The Finnish national team for the semifinal match of the World Cup against the United States came out as a favorite. The Americans got the status of an outsider not only because they play against the host country of the tournament, the winner of the group stage and the current Olympic champion, after all.

The composition of the American team also influenced the balance of power – only four defenders announced for the semi-finals, and forwards played in the third pair of defenses.

US in trouble ahead of semi-finals

The US team had problems already in the quarterfinals. Then five defenders took to the ice, and the defensive functions fell on forward Riley Barber. By the semi-finals, the Americans did not solve the problems with the composition, on the contrary, everything only got worse – another defense player was injured.

Thus, the US team had four defenders in the application for the semi-finals, and the third pair of defense was represented by forwards: Barber and Sam Lafferty.

The Finns approached the match with the Americans in full combat readiness and without any problems with the squad. And Suomi fans were worried not only for the whole team, but also personally for Valtteri Filppula. The forward may become the first Finnish hockey player to conquer a triple gold club – Filppula took the gold of the 2022 Olympics and the Stanley Cup in 2008 as part of Detroit.

Americans showed character

It is important for any opponent of the Finnish national team to score a quick puck, because the Suomi team likes to dry the game and annoy the enemy by playing second number. So the Americans immediately after the starting throw-in ran to the attack, which quickly brought results – Nate Schmidt opened the scoring with a throw from the blue line.

Open video

And then the Americans began to be cautious and play compactly in defense. However, in the middle of the first period, Miro Heiskanen, due to individual actions, opened the tight defense of the Stars and Stripes and sent the puck under the crossbar with an uncomfortable hand.

Open video

The US team did its best to regain the lead in the match, but the Finns skillfully defeated all the opponent’s attacks. This continued until the beginning of the second period, until the American striker Alex Galchenyuk received a removal. Finland took advantage of the opponent’s indiscipline – Sakari Manninen brought the hosts ahead with a powerful throw.

Open video

Yielding in the long run, the Americans were forced to forget about the cautious and pragmatic hockey. They again began to take risks in the attack, and this brought the result –

Sean Farrell sent the puck over the Finnish keeper’s trap with a wrist shot and equalized.

Open video

But before the American fans had time to rejoice at the puck of the young forward, a few minutes later the Finnish team again took the lead – Sami Vatanen, according to Heiskanen’s notes, in a solo passage figured out the entire defense of the opponent and sent the puck into the goal.

Open video

In the absence of two defenders at once, the Stars and Stripes defense leader Seth Jones already had a lot of work to do. When, in the middle of the game, the Americans began to concede, Jones almost did not leave the ice. At the same time, the lack of defenders could not but affect the entire team – the defense players began to replay shifts so that Barber and Lafferty did not suffer for so long against the strong attack of the Finns.

Tired of the additional work, the defenders had a hard time at the beginning of the third period – the Americans again received a removal. In unequal lineups, the “stars and stripes” heroically held out, but two seconds after the appearance of the fifth field, they still conceded.

Open video

Immediately after the missed puck, the American team had a chance to score, but the keeper of Suomi literally knocked the puck off the ribbon with a stick.

In the remaining time, the Finns began to play the usual simple hockey. Still, a comfortable advantage of two goals allowed the Finnish team to concentrate on defense. The Americans, four minutes before the end of the period, removed the goalkeeper and began to storm the gate, which paid off. Adam Gaudette reduced the gap to one puck and gave hope to fans from the United States. There were still three minutes to play.

Open video

In the remaining time, the Americans also played with empty nets, but the Finns showed super-reliability in defense and survived.

We must pay tribute to the Americans: despite the problems with the composition, they fought until the last seconds. But the Finns go to the final from this pair, who will have to play either with the Canadians or the Czechs. And for the USA with such and such problems in the composition, bronze will be for happiness.

Ice Hockey World Championship 2022. Semifinal

Finland – USA – 4:3 (1:1, 2:1, 1:1)

Goals: Heiskanen, 16:53. Manninen, 24:11 (bol.). Vatanen, 29:40. Army, 45:03 – Schmidt, 1:04. Farrell, 26:52. Godette, 57:09