Finland’s coach Antti Penanen pulled out all the stops that started with a net change and started Kevin Lankinen in place of Juice Saros. Healthy scratching against the US
By the second half of the second season, brackets had moved to the top line with Rantanen, Alexander Barkov and Penanen. It paid off Barkov’s goal with a bracketed assist that tied the score 3-3 at 17:05 in the second term.
“Capo, he started really well, so that was one of the reasons why we needed to put him on the first line,” Pennanen said. “With some fresh legs, he can win the fight and he can go to the net as we saw. That was one change we needed.”
Another subtle change to travelling through Granland is with Loop Hintz and Sebastian Aho, replacing Patrick Lane, who won Granland’s previous spot on the third line with Etu Luostalinen and Anton Landell. Another subtle change to the second line of the series also paid off. Lane supported Finland’s first two goals, bouncing off Lundarinen and Randel 2-1, with Randel tied the score at 10:58 in the first period, setting the power play goal for Randen, who gave Finland . He took a 2-1 lead with the first 19:46.
“He was really good today,” Penanen said. He was very excited and now he’s more confident.
“A lot of good things happen around him now.”
Lankinen played his role by making 21 saves including one in Adrian Kempe’s backhand in an overtime right-wing rush before Granland scored the winner in a 3-1 rush. The pack initially slid over Lankinen, but he kicked it on a left skate and knocked it out of the crease to defensive man Nico Miccola.
“These are the kind of opportunities you’re dreaming of, right?” Lankinen said. “You’re preparing so hard, you just go outside and play whenever the opportunity appears. That was like my way of thinking tonight. As the game progresses, I feel better. Clearly they got great talent on the other side there and were happy that the team could win.”
