WJC: Finland defeated Slovakia to join Canada at the top of the group

Wednesday, 30 Dec 2020. 11:58
(Update : Wednesday, 30 Dec 2020. 16:34)

The match summary

The top spot in Group A will be at stake when Canada faces Finland on the final day of the preliminary round at the World Junior Hockey Championship.

The Finns kept pace with the defending champions on Wednesday, overcoming Slovakia 6-0 to remain unbeaten after three games.

Anton Lundell sounded the charge by contributing to the Finns’ first three goals. The Florida Panthers prospect, a first-round pick in the most recent NHL Draft, opened the scoring in the first period before being complicit in goals from Topi Niemela and Kasper Simontaival in the second.

Lundell and Niemela have each amassed six points since arriving in Edmonton.

Samuel Helenius scored a brace and Santeri Hatakka completed the scoring for the winners.

The Finns pelted goalkeeper Samuel Hlavaj with 49 shots. The Sherbrooke Phoenix goaltender has received 121 shots in three games since the start of the tournament.

His opposite, Kari Piiroinen, only had to make 12 saves to get his second shutout of the competition.

Finland have scored 11 more goals than they allowed at this World Juniors. Against the same opponents, Canada has a +26 differential.