Ice hockey | Raimo Summanen highlighted the great strength of the Young Lions – one thing to worry about

Finland the national youth hockey team beat Slovakia 4–3 Jere Lassilan with an overtime goal in the World Cup. The team advanced to the semifinals of the tournament.

The lead changed several times in a dramatic match. Finland led the match twice in the final set, but Slovakia leveled both times. Lassila finally decided the match with a great solo hit.

Expert Raimo Summanen saw both sides of the Young Lions in the match. He considers the quarter-final win to be Finland's strongest match in the tournament so far, but there is still room for improvement.

“With these players, we can play better. The game was a good, entertaining match. Better than the match against Sweden,” Summanen begins.

“It's psychologically amazing how Finland's game has turned after a difficult start to the tournament. Clearly no one on the team was satisfied with their own game. The team always plays well within the game, and sometimes the performance level drops below the basic level. Still, it's a good starting point for the future, that you don't have to do anything special. When the players take the little Snap forward and don't squeeze or strain, then we're at a good level.”

Captain Lassila and Finland found each other nicely in the third goal Konsta Helenius and Alexander Kaskimäki especially receive praise from Summas.

Slovakia had only equalized at the end of the third period, but Finland again showed its skills in overtime with three-on-three play. Lassila hit Finland with a handsome solo right at the beginning of the extra set to win.

“There can be many opinions about playing three against three, I think it's a bit of circus fun. But Finland has shown its coolness in implementing it. The players are not in a hurry. They know what they're going to do,” Summanen praises.

“When the speed advantage came in that attacking situation, Lassila cut beautifully in the middle. All in all, he made two great deflections on the way. It's quite rare. When the captain still scores a goal like that, it's quite a story.”

Helenius, who is only 17 years old, is one of the team's hottest future names, but he had not been able to perform at all in the group stage. The diminutive striker showed his skills against Slovakia. Helenius won in the duel for the Slovakian star Maxim Strbakintook the puck and started Kaskimäki's shot goal.

“Helenius is a young guy and not very physical. He crumbled Strbak with his tackle. That's still a good pass to Kaskimäki, who scored a goal. Strbak made a mistake later on in Lassila's goal as well.”

Summanen believes that the mistakes of the World Cup will help Strbak, who also played in the juniors of the Jokers and Pelicans, to grow into an even tougher player.

Konkariluotsi reminds that both sides of respo
nsibility were seen in the match. As captain, Lassila became the decider of the match. Strbak, as usual, carried a great responsibility, but this time he failed. That's sometimes the price of hard expectations.

“This was a really dramatic match for a young player. He is a good player – almost half Finnish boy. He was playing a good game before the events of the end. I'm sure he won't get any sleep early. I hope he gets all the right support, that's what we want for all young players. He dares to play, and sometimes it happens like this.”

Strbak is Buffalo's second-round pick from last summer. He plays at the University of Michigan.

Raimo Summanen saw a lot of good in the Young Lions' game. Picture: Toni Repo / IS

Tactically the most important thing in Summanen's opinion was that Finland was able to cut off Slovakia's most important weapon, i.e. rännikike.

“We've had leaks almost all the time. It was important to get them in shape. The two times we broke, they also resulted in the first two goals.”

There is plenty of room for improvement. Summanen is concerned about defending Finland's central region. The team seems to flow too easily into the arms of its own goalkeeper.

This was also visible in e.g. In Slovakia's 3-3 equalizer. Finland defended with five against six in a too tight formation in front of their own goal.

“The team doesn't get pressure on the puck. The red line is also given away. It seems like it's a clear strategic choice. I'll follow it in the future. You really have to start controlling the puck and putting pressure on it. You can't play the area if there's nothing to do in that area.”

Finland's matches continue in the semifinals on Thursday.