Finns hope for ‘beautiful night’ vs. Canada

KAMLOOPS, B.C.— Finland has been spoiling for an upset of Canada in women’s hockey on “one beautiful night,” says Finnish coach Pasi Mustonen.

There would be no beauty in that result for the host country when Canada and Finland meet in Sunday’s semifinals at the 2016 women’s world hockey championship at Kamloops, B.C.

The winner advances to Monday’s championship game at the Sandman Centre. Russia and defending champion United States square off in Sunday’s other semifinal.

Finland has never beaten Canada in international women’s hockey, although the two countries have contested some tight games over the years.

Canada needed empty-net goals to put them away 3-1 at the 2014 Four Nations Cup in Kamloops and 2-0 in a world championship round-robin game in 2011. They played to a 6-6 tie in an exhibition game back in 1999.

“Let’s say we play 10 games, we can take one,” Mustonen said. “One beautiful night, that night comes. Why not on Sunday?

“We have nothing to lose. The Canadians have everything to lose. That’s a catastrophe if they (lose). They know it and we know it. It’s a wonderful starting point for the game.”

But the Canadians are coming off a textbook performance against the Finns in a 6-1preliminary-round victory Thursday. Canada will go back to their playbook again in the second of back-to-back games against last year’s bronze medallists. Captain Marie-Philip Poulin scored 64 seconds after the puck drop Thursday to poke a hole in both Finland’s enthusiasm and goaltender Meeri Raisanen’s confidence.

Raisanen had 49 saves in a 2-1 loss to the Americans in the preliminary round. She was pulled after giving up five goals on 32 shots in two periods against Canada.

The Finns will attempt to contain Canada’s top line of Poulin, Megan Agosta and Natalie Spooner, but they lacked the defensive depth to also handle Jennifer Wakefield, Rebecca Johnston and Brianne Jenner on Thursday when that trio combined on four goals.

“We know they can clog the middle. It might be hard for us to get in their zone,” Poulin said. “It’s a game of patience and we have to stay composed.”