Finland Player Ratings: Granlund plays overtime hero, Laine steps up
Mikael Granlund scored the winner in extra time to give the smallest country competing a 4-3 victory over Sweden, and a pair of valuable points in the standings. Kristina Rutherford takes a look at how Finland performed in Game 2 to get win No. 1 on this stage.
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The underdog Finns are still alive in the best-on-best 4 Nations Face-Off after securing a massive overtime win over their rivals on Saturday in Montreal.
Mikael Granlund scored the winner 1:49 into extra time to give the smallest country competing a 4-3 victory over Sweden, and a pair of valuable points in the standings.
Patrik Laine shone on his new line, Kaapo Kakko proved he belongs in the lineup — on the first line, no less — and Kevin Lankinen made big saves when Finland needed them most.
This Nordic rivalry sure delivered, too. The game featured four lead changes. One goalie change, when Sweden pulled Filip Gustavsson after the first period (he gave up two goals on four shots) and in came Linus Ullmark. And nearly two minutes of back-and-forth 3-on-3 overtime.
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These teams hadn’t met since 2016. Before the game, Swedish defender Victor Hedman told reporters it was like “big brother versus little brother.” Well, little brother (Finland’s population is a little more than half of Sweden’s) came out on top.
Up next for Finland is Canada on Monday, a must-win for the Finns if they want to get to the final since they dropped their opener 6-1 to the U.S. That’s a tall order, indeed.
But first things first: Here’s a look at how Finland performed in Game 2 to get win No. 1 on this stage.
Aleksander Barkov, 8/10
The captain made a costly turnover in the first period that led to Sweden’s first goal — he couldn’t clear the puck, then fired it at Olli Maatta in front of Finland’s net, and the Swedes pounced. But Barkov is the leader of this team, and he got that one back with a couple of minutes to go in the second to tie this game up, when Maatta hit him with a beautiful pass through the Swedish crease, which he deflected in from the doorstep. He nearly played the hero in the third, too, coming out of the penalty box and corralling a pass with his backhand, but Barkov sent his partial breakaway shot high and wide. Barkov logged nearly 20 minutes of ice time.
Mikko Rantanen, 8/10
His goal to put Finland up 2-1 late in the first period came on the power play, and he scored it at a bad angle with a shot that clocked just 33 mph because he barely got a piece of the puck. But how it went in doesn’t matter one bit. It was encouraging for a star player who didn’t register a single shot in Finland’s opener against the U.S. Rantanen also made a beauty spin move in the Swedish zone that led to Finland’s third goal, and he was far more visible than in Game 1.
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Kaapo Kakko, 9/10
The winger didn’t play Finland’s opener, but Kakko played so well in Game 2 that in the second period, he got moved from the fourth line up to the first to play alongside Rantanen and Barkov. Kakko figured in huge on Finland’s third goal to tie things up, drawing an assist on the play — it was a double deflection, and he provided the first. His line was buzzing, and he, Barkov and Rantanen generated a bunch of chances, especially late in the third period.
Artturi Lehkonen, 6/10
He had a good chance in close in the second period, but couldn’t convert. Lehkonen had two shots on net in this game and was moved off the first line in favour of Kakko. He saw just 11:31 of ice time and finished minus-2.
Sebastian Aho, 7/10
Aho assisted the game-winning goal on Saturday, and he led forwards with 20:30 of ice time. Held without a shot in Game 1 against the Americans, he managed to register one against Sweden while streaking down the right wing. Aho has starred for Finland on the international stage in the past but hasn’t seemed to find magic with his linemates, Hintz and Granlund. Contributing to the overtime winner may be the spark he needs to shine like he can on this stage.
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Roope Hintz, 6/10
Hintz had a few good chances on net, including one late in the third, but he ripped it high and wide. He played well on the penalty kill on Saturday, breaking up a couple of intended Swedish passes and getting the puck out in key moments.
Mikael Granlund, 10/10
The overtime hero got it done while tearing down the wing on a 2-on-1, and Granlund’s eyes weren’t on the net as he fired the puck through Ullmark’s legs and then dropped into a low fist-pump. Just before that, Granlund made a great defensive play at the other end to kick-start the winning rush. Heroic stuff.
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Anton Lundell, 9/10
Lundell got Finland on the board, one-timing a beauty saucer pass through Gustavsson’s legs to tie the game up in the first period. Lundell has been one of Finland’s best players on both ends, generating chances and figuring in key defensively, including on the PK.
Patrik Laine, 9/10
Laine was sensational for Finland on Saturday, far more dangerous than in Game 1, and he made a pair of beautiful passes that led to both of Finland’s first-period goals. The second came on the power play when Laine looked to be taking a shot before he sent a hard cross-ice pass to Rantanen, who one-timed it home. Laine was moved to the third line with Lundell and Luostarinen for Game 2, and the change really paid off. He carried the puck more confidently and almost generated a breakaway after walking through a pair of Swedish defenders.
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Eetu Luostarinen, 7/10
He authored the pass — a beautiful saucer over a Swedish stick — that led to Finland’s first goal. Luostarinen was also key on the penalty kill, and made a big block.
Teuvo Teräväinen, 5/10
He saw the least amount of ice of all Finnish forwards, just 6:23, and finished minus-1.
Erik Haula, 6/10
Haula also saw very little ice time, 8:21, including some time on the PK, and finished with a minus-1 rating.
Niko Mikkola, 9/10
His heavy point shot was on display and he forced Gustavsson to make a big pad save early on. Mikkola played a lot of tough minutes, including on the penalty kill. He did a great job keeping offensive stars like William Nylander to the outside and limiting Sweden’s chances and shots on net. He’s been essential on this blueline given the missing pieces due to injury.
Esa Lindell, 9/10
Lindell started in overtime, and his 28:20 of ice led Finland. He’s incredibly steady back there, and very effective at breaking the puck out while under pressure. He managed a shot on net, and lost a skate blade when he blocked a shot, so he had to hop off the ice. In the absence of star Finnish defenders, Lindell is stepping up and playing big minutes.
Nikolas Matinpalo, 8/10
The young defender is gaining valuable experience here, and despite the fact Matinpalo has played just 22 NHL games, he’s playing with confidence for Finland. He wired a few shots from the point — one found the net — and saw 13:16 of ice time.
Urho Vaakanainen, 7/10
The Rangers defender was added to Finland’s roster earlier this month due to injury (Rasmus Ristolainen, Miro Heiskanen, and Jani Hakanpaa are all out.) He played 14:20 in game two.
Henri Jokiharju, 7/10
He had a shot in Game 2. The goal-scorer in Finland’s 6-1 loss to the US, Jokiharju logged 16:01 of ice time.
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Olli Maatta, 9/10
He was in a tough position on that first Swedish goal, trying to coral a puck Barkov fired his way that led to Sweden’s first goal — Mika Zibanejad’s shot went through Maatta’s legs first, and then through Lankinen’s. But Maatta played great overall. He made one of the best passes of the game when he found Barkov in front on the doorstep for the tap-in to tie things up at the end of the second period. He was solid defensively, and one of the reasons Sweden was limited to 24 shots.
Kevin Lankinen
The Canucks netminder got his first start of the tournament after Juuse Saros gave up six goals to Team USA in Game 1, and Lankinen stepped up in the biggest moments. He made key saves early in the game — in close on Adrian Kempe, and off a Filip Forsberg deflection. And in overtime, in the first few seconds, Lankinen shut the door with a big pad save on Zibanejad and then later on a driving Kempe, who powered himself to the net to earn a good chance in close. Lankinen’s save on Kempe led to the puck going the other way, and eventually in the back of Sweden’s net.
