Olympics-Ice hockey-Golden Finnish as Russians fail to retain title

By Steve Keating

BEIJING (Reuters) -Finland's men's ice hockey team finally reached the top of the Olympic podium on Sunday by beating the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) 2-1 to claim the final gold medal on offer at the Beijing Winter Games.

Ville Pokka and Hannes Bjorninen each had a goal while Harri Sateri was rock solid in net when called upon, facing 17 shots as the inspired Finns capped an unbeaten run to gold by overcoming the Russian defending champions.

"This means a lot, first time we made history today it feels great," said Finnish forward Markus Granlund. "It was early game fans probably woke up early it's a big thing for Finland."

Finland have made regular appearances on the Olympic podium, returning home with a medal from five of the previous seven Games, but until Sunday had never reached the top step.

Twice before the Finns had contested the final, at the 1988 Calgary Games and 2006 Turin Olympics, and came up short but the third time proved the lucky charm.

The last medal to be decided in Beijing - the men's final - was suppose to provide a sporting crescendo to the Games with the world's best battling for gold.

But Beijing was denied that spectacle when the National Hockey League opted out of Olympic participation after a COVID-19 surge through North American locker rooms forced the postponement of more than 100 games.

Instead the players going for gold on Sunday were taken mostly from the Russian-based KHL and Finnish elite league teams.

"What a way to end it and on this day we're the best hockey country in the world," said Finnish forward Harry Pesonen.

"There are so many good players, even if North American guys were not here.

"There were no easy games in this tournament."

FINLAND DOMINATE

The gold,