Finland is back on the hunt for World Junior glory after defeating longtime rival Sweden 4-3 in the semifinals of the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship. The loss marks the end of the road for Sweden, which will now compete for bronze.
Sunday's gold medal matchup will feature Finland against the winner of the later semifinal between the United States and Czechia, but it was Benjamin Rautiainen who stole the show on Saturday night. The undrafted center scored the game-winning power-play goal just 38 seconds before the end of overtime at the Canadian Tire Centre.
"It’s unreal. I saw the goalie was standing, so I tried to shoot it as hard as I can. We know if we shoot a lot, hopefully, one goes in. And, yeah, we did it," said Rautiainen, reflecting on his exhilarating moment.
Finland, which had started their tournament with a disappointing 4-0 defeat against Canada, showcased resilience and teamwork as they pushed through the preliminary rounds, claiming second place behind Canada. Coach Lauri Mikkola emphasized the importance of their initial loss, framing it as the lesson needed for the team’s relative youth. "Many times you need time to grow up together. After our big lesson, we’ve been doing lots of things right, and this is the result now," he stated.
The game itself was high-octane, filled with tense moments and pivotal performances. Finland led 3-2 going intothe final minutes of the third period before Wilhelm Hallquisth netted the equalizer for Sweden at 11:32, sending the game to overtime. Otto Stenberg, the standout for Sweden, contributed two goals, displaying the prowess expected from the team’s top forwards.
Early on, Stenberg opened the scoring just 1:22 minutes after the start of the second period with his 2-on-1 break. Finland quickly leveled through Emil Hemming, who neatly executed his give-and-go play with Konsta Helenius.
Despite having a goal called back for offside complaints, Finland pushed hard and took the lead with Jesse Kiiskinen’s powerful shot during their power play at 13:28, making it 2-1. Stenberg fought back to tie it at 2-2 right before the end of the second, converting on Sweden’s power play.
Not to be outdone, Finland responded with Arttu Alasiurua making it 3-2 just seconds before the period ended. A frantic finish had fans on the edge of their seats.
With everything at stake, the final period saw relentless pressure from both teams. Finland faced 46 shots against their goalie Petteri Rimpinen, who accounted for 43 saves, earning him rave reviews post-match.
Finland’s formidable defensive play was complemented by dynamic offensive alignments envisioning sharp transitions to trap Swedish attackers. The statistics were vivid, showing Sweden's 17 shots on goal against Finland's 2 during parts of the third period. But with Rimpinen acting as the team's wall, Finland held firm.
Sweden, boasting top prospects and coming off strong quarterfinal victories, could not extend their undefeated streak, marking yet another heartbreak for the team, who won silver last year.
"It was disappointing, but we will play the bronze-medal game tomorrow, and that's still something good to look forward to," Sweden coach Magnus Havelid remarked. The coach stressed the importance of regrouping quickly to maintain focus on their next game.
With the tournament's ultimate prize within their grasp, Finland has the momentum, and the players seemed stoked about their chances heading to the gold medal game. Coach Mikkola remains optimistic about the continued growth of his squad. "This result doesn't mean everything yet; we have one more game to go, and we're hoping to make it count," he added. Finland's last gold came back when they hosted the tournament in 2019, beating the United States.
Looking to reclaim their championship status, Finland is eager for the final showdown and ready to embrace the pressure to be the best.