2025 World Junior Championship: Finland Outpaces Germany in First Win

In a tightly contested Group A matchup at the 2025 World Junior Championship, Finland rebounded from their opening loss to secure a 3-1 victory over Germany this afternoon in Ottawa, Canada. The Finns move to 1-1 with the Group A win, while Germany drops to 0-2. Both teams now have a day off. Finland plays the early game on Sunday against the United States, followed by a Germany-Canada tilt.

The opening frame saw Finland dominate the puck possession, creating numerous opportunities. Early on, Kalle Kangas had a near miss when his shot was cleared off the goal line by German defender Sebastian Soini. Finland’s persistence paid off at 17:30 when Emil Pieniniemi’s one-timer slipped under the blocker of Linus Vieillard, Germany’s standout goalie making his debut.

Finland extended their lead early in the second on a textbook passing sequence. Tuomas Uronen delivered a perfect feed to Arttu Alasiurua. A coach’s challenge from Germany for offside was denied, leading to a delay-of-game penalty that Germany successfully killed.

Germany responded quickly, cutting the deficit to 2-1 when Clemens Sager fired a remarkable shot past Petteri Rimpinen after a misplayed pass. Despite the momentum shift, Finland maintained control of the game.

Germany came close to tying the game midway through the final frame when Simon Seidl found himself alone in front of the Finnish net, but he couldn’t beat Rimpinen. Finland’s defense remained solid, and Jesse Kiiskinen secured the win with an empty-net goal.

Standout Performers

• Emil Pieniniemi (Finland): Opened the scoring and provided stability on both ends of the ice.
• Linus Vieillard (Germany): Stopped 40 shots in a stellar performance, keeping Germany competitive.
• Julius Sumpf (Germany): Created offensive opportunities despite not finding the back of the net.

Looking Ahead

Finland’s victory evens their record at 1-1 and builds confidence heading into their matchup against the United States. Germany faces a daunting task against Canada, hoping to bounce back and keep their tournament hopes alive.