From big game in the SHL to brilliant performance in the national team – Emil Larmi convinced when the Lions defeated the Czech Republic

Should Emil Larmi be one of the goalkeepers in the Lions’ WC squad? And can he even pinch the first spade? Larmi at least gave a sharp form message against the Czech Republic.

A new ice hockey World Cup is just around the corner. In just over a week, the puck will fall on the ice in Tampere and Riga.

Finland enters the championship as the reigning world champions and this weekend will see the team again in the Czech EHT tournament. It is also the last chance for the players to show that they should be part of Jukka Jalonen’s WC team.

In the first match against the Czech Republic, there was a 3-2 victory after extra time and two blue and white players excelled. Goalkeeper Emil Larmi made one sharp save after another and showed why he was chosen as the most valuable player in the SHL playoffs. Harri Pesonen was in turn responsible for two goals.

The peso broke zero

In the first period, the Lions showed that the game in numerical disadvantage works. The team won three doubles, but the defensive game was where it should be when the Czech Republic had to spin in the offensive zone.

And when the Czechs got to shooting positions, Emil Larmi was in the right place. He was as confident as possible in the goal.

Offensively, Finland also managed to produce with five against five. With two minutes remaining in the first period, Harri Pesonen scored 1-0 after Kasperi Kapanen’s brilliant preparatory work.

In the second period, Larmi continued to make saves. Among other things, he caught a shot from Filip Chlapík, who was given a free position when Valtteri Kemiläinen scrambled in his own zone.

Dominik Kubalík and Jakub Flek also had to bite into the sour apple against Larmi.

Finland had a really sharp chance in the second period and Kemiläinen was involved there as well. With just over five minutes left to play, the defender hit the post.

The Czech Republic came back, then Finland equalised

The Czech Republic had a game-like advantage after two periods and in the end even Larmi could not resist. In the middle of the third period, Ronald Knot found a gap above Larmi’s shoulder to equalize at 1–1.

And with five minutes left on the clock, Larmi was outwitted a second time as Roman Cervenka lifted the score to 2-1 for the Czech Republic.

Finland’s final push looked to have come off when Kasperi Kapanen was sent off with less than two minutes left to play, but Cervekna also had to sit in the corner of shame at the end and then the Lions equalised.

Mikael Ruohomaa pushed the puck in as Finland played without a goalkeeper and the match went to extra time. In extra time, the Lions lost a numerical advantage, but then Pesonen decided with his second goal of the match.

The text is being updated…