The Junior WC is over for Finland – and the exit was heavy on lead. Sweden won the prestigious quarter-final after two late goals. The perfect hit that broke the Junior lions came in box play.
The Finnish disappointment in the Junior World Cup is a fact – after the Junior Lions lost everything in the final minutes in the quarter-finals against Sweden.
First, Leo Carlsson pushed the equalizer to 2-2 with less than four minutes left to play.
And then the curtain was pulled down for good in the worst possible way. Finland had the chance to decide in the power play with two minutes left to play, but Victor Stjernborg was instead able to counter in 3-2 in a numerical disadvantage.
Sweden sent Finland home and ensures that the Junior Lions do not play for the medals in the JVM. After four JVM semi-finals in a row, Finland is forced to go home empty-handed, and there were blank stares among the Finns after the final whistle.
They led twice again in the quarter-finals, but in a tournament where Finland really got going only when it ended directly in the finals.
Later on Monday, Sweden will find out who is waiting in the semi-finals and when the match will be played. If the three top-ranked teams Czech Republic, USA and Canada win their quarter-finals, the Junior Crowns will face the Czechs in one of the semi-finals.
Finland’s last ten JVMs
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Finnish dream start
The quarter-finals had been pumped up by Swedish optimism – despite the fact that Canada was beaten in the last group stage match.
– Knocking out Finland as early as possible is the best thing there is, said Swedish star Filip Bystedt before the quarter-finals.
Oliver Kapanen scored Finland’s 1–0 goal.
Image: Pasi Mennander / Suomen Jääkiekkoliitto
Finland’s men’s junior ice hockey team
Then Finland went out and made a big impression in the first period. The junior lions poured forth and it was basically just Finland on the ice for the first twenty minutes.
Finland played its best period in the entire tournament, but the payoff, on the other hand, was meager. Oliver Kapanen gave Finland a dream start and the lead goal gave even more air under the wings.
Finland was on target for a 2–0 goal, but with their second shot on goal, Sweden made it 1–1 instead. Leo Carlsson headed in the equalizer behind Jani Lampinen – the goalkeeper who was back between the posts for Finland.
Two Swedish shots in the frame
Sweden had an almost equally clear grip on the second period and Fabian Lysell dotted the frame twice, but with one period left to play, the quarter-finals were tied.
The vast majority believed in a completely open and uncertain match between the neighboring countries – and they were certainly not disappointed.
Early in the third period, Jukurit’s winger Niko Huuhtanen flicked in 2-1 to Finland after carelessness in a Swedish play.
Finland had a couple of opportunities to punctuate the quarter-final, but instead Carlsson poked in his second of the night to make it 2-2.
And when Örebro’s giant thought he had saved his Sweden to extra time, Victor Stjernborg added with just over a minute left in the match. Finland lost the puck on their power play, Stjernborg got a free position and punctured the Junior Lions’ dreams of a medal.
The text is updated!
Junior WC in ice hockey
Quarter Finals:
Finland–Sweden 2–3 (1–1, 0–0, 1–2)
3.10 Oliver Kapanen (Joakim Kemell, Ville Koivunen) 1–0
16.55 Leo Carlsson (Ludvig Jansson, Filip Bystedt) 1–1
44.03 Niko Huuhtanen (Verner Miettinen) 2–1
56.33 Leo Carlsson (Filip Bystedt, Fabian Wegner) 2–2
58.55 Victor Stjernborg 2–3
