FIN 3:1 1FR | Finland - France2 (World Championship)

World Championship

Germany2 – Slovakia2	2:3 (end)	\|	Switzerland – Czech Republic	5:2 (end)	\|	Finland – France2	3:1 (end)
Sweden2 – Belarus	2:1 (end)

final

Finland

3:1 (0:0, 2:0, 1:1)

France2

Monday 06.05.2013, 19:15 • World Championship

		Thank you for following the game with us! For other WC games have a look at our schedule! (21:26:32)
		It was a close game – probably closer than most would have expected – but in the end Finland were able to get a 3-1 win against the underdogs from France. After the goal by Bellemare at the start of the third period the game was open again but a deflected blue line shot made everything clear for Finland who now have excellent chances for a top spot in the Helsinki group! For France the fight for the quarterfinals continues. Shots on goal: Finland 6 (22) – France 10 (22)
	60:00	Game over.
	59:24	Two minute penalty against France for having too many players on the ice.
	58:57	The French head coach wanted a time out but the referees didn't see it.
	58:54	Icing Finland.
	58:00	Last two minutes were just announced and it looks like Finland have everything under controll.
	56:26	After a fast attack Yorick Treille tried it himself with a deke but in the last moment he was stopped by a defender and the chance was gone.
	56:05	France are playing very offensive in these last minutes which allows good counter chances for Finland!
	55:48	Good pass to a French forward but Ortio left his net and cleared the situation.
	54:35	Out of nothing Bellemare appeared alone in front of Ortio after a long pass but his one-timer was stoped by the goalie!
	53:45	The French are able to keep the puck inside the attacking zone but have problems to create real danger.
	52:32	Petri Kontiola (Finland) gets two minutes for interference.
	52:22	Sacha Treille almost with the turnover inside the Finish third but he is stopped in the last moment by a defender.
	50:30	The game has really calmed down after goal no 3 for Finland. France are losing hope a bit.
	48:36	Goal for Team Finland! Antti Pihlström tried it with a blue line shot at height of the right wing which was deflected by VILLE VIITALUOMA justin front of Lhenry for the 3-1 lead for Finland! Assisted by Ossi Vaananen and Antti Pihlström.
	47:33	Big opportunity for Finland! Koskiranta skated alone over the left wing before he tried it with a wrap-around which was stopped by Lhenry! From short distance Korpikoski was about to get the rebound but Lhenry covered the puck up well!
	46:39	Powerful blue line shot by the Fins but the shot was no danger for Lhenry.
	46:10	Looks like the biggest pressure by France is over. Finland are going for the 3rd goal themselves now.
	43:42	Icing by Finland.
	42:15	Yorick Treille with a one-timer from the left circle but his shot is blocked before one of his team missed wasn't able to score with the rebound when he hit the helmet of a defender!! France are beliving in themselves again!
	41:27	Two minute team penalty against Finland for having too many players on the ice.
	40:43	Goal for Team France! Out of the blue France is back in the game! PIERRE-EDOUARD BELLEMARE received a perfect back pass just right to the net and fired the puck into the right bottom corner to cut the deficit to the half! Assisted by Sacha Treille and Damien Fleury.
	40:12	The French are back at full strength.
	40:01	Start of 3rd period.
		France kept the game very open for a long time and even had several good opportunities to get in front before a double around "half time" gave Finland a lucky but not undeserved 2-0 lead. Several unnecessary penalties almost caused even more damage for France. Shots on goal: Finland 9 (16) – France 3 (12)
	40:00	2nd period finished.
	39:52	Two French players are able to win the puck and defend it deep inside the Finnish zone.
	39:17	The Fins are looking for a perfect shooting position, without luck so far.
	38:14	Sacha Treille (France) gets two minutes for delaying the game – a long 5 on 3 now for the Fins.
	37:35	Nicolas Besch (France) gets two minutes for hooking.
	35:19	Goal for Team Finland! Now it's getting bitter for France that played so well during the first half hour! After a perfect cross-pass in front of Lhenry it was JUHAMATTI AALTONEN who waited at the left post and fired the puck past Lhenry for the 2-0! Assisted by Petri Kontiola and Juuso Hietanen.
	35:07	After a big dribbling Kontiola had the next opportunity for the hosts but was stopped in the very last moment!
	34:41	Goal for Team Finland! JANNE PESONEN received the puck on the right wing, skated towards a central position and fired the puck into the right top corner! No chance at all for Lhenry during this power play strike! Assisted by Juhamatti Aaltonmen and Petri Kontiola.
	34:19	Vincent Bachet (France) gets two minutes for boarding.
	33:28	In the following situation Pierre-Edouard Bellemare had by far the best opportunity of the game when the French striker hit the right goal post from within the slot!
	33:17	Just when hte Fins were in a good shooting position the puck went over the blue line back into the neutral zone and the chance was gone.
	32:37	Teddy Da Costa (France) gets two minutes for roughing – 4 on 4 now.
	32:37	Juuso Hietanen (Finland) gets two minutes for roughing.
	32:26	The Fins are back at full strength.
	32:04	Suddenly a French striker appeared in front of Ortio with the net wide open but missed the puck!
	31:37	Again an impressive performance by the Finnish defense who keeps France far away from the net.
	30:26	Veli-Matti Savinainen (Finland) gets two minutes for boarding.
	29:20	Juuso Hietanen tried it twice from the blue line but Lhenry blocked both shots to the side.
	28:42	Next dangerous attack by France but the pass from the left wing went wide.
	27:41	Suddenly a very dangerous situation when two French forwards appeared alone in front of Ortio but there was an offside call against them – the video review showed that this was the wrong decision – bitter for the underdogs!
	27:00	The pressure on the French net gets higher and hgiher. A goal for the hosts should be only a question of time if they continue to play with their early pressing.
	26:06	The penalty against the Fins is over. France wasn't able to get a shot on goal.
	24:06	Ossi Vaananen (Finland) gets two minutes for holding an opponent.
	22:30	Finland with a lot of puck possession in the neutral zone, force France back into their own zone.
	20:55	The Fins came a lot more aggressive out of the dressing rooms than it was the case in the previous period.
	20:01	Start of 2nd period.
		France were able to keep the first period against tournament co-hosts Finland very open and earned a 0-0 after 20 minutes. The favourites from Finland have to invest a lot more in the next two periods if they want to win this match. Shots on goal: Finland 7 – France 9
	20:00	1st period finished.
	19:25	Currently the Fins are able to force France back into their own third. Good PK.
	18:40	Several good shooting attempts for France so far in their first power play of the evening.
	18:08	Tuukka Mäntylä (Finland) gets two minutes for holding the stick.
	17:44	For a moment Lhenry was out of his net too wide when he tried to clear the situaton but Finland weren't able to benefit.
	16:59	Another attack by Team France ended with a too early shot that didn't cause Ortio any trouble.
	16:15	The Fins often wait very long before looking for a new attack. They look a bit impressed by the French resistance.
	14:34	After a fast attack France looked immidiately for the shot on goal but from a central position the distance shot was no threat for Ortio.
	13:34	One of the Fins tried it with a shot after turning quickly around in front of Lhenry but the puck went wide.
	13:25	Viitaluoma with a shot from within the slot, misses the net.
	12:14	The French are back at full strength after good penalty killing.
	11:33	The French were able to make a long clearance and Finland have to restart their attack behind their own net.
	10:48	Hytönen with a one-timer from a central position didn't create any danger.
	10:14	Antonin Manavian (France) gets two minutes for hooking. It's the first penalty of the game.
	09:58	Lhenry first deflected a shot from the left wing before he stopped a powerful shot from the right circle! Afterwards Finland's Korpikoski looked for a fight against two French players.
	08:34	Harmless shot by Ilari Melart from the blue line at theight of the left wing. He aimed for the five hole but Lhenry used his pads well.
	07:30	The French are playing surprisingly aggressive and have more of the game to this point.
	06:35	Vincent Bachet tries it from the left wing, also no danger for the Finish goalie.
	06:13	Auvitu with a harmless shot from the right wing into the gloves of Ortio.
	04:58	Counter attack for the Fins but they don't stay in puck possession.
	03:45	Yohann Auvitu with a long pass on the right wing but the puck goes wide.
	02:57	Finland with the attempt to skate fast into the French third but a defender is in between with the block.
	02:08	Blue line shot by the French team, easily blocked to the side by Ortio.
	01:08	The Fins start with a lot of pressure, have several shots already.
	00:01	Game started.
		Starting lineups: Finland: Ortio (Raanta) – Lepistö, Hietanen, Laakso, Mäntylä, Väänänen, Jalasvaara, Kukkonen (C), Melart – Aaltonen, Kontiola (A), Pesonen – Salminen, Viitaluoma, Korpikoski – Pihlström, Koskiranta, Savinainen – Haataja, Hytönen, Hagman (A). France: Lhenry (Hardy) – Manavian, Auvitu (A), Bachet (C), Hecquefeuille, Janil, Besch, Moisand – Treillee Y., Desroisers, Guttig – Fleury, Bellemare (A), Treille S. – Henderrson, Roussel, Da Costa – Bozon, Ritz, Raux, Bertrand Referees: Krik (CAN), Zalaski (CAN) – Kilian (NOR), Wilmot (CAN)
		Co-hosts Finland (5 points) have the big opportunity to make a huge step towards the quarterfinal qualification in the Helsinki group. In the first two matches they had their problems against Germany (4-3 OT) and Slovakia (2-0) but were able to get the necessary wins. Today's opponents France had a disappointing start against Slovakia (2-6) were they were left completey chanceless before they beat Austria (3-1) in a battle to avoid relegation. France are the clear outsiders against Finland but if they play at their best level they are good for a surprise!
		Welcome. Game starts at 13:15 EST / 18:15 GMT / 19:15 CET.

