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Slovakia sends Finland to the relegation round
Penalty shots take Slovakia to the quarter final for the first time in five years.
The final game of group B would decided which team that would qualify to the quarter finals and which that would head for the relegation round. And after a nerve thrilling penalty shot it was Slovakia that took the quarter final spot. And it was a welldeserved win for them as they outshot Finland 33-12.
Despite only managing to shot 12 shots at goal in such an important game the Finns took the lead both 1-0 and 2-1. When Nestori Lähde scored 2-1 with a great shot from the top of the faceoff circle the Finns were outshot 19-5.
But the Slovaks managed to comeback and Adam Bezak scored the equalizer after a mistake by the Finnish defense. The game finished with a 2-2 tie and went to overtime.
The five minute overtime didn't see much action, Finland's Hartikainen had a chance to be hero but Janus made the important save. That was the only shot on goal in the overtime.
A scoreless overtime and penalty shots would decide this important game. In the first round both Rajala and Bezak scored, in the second Lucenius lost control of his deke and missed while Tatar scored for Slovakia. Hartikainen had to score in round three to keep Finland in the game but Janus saved and took Slovakia to the quarter finals.
A success for Slovakia who missed out on the playoffs for the least four years. In the quarter final they will play USA.
Slovakia - Finland 3-2 (0-0,1-2,1-0,0-0,1-0)
0-1 (24:40) N Lucenius (Rajala, Nättinen) PP2
1-1 (30:36) R Panik (Valach, Tatar) PP
1-2 (37:37) N Lähde (Järvinen)
2-2 (48:32) Bezak (Kytnar, Tybor)
3-2 GWS T Tatar
Shots: 33-12 (11-2,11-5,10-4,0-1,1-0)
PIM: 10-8
Story added on 1st January 2009 at 10:53 GMT
Story submitted by: Fredrik Pålsson.
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