Russia – Sweden2 3:1 (end) | Czech Republic – Finland 0:3 (end)
final
Czech Republic
0:3 (0:1, 0:1, 0:1)
Finland
Saturday 24.05.2014, 17:45 • Minsk Arena • World Championship
     
    So the Finns, who needed help on the last day of the tournament to even make the quarterfinals, are now assured a medal. They will play for gold.

    The bronze medal game between the Czech Republic and Sweden begins at 17:30 MSK, 16:30 EEST, 15:30 CEST, 09:30 EDT. The gold medal game between Russia and Finland begins as 22:00 MSK, 21:00 EEST, 20:00 CEST, 14:00 EDT. (21:16:48)
     
    The Finns are off to face Russia in tomorrow's final, while the Czechs will play the Swedes for the bronze.
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    59:48
    Goal for Team Finland!
    Immonen gets the puck out of the zone and the Finns had a 2-on-1 on the empty net, with JORI LEHTERA finishing it off. Empty-net goal.
    Assists: Leo Komoarov, Jarkko Immonen.
     
    59:21
    Big pile-up of bodies in the goal crease and the puck still stays out.
     
    59:02
    Shot from Jagr, save and a big scramble but the puck stays out.
     
    58:53
    Timeout Czech Republic.

    They've got the faceoff deep in the Finnish zone and Salak on the bench for a 6th attacker, but they're down by 2.
     
    58:53
    Ondrej Nemec with a wrister from the point, caught and held by Rinne.
     
    58:33
    Salak goes to the bench for a 6th attacker, play deep in the Finnish zone.
     
    58:10
    Jokinen leads a rush, his shot is blocked and the Czechs start back the other way.
     
    57:17
    Jordan's wrister from the point is blocked. Play continues down low and finally the Finns clear it.
     
    56:08
    Offside Finland.
     
    55:29
    Erik Haula with a wrister from the boards, right on Salak, who covers.
     
    55:11
    Jormakka sends Olli Palola in on goal but Alexander Salak makes a big save. That would have been a back-breaker for sure.
     
    34:30
    Mikko Salomaki flips it on Salak from the boards, kicked away.
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    34:13
    One-time slapper from Jakub Klepis sails high.
     
    32:45
    Czechs with possession in the zone, long wrister from Novotny is caught and held by Rinne.
     
    32:30
    Puck out of play in the Finnish zone, faceoff inside.
     
    32:20
    Wrister from Pekka Jormakka, right on Salak.
     
    31:08
    Play deep in the Finnish zone, Rinne denies a sharp-angled attempt.
     
    30:02
    Czech clearing attempt is deflected out of play, faceoff outside with :30 left in the penalty.
     
    29:37
    Icing Finland with :55 left in the penalty.
     
    28:40
    Czechs with a shorthanded 2-on-1, Vitasek to Rolinek, fans on the shot.
     
    28:31
    Play is stopped as Jaromir Jagr and Tuukka Mantyla get tangled up in the Finnish zone, Jagr is called for slashing, so Finland is going back to the power play. They're 1/4 in the game, but more important than scoring is a chance to take another 2 minutes off the clock.
     
    27:25
    Czechs at full strength, they break out of their own zone.
     
    26:50
    Mantyla centres for Pakarinen, one-times it just wide from the slot.
     
    26:20
    Kolar sends it the length of the ice, Finns regroup.
     
    25:45
    The Czechs clear the zone and Juuso Hietanen plays it with a high stick, so the faceoff will come down in the Finnish zone with 1:10 left in the penalty.
     
    24:54
    Tomas Rolinek is called for interference. Finland to the power play, 1/3 in the game.
     
    24:04
    Hudler with the backhander, Rinne gets a toe on it to knock it wide.
     
    23:12
    Offside Finland.
     
    21:35
    Now a turnover in the Czech zone, Palola to Jormakka, pad save Salak.
     
    21:07
    Finnish pressure continues, Jokinen from down low, centres Leo Komarov and Alexander Salak makes a big save on his one-timer. Komarov looks skyward.
     
    20:51
    Quickly back the other way, Salak makes a save and play is stopped as it appears his mask needs adjusting.
     
    20:39
    Sobotka again, this time a low wrister and a pad save by Rinne.
     
    20:11
    Vladimir Sobotka enters the Finnish zone, fires a high wrister that Rinne catches and holds.
     
    The two teams have returned to the ice and the 3rd period will begin shortly.
     
    The Czechs had some life early in that period and had some chances, but it was the Finns who scored on the power play and now lead 2-0 after 2 periods.

    Shots on goal in the 2nd period: CZE 7 (13), FIN 6 (18).

    3rd period begins at 20:22 EEST, 19:22 CEST.
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    39:39
    Salak covers the puck with just :01 left in the penalty.
     
    39:05
    Jori Lehtera gets a chance from point blank, Salak is down but denies him.
     
    38:46
    Finland is offside again with :54 left in their power play.
     
    38:20
    Long stretch pass to Jormakka, he would have been in all alone but he's called offside. Faceoff back at the Finnish blueline, 1:20 left in the penalty.
     
