Finland improved to 2-0 at the 2022 World Junior Championships after defeating Austria 7-1 on Monday afternoon.
Ville Koivunen led the team with two goals on the night. Samuel Helenius, Brad Lambert, Kasper Simontaival, Kalle Vaisanen, Karri Aho, and Topi Niemala all got markers as well for the Finns. Martin Urbanek got the lone goal for Austria.
Austrian goaltender Sebastian Wraneschitz and Finnish forward Ville Koivunen were named players of the game.
It was a game Finnish dominance as the shot clock saw Austria accomplish just nine shots on goal compared to Finland’s 46.
First Period:
The Finns came out with a ton of energy in this one. A few fantastic chances in the first minute were denied by Sebastian Wraneschitz.
They wouldn’t be able to keep the Finns off the board for long. Brad Lambert led a rush that saw him loop behind the Austrian net to find Ville Koivunen in front for a one-timer. Suomi gets the early 1-0 lead as Lambert continues to be a standout player.
After the goal, it looked as though that early energy the Finns came out with was disappearing. The Finns still held the edge in play but the furious chances on net started to drop and the Austrians had some chances of their own. Oskar Maire got the first real chance for the Austrians on partial break. His backhanded shot was deflected away by Finnish goaltender Juha Jatkola.
Kasper Simontaival nearly extended the Finnish lead as he jumped on a loose puck in front of the net and hit the post.
Samuel Helenius would finally give the Finns some insurance. Some hard work from Koivunen behind the net would pop the puck out to Helenius in front. He would make no mistake as he one-timed a bullet past Wraneschitz. Finland secures a 2-0 lead late in the frame
Lassi Alanen on Twitter: “Samuel Helenius (LAK) snipes his third goal of the tournament. Sick backhand feed by Ville Koivunen (CAR). #WJC2022 pic.twitter.com/xfvikpadeg / Twitter”
Samuel Helenius (LAK) snipes his third goal of the tournament. Sick backhand feed by Ville Koivunen (CAR). #WJC2022 pic.twitter.com/xfvikpadeg
Austria had a late opportunity on the powerplay with less than a minute to play. They wouldn’t be able to convert and the would start the second on the PP down 2-0.
Second Period:
Austria started the period with a PP and, while they had some decent zone-time, they were unable to get a shot on goal. The shot clock was being dominated by the Finns as it read 21-4 in their favour.
Simontaival would make up for his post in the first with a goal early in the second. He was able to shovel in a rebound off a point shot from Karri Aho. Finns opens up a 3-0 lead over Austria.
Austria would finally muster a response on a powerplay chance a few moments later. Martin Urbanek sent a blast from the point over the shoulder of Jatkola. Austria matches their goal total from the entirety of last year’s tournament and it’s a 3-1 game.
IIHF on Twitter: “AUSTRIA IS ON THE BOARD!!!!Martin Urbanek scores Austria’s first of the #WorldJuniors! Team Austria has now scored as many goals as they did in the 2021 #WorldJuniors, so it’s all uphill from here. #AUTFIN pic.twitter.com/2J0eY14fP4 / Twitter”
AUSTRIA IS ON THE BOARD!!!!Martin Urbanek scores Austria’s first of the #WorldJuniors! Team Austria has now scored as many goals as they did in the 2021 #WorldJuniors, so it’s all uphill from here. #AUTFIN pic.twitter.com/2J0eY14fP4
It didn’t take long for Finland to restore their three-goal cushion. Aho sent a point shot that deflected off the backside of Kalle Vaisanen and over the glove of Wraneschitz. 4-1 game with 12 minutes left to go in the period.
Finland would continue to push but they wouldn’t be able to add to their lead. They hold Austria to just six shots in 40 minutes and were 20 minutes away from starting the tournamnent 2-0.
Third Period:
Finland kept their foots on the peddle as Koivunen picked up a bouncing puck and spun it around while falling to get it into the net. It was his second of the game and gave the Finns a 5-1 lead. If the game wasn’t already put away, this one cemented it.
Steve Kournianos on Twitter: “#WJC: How about this goal scored by LW Ville Koivunen (CAR) as he’s being hooked and falling to the ice? Goal of the tournament thus far if you think about it. Another primary 5v5 assist for RW Brad Lambert. Now 5-1 Finland over Austria in the third period.#2022NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/LwsyKwihBN / Twitter”
WJC: How about this goal scored by LW Ville Koivunen (CAR) as he’s being hooked and falling to the ice? Goal of the tournament thus far if you think about it. Another primary 5v5 assist for RW Brad Lambert. Now 5-1 Finland over Austria in the third period.#2022NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/LwsyKwihBN
Topi Neimala added yet another goal for the Finns a few shifts later as he blasted a point shot into the top left corner of the net. Austria was found themselves running around their own zone as Finland turned on autopilot. Shots at this point read 43-7 in favour of Finland.
The goals kept coming as Lambert as a misplay by Wraneschitz gave him a point blank chance that he buried. We were officially in blowout territory as Austria found themselves down 7-1.
FINAL SCORE: 7-1 Finland
The Finns will get a day off tomorrow before returning for a game against Czechia on Wednesday. For Austria, things won’t get any easier, they are set to hit the ice tomorrow against Canada.
Preston Hodgkinson
Twitter: @NHLHodgkinson
Photo Credit: Leijonat/@leijonat (Twitter)
