Team Finland Beats Team Sweden in World Juniors Final

January 5, 2014 5:33 pm

Andre Burakovsky rushes the puck up the ice. (Photo credit: Francois Laplante/HHOF-IIHF Images)

In the gold medal game of the 2014 World Juniors, Team Sweden faced Team Finland. As the favourites and the hosts, the Swedes probably didn’t expect a cakewalk against arch-rivals Finland, who had embarrassed Canada in the semifinals, but what happened next may have surprised even the Finnish fans.

Suomi kicked the game off with a shocker just 28 seconds in, Esa Lindell opened the scoring. Tre Kronor were increasing the pressure, but it took them more than 25 minutes to tie on a goal by Lucas Wallmark. Not even a minute later, Finland came right back with a goal of their own on a great set up by Teuvo Teravainen, Saku Maenalanen beat Oskar Dansk. The Sweden again took the full control of the game, but had problems finding the net. With only nine minutes to go, a powerplay bomb by Capitals prospect Christian Djoos tied the game and forced overtime.

GIFs by welshhockeyfan

In OT, Rasmus Ristolainen went hard to the net from below the goal line and poked the puck past the pads of Dansk, giving Finland their third-ever gold medal and first since 1998.

Team Sweden’s captain and ex-Caps prospect Filip Forsberg was named MVP of the tournament. Andre Burakovsky had a few good rushes. His feed to Wallmark from behind the net gave Sweden their best chance of the OT period.