Finland lost to host Czech Republic on tiebreaker in the opening match of the Ice Hockey World Championship 2024 started in Prague late Friday night.
The tight and tense battle between the Lions and Czech was ended goalless draw in the normal three periods and extra time resulting the shootout where the hosts ensure victory beating the three times world champions.
Ondrej Kase and Captain Roman Cervenka scored goals in the shootout for the Czech while all four shooters of Finland – Oliwer Kaski, Mikael Granlund, Jesse Puljujarvi and Oliver Kapanen- failed to score.
The Czech players clearly dominated over the Finns from the very beginning of the match and created few chances but Finnish goalkeeper Harri Sateri, who showed excellent performance during the game foiled the moves.
Although Ondrej Palat sent the puck into the Finnish net at the end of the second period and took 1-0 lead, the referees changed the decision and canceled the goal following a review sought by the Finnish coach as David Tomasek had interfered with goalkeeper Sateri.
The Finns, who started to dominate from the second period also created several changes but finally failed to bring any fruitful result for the team.
Earlier, International Ice Hockey Federation President Luc Tardif officially inaugurated the 2024 tournament where Czech Ice Hockey Association President Alois Hadamczik was also present.
Finland will play with Great Britain in their second match on Sunday afternoon.
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
It’s disappointing to see that the Lions couldn’t secure a victory against Czech in the Ice Hockey WC opener. The shootout was a heart-wrenching moment as the Czech players outplayed the Finns. Let’s hope for better results in the next match against Great Britain!
It’s disappointing to see the Lions lose in the shootout to Czech in their WC opener. The Finns showed determination but the Czech players were relentless. Looking forward to a better performance in the next game against Great Britain.
Why did the referees cancel the goal by Ondrej Palat? It seemed like a crucial moment in the game.
Well, EllaJohnson23, the referees canceled the goal by Ondrej Palat after a review because of interference with the Finnish goalkeeper Sateri. It was indeed a crucial moment in the game which ultimately played a significant role in the outcome.
As a fan of the Finnish national team, it was heartbreaking to see them lose to Czech on a tiebreaker. The Lions put up a strong fight, but the Czech players were clearly more dominant throughout the match. I hope Finland can bounce back and secure a win in their upcoming match against Great Britain.