The Finnish hockey players won the World Cup in Riga over Germany 2: 1, 13 points out of five matches lead the group B table and have within reach of advancing to the quarterfinals. In the 52nd minute, Buffalo striker Arttu Ruotsalainen decided after a pass of nineteen-year-old Anton Lundell, who scored the opening goal in the match. The Germans did not score for the second time in a row after the 100% balance from the first three matches.
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Finland’s players are delighted with the goal of Arttu Ruotsalainena (middle).
Vít Šimánek, ČTK
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The Finns had the upper hand and took the lead in the 7th minute, when Lundell punished Moritz Seider for eight seconds right after eight seconds. The talented striker IFK Helsinki quickly leaned on Tony Sund’s pass in the right circle and scored his third goal in the fifth match of the tournament.
In the middle of the introductory part, Marcel Noebels could equalize, pushing himself from behind the goal in front of Jussi Olkinuor, who, however, did not let go of the puck behind his back. In the 16th minute, the German was held by Mathias Niederberger in the chance of Nik Ojamäki.
In the second period, the Finns shot their opponents 11: 2, but still lost it 0: 1. In the 28th minute, Stefan Loibl left the puck at the blue line to Korbinian Holzer, who headed exactly to the left post. Leonhard Pföderl could have reversed the situation with the exclusion of Miika Koivista, but he did not aim accurately from the left circle.
From left Petri Kontiola from Finland and German goalkeeper Mathias Niederberger.
Vít Šimánek, ČTK
At the beginning of the third period, he tried to pull the lead back to the Finnish side flowing Jere Innala and failed in the 46th minute Teemu Turunen. At 51:26, Lundell defended two defending players at the break, found Ruotsalainen, and he decided. Leaking Innal could have secured the lead, but he failed. In the last minute during the power play, Markus Eisenschmid had the opportunity to equalize, but Olkinuora hit.
| Hockey World Championship in Riga: |
| Group B (Arena Riga): |
| Germany – Finland 1: 2 (0: 1, 1: 0, 0: 1) |
| Goals and recordings: 28. Holzer (Loibl, Tarpaulin) – 7. Lundell (Sund, Innala), 52. Ruotsalainen (Lundell). Judges: Fraňo, Šír – Ondráček (all CR), Synek (SR). Exclusion: 3: 3. Utilization: 0: 1. No spectators. |
| Germany: Niederberger – Seider, M. Müller, Holzer, J. Müller, Nowak, Wagner, Gawanke – Rieder, Krämmer, Kühnhackl – Pföderl, Noebels, Peterka – Eisenschmid, Loibl, Plachta – Tiffels, A. Eder, Kastner – Fischbuch. Trenér: Toni Söderholm. |
| Finland: Olkinuora – Sund, Koivisto, Määttä, Kaski, Ohtamaa, Pokka, P. Lindbohm, Nousiainen – Mäenalanen, Björninen, Anttila – Swedish, Lundell, Ojamäki – Innala, Kontiola, Pakarinen – J. Sallinen, Ruohomaa, Turunen. Trainer: Jukka Jalonen. |
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