which was snapped up by Vassili Titarenko along the right boards who found Andrejev thundering down unmarked in the slot who cooly slotted home Estonia's opener between the pads of Romania netminder Otto Onodi at 31:51.

 

Estonia's second came at 38:13 thanks to a Makrov slapshot from the left point that just found its way over the line at Onodi's first post.

Estonia's final nail in the coffin came on a penalty shot with one second to go of the middle frame. Vasjonkin converted to stretch their lead to 3-0 in a display which overall pleased Estonia head coach Jussi Tupamaki.

 

"In the first period you see that these games are really tough and everyone expects us to win as we play for relegation. These were difficult circumstances to play under but we proved that we belong at this level," he said as Estonia can now look ahead to play at their third consecutive year at Division 1A level.

 

For Romania, who were this year's newcomers in this division, will now try to start again in Division IIA.

 

"It wasn't a good tournament for us," said Romania blueliner Szabolcs Papp. "We had our chance today in our most important game and we tried to play smart but it was not enough."

 

"We don't have all of our players here, but almost every year it is the same for us. This year preparation was short, maybe three days, and then it is tough to play at this level."

 

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Slovenia starts big

7-1 win in opener against Japan

 

Slovenia started its 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I Group A campaign with a well-deserved 7-1 victory against Japan.

 

Two years ago Japan started into the Division I Group A with a 2-1 upset win against Slovenia. Today the Slovenes didn’t waste any time and dominated the game from the beginning until the end to skate to a 7-1 win against the Asians that weren’t able to create much pressure on Robert Kristan’s net.

 

Captain Jan Urbas, who scored two goals and had three assists, opened the scoring at 7:35 of the first period. After a horizontal pass at the own blue line he skated towards Japanese goalie Yutaka Fukufuji and beat him with a hard shot to the far post.

 

“We have been practising together for the whole training camp and we’re getting better and better,” Urbas said about his successful line.

“Two years ago that was a little shock for us so we were even readier for today’s game and played really well all 60 minutes. We did the things we talked about before the game. I think it was a well-deserved victory.”

 

The second period started bad for Japan. Already going into the frame shorthanded, they had to start with an additional delaying-the-game penalty. The Slovenes capitalized on the opportunity with Urbas’ second goal. His shot from the right face-off circle hit Takuto Onada, who came in for Fukufuji after one period. The puck jumped off the goalie’s upper body and from there it went over the goal line.

 

During Slovenia’s next power play at 9:31 Miha Verlic made it a three-goal lead. Urbas was again involved trying it with a wraparound shot which he saw blocked, then Verlic netted the puck on his second attempt.

 

Less than four minutes later the Slovenes scored again. Anze Kuralt passed to Ken Ograjensek, who saw his long shot blocked, and then Ales Music was at the right place at the slot to capitalize on the rebound and force Japan coach Greg Thomson to use his time-out.

“I felt the first 20 minutes of the game were okay. We had our chances, unfortunately we had an unlucky goal against,” Thomson said.

 

“With starting the second period 5-on-4 and then taking the penalty to make it 5-on-3, I felt at that moment we lost the focus and more or less lost the game due to that penalty.”

 

With 43 seconds left in the middle frame Verlic concluded a two-on-one with Urbas for the 5-0 goal.

 

The Japanese came on time for the third period but they didn’t have many noticeable chances to get back into the game until Shuhei Kuji scored Japan’s consolation goal on a rebound after a blocked Takafumi Yamashita shot on a counter-attack at 4:46. However, Slovenia closed the game with two more goals from Ograjensek and Ziga Pance to also win the last period.

 

 

Italy stuns host

No opening-day party for Poland

 

Like last year Division I Group A host Poland started the tournament with a tight loss against Italy. 22-year-old Luca Frigo scored the game-winning goal.

 

After an opening ceremony with violinists the ice was ready for the players and it was the blue team that had the better start in front of 8,500 spectators at the Spodek arena in Katowice and outshot Poland 33-26 in its first game. Italy already beat Poland one year ago on the opening day, 2-1, in Krakow but went on to a fifth-place finish while Poland earned the bronze medals.

