The first third did not offer much of a significant chance, goalkeepers Säteri and Merzlikins faced only six shots per goal in total. Fin Säteri was the first to collect, which the Balcers surpassed after renumbering two to one.
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The Northerners managed to equalize shortly after half of the match, when they played a power play for the first time in the match. The foul of Vítkovice striker Roberts Bukarts was punished by Manninen, who promptly arrived with luck to find a blocked Granlund bullet for Merzlikins.
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The Latvians last defeated Finland in 2014, but at last year’s championship in Riga, they gained a point in a duel for overtime and were close to a draw after normal playing time this year as well. In the 57th minute, however, Dzierkals was eliminated and the Finns were able to take advantage of the Pilsen striker’s foul quickly. Granlund needed only 18 seconds and decided the match with an accurate shot. Latvia did not even compete in power play.
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| Hockey World Championship: |
|---|
| Group B (Tampere): |
| Latvia – Finland 1: 2 (1: 0, 0: 1, 0: 1) |
| Goals and recordings: 9. Balcers (Kenins) – 31. Manninen (Mikael Granlund, M. Lehtonen), 58. Mikael Granlund (M. Lehtonen, Manninen). Judges: Ingram (CAN), MacFarlane – Briganti (both USA), Oosten (CAN). Exclusion: 3: 2. Utilization: 0: 2. Attendance: 11,483. |
| Lotyšsko: Merzlikins – Jak, Zile, Kulda, Mamčics, Bergmanis, Čukste, Sotnieks, Smons – Balzers, Abols, Kenins – Krastenbergs, Džerins, Rihards Bucharts – Marenis, Batna, Roberts Bukarts – Dzierkals, Smirnovs, Jelisejev. Trainer: Harry Vitolins. |
| Finsko: Säteri – Hietanen, M. Lehtonen, Seppälä, Ohtamaa, Vatanen, Friman, Pokka – Hartikainen, Manninen, Mikael Granlund – Armia, Filppula, Pesonen – J. Sallinen, Pond, Rajala – Anttila, Björninen, Mäenalanen. Coach: Jukka Jalonen. |
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