Sweden’s streak of shutouts finally came to an end as Finland won 5-4 in the penalty shootout, making it their second consecutive win.
The Swedes have already taken first place in Group A on Friday and will await the loser of Switzerland-Norway in Tuesday’s quarter-finals. The Finns will watch Germany’s game and decide whether to play the USA or Slovakia.
Finland took control in the first match, taking a 2-0 lead with goals from Tomi Manisto and Leni Hamenaho. Sweden only had four shots in the first period, but in the second period they scored four goals thanks to the efforts of Isaac Born, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Theo Lindstein and Filip Bystedt, changing the course of the game. Contributed. Kasper Haltunen added one for Finland, but it wasn’t until Jani Nyman’s empty-netter with just over a minute left that Finland realized they were back in contention.
The match went to penalties, with Sweden’s Jonathan Lekkerimäki scoring the first goal. But goals from Konsta Helenius and Nijman sealed the deal for Finland, who turned things around after a difficult second period.
Here are the top players from the biggest matches in the qualifying rounds.
Finland
#33 Jani Nyman, RW (Seattle Kraken): Nyman has been quieter than I expected this tournament, but he seemed to be involved in everything today. He got into scoring position on a 4-4 goal with an empty net, giving momentum back to the Finns who conceded a goal early in the second. He also added a shootout goal, which made sense given Nyman’s stellar play. Stay tuned to see if he can repeat his efforts today.
#34 Tomi Manisto, LW (undrafted): Someone please draft Manist. There were very few players who worked as hard as he did in today’s game or in any game. The quick-skating, puck-chasing winger from Michigan State University scored Sweden’s first goal allowed all tournament and his second in four games. But it’s not the offense that excites me. Because that’s not his game. In doing so, he never gives up on a play and brings a great physical touch to every shift.
#22 Kasper Haltunen, RW (San Jose Sharks): Haltunen did it all. He took hits, scored goals, dished out assists, and got into Sweden’s head. His goal on the power play was a true snipe, and I thought he gave it his all, as good as he has been in every game so far. Harttunen’s skating is not his strength, but it does make him difficult to play against.
#20 Oiva Keskinen, C (Columbus Blue Jackets): It was another good performance for Keskinen, who recorded two assists. He doesn’t buckle under pressure and is a great setup man who finds open lanes, especially against his good buddy Haltunen. Keskinen is having a career year back in his home country and this tournament showed he is a deft forward who can find open lanes.
Sweden
#9 Theo Lindstein, D (St. Louis Blues): I wouldn’t be surprised if Lindstein was selected to the tournament’s All-Star team. Lindstein had a great performance in his own zone and after recording five assists in his first three games, he scored his first goal of the tournament. Although Lindstein joined the team late, he was always considered one of the best attacking defensemen when representing Sweden internationally. His presence has been a big factor in his success on Sweden’s home ice.
#16 Felix Unger Sorum, RW (Carolina Hurricanes): FUS might be my second favorite Swedish player. He put Sweden back in the lead with two assists in the second period and came close to scoring one more goal. Unger Solm’s two-way game continues to impress and he is one of Sweden’s best playmakers.
#23 Jonathan Lekkerimäki, RW (Vancouver Canucks): One of my biggest questions about Sweden was which Lekkerimäki to see. He has had his fair share of ups and downs with his national team, but it was a good tournament for him, especially on the power play. He made it 2-2 on the man advantage and almost hit an insurance marker late in the third. Once he was active, his offense continued, leading to a shootout goal.
#12 Noah Ostlund, C (Buffalo Sabers): Even though Ostlund didn’t score today, he felt it. From the beginning, he was one of Sweden’s hardest working players and caused a stir around the internet. His two-way game continues to improve as well. Ostlund was injured in early December, but he feels like he’s getting faster and more aggressive with each game.
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