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As expected coming into the tournament, Finland and the Russian Olympic Committee will play for the Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey.
Finland shut out Slovakia 2-0 in the first semifinal on Friday to reach the gold-medal game for the first time since 2006.
In the second semifinal, the ROC knocked off Sweden in a game that was decided by a shootout. The Russians have an opportunity to win their second consecutive Olympic gold medal.
Friday’s Semifinal Results
Finland 2, Slovakia 0
Russian Olympic Committee 2, Sweden 1 (3-2 shootout)
Men’s Hockey Gold-Medal Game
Matchup: Finland vs. Russian Olympic Committee
Date: Saturday, Feb. 19
Start time: 11:10 p.m. ET
Watch: USA
Live Stream: Peacock
Finland and Slovakia met in the first game of the 2022 Olympics for both teams. The Finns cruised to an easy 6-2 victory on Feb. 10 en route to winning Group C.
Friday’s meeting was a tense defensive battle between the two sides. Sakari Manninen got Finland on the board with a goal that was assisted by Petteri Lindbohm and Sami Vatanen late in the first period.
NBC Olympics @NBCOlympics
Finland breaks the ice!<br><br>A spot in the gold medal game on the line vs Slovakia.<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinterOlympics?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#WinterOlympics</a><br>???? : <a href=”https://twitter.com/peacockTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@peacockTV</a> <br>???? : <a href=”https://t.co/p70qyAhFHO”>https://t.co/p70qyAhFHO</a> <a href=”https://t.co/ET6sMr8YDS”>pic.twitter.com/ET6sMr8YDS</a>
The 1-0 stalemate would hold until late in the third period. Harri Pesonen added a second goal for Finland with 39 seconds remaining after Slovakia pulled goalie Patrik Rybar to get an extra skater on the ice.
NBC Olympics @NBCOlympics
Finland is going for GOLD! ???? <br><br>They beat Slovakia 2-0 and will play the winner of ROC/Sweden in the final. <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinterOlympics?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#WinterOlympics</a> <a href=”https://t.co/DOMvvgYnuK”>pic.twitter.com/DOMvvgYnuK</a>
Both goalies played very well in the game. Rybar stopped 25 of 26 shots before he was pulled by head coach Craig Ramsey.
Harri Sateri recorded his first shutout in Beijing with 28 saves. He has allowed just one goal through two games in the knockout round.
The Russian Olympic Committee and Sweden were involved in another defensive struggle. After a scoreless opening frame, Anton Slepyshev got the Russians on the board 15 seconds into the second period.
NBC Olympics @NBCOlympics
15 seconds in and the ROC is on the board in the second period. <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/ROCvsSWE?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#ROCvsSWE</a> – NOW on <a href=”https://twitter.com/USA_Network?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@USA_Network</a> and <a href=”https://twitter.com/peacockTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@peacockTV</a>. Stream HERE: <a href=”https://t.co/HT3N4Bp493″>https://t.co/HT3N4Bp493</a> <a href=”https://t.co/YGNrmdAKyF”>pic.twitter.com/YGNrmdAKyF</a>
As it has done throughout the tournament, Sweden turned to Anton Lander for offense. He beat Ivan Fedotov early in the third period to tie the score at one.
Olympic Hockey on NBC @NBCSportsHockey
SWEDEN. WE’RE TIED.<br><br>A trip to the Gold Medal Game is on the line!<br><br>????: <a href=”https://twitter.com/USA_Network?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@USA_Network</a> and <a href=”https://twitter.com/peacockTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@peacockTV</a> <br>????: <a href=”https://t.co/8WG29LEyQp”>https://t.co/8WG29LEyQp</a><a href=”https://t.co/kAAV7XEmS4″>pic.twitter.com/kAAV7XEmS4</a>
Lander’s four goals are tied with Manninen for the second-most in the Olympics.
Neither side scored for the rest of regulation, sending the game to a shootout. Both teams scored twice in leading into the final round. Max Friberg’s attempt to give Sweden the lead missed when Fedotov got a glove on his shot attempt.
With a spot in the gold-medal game on the line, Arseni Gritsyuk’s wrister snuck past Lars Johansson to give the Russian Olympic Committee a win.
Prior to winning gold in 2018, the Russians hadn’t medaled at the Olympics since 2002, when the country of Russia was allowed a delegation at the Games.
(Russia is currently serving a two-year suspension from the Olympics, Paralympics and world championships as punishment for a state-sponsored doping program that included 15 medal winners from the 2014 Winter Games.)
Finland’s men’s hockey team has never won gold at the Winter Olympics. They previously won silver in 1988 and 2006.
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