Ice hockey | Little Lions suffered a crushing defeat at the World Championships in Espoo – a huge difference in level

Little lions suffered a crushing loss to the USA in Espoo at the under-18 World Championships on May Day.

The champion favorite, the USA, forged a dull score of 9–4 on the board.

The level difference between the teams was big, even though the reigning world champion USA is not in the tournament played in Espoo and Vantaa with a super team like last year.

However, it was clear from the start that the USA team is better overall. The blue shirts rolled one attack after another with four chains to the end of the Little Lions.

The Finnish players were constantly in a hurry on the rink, which resulted in numerous mistakes. In the defensive end, Finland was often rattled.

Keeper Petteri Rimpinen immediately faced a merciless puck rain in the opening set: the USA shot no less than 21 times.

In the opening set, one easy one slipped behind Rimpinen’s back Teddy Stigan shot, but on the other hand the youngster made several top saves.

In another in the set, the goal nets started to get dirty. The USA started the set bluntly by scoring a goal after only eight seconds. It was Stiga again, whose direct shot sank behind Rimpinen’s back.

On May Day Eve, Stiga was in Espoo in an unstoppable mood. He already crowned his hat trick in 21:49. The puck slipped nicely into the top corner again.

The start of the second period was disastrous for Pikkuleijon, but Kiekko-Espoon Tuomas Suoniemi raised hope in the competition hosts by directing the 1-3 reduction from the corner of the goal Mitja Jokinen great pass.

In the second set, goals were forged with real work, as is customary in junior competitions. Soon after the narrowing of Suoniemi Kamil Bednarik took the USA back to a three-goal runaway, but right after Jokinen shook the Little Lions to within a couple of goals again with a handsome shot.

After that, the USA James Hagens forged two quick goals, before Joona Saarelainen still shouted at the home crowd just before the break.

So a total of eight goals were scored in the second half. The USA would have had scoring opportunities for more hits. The Little Lions flashed the puck many times and allowed the blue shirts to attack with superiority.

Rimpinen stretched a couple of times in the path of the puck nicely.

of the USA the pace did not freeze in the third period. The net fell behind Rimpinen’s back after only eight seconds, and soon again.

When the final set had been played for a couple of minutes, the USA was already leading 8–3. At this point, there was no longer any doubt about the winner of the match, and the atmosphere in the ice hall calmed down.

After eight setbacks, Rimpinen’s ungrateful evening speech came to an end, and Pikkuleijonien skated to the goal Kim Saarinen.

In the final set, Suoniemi scored one consolation goal for Pikkuleijoni. Brodie Ziemer in turn directed the USA’s ninth hit.

No less than two players from the USA reached the hat-trick: Stiga and Hagens, who scored a wild 3+3.

Finland beat Latvia 3–1, Norway 7–0 and Slovakia 4–0 in their opening group. The loss to the USA means that the Little Lions will face Sweden in Thursday’s quarter-final match.

The group winner USA, on the other hand, will face Switzerland.