Arttu Välälä scored 2:11 into overtime and Finland stunned two-time defending champion United States 4-3 on Friday night in the World Junior Hockey Championship quarterfinals.
Last year, the Americans won the final in Ottawa, Ontario. beat the Finns with a score of 4-3 in overtime. “You have to give the USA credit,” said Finnish captain Aron Kiviharju. “They're a hell of a team, full of great individuals and a well-coached team. But I said we wanted to get revenge on last year, and I think we kind of deserved it today.”
Finland will face Sweden in Sunday's semifinals, while Canada will play the Czech Republic. Sweden beat Latvia 6-3, Canada scored five first-period goals in a 7-1 win over Slovakia and the Czech Republic beat Switzerland 6-2.
Michigan State's Lee Riker tied the game for the U.S. with 1:33 left in regulation and Notre Dame goaltender Nick Kempf was ejected for an extra attacker.
Li Tuuva and Joona Saarelainen scored goals in 55 seconds in the third to give Finland a 2–1 lead. Tuuva tied the game at 2 with 7:17 left and then scored on Saarelainen's goal with 6:22 left. Saarelainen also assisted Tuuva.
Boston University guard Cole Hutson had a goal and an assist for Team USA after being hit in the back of the head against Switzerland and missing two games.
“I thought we played well for most of the game,” Hutson said. “But the little bounces they got and most of their chances for an A grade came from our mistakes.”
Teammate Cole Eiserman gave Team USA a 2-1 lead on the power play with 9:45 left in the second period. He took advantage of Hutson's serve and beat Petteri Rimpinen with a one-timer from the right flank.
Hutson scored 35 seconds into the second. Heikki Ruohonen tied the game at 4:46 with a quick shot from the left wing.
Rimpinen stopped 28 shots. Kempf made 21 saves.
The Americans lost their last two games – falling 6-3 to Sweden on Wednesday night in the group stage finale – after winning their first three.
“It has been an honor to coach this group,” said University of Minnesota coach Bob Motzko. “They played a great game tonight and lost by very little. Credit to Finland. It feels empty right now, but our guys gave it everything they had.”
At the end of the game at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, the Canadians defeated Slovakia, scoring five goals first.
Cole Reshni, Tij Iginla, Michael Misa, Sam O'Reilly and Brady Martin scored in the first period, while Porter Marton and Cole Beaudoin scored in the second. Jack Ivankovic made 21 saves.
“Just shows how strong we are,” Martin said. “Being 5-0 up kills their confidence.”
In the first quarter-final in St. Paul, Anton Frondell scored twice for Sweden against Latvia. Defenseman Leo Sahlin Wallenius had a goal and two assists to help the Swedes remain perfect through five games.
In Minneapolis, Thomas Galvas, Samuel Drancak, Adam Jiricek. Petr Sikora, Jiri Klima and Jakub Fibigr scored for the Czechs.
Germany won the knockout game in Minneapolis, defeating Denmark 8–4. Manuel Shams scored twice to help Germany retain their place in next year's main tournament. Denmark dropped to Division IA.
