🇫🇮 Finland 3-1 Sweden 🇸🇪
World Junior Summer Showcase
Ridder Arena, Minneapolis 🇺🇸
Saturday, 02 August 2025

The final day of games at the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase were played here today at Ridder Arena. Finland defeated Sweden, 3-1.

The event serves as an evaluation for athletes seeking to make their respective national teams for the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, set for 26 December 2025 through 05 January 2026 in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Finnish netminder Petteri Rimpinen made a trio of stellar saves with 8:35 remaining in the first, as he first slid across his crease to deny a one-timer before corralling the follow-up chances near his net.

Heikki Ruohonen opened the scoring for Finland with a power-play goal with 2:27 to go, as he tapped in a rebound chance after a shot from Aatos Koivu.

Roope Vesterinen scored Finland’s second power-play goal of the game 1:23 into the second, deflecting a shot from Daniel Nieminen past Swedish netminder Carl Axelsson.

Jack Berglund got Sweden on the board on the power play with 6:05 to play in the period, as he deflected a pass from Melvin Fernström past Rimpinen.

Sascha Boumedienne nearly tied the contest for Sweden with 2:20 remaining in the third, but his wrister from the right faceoff circle hit the post.

Rimpinen, who finished the game with 26 saves, stood tall in the final moments of the game, making several key saves to keep his team ahead by one. Vesterinen sealed 3-1 victory for Finland with an empty-net goal with 0:05 remaining.

BOXSCORE
1st Period
16:23 – 🇸🇪 PEN – Eliasson, interference
17:33 – 🇫🇮 PP GOAL – Ruohonen (Koivu, Pikkarainen)

2nd Period
21:08 – 🇸🇪 PEN – W. Björck
21:23 – 🇫🇮 PP GOAL – Vesterinen (Nieminen, Kuhta)
32:04 – 🇫🇮 PEN – Kiviharju, tripping
33:55 – 🇸🇪 PP GOAL – Berglund (Fernström, Danielsson)
34:23 – 🇫🇮 PEN – Boelius, roughing

3rd Period
54:09 – 🇫🇮 PEN – Pikkarainen, kneeing
59:55 – 🇫🇮 EN GOAL – Vesterinen (Ruohonen)

GOALTENDERS
W: 🇫🇮 Rimpinen (26-27)
L: 🇸🇪 Axelsson (19-21)

SHOTS ON GOAL
🇫🇮 10+6+6 = 22
🇸🇪 12+6+9 = 27

ROSTERS
🇫🇮 Goaltenders: Patrik Kerkola, Petteri Rimpinen. Defence: Lasse Boelius, Mitja Jokinen, Aron Kiviharju, Daniel Nieminen, Julius Saari, Sebastian Soini. Forwards: Atte Joki, Onni Kalto, Aatos Koivu, Jasper Kuhta, Benjamin Pietilä, Kasper Pikkarainen, Akseli Pulkkanen, Heikki Ruohonen, Joona Saarelainen, Leo Tuuva, Matias Vanhanen, Roope Vesterinen, Max Westergård.
🇸🇪 Goaltenders: Carl Axelsson, Herman Liv. Defence: Sascha Boumedienne, Gabriel Eliasson, Viggo Gustafsson, Victor Johansson, Carl-Otto Magnusson, Leo Sahlin Wallenius, Felix Öhrqvist. Forwards: Jack Berglund, Viggo Björck, Wilson Björck, Liam Danielsson, Filip Ekberg, Melvin Fernström, Eddie Genborg, Valter Lindberg, Eric Nilson, Viggo Nordlund, Lucas Pettersson, Ivar Stenberg.

Article Credit: USA Hockey
Photo Credit: Center Ice View – IHF – HHOF – IOC