Finland battled through a tense and thrilling 65 minutes of regulation and overtime to defeat Canada 2-1 in a dramatic shootout at the 2025 IIHF World Championship yesterday afternoon. The victory not only handed Canada their first loss after five straight wins, but it also moved Finland closer to securing a top spot in Group A. The game featured stellar goaltending, key defensive plays, and plenty of action, culminating in a shootout that kept fans on the edge of their seats.
1st Period
The game began with both teams feeling each other out, leading to a scoreless first period, but the action was far from dull. Early on, Phillip Danault had Canada’s best chance, firing a shot from the side of the net, but Juuse Saros got across just in time to make the save. Finland’s best opportunity came midway through the period when they went on their first power play of the game. They had sustained pressure in Canada’s zone, but Marc-André Fleury stood tall, stopping shots and even watching a rocket from Eeli Tolvanen ring off the crossbar. Despite Finland’s dominance in possession, Canada’s penalty kill held strong, and the period ended with both teams still scoreless.
2nd Period
The second period opened with a few penalties on both sides. At 37:03, Mackenzie Weegar was called for tripping, sending Finland to their second power play of the game. However, Canada capitalized on a breakaway opportunity, with Ryan O’Reilly scoring a shorthanded goal at 37:57. The puck bounced over Harri Pesonen’s stick at the blue line, and Noah Dobson scooped it up, racing down the ice with O’Reilly on a two-on-one. Dobson fed O’Reilly, who slid the puck past Saros to give Canada the 1-0 lead.
GOAL: Ryan O’Reilly (Shorthanded) – Assisted by Noah Dobson (37:57)
Despite that, Finland wasn’t rattled and continued to press. They had a few more power-play opportunities in the period, including a second power play in the final minutes, but they couldn’t break through. The period ended with Canada holding the 1-0 lead, but Finland had more than enough momentum to keep pushing.
3rd Period
Finland came out with more urgency in the third, and it paid off just over seven minutes in. Nikolas Matinpalo fired a shot from the point that was tipped by Patrik Puistola in front of the net at 47:01. The puck fell to his feet, and he pounced on the puck, slamming it past Fleury to tie the game at 1-1.
GOAL: Patrik Puistola – Assisted by Nikolas Matinpalo and Hannes Björninen (47:01)
Canada responded with more pressure, dominating possession for the rest of the period, but they couldn’t break through Saros, who was outstanding all game. Nathan MacKinnon had a breakaway chance in the dying minutes of regulation, but his shot was turned aside by the Finnish goalie. The period ended with the game still tied at 1-1, sending it to overtime.
Overtime
Overtime started with both teams cautious but determined, knowing that one mistake could decide the game. There were chances for both sides, with Canada getting a breakaway from MacKinnon and Finland pushing hard in the final minutes, but neither team could find the back of the net. Fleury was strong in net for Canada, while Saros made several key saves to keep his team in the game. As the buzzer sounded for the end of overtime, both teams prepared for the shootout to decide the winner.
Shootout
The shootout began with Eeli Tolvanen scoring first for Finland, calmly sliding the puck past Fleury. Kent Johnson answered for Canada with a shot that beat Saros, bringing the score to 1-1. Saros then made a save on Nathan MacKinnon’s attempt, and Mikael Pyyhtia’s shot was stopped by Fleury. Next, Patrik Puistola sealed the win for Finland by scoring past Fleury, giving Finland a 2-1 shootout victory.
Shootout Details:
Shootout Details:
- Adam Fantilli (Canada) – Shot too far right, missed against Juuse Saros.
- Lenni Häméenaho (Finland) – Shot too high, missed against Marc-André Fleury.
- Nathan MacKinnon (Canada) – Saved by Juuse Saros.
- Mikael Pyyhtia (Finland) – Saved by Marc-André Fleury.
- Sidney Crosby (Canada) – Saved by Juuse Saros.
- Eeli Tolvanen (Finland) – Scored against Marc-André Fleury.
- Kent Johnson (Canada) – Scored against Juuse Saros.
- Patrik Puistola (Finland) – Scored against Marc-André Fleury.
Players of the Game
Ryan O’Reilly (Canada) – Ryan O’Reilly was a standout for Canada, contributing the team’s only goal in the game. His shorthanded goal in the second period gave Canada a 1-0 lead, and his ability to contribute both offensively and defensively helped keep Canada in the fight. Despite the loss, O’Reilly’s leadership and performance were key highlights for Canada.
Juuse Saros (Finland) – Juuse Saros was the undeniable star for Finland in this game. He faced 38 shots and made an incredible 37 saves, including a remarkable performance in the shootout. Saros kept Finland in the game with clutch saves throughout, including stopping breakaways and numerous key chances. His composure and stellar play were pivotal in securing the shootout victory for Finland.
Final Summary
Finland’s win was a huge boost for their position in Group A, moving them closer to securing a top spot. Despite Canada’s strong play, Saros’ sensational performance in both the shootout and regulation, as well as Finland’s resilience, proved to be the difference.
Finland’s hard-fought victory over Canada marks another step forward as they look to finish the preliminary round strong. With their next match against Slovakia, the Finns are looking to build momentum as they head into the knockout stages.
“It was a fun game, even though there wasn’t a lot of scoring,” said Teuvo Teräväinen. “There were good chances, and both goalies played really well. I think we’ve been playing good defense the whole tournament. On the other side, we haven’t scored a lot, but defense comes first” (IIHF, 2025).
For Canada, despite the loss, the game showed that they are still one of the top teams in the tournament. As both teams prepare for their final games, the battle for Group A supremacy is far from over. With both teams heading into the quarterfinals, the road to the medal round is set to get even more exciting.
“I’m happy with the way we played except for the score,” said Kent Johnson. “We played a solid game. If we keep getting those kinds of chances, we’re going to score a lot more than one. They’re a good checking team, and they were disciplined, and their goalie played really well” (IIHF, 2025).
Up Next
Up Next
Canada’s next challenge comes against Sweden in the final game of the preliminary round. This will be a crucial matchup as both teams look to finish strong and secure their position in the knockout stages. The game is set to take place today, and promises to be an exciting contest as Canada faces the host nation. Puck drop in Stockholm at 20:20 local time, which is 2:20 PM EST.
Finland will face Slovakia in the final game of their preliminary round. The matchup, set to take place at Avicii Arena, will be crucial as Finland looks to finish strong in Group A. The game starts at 16:20 local time (10:20 AM EST).
Source:
IIHF. (2025, May 19). Finland beats Canada 2-1 in shootout. International Ice Hockey Federation. https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2025/wm/news/67865/can_fin
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