Switzerland – Canada2 1:5 (end) | Finland – Russia 5:2 (end) | Slovakia2 – Sweden2 1:6 (end)
Czech Republic – USA 4:2 (end)
final
Finland
5:2 (1:2, 2:0, 2:0)
Russia
Monday 11.08.2014, 15:30 • Břeclav • Hlinka Gretzky Cup
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 15:30.
     
    Good afternoon from Breclav. In the first game of this year´s Ivan Hlinka memorial tournament, Team Russia faces Team Finland.
     
    Starting lineups:

    Finland: Vehviläinen (Heljanko) – Saarijärvi, Juolevi, Järvinen, Vainio, Mattila, Parikka, Välimäki – Palmu, Nättinen, Puljujärvi – Aho, Tammela, Laine – Tavernier, Ruotsalainen, Piipponen – Niemelä, Mattila, Björkqvist – Mäkinen.

    Russia: Kolesnikov (Krasotkin) – Sidorov, Kozyrev, Fatkullin, Rykov, Bannikov, Platonov, Nesterov, Emets – Ivashov, Alekseev, Karnaukhov – Zhukenov, Zhebelev, Kaprizov – Bochkarev, Ivanyuzhenkov, Byakin – Barabanov, Volkov, Podluboshnov.

    Referees: Fraňo, Hodek – Lhotský, Ondráček.
     
    Finns had to endure an adventurous trip to the south of the Czech Republic as their hockey equipment arrived late, just in time for the start of the tournament.
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    00:13
    Goal for Team Finland!
    Perfect start for Finnish team. They moved to the attack right after the faceoff, moved past static Russian defensemen and Palmu´s cross pass was fired home by JESSE PULJUJÄRVI. Assisted by Petrus Palmu and Vili Sarrijärvi.
    Jesse PULJUJÄRVI - 1:0
    Hockey arena in Breclav
     
    01:36
    Russia pushed forward, got hold of the puck behind the Finnish net, but could not find a way to a scoring chance.
     
    03:15
    Rykov´s shot is parried by Vehvilainen, good stop by the Finnish goalie.
     
    04:31
    Palmu was looking for his teammate in front of the net, yet the puck was too fast.
     
    05:56
    Tavernier (FIN) is called for a minor tripping penalty.
     
    06:34
    Goal for Team Russia!
    The game is tied as Russia scores on a powerplay. EGOR RYKOV fires from the blue line and beats Vehvilainen on his glove side. Assisted by Timur Fatkullin.
    Egor RYKOV - 1:1
     
    07:11
    Ivashov had a great opportunity to score, but hits the side netting only.
     
    08:39
    Russia clearly on top at the moment, Byakin is twice denied by Vehvilainen.
     
    10:27
    After being under pressure for last few minutes, Finns eventually come forward and Laine looks for a shot, but misses the net.
     
    10:47
    Kaprizov misses a wide open net on the side after a good pass by Zhukenov.
     
    12:37
    Matilla (FIN) is called for handling the puck with his hands.
     
    14:03
    Good penalty killing so far by Team Finland, pushing Russian players wide and far from their net.
     
    14:27
    Goal for Team Russia!
    But a single powerplay shot is enough for Russia to take the lead. MIKHAIL SIDOROV fires a beautiful wristshot that hits the underside of the crossbar and goes in. Assisted by Dmitry Zhukenov.
    Mikhail SIDOROV - 1:2
     
    15:39
    Piipponen could equalize soon afterwards all alone in front of the net. yet he misses the pass from the left side and the chance is squandered.
     
    17:12
    First powerplay for Team Finland. Denis Alekseev (RUS) is called for delaying the game after knocking the net loose.
     
    18:23
    Big pressure by Team Finland. Puljujarvi and Aho miss the net from close range as Kolesnikov feels the heat of many shots heading his way.
     
    18:47
    Palmu misses a sitter, firing wide with Kolesnikov stretched on the ice.
     
    19:12
    Team Russia is playing at full strength.
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    Russia heads for the intermission one goal ahead thanks to two poweplay goals. Finns enjoyed a great start to the game, scoring after just 13 seconds, but they did not manage to convert any of their other chances. Next period starts at 16:15.
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    20:07
    Big dejavu in the arena as Russia fails to deal with the opening faceoff again, Puljujarvi is clean through on goal, but he shoots high above the crossbar!
     
    21:31
    Laine fires from the right side, his shot is too high, as well.
     
    21:57
    Piipponen (FIN) is called for hooking. Will the Russian powerplay be succesful for the third time, too?
     
    23:40
    The Russian powerplay is not good this time. Ivanyuzhenkov attempts a wristshot in the most dangerous action of the powerplay, but it goes wide.
     
    23:57
    Team Finland is at full strength.
     
    23:58
    Zhebelev (RUS) is called for tripping.
     
    25:09
    Vainio misses from the blue line, his hard shot hits back boards behind the net.
     
    25:58
    Russia is at full strength.
     
    26:41
    Podluboshnov misses a great chance on the left crease, shooting into the goalie.
     
