Finland Blanks Team Sweden, Advance to Play Canada in Gold Medal Game

After defeating Team Czechia in today's [semi-final match], Canada heads to the Gold Medal game, awaiting their fate from Sweden v. Finland. The Battle of Scandinavia is back again, this time with a ticket to the World Junior final on the line.

Starting goaltenders:

Sweden: Jesper Wallstedt
Finland: Juha Jatkola

The Finns came out of the gate with strength, outshooting their height 7-5 through the opening ten minutes. Finland's top line of Hirvonen (TOR), Räty (NYI), and Kemell (NSH) dominated every shift, testing Sweden's prized goaltender in Wallstedt. Neither goaltender allowed a goal in the first, as the two teams battled tightly the whole way.

End of 1st period: SWE - 0 :: FIN - 0

The second period would continue the chess match of the first, both teams battling for every inch. It wasn't until Sweden took a questionable too-many men penalty that the scoreless streak was snapped. Kasper Puutio () made a brilliant play, gloving down an errant puck and beating Jesper Wallstedt five-hole. You could see the disappointing on the face of Minnesota's top-prospect instantly.

Just after, Sweden took and killed off another penalty, giving them some momentum. Despite some back and forth hockey, Finland's lone powerplay goal held up as the game-winner, as Jatkola shuts out the Swedes.

Finland advances to playa stacked Team Canada in the gold medal game. It should be a fun one, but no doubt Canada will be favored. They feature a lineup that just seems head and shoulders above the competition. Mason McTavish, Kent Johnson, Connor Bedard, and pretty much the entire lineup has cut through the rest of their competition like a hot knife through butter. Finland is in for a tough game, but the Finns are built for hard-fought, big-time hockey. Should be fun.

Players of the Tournament:

Sweden:
- Jesper Wallstedt
- Emil Andrae
- Ake Stakkestad

Finland:
- Kasper Puutio
- Roby Jarventie
- Roni Hirvonen

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