 

“We are really happy about this first win. We played really well in the first period and didn’t allow them many chances. We were playing the clock, which can be dangerous, but this is a young team and I’m very happy for them,” Italy head coach Stefan Mair said.

 

“We moved forward last year, went from 12 players with double citizenship to four. We changed players who fit in character-wise and want to go forward with our program. The young players got more experience. Last year they were 21, now they are 22. We are a young team and have a long way to go but we are fortunate to have players in top leagues,” Mair added mentioning goalie Andreas Bernard, who was the starter for Assat Pori in the top Finnish league this season.

 

Joachim Ramoser scored the first goal after Markus Gander’s diagonal pass to the crease. Ramoser beat Przemyslaw Odrobny on the close post at 12:25. It was a deserved lead with the Italians creating more chances including a post shot in the opening frame. With 28.1 seconds left the Italians even had another great chance after a fast attack from Giulio Scandella but the puck didn’t go into a dislocated net and the officials called no goal after the video review.

 

“We were better for a long time so it’s a deserved win. It went better than last year, it was a bit surprising for us and it’s fun like that. We have some players with a lot of experience and young and motivated players,” Ramoser said.

 

Italy continued to play strong in the middle frame but when Marco Insam was assessed a penalty for tripping, the Poles got their best chances and at 10:13 Tomasz Malasinski deflected a shot from the blue line from Pawel Dronia during the power play.

 

43 seconds later Luca Frigo got another tripping penalty while Patryk Wronka needed to be helped off the ice after the incident. The Poles against had their chances but didn’t capitalize and at 16:19 it was Frigo, who was left alone on the left side and after a pass from Diego Kostner beat Odrobny through his five-hole.

 

Polish head coach Jacek Plachta was critical with his team’s performance.

 

“They played better today in every single element of the game,” he said. “It was one of the worst games we have ever played if not the worst. The Italians were very well prepared technically and it is very difficult to play them. We had too many penalties, which decided the game. Today we were too weak to play against them.”

 

The Poles improved their play in a third period in which the Italians seemed to focus on defending the tight lead. But it worked out for the squadra azzurra and Thomas Larkin scored the 3-1 goal into the empty net with two seconds left on the match clock.

 

“This game was very important for us and we lost. We tried everything to tie it against but it didn’t work out. Now it will be very important for us to win tomorrow,” said Malasinski.

 

 

Austria does it in SO

Koreans surprise but blow 2-0 lead

 

Like in 2014 Korea started with a lead against Austria but continued its winless history against this opponent due to Konstantin Komarek’s shootout-winner.

 

Austria outshot Korea 39-28 but didn’t score a goal for two periods before fighting back late in the game.

 

“We had enough very good scoring chances but we didn’t score the goals. We could as well have scored two goals in the first two periods but the puck didn’t go in, we hit the post and the crossbar but luckily that changed in the last period,” Komarek said.

 

“In the third period we were more fortunate and scored goals on two not that big scoring chances. We have to work on our scoring efficiency.”

 

“Korea is not a bad team, you may not underestimate them. They have some Canadians who are great hockey players and also native players who are good players and play fast. “

 

Korea started the game more successful. Michael Swift intercepted a pass close to the Austrian blueline at 16:05, escaped for a breakaway and beat Austrian goaltender Bernhard Starkbaum on the right side.

 

It was a lucky punch but not entirely undeserved. The underdogs had their chances too in a first period in which Austria outshot the Koreans 10-9 and the centres of Korea’s first three lines – Kisung Kim, Minho Cho and Woosang Park – won most of the face-offs.

 

For the contingent of Korean fans at the arena, who were supporting their team with a gong and other traditional instruments for an acoustic Korean feeling at Spodek, there was plenty to celebrate after the first 20 minutes of the game.

 

The game continued with scoring chances on both sides in the middle frame. Midway through the period Austria coach Daniel Ratushny took his time-out when his team had the biggest opportunity with a 5-on-3. However, the Austrians didn’t make use of the first two Korean penalties of the game and two minutes later the puck went in on the other side.