    27:32
    Goal for Team Finland!
    Out of the blue, KASPER BJÖRKQVIST gets to the loose puck in the attacking zone and scores with a hard and accurate wristshot past Kolesnikov. Unassisted.
    Kasper BJÖRKQVIST - 2:2
     
    28:03
    Zhukenov (RUS) is called for slashing. With the delayed penalty, Finns moved to a breakaway and Puljujarvi was clean through on goal, only to shoot too high with his backhand move.
     
    29:37
    Good powerplay by Team Finland, closing their grip on Russian goal, but Vainio shoots just wide in the biggest chance.
     
    30:03
    Team Russia is at full strength.
     
    31:11
    Goal for Team Finland!
    Kolesnikov spills Piipponen´s shot and SAMI TAVERNIER is on hand to fire in the rebound. Bit of a cheap goal to concede and Finland is again ahead. Assisted by Topi Piipponen.
    Sami TAVERNIER - 3:2
     
    32:14
    Russia (RUS) serves a minor penalty for too many players on the ice. Served by Emets.
     
    32:56
    Saarijarvi´s wristshot from the blue line is deflected on to the post.
     
    33:13
    Palmu (FIN) called for tripping.
     
    34:14
    Many interruptions in play right now. Russia is now at full strength.
     
    35:01
    Goalie Vehvilainen parries a shot with his mask.
     
    35:13
    Finland is at full strength.
     
    36:21
    Vehvilainen saves from Bochkarev with his right pad.
     
    37:15
    Parikka (FIN) is called for tripping, another Russian powerplay.
     
    39:14
    First, Zhebelev fires the puck into the open net, but Vehvilainen´s pad is faster and kicks it out, then Niemela on the other side moves alone on goal only to be denied by Kolesnikov.
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    Two Finnish goals in the middle period turn the score in their favour. The game is very even with chances on both sides so the third period promises a lot of drama.
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    41:27
    Goal for Team Finland!
    The start of the period is again dominated by Finland. PATRIK LAINE moves on a breakaway, everyone is expecting a pass, including the goalie and the Finnish forward calmly passes the puck into the back of the net. Unassisted.
    Patrik LAINE - 4:2
     
    42:38
    Bjorkqvist and Puljujarvi are both denied by Kolesnikov.
     
    44:13
    Vainio (FIN) gets a 2-minute penalty for slashing.
     
    45:27
    Russia again in attack. Volkov deflects Rykov´s shot wide.
     
    47:01
    Another big chance of Russian team. However, Platonov fails to beat Vehvilainen and the score stays the same.
     
    47:53
    Jarvinen (FIN) is sent to the penalty box for boarding.
     
    49:53
    Finland at full strength with no major worry they had to deal with in past two minutes.
     
    50:47
    It is just not happening for Russia. Three players fight for the puck in front of the net, yet neither of them can get to the rebound.
     
    51:44
    Goal for Team Finland!
    Finnish team is very efficient in this game. SEBASTIAN AHO shows speed and skill and scores with a wristshot past Kolesnikov after coming in from the left wing. Unassisted.
    Sebastian AHO - 5:2
     
    53:36
    Volkov (RUS) is penalized for slashing.
     
    54:41
    Palmu and Laine attempt to score with quick shots through traffic, yet these go both wide.
     
    55:26
    Good save by Kolesnikov, diving to his right to stop Tamella´s rebound.
     
    55:38
    Another penalty against Team Russia, this time for high sticking against Sidorov (RUS).
     
    56:25
    Puljujarvi´s shot is stopped by Kolesnikov.
     
    57:38
    Team Russia is at full strength.
     
    58:14
    Vehvilainen makes another reflex pad save. He has been a key to Finnish success tonight.
     
    59:22
    Both teams just run down the clock, the end is getting close.
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    Team Finland earns a victory thanks to their superior scoring efficiency. Russia had many chances tonight, but they could not find a way past Vehvilainen in the Finnish goal.

    The arena gets quiter now, but at 7p.m. CET, the Czech Republic faces USA in the repeat of last U18 Worlds Finals. (17:36:03)
    Commentary by

    Lukáš Peroutka

    CZ@LukasPeroutka

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 1. Puljujärvi (Palmu, Saarijärvi), 28. Björkqvist, 32. Tavernier (Piipponen), 42. Laine, 52. Aho – 7. Rykov (Fatkullin), 15. Sidorov (Zhukenov)

    Finland: Vehviläinen (Heljanko) – Saarijärvi, Juolevi, Järvinen, Vainio, Mattila, Parikka, Välimäki – Palmu, Nättinen, Puljujärvi – Aho, Tammela, Laine – Tavernier, Ruotsalainen, Piipponen – Niemelä, Mattila, Björkqvist – Mäkinen.
    Russia: Kolesnikov (Krasotkin) – Sidorov, Kozyrev, Fatkullin, Rykov, Bannikov, Platonov, Nesterov – Ivashov, Alekseev, Karnaukhov – Zhukenov, Zhebelev, Kaprizov – Bochkarev, Ivanyuzhenkov, Byakin – Barabanov, Volkov, Podluboshnov – Emets.
    Referees: Fraňo, Hodek – Lhotský, Ondráček