    37:40
    Roman Cervenka is called for slashing in the attacking zone, Finland is 1/2 on the power play, and look to put a stranglehold on this game late in the 2nd period.
     
    36:18
    2-on-1 Finland but Michal Vondrka does a good job on the backcheck to break up the pass, then the Czechs counter quickly and Pekka Rinne with the save.
     
    35:29
    Finally the puck deflects out of play, faceoff in the Finnish zone.
     
    35:14
    Now Sekac's wrister from the other point deflects wide.
     
    34:45
    Slapper from the point by Kindl deflects just wide.
     
    34:12
    And the Czechs counter, Rinne grabs Cervenka's long shot and holds on.
     
    34:00
    The puck comes to Olli Jokinen right on front of the net but he can't backhand it bast Salak.
     
    33:19
    Another offside called against Finland on the long pass, faceoff at their own blueline.
     
    33:12
    Low shot by Salomaki from the top of the circle, stick save Salak and he eventually covers it.
     
    33:01
    Puck deflects out of play in the Czech zone, faceoff inside.
     
    32:47
    Offside Finland.
     
    32:11
    Czechs buzzing but the shot by Ruzicka goes out of play, faceoff outside.
     
    31:42
    Offside Finland on the long pass, faceoff back at their own blueline.
     
    31:02
    Goal for Team Finland!
    It doesn't take them long to cash in. From the top of the circle, Kontiola feeds JARKKO IMMONEN at the goal line, and with the right-handed shot he has the angle to beat Salak and it's 2-0. Power-play goal.
    Assists: Petri Kontiola, Jere Karalahti.
     
    30:27
    Petr Zamorsky going to the box for high sticking. Finland to the power play, 0/1 today.
     
    29:47
    Zatovic tried a rush down the right side, stripped of the puck but Finland called for icing.
     
    28:40
    Finland back at full strength, play in the neutral zone.
     
    28:19
    Jagr again coming in from the boards, Rinne has trouble with his shot and the puck is loose in the crease, finally covered. :07 left in the penalty.
     
    27:47
    Jagr works the puck out from behind the net and fires wide on the far side.
     
    27:12
    The puck shot down on Salak, as the Czechs are having trouble getting into the Finnish zone.
     
    26:25
    Finland's Olli Palola takes down Petr Zamorsky along the boards and is called for tripping. Czechs 0/2 on the power play.
     
    26:01
    Nemec's shot attempt is blocked and the puck slides harmlessly to Rinne, who covers.
     
    25:14
    Kindl with a wrister from the point, deflected wide, then Jordan gets it in the corner and tries to stuff it in the short side but Rinne stays tight to the post and covers.
     
    04:32
    Puck played by a Czech high stick, faceoff in their own zone.
     
    03:48
    Long wrister from Tommi Huhtala, right on Salak, who holds on.
     
    02:51
    Rinne makes the save and hangs on, Finland now back at full strength.
     
    03:27
    Icing Finland.
     
    02:30
    Zamorsky's shot from the point was blocked, then Haula did a good job of carrying the puck into the Czechs zone and taking time off the clock.
     
    02:05
    Hudler tried to centre for Hertl but the pass was in the air and he couldn't handle it.
     
    20:56
    A flurry of chances for the Czechs, first Nemec from the point, stick save Rinne, the Sobotka from the slot was blocked, then Jagr from the boards hit the side of the net.
     
    20:39
    Off the faceoff Petri Kontiola is called for cross-checking. The Czechs to the power play, 0/1 today.
     
    00:35
    Icing Finland.
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    The teams have returned to the ice and the 2nd period will begin shortly.
     
    Not an overly offensive period, but Finland definitely had the better chances to score and they have the only goal so far on a great individual effort from co-scoring leader Jori Lehtera.

    Shots on goal in the 1st period: CZE 6, FIN 12.

    2nd period begins at 19:30 EEST, 18:30 CEST.
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    19:42
    Finns come in 3-on-2, Pakarinen takes a slapper, pad save Salak, the rebound is shot wide.
     
    19:11
    Now a long wrister from Martin Zatovic is caught and held by Pekka Rinne.
     
    18:25
    Klepis with a long shot, Rinne catches it and plays it.
     
    17:10
    Tommi Kivisto's high shot from the point hits Salak in the shoulder, and he traps it against his body.
     
    16:45
    The Czechs are back at full strength and they break out of their own zone.
     
    16:15
    Erik Haula hits Salak's blocker from a weak angle.
     
    16:03
    Finally Salak covers with :23 left in the penalty.
     
    15:40
    A tic-tac-toe passing play is finnished as Jokinen one-times it high from the slot.
     
    15:13
    Jokinen from a weak angle, pad save Salak.
     
    14:25
    After a lengthy delay with Rinne on the bench, the play is stopped and Tomas Hertl has 2 minutes for holding. Finland with their first power play of the game, looking to double their lead.
     
    13:41
    Then the Czechs come back the other way again, Rinne covers.
     
    13:20
    The Finns come back up ice quickly and nearly score, Jormakka's shot was stopped by Salak but the rebound hit Immonen and just bounced wide.
     
