Finland scored eight against Austria but is worried about Selanne

Let the firecrackers begin at Bolshoy arena for the debut of Finland! Austria needs 36 seconds to beat the emotion of its Olympic return after 12 years and send a message, ok we are an underdog but a tough one!: a very smart pass from behind the net by finds the one-timer of Michael Grabner with no chance for Tuukka Rask. And same Grabner doesn’t capitalize another chance two minutes later, when Matthias Trattnig finds him alone in Finland defensive zone. Finland begins its game after 5 minutes with a solo by Aaltonen and equalizes at 6.50 with Mikael Grandlund, very cold to prepare the shot and beats Starkbaum with the help of Selanne obstructing the visual of Austrian goalie. Finland has various chances, well prepared but finished with too much hurry briskness, so Austria again capitalizes its “NHL quote” at min. 10: Thomas Vanek gets in Finland defense and offers the puck to Thomas Hundertpfund passing behind the net and beating a not very reactive Raask. Two minutes and Finland equalizes with a shot by Jori Lehtera, forgotten in front of Starkbaum by Austrian defense. At the end of the period Starkbaum is very reactive on Vatanen but with 34 seconds left Austrian goalie can’t arrive on a Olli Maatta long range shot. Austria made the mistake to consider the period finished and Finland scores again with Jarkko Immonen, quick to tap-in his first conclusion rebounded by Starkbaum. Second period opens with the fifth Finnish goal, a move by Jussi Jokinen, his first shot is rebounded by Strakbaum but neither the goalie neither Altmann control the puck so Jokinen can rebound in the net. During the first period Teemu Selanne leaves the game for a physical problem, nothing too serious according to Finnish staff

Finland is now much more determinate and left few ice for Austria. Komarov misses an easy chance and Starkbaum closes on Maatta and Jussi Jokinen. A wrong line change gives a capital chance to Immonen: he shoots on Starkbaum. Coach Viveros call a time-out to break the Finnish momentum and to re-organize his confused team. Game continues more quiet until 32:10: Timonen shots from the blue, Strakbaum rebounds but Finalnd continues the pressure, Austrian goalie deflects a shot by Grandlund giving the rebound to Petri Kontiola for finnish sixth goal. A post hit by Immonen closes the central period. A very beautiful pass by Brian Lebler allows Michael Grabner to score his second goal and gives some energy to Austrian team that has also a good chance with Altmann. The rest of the period doesn’t offer many emotions with Finland controlling the game and scoring again with Immonen at 51.25 on power play, after same Immonen hits the post. Michael Grabner leaves his mark on the game scoring his personal hat-trick. At 58:25  on power play Mikael Grandlund finds the 8^th goal using at the best the good Finnish power play unit. Game shows a good Finland when attack but with some defensive amnesias. Austria does its job, scoring four goals and playing a period, the first, one-to-one with a stronger opponent.

In the mixed zone Austrian star Michael Grabner analyze the game:
"We came out strong, I think we executed our gameplan for the first 10 minutes really good, and then obviously the last two goals hurt us, going down 4-2 into the second period instead of 2-2. They're a good team, and they just protected that lead.Scoring a hat-trick at the Olympic Games: it feels good. Obviously it would have been nicer if we had gotten the win, but hopefully I can build on that. We have another tough game tomorrow against Canada

Finnish goalie Tuukka Rask isn't so happy for his performance, conceeding four goals: Well the start wasn't good for us. We weren't ready to play, and they came at us hard. Kind of a disaster to allow those goals. The first goal, everybody got caught sleeping and then it's in the back of the net, and we battled back. So it definitely looked like after that first goal we woke up and didn't let that bother us. We battled back right away, and got the lead, and kept it. I don't think playing a wide-open style was their plan: I think the offence was great today, but we have got to fix some of the defensive mistakes there. First period was tough for a goalie. They didn't get many shots, and they got some wide-angle shots, and that makes you feel uncomfortable out there. But the defensive game has to be better for us."

Finnish staff member Janne Lahti commented briefly Selanne exit: I don't think it's anything serious, probably just a precaution. He'll be back. The question about Selanne's condition was the common one for all the players passing in the interviews zone, someone is quite worried, as Mikael Grandlund: It would be a big one because he is a great player but we are trying not to think about that right now. Hopefully he will be fine, but others are more confident: Jussi Jokinen: He's a warrior, I think he'll be back for us.". Jokinen also commentes  on Finland's chances in this tournament:
"We like to be underdogs, we are fine if nobody is talking about us. We just keep doing the things that make our team be successful. It was good to get lots of goals today, we have lots of guys who gained confidence. So we like our chances, but we need to do some things a little bit better."

 

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