Team USA exploded for four third-period goals to beat Finland 6-1 in their 4 Nations Face-off opener on Thursday.
It wasn’t as easy as the score might suggest.
Finland actually struck first when Henri Jokiharju found the back of the net, stunning the heavily-favored American squad. The Finns kept things tight through two periods, with Team USA holding just a slim 2-1 lead heading into the final frame.
That’s when everything changed.
The Americans unleashed an offensive barrage in the third, putting the game well out of reach with a flurry of quick goals that left Finland reeling.
But don’t count the Finns out of this tournament just yet.
Despite being considered underdogs with the longest odds to win, Finland showed they can hang with the tournament favorites. For 40 minutes, they went toe-to-toe with one of hockey’s powerhouse nations.
"That first two periods really showed what we’re capable of," Jokiharju said after the game. "We just need to find a way to maintain that level for a full 60 minutes."
The three points from the win puts Team USA in great position early in the tournament, but the real story might be how competitive Finland looked before things got away from them.
With games still to come against the other tournament favorites, Finland’s early performance suggests they could surprise a few teams along the way.
