Friday, April 10, 2009

Finland upsets Russia

Press Release

Finland – Russia 7-4 (2-2, 4-2, 1-0)In an exciting battle of offensive-minded teams, Finland outgunned Russia 7-4 on the strength of two-goal games by phenoms Teemu Pulkkinen and Toni Rajala.

Rajala also chipped in two assists, while Vladimir Tarasenko led Russia with a pair of goals and an assist.

The Russians held a 2-0 lead late in the first period, but the Finns tied it up with two goals in a span of 2:43, including a Pulkkinen power-play marker with 50 seconds before the buzzer.

Just 1:32 into the second period, Pulkkinen made the Russians pay again on the man advantage, and two quick goals by Jonas Nattinen and Rajala lifted Finland into a 5-2 lead. Kirill Kabanov cut the Russian deficit to 5-3 a minute after Rajala's goal, and then the teams traded quick tallies midway through the period to make it 6-4 heading into the third.

Rajala salted away the win at 5:30 of the third period with Finland's fourth power-play tally of the evening.

Mikael Granlund, the youngest player ever to represent Finland at an IIHF World Junior Championship (2009, Ottawa) at age 16, picked up three assists in the win.

Finland's Joni Ontio made 30 saves for the win, while Russia's Igor Bobkov stopped 34 shots.

Since winning the first World U18 Championships in 1999 and 2000, Finland has not captured a medal at the tournament since 2001's bronze. The Russians earned silver while hosting last year's U18 in Kazan.

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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