Tre Kronor loses final against Finland, 17-year-old Finn shines in Czech Hockey Games penalty shootout

Tre Kronor loses the final against Finland in the Czech Hockey Games, 17-year-old Finn reduces the stars of Sweden after penalties.

But I quickly forgot that.

I’m already looking forward to the World Cup opener against the USA on Friday, when two of the tournament’s favorites go head-to-head.

That’s what I call a flying start at the toilet.

It was no big surprise that Sweden would lose this match against Finland.

It is a team that is still built on homegrown players and is as coordinated as a symphony orchestra.

In Jukka Jalonen’s last WC-ag, everyone knows what to do.

Just like usual.

The captain of the highly successful Finnish national team is leaving after this season, but he has built a successful defensive wall that resembles the fortress of Suaveborg.

It is the defense that has given the Finns two WC golds since 2019.

Sam Hallam, on the other hand, stands with sixteen NHL newcomers, who will be fine-tuned ahead of Friday’s World Cup premiere.

Yes, bad if we include Alexander Holtz from New Jersey who hasn’t been cleared yet.

Hallam has just under a week to go.

Quick and unexpected response

This match against Finland went very well, with the Finns taking the lead and the Swedes equalizing.

Finland took the lead late in the first period, when Eemeli Suomi headed in a backhand shot in front of goal, set up by Samuel Ersson in the Swedish goal. One of three NHL goaltenders allowed to stand in this prep tournament.

But Sweden and Max Friberg responded with even better control, after back-to-back shots from superstar Rasmus Dahlin 2.57 into the middle period.

Now the answer came as quickly as expected when the 17-year-old center Konsta Helenius won a quick draw behind HV defender Oliwer Kaski, who threw the puck towards the goal.

Even Kaski was surprised when he sneaked in behind a partially hidden Ersson.

And Helenius was certainly satisfied, as Finland’s top talents came straight to Czech Brno from their strong quarter-final defeat against the Little Pennies in the U18 World Cup on Thursday.

But the Swedes answered again.

Felix Unger Sörum’s Leksand team scored 2-2 after Jonas Brodin’s rebound 7.48 into the middle period, but Finland responded just as quickly this time, with a big help from Swedish defender Lukas Bengtsson, who put a true Indian in his area himself.

Patrik Puistola got completely clean in front of Ersson, made a quick move and handballed the puck into the empty box.

Patrik, 23, who is the son of former HV defender Pasi Puistola and therefore has HV71 as his parent club.

Now Sweden equalized once more about halfway into the final period, when Jesper Frödén made it 3-3, after Victor Olofsson forced Harri Säter back with a heavy shot.

But when it came to decisive penalties, 17-year-old Konsta Helenius stepped forward again and coolly slotted the decisive penalty between Ersson’s legs.

Big game right in the toilet

But in the toilet it will be a completely different matter.

Backs like Victor Hedman and Erik Karlsson will then step into the team, along with scorer Adrian Kempe from Los Angeles. Add Joel Eriksson Ek who rested tonight.

And there will be a big match between two of the gold favorites with the WC tournament right in the first look.

In the USA, stars like Johnny Gaudreau, Luke Hughes, Seth Jones, Brady Tkachuk, Trevor Zegras and Cole Caufield were already among the first fifteen players they drafted.

And now seasoned star Brock Nelsson has also joined the banished New York Islanders.

Nelson, who is 33, scored 34 goals as the Islanders’ assistant captain in the regular season.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a strong US team in a toilet.

The feeling is that the Americans can break the World Cup curse, where they have not won World Cup gold in 91 years – the last time was in 1933 – and have not played in a Cup final of the World since 1950, if we lose 1952 when the World Cup was introduced to the Olympics in Oslo.

It’s a very lousy decision from such a great hockey nation.

Absolutely world class

Now they have every chance to change that, given how the opposition looks and the fact that Canada is coming with a talented, but rather weak team.

It feels like the Americans have a bigger edge than Sweden going forward, but the Swedes can respond with the best back side in the WC tournament.

The last time the Swedish World Cup team had such a strong back-up set was at the World Cup in Cologne in 2017 and everyone knows how it ended.

Now we have two world class backs in Victor Hedman/Erik Karlsson and Rasmus Fahlin/Jonas Brodin.

I guess they alone can go up 90 percent of the ice time and do well.

Then we still don’t know what will happen to William Nylander.

I’m pretty sure it will, only the doctors in Toronto will give the go ahead after his migraines during the playoff games against Boston.

Then the question is who can stop Sweden.

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Specific:

Rasmus Dahlin had three assists in his first game and was also the only Swede to receive his penalty.

The word was world class.

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