The last two minutes of the game were wild, with Finland’s Eeli Tolvanen scoring a goal to win gold. It was all tied up in overtime at 2-2 and Finland seemed destined for silver before Russia pulled goalie Sergei Bobrovsky who allowed the golden goal by Anton Karlsson just four seconds into OT.
Finland beat Russia to win their first Olympic men’s ice hockey gold medal. The game was a close one, with Finland taking the lead twice before Russia scored the tying goal in the third period. Read more in detail here: olympic hockey.
Finland won its first ever Olympic men’s ice hockey gold medal on Sunday in Beijing, defeating the Russian Olympic Committee 2-1.
Just 31 seconds into the third quarter, Finland forward Hannes Bjorninen scored the game-winning goal. He also had an assist for Ville Pokka’s second-period goal, which leveled the game after the ROC took the lead in the first.
Finland made their 18th participation in the Olympic men’s ice hockey event, going unbeaten in six games in Beijing. Before winning gold, the country won silver in 1988 and 2006 and bronze four times (1994, 1998, 2010, 2014).
“It’s difficult to put into words exactly what it means. What a grueling competition. I believe we performed well throughout the game, and this is our reward “Valtteri Filppula of Finland, who won the Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings in 2008, remarked. “Hockey is a popular sport in Finland. This is, without a doubt, for all of us.”
Finland celebrates after defeating the Republic of Korea 2-1 to win its first Olympic men’s ice hockey gold medal. LEX PLAVEVSKI/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Harri Sateri made 16 saves, but the day belonged to Finland’s aggressive onslaught and forecheck. After two quarters, Finland held a 21-14 shooting lead, and the game finished with a 31-17 shot advantage for Finland. Russia was vying for a second consecutive Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey, but not necessarily by name.
Due to a World Anti-Doping Agency restriction prohibiting Russian competitors from displaying their flag or any other Russian emblem on their uniforms, Russia participated as the Russian Olympic Committee. This follows IOC punishments imposed in 2018, when Russian Olympic athletes won gold at the Pyeongchang Olympics.
On its second shot, the ROC scored the game’s first goal. With Bjorninen in the box for a high-sticking penalty, Mikhail Grigorenko beat Sateri with a nicely placed screen from teammate Pavel Karnaukhov at 7:17 into the game. For his team-leading sixth point, Nikita Gusev received an assist.
Just 3:28 into the second period, the Finns knotted the game. Ville Pokka tied the game at 1-1 with a shot from just inside the blue line that went through the legs of defender Nikita Nesterov and past goalkeeper Ivan Fedotov.
31 seconds into the third period, the Finns seized a 2-1 lead. Fedotov started the sequence by passing the puck to Bjorninen. Finland organized a forechecking workshop in which the ROC ran about in its own zone. Marko Anttila, a forward, scooped up the puck and fired a wrist shot from high in the zone. Bjorninen deflected it for the first Finland lead.
Forwards Markus Granlund, Valtteri Filppula, and Leo Komarov, as well as defenseman Sami Vatanen and Mikko Lehtonen, are among the former NHL players who have won gold for Finland.
“A fantastic group of people. Excellent work. We didn’t have it easy, but we managed to win every game “Anttila said. “We figured out a means to win these difficult games.”
The Beijing Olympics were the second consecutive Winter Games in which no NHL players competed. Despite an agreement between the NHL and the NHLPA to send players to Beijing, the league chose to opt out owing to a significant alteration in its regular-season schedule in 2021-22 as a result of COVID-19 postponements.
Finland wasn’t the only Olympic squad in Beijing to create history. Slovakia beat Sweden 4-0 to win bronze, its first Olympic men’s hockey medal, after eliminating the United States in the semifinals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the mens Olympic hockey gold medal?
A: Canada.
Who won the gold medal in hockey in 1984?
A: It was the United States.
Which team won the gold medal for mens ice hockey in 1980?
Related Tags
- 1980 winter olympics hockey
- 1980 hockey olympics
- 1980 us olympic hockey team
