Finland edge Slovakia in tense semi to reach men’s ice hockey final

Finland just shaded a tense and strategic contest with Slovakia 2-0 – with the second goal coming after the Slovaks had pulled their goalie with under a minute to go – at the National Indoor Stadium on Friday (18 February) to seal a berth in the gold-medal game at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 (on 20 February).

The Slovaks still have another game to play here at the Games – as they chase what would be a first-ever medal for the nation in the game for bronze on Saturday (19 February).

The Finns – the oldest team at this men’s Olympic ice hockey tournament with an average age of 30 – played a cautious game after opening the scoring. They kept the Slovaks – who eliminated medal favourites USA in a shock shootout win in the previous round – and their 17-year-old phenom Juraj Slafkovsky from getting into any real attacking rhythm.

Undefeated here at the Beijing Olympic Games and already with a 6-2 win over the Slovaks in group play, it was no surprise when Finland drew first blood.

With four minutes to go in a defensive and cautious opening period, former St. Louis Blues defenseman Petteri Lindbohm’s shot from just inside the blue line was saved by the outstanding Slovak goaltender Patrik Rybar.

Veteran forward Sakari Manninen jumped on the rebound to draw the puck back and slide it into the net from close in (1-0).

The only other goal of the game came in the dying seconds of the third and final period when, after Slovakia pulled Rybar to gain an extra skater in a hunt for the equaliser, Finland’s Harri Pesonen raced in on the open goal to tap in and seal the contest for the Finns (2-0).

The second semi-final game of these Beijing 2022 Games will be played later today with ROC and Sweden facing off at the National