Updated February 10, 2024
Finland continues to impress in the Beijer Hockey Games. After the opening victory against Switzerland, Finland took another victory on Saturday against the Czech Republic with the final figures 4-2.
The Beijer Hockey Games continued on Saturday where Finland and the Czech Republic clashed for the third time during this year’s Euro Hockey Tour. The Czech Republic won during the Swiss Ice Hockey Games and the Karjala Cup during the previous tournaments and were small favorites going into the meeting. However, Finland got off to the best start with an early lead after just three minutes when Arttu Hyry put the puck in. The first period was fast-paced and good, but no more goals were scored.
After four minutes in the second period, Finland made it 2-0 through Eemil Erholtz, who was also behind the 1-0 goal. The ace forward picked up a puck after Hyry just mentioned stressing the Czech defenders before putting in the second for the Finnish lions. But the Czech Republic, who ran into a solid Finland, got a necessary reduction goal with ten minutes played in the second period when veteran Jan Kovar bumped it to make it 2-1 for the Czechs.
The Czech Republic rallied after their reduction, but Finland got a goal to extend the lead in a critical situation when they got a power play at the end of the middle period. HV71 defender Oliwer Kaski’s shot from the blue line went into the goal via Markus Nurmi’s body to make it 3-1. The Finnish lions took the lead into the third period.
In the third period, it took nine minutes before the Czech Republic reduced again through David Kase in the power play to 3-2, which gave real nerve to the match. But Hannes Björninen, the Örebro player, took away some of the nerves just a couple of minutes after 3-2 when he sent in a low and unexpected shot from the blue line straight through several players to make it 4-2 for Finland.
Björninen’s surprising goal was the last of the match and Finland won 4-2 against the Czech Republic. Finland thus has two straight victories in the tournament after the opening victory against Switzerland and the Czech Republic has two straight losses. Tomorrow (Sunday) awaits a tournament final between Finland and Sweden, a Swedish team that meets Switzerland now at 16:00 on Saturday. With Sweden already having three points in the tournament and Finland six points, it will be a type of group final tomorrow, regardless of Sweden’s result against Switzerland (zero points) today.
12:00
Switzerland – Czech Republic
