Second-period blitz sends Finland past Canada and into World Championship Final

[p][b]It's the first time [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/finland/rRWMzYQu/"]Finland[/a] have reached the Final since taking gold in 2022, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/canada/dSsR389c/"]Canada[/a]'s wait to return to the showpiece since their last triumph in 2023 goes on.[/b][/p][p]A comfortable 4-1 win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/czech-republic/OdY4GUuO/"]Czech Republic[/a] had put an end to three Quarter-final losses in a row for Finland, while Canada had gone one better with a 4-0 win over neighbours [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/usa/GYgp4SO3/"]United States[/a] to end the holders' grip on the trophy.[/p][p]After 20 minutes it looked as if Canada still had every chance of taking the trophy for themselves, albeit after a great start for the Finns, who went ahead in the fourth minute when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/helenius-konsta/CCkpmIQp/"]Konsta Helenius[/a] knocked the puck out of his own zone for [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/puistola-patrik/nqWpkFgA/"]Patrik Puistola[/a] to chase down the right, before cutting in and powering a shot[/b] into the top corner.[/p][p]But it was all Canada for the rest of the first period - they were level less than five minutes later when Finland failed to clear their zone before a [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mateychuk-denton/U3lzILpf/"]Denton Mateychuk[/a] shot struck teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/holloway-dylan/K8MiKQcH/"]Dylan Holloway[/a], diverting it perfectly into the path of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/thomas-robert/8bU4IVJ2/"]Robert Thomas[/a], who applied the simple finish.[/b][/p][p]Six minutes later the Canadians were ahead [b]Holloway brought down a clearance from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/celebrini-macklin/I7wgduSQ/"]Macklin Celebrini[/a] before racing through and firing in[/b] off the pipes.[/p][embed guid="8633620f-da0c-488c-9eb8-3f6300bd0e15" url="https://x.com/ViaplayUrheilu/status/2060790868538200330" social-type="twitter" /][p]However, the second period belonged exclusively to the [i]Leijonat[/i], who needed just 49 seconds of it to level again, as [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lehtonen-mikko/GU8BUg7n/"]Mikko Lehtonen[/a]'s shot was blocked by teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/granlund-mikael/lUeWxpf3/"]Mikael Granlund[/a], who tried to force it home before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/barkov-aleksander/KCA1r9X3/"]Aleksander Barkov[/a] finally turned it into the net.[/b][/p][p]Soon after the midpoint in the match, Granlund and Barkov were involved again as Finland re-took the lead, working in tandem on the left before [b]sending Helenius through, and his shot only just crossed the line before the despairing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/greaves-jet/8jZe4N2J/"]Jet Greaves[/a] could hook it away[/b] with his skate.[/p][p]Just over a minute later, Finland had the first two-goal lead of the game after [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/raty-aatu/hQ2YUhqG/"]Aatu Raty[/a] emerged from the crowd to score amid a scramble for the puc[/b]k in front of the Canadian net. Though Raty was called for hooking with two minutes of the period left, the Finns held on to lead 4-2 with one period to go.[/p][embed guid="c8ff4fb7-74f2-4f76-beed-271d11e57a15" url="https://x.com/ViaplayUrheilu/status/2060804439980532213" social-type="twitter" /][p]The third period saw the momentum swing back once again, but though Canada had 15 shots on goal compared to just two for Antti Pennanen's side, they couldn't find a route back into the game against a disciplined defence who didn't concede a powerplay when really under pressure, [b]doing enough [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/canada-dSsR389c/finland-rRWMzYQu/?mid=SrX5PCbB"]to win 4-2[/a] and reach the gold medal match.[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/switzerland/buO3jBAo/"]Switzerland[/a] await Finland in the Final at 20:20 CEST tomorrow, Sunday 31st May[/b], while Canada must pick themselves up ahead of facing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/norway/nDtCX9uB/"]Norway[/a] in the bronze medal game at 15:30 CEST, after the host nation thrashed the Norwegians [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/norway-nDtCX9uB/switzerland-buO3jBAo/?mid=fVYcRYTb"]6-0[/a] in the first Semi-final.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/hockey/world/world-championship-2026/"]Follow the medal matches at the 2026 World Ice Hockey Championship on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]