Commentary by

Dennis Mende

Goals & lineups Match log

Goals and assists: 35. Pesonen (Aaltonen, Kontiola), 36. Aaltonen (Kontiola, Hietanen), 49. Viitaluoma (Vaananen, Pihlström) – 41. Bellemare (Treille, Fleury)

Finland: Ortio (Raanta) – Lepistö, Hietanen, Laakso, Mäntylä, Väänänen, Jalasvaara, Kukkonen (C), Melart – Aaltonen, Kontiola (A), Pesonen – Salminen, Viitaluoma, Korpikoski – Pihlström, Koskiranta, Savinainen – Haataja, Hytönen, Hagman (A).

France2: Lhenry (Hardy) – Manavian, Auvitu (A), Bachet (C), Hecquefeuille, Janil, Besch, Moisand – Treillee Y., Desroisers, Guttig – Fleury, Bellemare (A), Treille S. – Henderrson, Roussel, Da Costa – Bozon, Ritz, Raux, Bertrand

Referees: Krik (CAN), Zalaski (CAN) – Kilian (NOR), Wilmot (CAN)

1st period
	10:14
	18:08
1st intermission
2nd period
	24:06
	30:26
	32:37
	32:37
	34:19
	34:41
	35:19
	37:35
	38:14
2nd intermission
3rd period
	40:43
	41:27
	48:36
	52:32
	59:24
Final