Finland enters the WJC with an easy win

This was no difficult game for the Finnish team. They didn't have to waste much energy and you could see they already had tomorrow's game against Sweden in their minds.

Saku Mäenalanen was the player who today led Finland to the victory. He assisted to 1-0 and scored 2-0 and 3-0 himself.

About tomorrow's game against Sweden Finnish captain Teuvo Teräväinen says to Eurohockey: "We can beat Sweden. We have a great team. It will be a great game tomorrow".

The Norwegian team showed almost no offensive powers at all even if they had a lot more puck than yesterday against Russia. Yesterday they were held scoreless against Russia and today they finally managed to get a goal just three minutes before the end.

"We played a better game today", says Norwegian defender Martin Haugen. "Today we could play our own game and we could hold the puck more than against Russia".

Norway started the game with the same team as yesterday except for a goalie change. Yesterday Henrik Haukeland started in the net. Today Joachim Svendsen got the chance.

Finland had most of the puck possession in the first period but thanks to disciplined Norwegian defending they didn't have many serious threats to Joachim Svendsen. They beat him once. That was when they got a power-play opportunity two minutes before the first intermission. First Saku Mäenalanen was close to score and then Artturi Lehkonen picked up the rebound.

Norway's forward Martin Rønnild left the game with an injury during the first period.

Saku Mäenalanen got the 2-0 goal at 22:57 when he from close range put the puck over Svendsen's shoulder just below the crossbar.

It was also Mäenalanen who scored 3-0 when he picked up the puck after Svendsen couldn't hold a shot from Ville Pokka.

The fourth Finnish goal came less than a minute after the third. This time it was Joni Nikko who found the Norwegian net.

Norway had some more puck possession in the offensive zone in the opening of the third period but it was Finland who scored again. Ville Leskinen beat Svendsen witha well placed low shot.

Three minutes before the end we could finally see some Norewegian smiles as Tim Robin Johnsgard scored the first Norwegian goal of the tournament.

Both teams have the host Sweden as next opponent. Finland tomorrow and Norway on Sunday. But of course for Norway the key game to avoid relegation games will be Monday's game against Switzerland.

Tweets by @eurohockey