Finland Redeems Itself, Defeats Sweden in Thrilling Overtime Victory
At the 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal, Finland and Sweden engaged in a pulsating encounter, with Mikael Granlund’s overtime goal eventually securing a narrow 4-3 triumph for the Finns.
Finland’s Resurgence After Stuttering Start
Following a humbling 6-1 defeat at the hands of Team USA in their tournament opener, Finland entered their clash with Sweden determined to make amends. Their resolve was evident from the outset, as they weathered an early onslaught from their Nordic rivals and gradually asserted themselves on the game.
Anton Lundell provided an early spark for Finland, converting a crisp pass from Eetu Luostarinen into a quickfire equalizer in the opening period. Mikko Rantanen then put Finland ahead with a fortuitous power-play goal, his hopeful shot from the bottom of the right circle finding its way past the floundering Filip Gustavsson.
Sweden’s Riposte and Finland’s Resilience
Unfazed by Finland’s early dominance, Sweden hit back in the middle period with two goals from Rasmus Dahlin and Erik Karlsson. Dahlin’s clever cross-crease redirection from Joel Eriksson-Ek gave Sweden a lifeline, while Karlsson’s powerful drive from the right circle put them ahead for the first time since the opening 10 minutes.
However, Finland displayed remarkable resilience, with Aleksander Barkov tying the game once again with a smart touch in the crease with just over two minutes remaining in the second. The equalizer set the stage for a thrilling climax in overtime.
Granlund’s Redemption
As the game entered overtime, it was Granlund who stepped up to deliver the knockout blow. With Finland enjoying a 2-on-1 rush, Granlund received a pass from Patrik Laine and fired a clinical shot from the lower right circle, securing the victory for his team.
Individual Performances Shine
Granlund’s heroics capped off a strong performance from the Nashville Predators forward, who also picked up an assist. Patrik Laine contributed a pair of assists, while Kevin Lankinen made 21 saves to earn the win in goal for Finland.
For Sweden, Mika Zibanejad opened the scoring with a well-placed shot from the slot early in the game, while Rasmus Dahlin and Erik Karlsson both produced impressive goals in the second period. Backup goalie Linus Ullmark turned aside 15 shots in relief of Filip Gustavsson, who struggled with Finland’s early pressure.
Tournament Conclusion
With the victory, Finland claims its first win of the tournament and moves into contention for a top spot in the standings. Sweden, meanwhile, remains in search of its first regulation win, having suffered two overtime defeats in their opening two games.
Both teams will conclude their round-robin play on Monday in Boston, with Finland facing Canada and Sweden taking on Team USA. The tournament finale, which will determine the overall winner, is scheduled for Wednesday in Quebec City.