 

Sangwook Kim sent a drop pass from the end boards to Kisung Kim, who stickhandled the puck around Starkbaum for the 2-0 goal at 15:50. The goal scorer celebrated lying down on his back and must have felt a little bit like Polish forward Wieslaw Jobczyk 40 years ago when scoring his hat trick against the Soviets at the same venue with a mixture of joy and disbelief.

 

After all, Korea had never beaten Austria before. In the only previous Division I games they lost two years ago on home ice in Goyang 7-4 – after a 3-0 lead after nine minutes of play – and in 2008 8-0.

 

Austria eventually found back into the game when Korea got into penalty trouble early in the third period. After a shot from the left face-off circle from Brian Lebler, it was Markus Schlacher, who capitalized on the rebound to make it 2-1 on a two-man advantage with over 15 minutes to go in regulation time.

 

“We took too many penalties,” said Matt Dalton, the Canada-born goaltender who had his debut in the Korean net. “We went 5-on-3 twice tonight. When you go 5-on-3 it’s asking for trouble. It was difficult. It’s hockey.”

 

“I wished we would have pulled out a win but I think it’s a good start, we need to build on it. We have to get a rest and get ready for tomorrow. We simply need to play our game and see what happens.”

 

The Austrians were looking for the game-tying goal but had trouble creating good chances. With seven minutes left the Koreans even had the opportunity to score their third goal when Swift got the puck on a giveaway but the Austrians got the situation under control and Sanghoon Shin missed out with his shot.

 

With 3:55 left in regulation time the favourites were eventually rewarded for their effort with the 2-2 goal. Manuel Geier’s shot hit defenceman Wonjun Kim, who had to leave the ice, and when the puck bounced back Geier scored on his second attempt.

 

The game remained tied even after a five-minute overtime period and a shootout had to decide the winner. A patient Komarek became the only of the five shooters to hit the back of the net.

 

“I’ve done some penalty shots before and luckily I was rewarded for my bravery,” he said about the game-winning goal.

 

Penalty Shot Shootout
Round 1: KOR Michael Swift – save, AUT Konstantin Komarek – 0-1.
Round 2: KOR Sanghoon Shin – miss, AUT Manuel Geier – save.
Round 3: KOR Sangwook Kim – miss.

 

[hckošice 14,829]

Day 1

Japan-Slovenia 1-7

Italy-Poland 3-1

South Korea-Austria 2-3 (GWS)

 

[hckošice 14,829]

ROAD TO

IIHF MEN´S ICE HOCKEY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2016

 

FRIENDLY MATCHES

 

Denmark  3 - 4(GWS)  Norway    

(Score by Period: 1-2, 2-1, 0-0, OT: 0-0, GWS: 0-1)

23rd April 2016, h. 14:30 (GMT +2)

 

Belarus  3 - 2  Switzerland    

(Score by Period: 0-1, 3-0, 0-1)

23rd April 2016, h. 17:00 (GMT +3)

 

Latvia  4 - 1  Germany    

(Score by Period: 0-1, 2-0, 2-0)

23rd April 2016, h. 17:00 (GMT +3)

 

 

EURO HOCKEY TOUR 2015/16 SERIE

 

Finland  4 - 1  Czech Republic    

(Score by Period: 0-0, 3-1, 1-0)

23rd April 2016, h. 15:00 (GMT +3)

 

Sweden  0 - 4  Russia    

(Score by Period: 0-1, 0-1, 0-2)

23rd April 2016, h. 15:30 (GMT +2)

 

[hckošice 14,829]

United States - Finland  2-4

 

[hckošice 14,829]

Finns dethrone U.S.

Rasanen scores twice to upset defending champs

Finland's Aapeli Rasanen #22 scores a third period goal against USA's Joseph Woll #29 while USA's Chad Krys #4 looks on during semifinal round action at the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship.

 

 

In a tense semi-final, Finland upset the host U.S. 4-2 to make the gold medal game. Aapeli Rasanen scored twice, including the winner with 37 seconds left.

 

Aiming to pursue its third consecutive IIHF U18 World Championship title and seventh in the last eight years, the U.S. fell short in its stiffest test. The Finns dictated the style of the game.

