After a dramatic final third, in which the Canadians only saved themselves in overtime with two goals from Zach Whitecloud (58th minute) and Max Comtois (59th) shortly before the end, Sakari Manninen scored in front of 11,487 enthusiastic fans in the 67th minute in Tampere the fourth Finnish World Cup title after 1995, 2011 and 2019.
The Olympic champion had previously looked like the winner after a brace from NHL star Mikael Granlund (45th/46th) and another goal from Joel Armia (55th) until 132 seconds before the end. Dylan Cozens (24th) had given Canada the lead. In the end, however, the successful Finnish revenge for last year’s final defeat in Riga only came in detention.
Two gold medals in one year
The Finns repeated Sweden’s 2006 feat of becoming world champion after winning the Olympics, which was unique until Sunday. In general, it was the first world championship medal at a home tournament for the now four-time world champion. The Czech Republic had previously won their first World Cup medal in ten years thanks to a furious 8:4 (1:3 1:0 6:1) against the USA in the bronze game.
The final, however, was Finland versus Canada for the fourth time in the past six World Cup tournaments. The Finns also triumphed against the ice hockey motherland in Bratislava in 2019. Canada also missed out on becoming the sole record world champion. Russia, which also has 27 World Cup titles, was excluded from the World Cup tournament along with Belarus because of the war of aggression against Ukraine.
Highly dramatic final phase
In the final, the Canadians were initially superior with their straightforward and aggressive game. But that was only rewarded in the middle section in the majority. Cozens scored his seventh goal of the tournament to become World Cup top scorer along with compatriot Pierre-Luc Dubois and Czech David Pastrnak.
Things got dramatic in the final third. When Granlund equalized to make it 1-1, the previously strong Canadian keeper Chris Driedger was injured. The Finns pulled away to 3:1, but Canada came back with willpower. In the overtime, a majority situation finally decided the final.
The Czech Republic celebrates bronze
In the small final, the Czech Republic were already 3-1 down against the USA, but turned the game around with three goals early in the third period. The Americans were 3-1 ahead after the first period thanks to goals from Karson Kuhlman (10′, 20’/SH) and Adam Gaudette (13’/PP) and a goal from Jiri Cernoch (16′). After Jiri Smejkal’s goal (33′), the decision was made in the first minutes of the final third.
NHL star David Pastrnak (41st, 44th) and captain Roman Cervenka (43rd), who led the scoring with five goals and twelve assists before the final, turned the game around with three goals within 2:46 minutes. David Kampf with a brace (55./SH, 59./EN) and Pastrnak with his third goal (60./PP) secured victory in the finish.
