Almost another one for the Fins but they can't battle the puck over the goal line from short distance!

Mats Zucarello receives a long pass at the Finnish blue line but isn't able to controll the puck and the chance is over as fast as it came.

Just shortly after the Norwegians are back at full strength a long combination by the Fins ends with a shot by Teemu Selanne from left to the net but he can't surprise Volden who covered up the right corner in time.

The Finnish power play formation is not working all too well and they have to get the puck behind their own net after a puck couldn't be stopped at the Norwegian blue line.

Nice 3-on-2 attack by the Norwegians just the last pass was intercepted by the last defender just in front of Kari Lehtonen's net.

Nobody attacks Patrick Thoresen after he came from behind the net but his two shots from close to the right post were both stopped by Kari Lehtonen.

The Fins really took their feet form the gas pedal. They let Norway combinate till their third and only then they attack them to keep the puck away from the net. Of course they want to save energy before the final group match against Canada.

After a shot from the right circle by Olli Jokinen which was an easy victim of the glove hand of Lars Volden, Finland's Leo Komarov pushed Mats Zuccarello into his own goalie who then made a hard landing on the ice – with a lot of frustration due to the result on the video board Zucarello then slashed Komarovs legs from behind but no penalty was given by the referees. For what ever reason...

Ken Andre Olimb tries it from the left circle but only finds the gloves of goalie Kari Lehtonen.

Jussi Jokinen with a shot from the blue line into the gloves of Volden.

The Fins are back at full strength.

With a harmless shot against the chest of Lehtonen Norwegian Sondre Olden can't score for Norway.

The Norwegians are back at full strength.

Youngster Mikael Granlund twice gets the puck at the left circle but instead of trying it himself he passes the puck to his team mates who lose it.

The Fins win a face off inside the Norwegian zone but can't keep the puck inside of it.

The Norwegians try to give a positive reaction but by now don't get more than a shot into the gloves of Lehtonen into their favour.

Another harmless shot by the Fins, this time from the right wing.

A harmless shot by Jori Lehterä from the left circle towards the left bottom corner is stopped without problems by Lars Volden in the Norwegian net.

Almost the direct answer through Norwegian defender Henrik Odegaard but his blue line shot is blocked by Lehtonen.

Norway's Ken Andre Olimb loses the puck on the right wing and Finland's Jussi Jokinen uses the now open lane to skate towards the left circle from where he misses the right top corner of the Norwegian net by inches.

Long pass towards the blue line but the Fins can't controll the puck there.

The Norwegians have a couple of harmless distance shots and now the Fins keep the puck in their own third.

Sondre Olden receives a pass right to the Finnish net. He then tried to beat Kari Lehtonen from a very sharp angle but the Finnish goalie made a pad save.

It's a very calm start into the middle period. The Fins don't have to do much, now it's the Norwegians' turn.

Finland leaves Norway the puck and they concentrate on defense and counters with a three goal lead in favour before the first intermission.

After a 2-on-2 rush Norway's Martin Roymark is forced towards the left wing and his shot from the left circle is an easy victim for goalie Kari Lehtonen.

Offside call now on the other side against Finland.

Team Norway lets the puck circulate at the Finnish blue line but the puck crosses it and during the attempt to get it back into the third there is an offside call.

The Norwegians are taking over the initiative. Of course they have to show a reaction if they want to come back in this match.

Both teams are back at full strength.

After a fast rush Norway's Morten Ask tries it from within the slot but is denied a goal by Kari Lehtonen in the Finnish net.

Lauri Korpikoski misses the Norwegian net to the left with a shot from within the slot.

The Norwegians started well-organized into the match but after a double within just one minute the game seems almost lost for them already.

After a pass from the left circle Norway has another opportunity for the deflected shot is kept outside by Lehtonen with a glove save.

Kari Lehtonen without problems against a shot from the right wing by a Norwegian forward.

Aleksander Barkov with the first real shot on goal, tries it from close to the right circle but only hits the chest of Norwegian goalie Lars Haugen who plays for Dinamo Minsk in KHL.

It's a very nervous start. There are many misdirected passes and puck losses on either side.

Both teams entered the defensive zone of their opponents several times already but without being able to create any danger yet.

The teams are already on the ice. Finland will play in white jerseys with black shorts and the Norwegians in red jerseys with blue shorts.

Starting lineups:

Norway: Haugen (Volden) – Holos, Bonsaksen, Solberg, Tollefsen, Odegaard, Olden, Sorvik – Zuccarello, K. A. Olimb, Thoresen – Ask, M. Olimb, Rosseli Olsen – Skrøder, Bastiansen, Forsberg – Olden, Hansen, Roymark – Dahlstrom, Lystad Jacobsen

Finland: Lehtonen (Niemi) – Timonen, Vatanen, Määttä, Salo, Lepistö, Hietanen, Väänänen, Kukkonen – Selänne, Barkov, Granlund – O. Jokinen, Ruutu, Korpikoski – Salminen, Kontiola, J. Jokinen – Lehterä, Pihlström, Komarov

Referees: Brueggemann (GER), Sutherland (CAN) – Amell (CAN), Carlson (CAN)

Finland are among the favourites to get a medal also at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi after winning either silver (2x) or bronze (3x) in 5 of the last 7 Olympic tournaments. In Vancouver in 2010 they made the 3rd spot by defeating Slovakia (5-3) in the bronze medal game. During the 2011 IIHF World Championship the Fins won gold in the final against archrivals Sweden before finishing 4th twice in a row.

Norway became 10th in Vancouver by losing all 4 games, including the quarterfinal qualification against Slovakia (3-4). Since 2006 the Norwegians always played in the IIHF World Championship top division but during the last tournament 2013 they were only 10th.

In the first match of the tournament Norway was able to give Canada a tough fight but still they lost 1-3 in the end on Thursday. For Finland the start was better when they defeated outsiders Austria 8-4 after a complicated start and laying back twice in the first period.

Of course Finland also go as favourites into this match against their Northern European neighbours but it should be a difficult task for them nevertheless!

Welcome. Game starts at 12:00 ET / 18:00 CET / 21:00 MSK which is also the local time in Sochi.