Despite a tough 2-0 start to the tournament, Finland defeated Slovakia 4-3 in the first quarter-final match on Tuesday and will be fighting for a medal.
The Finns will play in the semifinals on Thursday, with an opponent to be determined. Meanwhile, Slovakia finished the round robin in second place in Group B and will now focus on 2025.
The first period looked like it would end quietly at 0-0, but Adam Sikora had other ideas. Philippe Messard put the puck in the net with one second left in the faceoff, and Adam Sikora dove for the rebound, beating goaltender Niklas Kokko to make it 1-0 with 0.2 seconds left.
The Finns deliberated for 18 minutes before striking back 2:36 into the second half. This time, Finland fought back, blocking Adam Gajan’s chance and Tomi Manisto scoring to make it 1-1. Finland scored early in the third to make the game 2-1, with Leni Hamenaho scoring just 36 seconds into the game. But Dalibor Dvorski struck back seven minutes later, bringing a disastrous end to a solid quarter-final encounter.
It looked like the game would go into extra time, but coach Aleksanteri Kaskimäki had other plans. Konsta Helenius won the battle for the puck on the boards, and Kaskimäki hit a powerful one-timer past Gajan, giving Finland a 4-3 advantage with just under two minutes to play.
However, Slovakia did not intend to be defeated easily. With 44 seconds left, Philippe Messard took a feed from Maxime Strbach and fired a shot past Kokko for an extra point. However, overtime barely started, as Yelel Lasila sealed the victory with a deke to the blocker’s side that beat Gajan in just 24 seconds.
Finland
#34 Tomi Manisto, LW (undrafted): Manisto’s willingness to make things happen has been an asset for the Finns in this tournament, and his early goal in the second game was huge. Expect a dirty, hard-working effort as he does a great job of driving to the net and cutting off his tail.
#33 Jani Nyman, RW (Seattle Kraken): Even though nothing went in, Nyman made four shots in the first period and looked like a man on a mission. Nyman was the hero of Sunday’s game against Sweden, so you can tell he was more motivated than anyone else at the net today. The Finns needed a player to step up, and Nyman was one of the better players.
#29 Leni Hamenaho, RW (New Jersey Devils): Haminaho did not dominate the scoring rankings like he did at the World Junior Summer Showcase, but his go-ahead goal early in the third inning was significant. The Finns were unable to regain momentum immediately after, but Hamenaho seemed to have been bitten by a bit of a snake.
#19 Consta Helenius, C (2024 NHL Draft): It was not an easy tournament for Helenius, but his work to set up the 3-2 goal was great. Helenius worked his way up the board to win against Kaskimaki and was ultimately rewarded as one of the better games he played in the tournament.
#28 Jere Lasila, C (undrafted): One of the best undrafted players in the tournament, Lasila assisted on the first goal and then scored on a breakaway to advance Finland to the semifinals. He has speed, moves the rear end well and has quick hands, but is best known for getting the puck into scoring lanes around the net.
Slovakia
#14 Adam Sikora, LW (New York Rangers): Sykora scored late in the first period, beating the buzzer to give Slovakia a 1-0 victory. We get to see such energy from Sykora, fighting to get the puck every chance he gets. Although the lead did not last long, it was still important for the Slovak team, who were on the back foot in the first period.
#15 Dalibor Dvorski, C (St. Louis Blues): When the Slovak needed a big goal to get back into the game, Dvorski scored. This wasn’t the classic dominant tournament we saw in Dvorsky’s third run, but it was a great look at how he attacked the play and forced turnovers with simple stick checks throughout the game. It deserves positive attention as to whether it was forced. Dvorski then assisted on the tying goal, forcing overtime and causing chaos in front of Finland’s net.
#10 Philippe Messard, RW (Montreal Canadiens): Another good game was born from the first round of 2022. He assisted on his first goal and scored a 4-4 goal in the final minute of the game, sending it into overtime. The biggest stars need to show up at the biggest times, and Messard did just that, as he showed in the early stages of this tournament.
#4 Maxim Stback, D (Buffalo Sabers): It was a great game for Strubak, but he had nothing left on the scoresheet until the 3-3 goal. Strubak finished the tournament as one of the most outstanding defenders, mainly due to his excellent decision-making. He will be back next year.
Discover Betano.ca – the premium sports betting and online casino experience. Offering many unique and dynamic betting options and a wide variety of digital and live casino games, Betano is the place to start gaming today. Over 19 years old. Please play responsibly.