    13:07
    Jagr sends a wrister from the point through traffic wide.
     
    12:27
    Jokinen with a low wrister, off the side of the net ... Salak might have gotten a piece of it.
     
    11:15
    The Finns ice the puck again and the penalty is over. The Czechs didn't get much going.
     
    10:22
    Jagr sends the puck to the net from the boards, deflected wide and the Finns ice it.
     
    09:13
    Olli Jokinen is now called for holding, so the Czechs get a chance on the power play and will be looking to equalise.
     
    08:57
    Goal for Team Finland!
    What a great individual effort by JORI LEHTERA. He picked up the puck in the neutral zone and carried it across the line. The play didn't look so threatening but he beat Vitasek to the outside and then backhanded past Salak to open the scoring.
    Assists: Juuso Hietanen, Petri Kontiola.
     
    07:25
    Pekka Jormakka fires wide from the high slot.
     
    06:20
    The Finns break into the Czech zone, but the pass is deflected to the corner and they don't get a shot.
     
    05:59
    The puck is played by a Czech high stick in the attacking zone, faceoff outside.
     
    05:49
    Intentional offside called against the Czech Republic, faceoff back in their end.
     
    05:15
    Slapper from the point by Jormakka, stick save Salak.
     
    04:00
    Quick shot from Olli Jokinen, kicked out by Salak.
     
    03:35
    Shot by Jaromir Jagr is scooped up and held by Pekka Rinne.
     
    03:16
    Finns get possession off the draw and drive hard to the net, Iiro Pakarinen gets it in front but can't covert and Salak covers again.
     
    03:02
    First shot on goal for Finland, Tommi Salinen streaks down the right wing and fires right on Alexander Salak, who holds on.
     
    00:50
    The first shot of the game comes from the point by Michal Jordan, stopped and covered by Pekka Rinne.
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    The Czech Republic is the designated home team for this game and is wearing their white uniforms with red and blue trim, red pants and blue helmets. Finland is designated as the visiting team and is wearing their light blue uniforms with dark blue and white trim, dark blue pants and helmets.
     
    Starting Lineups:

    Czech Republic: Salák (Jakub Kovář) – Němec, Vitásek, Kindl, Jordán, Zámorský, Kolář, Ševc – Červenka, Novotný, Jágr – Sobotka, Klepiš, Hertl – Hudler, Zaťovič, Sekáč – Vondrka, Jan Kovář, Rolinek (C) – Růžička. Coach: Vladimír Růžička.

    Finland: Rinne (Koskinen) – Mäntylä, Hietanen, Ohtamaa, Karalahti, Kivistö, Lajunen, Marttinen – Lehterä, Kontiola, Pakarinen – Jokinen (C), Haula, Komarov – Jormakka, Immonen, Palola – Solomaki, T. Sallinen, J. Sallinen – Huhtala. Coach: Erkka Westerlund.

    Referees: Brueggemann (GER), Bulanov (RUS). Linesmen: Dahmén (SWE), Semjonov (EST).
     
    One semi-final is over and now the Czechs and the Finns will battle to see who will face Russia in tomorrow's final.

    The Czechs finished 3rd in Group A, then defeated the USA 4-3 in Thursday's quarterfinal. They're led offensively by Jaromir Jagr with 8 points (4+4), defenceman Ondrej Nemec with 7 points (2+5), Tomas Hertl with 6 points (3+3) and Vladimir Sobotka with 6 points (2+4).

    Finland finished 4th in Group B, then defeated Canada 3-2 in Thursday's quarterfinal. They're led offensively by Petri Kontiola with 8 points (3+5), Jori Lehtera with 8 points (1+7), and Olli Jokinen and Juuso Hietanen with 5 points (both 2+3).

    The starting goaltenders are Alexander Salak and Pekka Rinne, who have both been mainstays for their teams this tournament.
     
    Welcome. This semi-final game starts at 18:45 EEST, 17:45 CEST.
    Commentary by

    Derek OBrien

    CZ@@Djob76

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 9. Lehtera (Hietanen, Kontiola), 32. Immonen (Kontiola, Karalahti), 60. Lehtera (Komarov, Immonen)

    Czech Republic: Salák (Jakub Kovář) – Němec, Vitásek, Kindl, Jordán, Zámorský, Kolář, Ševc – Červenka, Novotný, Jágr – Sobotka, Klepiš, Hertl – Hudler, Zaťovič, Sekáč – Vondrka, Jan Kovář, Rolinek (C) – Růžička. Coach: Vladimír Růžička.
    Finland: Rinne (Koskinen) – Mäntylä, Hietanen, Ohtamaa, Karalahti, Kivistö, Lajunen, Marttinen – Lehterä, Kontiola, Pakarinen – Jokinen (C), Haula, Komarov – Jormakka, Immonen, Palola – Solomaki, T. Sallinen, J. Sallinen – Huhtala. Coach: Erkka Westerlund.
    Referees: Brueggemann (GER), Bulanov (RUS) – Dahmen (SWE), Semjonov (EST).