Finland will play the winner of the Canada-Sweden semi-final for gold on Sunday. The dethroned Americans will take on the loser for bronze in the early game.

Asked how confident the Finns would be in the final, Rasanen said: "One sentence: we’re going to win the gold."

In a good goaltending duel, Ukko-Pekka Luukonen outdid Joseph Woll as the Americans outshot Finland 28-26.

"I’m proud of how hard our guys worked tonight," said U.S. head coach Danton Cole. "We still have a chance to finish with a win to earn a medal and we’ll be ready to play tomorrow."

With the teams tied 1-1 late in the third period, there was a lot of drama after Finland's Joona Koppanen was sent off for slashing.

"It was crazy, crazy," said Luukkonen. "I can say no more."

Finland's 2-1 shorthanded goal came on a broken play with 4:49 left. Rasanen came down and fired a shot, with the rebound caught up in the skates of U.S. defenceman Chad Krys. Rasanen grabbed the puck and fired it over the prone Woll.

But the U.S. didn't surrender. Just 1:22 later, Luke Martin wristed one from the center point through traffic that Kailer Yamamoto tipped in to tie it up, as the Ralph Engelstad Arena crowd erupted.

Finland got the chance it needed when American star Clayton Keller tripped up top Finnish forward Jesse Puljujarvi in the U.S. zone with 1:02 left.

On the winning power play goal at 19:23, Kristian Vesalainen took the shot and Rasanen banged it into the gaping net. Puljujarvi, who finished with two points, added an empty-netter just before the final buzzer.

"We have a wide variety of talent in our age group," said Rasanen. "There are many players who can stand up in the tough games. That’s our special weapon."

"I think in the end we outchanced them but we didn’t get the bounces," said Krys. "It’s tough to see, but I’m proud of the effort. It just didn't go our way."

Although it's a surprise, this victory was reflective of Finland’s increasing confidence at all levels of international hockey. The kids on this team have seen Finland win the 2011 Worlds and 2014 and 2016 World Juniors, in addition to other Olympic and World Championship medals.

The Americans came in as the tournament’s biggest offensive powerhouse, outscoring their opponents 38-4. Yet this semi-final was totally different from the blowouts this roster powered by the USA Hockey National Team Development Program had been accustomed to. The "worst" the U.S. had previously done was a 4-0 win over Switzerland.

Revenge was in the air. Finland settled for the silver medal last year, falling 2-1 in overtime to the Americans in Zug, Switzerland. The Finns won gold in the first two years of this tournament, 1999 and 2000, but haven't taken top spot since then.

Luukkonen said coach Jussi Ahokas had a simple message for the team before the semi-final: "It’s a big game, but you don’t have to be nervous about it."

The Finns came in with an undermanned squad, using 18 skaters to the U.S.'s 20. Top goalie Leevi Laakso was sick and unavailable for the second straight game, and captain Juuso Valimaki also sat out with illness. Accentuating their underdog status, however, traditionally benefits the Finns.

"I think this is a team game," said Luukkonen. "It’s not about one or two players. We are a good team. It doesn’t matter if one or two players are out."

Urho Vaakanainen also scored for the Finns, while Kieffer Bellows had the other goal for the Americans.

The Finns played smart, tight defence to limit the U.S. scoring chances in the early going. When the U.S. generated more pressure on their opening power play midway through the first period, Luukkonen was equal to the task.

The U.S. made it 1-0 at 11:42 on a brilliant passing play. Inside the Finnish blue line, Keller fed it cross-ice to an oncoming Adam Fox, who skimmed the puck to the goal-crease for Bellows to tip in.

The Finns fought back for the equalizer with 4:10 left in the first period and the teams playing 4-on-4. Vaakanainen stepped in off the centre point and hammered one past the U.S. defenders and over Woll’s glove.

Finland’s strong positional play at both ends continued to frustrate the Americans throughout the game. Ultimately, it decided who would go for gold and who would be looking for the consolation prize.

"You still want to go home with hardware," said Krys. "You have to come back tomorrow with a positive attitude and want to win the game."

Of overcoming the favored host team, Rasanen said: "We knew that we had to win only once, and now we did it."