🔗 Share this article

Finland's Arttu Välilä netted the winner at two minutes and eleven seconds of extra time as the Finnish squad pulled off a stunning 4-3 win over the reigning two-time champion United States on Friday evening in the world junior hockey quarter-finals.

"We must give credit to the US," remarked Finland's leader Aron Kiviharju. "That's a fantastic squad, full of great players and a well coached team. But I mentioned we wanted that payback from the previous final, and I think we kind of earned it this evening."

In the semifinal matches Sunday, Finland will face Sweden, while Canada will meet Czechia. The Swedes defeated Latvia six to three, Canada produced a first-period five-goal outburst in a 7-1 romp over the Slovakian team, and the Czechs overcame Switzerland by a 6-2 score.

Thrilling Final Frame and Extra Session

The Michigan State Spartan L. Ryker knotted the score for the U.S. team with one minute and thirty-three seconds left in regulation and the Notre Dame goalie Nick Kempf pulled for an additional skater.

L. Tuuva and Joona Saarelainen found the net in a fifty-five-second span in the third period to give their team a two to one lead. Tuuva leveled the score at two-all with seven minutes and seventeen seconds to go, then assisted on Saarelainen’s go-ahead goal with 6:22 remaining. Saarelainen also earned a helper on the first goal.

Key Contributions and Reactions

The BU defenseman Cole Hutson had a goal and a helper for the Americans after being struck in the head against Switzerland and missing the next two contests.

"In my opinion we made good plays for most of the game," Hutson commented. "But the little bounces that they got, many of their Grade-A opportunities came from our mistakes."

His university colleague C. Eiserman gave the U.S. a 2-1 lead on a power play with 9:45 left in the middle frame. He took a feed from his teammate and beat Petteri Rimpinen with a one-timer from the right side.

Hutson tallied on a rush thirty-five seconds into the second. Heikki Ruohonen tied it at 4:46 on a snap shot from the left wing.

Between the Pipes Stats

• Rimpinen saved 28 shots.
• Kempf made twenty-one stops.

The U.S. squad lost their final two games – losing six to three to Sweden on Wednesday night in the final preliminary game – after winning their initial three matches.

"It was an honor to coach this team," said the American bench boss. "They played a terrific game today and came up just short. Give Finland. It's an hollow emotion at the moment, but our guys gave it all they had."

Additional Playoff Results

In the late game in the host city, the Canadian team overwhelmed Slovakia with the aforementioned first-period explosion.

C. Reschny, T. Iginla, M. Misa, Sam O’Reilly and Brady Martin scored in the opening twenty minutes, and Porter Martone and C. Beaudoin scored in the following period. J. Ivankovic turned aside twenty-one shots.

"Just goes to show how powerful we are," B. Martin remarked. "Going up five-nothing lead, it kind of saps their morale."

In the first quarter-final, A. Frondell netted a pair for Sweden against Latvia. The defender Leo Sahlin Wallenius contributed a goal and two helpers to help the Swedish side remain undefeated in five games.

Meanwhile, in Minneapolis T. Galvas, Samuel Drancak, Adam Jiricek, Petr Sikora, Jiri Klima and Jakub Fibigr scored for the Czechs.

Consolation Match Result

The German team triumphed in the consolation match, beating the Danes eight to four. M. Schams scored twice to help Germany retain its place next year in the main event. The Danish side dropped to Division I-A.