Finland more efficient in a wild one with Switzerland

08 May 2012 | Mika Leino

Finland had some difficulties but took after all a deserved win against Switzerland with goals 5-2. Game was not clear until mid of third period when Finland made their fifth goal.

Switzerland continued good going, this time against host team Finland. First minutes of the game were pretty nervous from Finland and Switzerland used this by attacking heavily and creating a lot of pressure of Finnish defense. Finns were a bit surprised of Switzerland's play. Only after 36 seconds Mikko Mäenpää of Finland overplayed himself and was forced to hook down Swiss player. Swiss powerplay was good but this time no goal. After three minutes Swiss Benjamin Plüss had even a break away but his shot went wide. Finlands play stayed nervous and almost every Swiss attack was dangerous and ended to a shot, but Finnish goalie Kari Lehtonen was the wall himself. After 6.21 minutes Finland got a powerplay and this time they finally could score their first PP goal of the tournament. Defender Janne Niskala shot from the blueline, it went wide but strange bounce came to the goalmouth and Jarkko Immonen put the puck into the net. After the goal Finland's game got better and especially team captain Mikko Koivu was again in a great shape taking a lot of steals, tackling and making superb passes.

Second period started with a stupid holding penalty on goalie Lehtonen by Swiss Damien Brunner. Finns had changed their powerplay system a bit using now two players in a mask. Jussi Jokinen had a good scoring chance from Valtteri Filppula's pass but shot went wide. After 25.44 Finnish defender Anssi Salmela tried a hazardous skating with the puck through the whole field but Benjamin Plüss took the puck away like a candy from a two year old child. Swiss got a 2 against 1 attack and Plüss scored himself with a wrist shot through Lehtonen's legs. First goal against Finland in this tournament was ready. Finland punished again in the next shift. Only 21 seconds later Joonas Järvinen shot from the blue line, everybody thought that goalie Reto Berra had the puck safe under his pads but apparently he hadn't and Leo Komarov pushed the puck into the goal. Swiss players protested heavily but goal was good - at least according the referee. Second period was uncontrolled game from both sides. Switzerland controlled slightly but they couldn't create too many chances. Some three minutes before the end of the period Finland's Janne Pesonen did a great forechecking the the Swiss end, Swiss defender lost the puck and Jarkko Immonen scored his second of the evening. Switzerland wasn't still ready for the second break and they scored one more goal on power play two minutes before the end.

In the third period pretty wild game was on, penalties, scoring chances, some pushing and shoving. After ten minutes Swiss Goran Bezina got a bit questionable penalty for interference and Valtteri Filppula scored after only 30 secs. Final hit for the game came eight minutes before the end when Filppula scored again. A lucky bounce landed in front of him and he scored into the empty net from a short distance.

"We got today shots from better positions than in earlier games." said another two goal Finnish forward Jarkko Immonen. "We knew also that Switzerland wlll be a difficult opponent and this game was the most difficult one so far although goal figures were bigger than earlier."

Swiss coach Sean Simpson was satisfied with their game despite the loss: "We played a good one. Game was tough and we had also our chances. Finland was and is a experienced high level team and against them we should have managed to be more efficient with out scoring chances."

Sean Simpson, Swiss coach

Finland got away from this game with minimum damage. Their game was from time to time nervous and easy mistakes kept coming. Finland also got luck in some points of the game which helped them a bit. Switzerland were dominating in puck control but Finland was better in critical points of the game like in scoring and also in goaltending. This brought again three points and a good team can win also with not so great play. After three games Switzerland has left a very positive picture of them and it is interesting to see what they will still achieve in this tournament.