SLOVAKA: HOCKEY - Finland wins World Ice Hockey championships

Record ID: 862219

  • Title: SLOVAKA: HOCKEY - Finland wins World Ice Hockey championships
  • Date: 16th May 2011
  • Summary: BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA (MAY 15, 2011) (REUTERS) FANS ENTERING ONDREI NEPELA STADIUM FINNISH AND SWEDISH FANS ENTERING SHOUTING "SVERIGE, SVERIGE"
  • Embargoed: 31st May 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Slovakia
  • City:
  • Country: Slovakia
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA9B4NDVMBABIM32W7TTYVV533C
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  • Story Text: Finnish fans in Bratislava were ecstatic after their team beat Sweden 6-1 to win the gold medal at the world ice hockey championship on Sunday (May 15) after stout goaltending and a blistering third period turned a close game into a rout.
    "Finland won the world championship," said one of the Finnish fan after watching the game in a viewing zone. "We haven't won for 16 years and Finland is now world champion now. It is amazing, I am almost crying. We won. Suomi!"
    The Finns, who won their first title in 1998, fell behind in the second period after Edmonton Oiler forward Magnus Paajarvi's rising shot soared into the top corner of the net to give Sweden a 1-0 lead.
    Finland's Jaarko Immonen's slapshot tied the game later in the period when he scored his tournament-leading ninth goal while Sweden's David Petrasek was in the penalty box for hooking.
    Sweden had plenty of chances but could not get another puck past Finland goalkeeper Petri Vehanen whose team broke the game open early in the third period with two quick goals.
    Petteri Nokelainen, named the tournament's most valuable playe, one-timed the puck into the goal after a pass from Antti Pihlstrom on a three-on-one breakaway. Less than a minute later, Niko Kapenen stretched the lead to two goals.
    Janne Pesonen and Myko Pyorala notched a goal each during another span of less than a minute before Finnish forward Pihlstrom rounded out the scoring with 55 seconds remaining.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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